Pool and Yard renovations
(All pictures can be clicked for a larger image in a separate window)
In the spring we removed a large concrete structure and 5 large brick pillars that fenced off the pool area.
This really opened up the backyard and gave us a clean slate to start constructing our new design.
5/19/17
2016 Satellite view showing
backyard concrete structure.
Concrete fireplace and BBQ that was removed.
Pool fencing that was removed.
Looking North after removing fencing from brick.
Demolition.
We use the pool daily during the hot summer, so we waited until mid-September to get construction underway.
The project consisted of:
Removing the dam between the Spa and the Pool to make it just a pool.
Remove excess plumbing used for the Spa.
Resurfacing the pool interior and new tiles.
Add new mosaics and scuppers.
Remove the bull nose pool edging.
Replace the fiber optic lighting with new perimeter rope and lenses.
Add a new concrete patio between the existing pool and existing cement patio.
Resurface all cement with matching acrylic.
I was also in the process of installing decking material as fencing planks to give more privacy, attached to the existing iron fence.
After having about 10 pool contractors coming by and giving us estimates for our pool/backyard renovation, we went with Kenny Maule of American Pool.
Not only did he have the most reasonable prices, but he has had many years of experience and is the manager of all the workers as well as the salesman (and rides bicycles).
He was also able to pull together many of the pieces of our remodel so that I could have it all coordinated by him with just one bill.
6/9/17
Backyard design.
Before starting, Pool looking West.
Backyard looking South (lots of pump piping).
Backyard looking North (perimeter fencing in progress).
I removed the 2 spa pumps and 2 air blowers and plugged the piping to have the ground ready for the new concrete.
9/14/17
Drain down spa to plug piping.
Spa pumps and air blowers.
Spa piping plugged at pump side.
Ken's guys started their work
9/26/17
Pool surface and tile removed, dam demo began.
Pool surface and tile removed on Day 1.
Top of dam removed.
The new patio extension was poured on Day 2.
9/27/17
Smoothing out wet cement.
Notice less piping in pump area from picture #3.
Ties the existing pool deck to the existing patio.
Includes drain continuation from pool area.
Cement removed down to the ground under old spa dam.
10/4/17
Dam completely removed and ready for
re-bar and new cement.
Spa jets plugged and will be covered under new cement.
The pump motor getting upgraded to a variable speed (quieter and more energy efficient).
Patch at spa damn installed.
10/5/17
Floor cemented in with internal rebar.
10/6/17
Palm in NE corner.
Palm removed.
10/7/17
Pool edge removal and deck surface priming.
Edges cut off.
Existing patio
paint removed.
All concrete is bare, ready for acrylic.
Existing pool acrylic removed.
Front entrance posts filled in.
Patio door install painted after stucco job of 10/3.
10/8/17
Inside
Inside in early June.
Pool tile install.
10/10/17
Deck Acrylic.
10/12/17
Pool interior. New tile (white grout erroneously installed on first tile) and Dolphin mosaic
12/6/17
Prepping for new tile.
Grouting new tile.
Replacement tile installed.
Pool Interior surface
12/8/17
Plastic protection.
Ropes suspended to hang sprayers.
Spray on interior.
Sides applied first.
Truck with mixer and pump.
Landing surfacing.
Misting exposes pebble.
Shoes for bottom work:
Cleats and padded.
Pool Interior complete. Fiber optic lighting perimeter installed and replaced in-pool light lenses.
12/9/17
Acid wash complete. Filling.
Transition to old spa is very smooth.
Mosaic was not very clean after acid wash (36" x 20").
I used a knife to clean it up.
Pool Interior cleaned up. Fiber optic lighting connected to light towers. Filling fast.
12/10/17
First look at new lights.
Pool filters cleaned. Variable speed pump motor installed. Initial chemicals added.
12/11/17
Ruben was able to get the new motor installed.
View from the kitchen window, looking left.
View from the kitchen window, looking right.
March 2018.
Deck repainted.
12/13/17
Deck completely repainted due to pool interior residue.
Fence in NW corner installed.
Lion heads installed, SWG current switch installed, WiFi control for Waterfall installed.
12/23/17
Pool wall.
Plants being potted. Drip system installed. 3 new hose outlets available.
2/6/18
Getting plants in pots.
Bird of Paradise.
Jade on pool deck.
Twisted stalk Hibiscus.
Bismark Palm.
Aloe Hercules.
Hot Tub operational.
We purchased this brand due to the integrated hard shell cover that is long lasting and easily opened.
2/9/18
Hot tub open.
Hot tub hard shell half open.
12 x 12 cement block pad.
Trench for 220 line.
Connection to pool sub-panel.
Noce Travertine in NE corner.
2/14/18
Laying travertine block.
Framing around East Septic cover and clean out.
Cement board cover.
Foam layers to reduce sound reverberations.
About half way done (2/20).
West septic lid framing complete.
2/26.
3/2. Deck panels will eventually cover the cement wall.
Artificial grass. (SynLawn SYNAugustine 347)
3/23/18
Grass base of quarter minus gravel.
Laying grass like carpet.
Grass finished just at sunset.
Sunset.
Landscape Lighting
3/26/18
Low voltage lighting with
3 watt LED up lamps.
Metal sculpture: Sun/Moon.
Candle flicker LED
3.5 watt 300 lumens, 2200K.
Sunset on 4/2/18
from seat in NE corner.
Fencing
4/3/18
Cap on East fence and gaps filled in.
4/9 Hibiscus impress every day.
Pool interior Re-do
The original interior poured in December always looked dirty.
Called "Stone Pearl", the black stones added in the final stages seemed to be mixed at a higher density than prescribed and it seems the bags contained dark dust at the bottom which were dumped into the final batch.
This created dark patches on the pool surface that could not be scrubbed out (even though we added much acid and I spent many hours with a steel brush trying to do so).
The contractor agreed to replace the surface if we were not satisfied.
4/12/18
First interior had uneven coloring on bottom.
Cutting out the interior.
Demo of recent interior.
4/24/18
Protecting the decking with 4 mil plastic.
Spraying in white cement.
Acid wash next day.
Filled in 7.5 hours, 3 hoses.
Brown interior looks blue with water.
4/26/18
East wall fence complete.
Front Gate
For years we were undecided as to what to do with the front gate area.
Originally it was built as the pool barrier wall extending forward from the garage.
However, that is within 25 feet of the street, which only allows 54" height and a pool barrier must be 60", thus it was torn down to 44" and left in a state of disrepair.
We applied stucco to the front cement block wall, painted it, and put a gate across the two walls.
I built the gate from perforated aluminum framed by aluminum channel with metal art screwed to the front and corrugated plastic in the center for privacy.
This gives us privacy from the street, allows us to view sunsets from the back yard, and provides a private area for parcels to be left.
5/21/18
New gate.
Plants will be hung in pots on the now finished wall.
String Lights
We had decided to have a 2.5 inch step down into the travertine area East of the pool.
One of your guests had a safety issue navigating back to the house in the night, so we installed a string of small led lights along the lip of the step.
I took a string of programmable lights that run off of AC and hooked up a DC power source so that only every other light was lit, then put in a potentiometer so that we could dim them very low.
They turn on and off with the landscaping lighting, but that can be overridden with a WiFi switch.
6/1/18
Step lights.
Older phone picture.
West Fence
After a very hot summer that made outdoor projects a sweaty affair, the backyard was able to receive attention again in October.
The half-wall at the West end of the pool that had been exposed cement block was given a make-over with the same paneling on the back fence.
The faucet was moved to a more discreet position behind the flower pot.
Artificial turf was laid in the gap between the wall and the pool deck.
10/25/18
West Fence.
Front Yard
The two large mesquite trees in the front yard were starting to become a danger (leaning, splitting) and had to go.
We had not planned to address them this year, but the soil at the roots was beginning to lift and if we were to put anything in their place, we could not wait far into the hot summer.
We had a landscaper remove them and all other vegetation in the front yard.
A large Bismarck Palm went into the center of the front yard and two Aloe Hercules on the Fawn Ave side of the front yard.
More plants will come later.
5/17/19
West view, 4/27/2019.
West view, 5/17/2019.
West view, 5/18/2019.
South view, 5/3/2019.
South view, 5/17/2019.
Next:
Hide pool pump equipment with horizontal awning.
Lay more concrete blocks in hot tub area.
Add gravel over dirt areas to reduce dust.
