Riley1’s Boulder City Pool Build

[Riley1]

As some of you know. My family recently relocated from Chino to Boulder City. One of our requirements was a pool. When we didn’t find the perfect home with a pool we decided we were better off building a pool to suit our needs. We met with 5 different pool builders, 2 of which were references from members here, and ultimately signed a contract with Lifeguard pools.
Some of the builders we met with didn’t seem to want the work as the walked in and said a hole would start at 75k.
Lifeguard was right on the budget and able to take our vision and improve on it. Below is the rendering of the backyard

 

[Riley1]

We had a tree in the middle of the yard so that had to go first.

Fallowed by removing a few random fences and junk from the previous owners

 

[CJ_Donahue]

I like the design. Are the chairs built in or removable?

 

[Riley1]

Dig started today. No turning back now!

 

[Riley1]

I like the design. Are the chairs built in or removable?

Those would be more or less permanent. We are not putting those chairs in. Will most likely be using plastic lounging chairs.

 

[Howardflat]

looking good. might have to walk over soon and drink a cocktail and talk about it.

 

[Riley1]

looking good. might have to walk over soon and drink a cocktail and talk about it.

Just don’t fall into the hole. lol

 

[Jonas Grumby]

Nice

 

[jeepdog]

looks really good... no pre pool partys?

 

[riverbrian]

Those would be more or less permanent. We are not putting those chairs in. Will most likely be using plastic lounging chairs.

Ledge Loungers! Very pricey, but quality.

 

[grumpy88]

I am meeting with them on Thursday . Yours looks really good !

 

[Go-Fly]

I love pool builds.

 

[PaPaG]

Ron is a great guy and a honest builder, love his pool designs. He will be doing ours if and when we decide to do one.

 

[Kfabe]

looking good. might have to walk over soon and drink a cocktail and talk about it.

Time to make a new friend in the neighborhood @Howardflat.

 

[grumpy88]

I'm going to need a key to the side gate and can you please keep the garage fridge stocked !

 

[guest hs]

Did they run into any caliche during the dig?

 

[Riley1]

Not yet. They’ve dugout about half the pool so far. My back wall is a retaining wall, and the lot was built up, so I don’t expect them to hit any.

Did they run into any caliche during the dig?

we did however find this huge piece of concrete about 2 feet down.

 

[Riley1]

the dig is complete. Didn’t hit any caliche.

 

[BUDMAN]

Congrats Steve on the new build. Love having a pool in our back yard.

 

[grumpy88]

You will need to put up some privacy fencing so the neighbors don't see you in your Speedo !

 

[Riley1]

You will need to put up some privacy fencing so the neighbors don't see you in your Speedo !

Speedo will be the least of their worries.

 

[HBCraig]

Riley
Dont know if you have school age kids. I have 2 good friends that are teachers and coaches at BC high school

 

[Riley1]

Riley
Dont know if you have school age kids. I have 2 good friends that are teachers and coaches at BC high school

I have one 8 year old. He is in 3rd grade at King.

 

[STV_Keith]

Endora and Del Prado?

 

[beaverretriever]

Looks like you guys are on Adams St?

Was in BC this weekend looking at homes. Found a bitchen little place built in 52, but needed too much work and would need asbestos removal which would cost probably 20k or more.

Keep us posted on the pool build as we may need the name of your guys if they do a great job!

 

[LakeBeard]

I really like that design

 

[Riley1]

Endora and Del Prado?

That’s the one.

 

[Riley1]

I really like that design

Us too. We met with quite a few designers. Some drew exactly what we said, and they weren’t bad. But this design build on what we had imagined and once we saw it there was no good back.

 

[STV_Keith]

That’s the one.

That's funny. Small world. The previous owner is my brother in-law.

 

[Riley1]

That's funny. Small world. The previous owner is my brother in-law.

A small world indeed.

He’s going to want to buy it back when he sees it with the pool in. lol

 

[Riley1]

So not as much has been done as I’d wish. Rough plumbing happened on Sunday (like 1-1/2 weeks after the dig). Rebar on Tuesday. Neither of them spoke English! So when I see what the’ve done, and have concerns that it doesn’t match the plans, I get a blank stare and off to work again he goes. Long story short, I’m setting up a meeting with sales and the manager. Nobody has been out to see if the work was done right by the Digging Crew, Plumber’s, or the Rebar guys. The “Baja shelf/Sun Deck” is supposed to be 10” deep. But the rebar is set 8” below the beam rebar. We’ll see if I’m just watching to closely or if their Mexicans messed up.

 

[jeepdog]

fuck buddy I was gonna say it looks great but numbers don't lie

 

[Riley1]

fuck buddy I was gonna say it looks great but numbers don't lie

I have no doubt that it’ll all work out. And maybe I’m wrong (this isn’t my trade), but if I’m right, I feel bad for the people who asked/signed for 1 thing and got another. We’ll know soon.

 

[grumpy88]

I hope it all goes well . I need a place to go soak !

 

[HBCraig]

Not yet. They’ve dugout about half the pool so far. My back wall is a retaining wall, and the lot was built up, so I don’t expect them to hit any.


we did however find this huge piece of concrete about 2 feet down. View attachment 805473

Funny you have this

My house in Henderson has the same thing

 

[Riley1]

Funny you have this

My house in Henderson has the same thing

We think it was probably the concrete washout from building the wall.

 

[Riley1]

Well. My concerns were addressed, Mistakes were corrected and we now have a pool shell.

 

[Rondog4405]

Well. My concerns were addressed, Mistakes were corrected and we now have a pool she’ll. View attachment 815929 View attachment 815930 View attachment 815931 View attachment 815932 View attachment 815933 View attachment 815934

Lookin good

 

[Racey]

Looking good Steve!

 

[Riley1]

It’s been a little while since I’ve updated this thread. Reason being, I was hoping to have some better news and more progress done. Part of the delay is our fault, we were gone for the week of thanksgiving and I didn’t want anyone here while we weren’t (so that’s 3 weekdays of work that are on me).
Anyhow,
Tile was done the Saturday before thanksgiving.

and then today they poured the deck. It was only 5 yards. But when I got home I immediately noticed a pretty big mistake. Spillways are supposed to be covered to keep birds out.

And then this bend in the coping.

The subs show up in their own without anyone from the pool company. So my question for the Pool Builders is; “Is this normal? Just expect Juan to do a great job with no oversight or fallow up? Only do as good as you think the homeowner won’t notice?”
I’m starting to get pretty frustrated.

on top of all this. They REFUSE to tell me when someone is coming to MY house to do work. And the workers try to jump the fence before knocking on the fucking door!

 

[RiverDave]

It seems like all these pool guys sub everything out..

 

[Riley1]

It seems like all these pool guys sub everything out..

Sure does.
I’m failing to see any value in a pool contractor now. I feel that I can manage these subcontractors better than they do.

 

[outboardrick]

Just point out the mistakes as soon as possible and don't accept excuses. As soon as they realize you won't accept the poor work, they'll realize that it is much cheaper for them to do it right the first time. I understand yore pain.

 

[Done-it-again]

It seems like all these pool guys sub everything out..

most if not all pool company’s sub all their work out. They might have a Forman or 2 but that’s it.

the issue these days that very few company’s have their own installation crew. It’s not easy to keep but it make for better finished product.

 

[Xring01]

I like the Weber Smoky Mountain, and Grill...

and the design of the pool..., if I where ever going to build a pool, thats pretty much what I would have done.

 

[grumpy88]

most if not all pool company’s sub all their work out. They might have a Forman or 2 but that’s it.

the issue these days that very few company’s have their own installation crew. It’s not easy to keep but it make for better finished product.

My friend has a pool company and 100 percent of it is in house . He is not cheap by any means though .

 

[Melloyellovector]

Very few pool companies do 100% in house. It’s not cost effective so why bother
But subbing 100% of work is not good, otherwise correct do as owner builder and save money
Solution have them remove spa coping and re-pour. It’s done wrong over spillways anyway so the bump is irrelevant if it already needs to come out.

This project has nothing to do with me to be clear.


Pool contracting is not like other specialty licenses where you have 1 skill and connect and or set a product and done.
Survey/elevations, Excavation/grading, plumbing ( water and gas ) electrical, Shotcrete/gunite, masonry ( coping, tile, stone, deck, walls, Bbq’s, fireplaces, and understanding the products and conditions they are going in, etc ) faux rockwork slides and waterfalls, water proofing, Plaster/pebble, and water chemistry, the list goes on.
It’s about as close to a GC as you can get with the amount of trades you need to truly understand to do things right.

Builders that say they are 100% in house are likely full of shit.
To put that in perspective. For single crews based off of small projects - Excavation maybe a pool per day min 2 guys, rebar pool per day 2-3 guys, plumbing pool per day 4 plus guys, Shotcrete 2 Pools per day 8 guys, masonry 1 pool per week 4 guys, Plaster Pebble guys 2 per day 7 guys. Of any of these crews there is less then a handful that have the skill to do the other guys job. Thats roughly 28 guys plus supervisors. Basically with crews there is no way to justify the cost of guys Shotcrete and plaster specifically when they need min 2 jobs per day to make the same money they make anywhere else. Only way possible is if you own pool company, Shotcrete company, and plaster company. So you sub your other companies the work, and you have other builders to keep sch full daily for them.


We sub out excavation, Shotcrete, faux rockwork, and plaster/pebble. Everything else is my guys. We strive to do things right the first time.

 

[Riley1]

Not going to lie, it’s been a little depressing to see 3 pools finished here on RDP since I started my build.
That said, spray deck was done today. Shouldn’t be much more now. They need to grout where they replaced broken tiles from redoing my spa coping. And then plaster.

today they pulled up the tape that had been covering the deck drain, and we just noticed that it is brown not white. So that’s going to be another fight that I shouldn’t have to deal with. 2 steps forward, one step back.

 

[Melloyellovector]

Don’t get discouraged. Average pools builds take 8 weeks. Comparing your build to cookie cutter baby pools in Havasu being built by Brian in 4 weeks or so isn’t exactly fair. He’s hungry to build up his name and cut into the business of the builder he used to work for sooooo.

As far as drains. If it was mine I’d leave the tan drains and swap out the skimmer and autofill lids to tan.
White drains and lids will be dirty and a shade of tan within first year anyway. Just my 2 cents.

Not defending your current builder, no idea who he is. But overall looks like it’s turning out good

 

[4Waters]

Don’t get discouraged. Average pools builds take 8 weeks. Comparing your build to cookie cutter baby pools in Havasu being built by Brian in 4 weeks or so isn’t exactly fair. He’s hungry to build up his name and cut into the business of the builder he used to work for sooooo.

As far as drains. If it was mine I’d leave the tan drains and swap out the skimmer and autofill lids to tan.
White drains and lids will be dirty and a shade of tan within first year anyway. Just my 2 cents.

Not defending your current builder, no idea who he is. But overall looks like it’s turning out good

He's right, BTW did you get your money?