Your pool skimmer helps clean the top 3” of water by “skimming” the debris from the water’s surface. Your drain helps with overall pool circulation and sanitation. Your pool may have a fill line for filling and/or an overflow line. Many people in the southwest will forgo an overflow line because of our area’s constant evaporation. They let the pool fill up and then drop back to a normal level on its own. This keeps them from adding as much water to the pool. You will see pipes extending from your pool skimmers during construction. These allow us to put the plumbing system under pressure to insure there are no leaks. The return pipes are stubbed past the gunite and capped during construction.  These will be cut and fittings attached at plaster.

You will notice holes in the bottom of and sometimes the sides of your gunite pool. These are weep holes to prevent your pool from floating due to subsurface water pressure. They will be covered up at the time of plaster. IF you don’t see umbrella sleeves or volleyball cups don’t worry, we’ll do them prior to plaster. You should try to water down your gunite shell beginning the day after your gunite is complete. This will insure that your gunite does not cure too fast. Once or twice a day should be sufficient—just getting the surface wet. Please don’t walk (Or allow pets on) on freshly shot gunite——it may look hard but it’s better to wait overnight. Excess gunite (or rebound) will be placed in the pool’s ramp or hauled off at cleanup.

TILE AND COPING
Your coping normally covers the bond beam. It varies in thickness from l”-3” depending on the type used. No color is normally added to the mortar but we will add color to your tile’s mortar at a small cost if you so desire. Directly below the coping is your 6” tile line. Your pool’s water level should be maintained at the middle of this tile line.

If you have chosen accent tile for your pool, it will often be applied now, but may also be applied just before plaster. You can add this tile trim at any time prior to plaster and it’s normally put on steps and benches.

ELECTRIC
You will require electricity to run your pump, light and if present, your heater. The first step in this phase is trenching for the conduit. After the path is trenched, a gray conduit or pipe is laid. This conduit is a gray color so that everyone knows it’s electric and avoids digging or cutting into it. This conduit may be run to a junction box in an effort to save you money on electrical. Our electrician will also run a bond wire from your steel rebar deck dowels, pool and or spa light, and any metal, including hand rails or ladders.

Our electrician will then pull wires through the conduit and connect your equipment and lights to your breaker box. If your box is inside your home or a locked garage, you will need to make yourself available to let the electrician inside. Our electrician will hook up a time clock that will control your pump and filter operation. He will also provide a switch for your light. An outlet will also be provided at your equipment location that is a “ground fault interrupter”. We will need between 25 and 60 amps for your equipment. If your service is full, then you may need a sub panel added. There will be an additional cost for this and our electrician will notify us if one is needed. Your pool and spa lights are water-cooled and cannot be operated while not under water. Please do not turn on your breakers or any switches prior to our starting your full pool. The plaster crew normally will actually install the lights into the wall, so don’t be worried if you see a light on your pools bottom with the cord hanging loose.

DECKING
Your decking phase begins with forming. This will often entail digging dirt out or bringing sand or dirt in to achieve the finished elevation. After your deck has been brought to the correct grade, your crew will add #3(318”) steel rebar on 18” centers and tie this into your previously discussed deck dowels. If piers or footings are necessary, they will be added at this time. Your plumbing pipes are kept under pressure during this forming to insure that there are no leaks later under the deck.

There are numerous types of deck materials. You have obviously worked with your designer to get your preferred deck that fits into your pool budget. The thickness of your deck will vary from 4” to 6”. If you have chosen a topping type deck (flagstone, brick. Americoat, or kool deck) then a sub deck will be needed. This sub deck is made of brushed concrete. If you’ve chosen hand seeded pea gravel, then the rainbow pea gravel will be seeded on top of the concrete and become a part of the finished product.

If you’ve chosen Americoat, it will be necessary to wait a few days after the sub deck is poured and then treat the surface. After treatment the crew will return to add color to your deck. Pea gravel will need to be acid washed after a week or so to remove the concrete film that is present. We will do whatever is necessary to drain your deck of any rainwater. We are not responsible for drainage problems in your yard away from your decking and but will address these problems at the time of decking for an additional cost if you bring them to our attention. Your designer may have already worked with you on correcting any problems.

CLEAN UP
We will perform a final cleanup prior to plaster. All form boards, tile and coping debris, excess gunite; dirt, etc. will be hauled away at that time. We will also fill in any ruts left by the construction crews, grade out with sand 3’ around your decking, and prepare (prep) your pool for plaster. The degree of restoration is already determined by you and your designer prior to clean up and will be discussed at your pre-construction meeting.

FENCE UP
If we had to remove your fence we will put it backup unless other arrangements have been made. This will normally be done prior to plaster.

LANDSCAPE
If you have included landscape as part of your contract, we will do this work prior to plaster unless other arrangements have been made.

PLASTER PREP
Your plaster must be prepared prior to applying plaster. This involves cleaning out the debris, pumping out any water, and scraping the sides.

PLASTER
Your plaster coat actually is what seals the pool and allows it to retain water. We will not be able to plaster your pool if it is “weeping” water. We will notify you immediately if this is the case. If you have chosen colored plaster there are going to be streaks and imperfections. It is inherent in the color process and cannot be avoided. Once your pool is plastered we will immediately put a hose in the pool (with a rag attached) to begin filling your pool. Do not turn the water off for any reason until your pool’s water level reaches the middle of your pool tile! Once your pool is filled you should begin brushing it down at least once a day. We will provide you with a pole and brush. Brushing the pool down will make your pool’s plaster surface smoother, so you should concentrate on the areas that you will walk on , sit on , etc.

POOL START-UP
After your pool is filled with water to the middle of the tile line, call us and we’ll come out and start up your pool. A pool start up consists of cuffing out your skimmer loops (used to pressurize your plumbing), installing directional inlets, turning on your motors (to begin circulation), bleeding your gas line (if required), adding start up chemicals to your pool, and testing all aspects of the pool. He will drop off a pole and brush at this time so that you may begin brushing your pool. He will not normally install your pool cleaner because it may damage the new plaster.

POOL SCHOOL
At “pool school”, we teach you how to maintain and operate your pool. It is a good idea to video tape this process. He will also provide you with an “Operation’s Manual”. We will mark your pipes so that you know how your particular pool operates. Just remember that pipes are either

on the suction or return side ,so you should just imagine a large circle with your pump and filter at the center. We normally wait a few days after your pool’s start up before we schedule pool school. This allows your pool’s water to stabilize so we can teach you how to balance your water.

WARRANTY
Your pool’s warranty begins after it is started up. All workmanship is warranted for one year. Other warranties are from one year to lifetime depending on the problem. All Hayward equipment carries a three year parts and labor warranty. Americoat decking carries a five-year warranty. Your pool’s structure is warranted to hold water forever. You will be given a list of warranties at pool school.