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***Latest*** October 18th
2003: Well, that's it for the season. We had a brilliant year.
The kids had a fantastic time. We couldn't have had better weather.
Last week I closed the pool down for the winter season. Havnig had
the pool this year has given us a number of other projects:
(1) put decking round it
(2) add solar heating
(3) look into some sort of temporary cover for winter
Unfortunately I've just lost my job and am going to have a stab at being
self-employed so the next projects will depend on how well I can get the
business going. Still, it might also mean I have time to scan the photos
and get some of them on here. I have started, honest ...
Thanks to all the people who have got in touch about their own projects and
with questions
July 15th 2003: apologies again - I'm still trying to cope with deadlines
on a number of different projects, and move the pool on (and use the pool
as we've had such fantastic weather) so the web page has had to come down
the list of priorities. We're getting there now. Monday 10th
July we backfilled half the pool with a lean dry mix of sand and cement and
then the following Friday we did the rest. As this absorbs moisture
and dries out it will leave a hard concrete collar. The reason for
this is that the pool is an above ground pool but we have sunk it 2 feet
into the ground so that it isn't so much 'in your face' ie it is less obtrusive.
Above ground pools are designed to withstand the internal pressure
but if it were to be emptied and it was inground the outside pressure of
the earth would be likely to collapse the walls. The concrete collar
will protect it from that. Having got the concrete collar in place
it meant I could then backfill the rest of the sides with earth (you'll know
what I mean when I get the photos scanned and up on the page). I've
also had a virus which has left me weak and permanently exhausted so I found
backfilling the pool difficult and exhausting. Normally I'd have swallowed
such a task easily. Anyway, the ground is now all level around the
pool, I've put grass seed on to the backfilling and the weather is fantastic
and the pool is getting a lot of use - Tom brings his mates down and the
kids have a lovely time. When the kids have gone we can go skinny dipping
and have friends round to join us. We've also had several people asking
for advice, details of our suppliers etc It seems to have attracted
interest.
So what's next? First of all I need to get the photos scanned in. I also
need to make a proper (but temporary) platform for the ladder. At the
moment it is standing on concrete blocks. That will be it for this year.
Next year we hope to
(a) put up another pergola alongside the pool
(b) put decking around the pool (which is why the ladder platform is only
temporary)
(c) put solar heating to the pool
Doing the backfilling has made a real difference to the perspective. It
has visually lowered the pool and the whole area looks much better. This
project has *really* been worth doing.
June 26th 2003: apologies. I haven't kept this up to date.
There are two very good reasons for this - (1) I've been really busy
battling against some in-your-face deadlines and trying to get the pool in
and (2) we've had some damn good weather and we've been using the pool for
almost a month now.
OK, so where were we? We hadn't got the liner but we had got the
wall up. Right, so Maggie, my Dad and I fitted the liner.
It didn't quite reach so we stretched it into place and then started putting
water in. We'd got about six inches in and in some places it really
was a long way off the wall so we stopped. At the next opportunity
Maggie and Tom (with help from Pat and Brian our wonderful neighbours) baled
it all out (I couldn't help as I was fighting one of those in-your-face deadlines).
Maggie, Tom, Pat and I, a few days later, refitted the liner, stretching
it right the way round instead of just where it didn't fit. Suddenly
it looked a lot better. Ok there was one part where it was still a fair
way from the wall at the bottom but we are told the liner would stretch
to over 200% so we thought 'go for it' and started filling the pool. Well,
the water hadn't even covered the bottom of the pool before the kids were
in and they've had a whale of a time ever since. This has really been
one of the best thing we've ever done. We filled the pool up to just
below the inlet hole and then I had to fit the skimmer and inlet. Then
I had to build up the pump and filter and do all the plumbing. At that
point I could cut the hole in the liner for the skimmer and finish filling.
We've since been in the pool at every opportunity and we've loved it. I
really recommend it and if you want me to recommend the suppliers drop me
an e-mail and I'll tell you all about them.
We aren't quite finished yet - we still have to do the backfilling.
Later on we want to put decking round the pool and build another pergola.
Those are projects for next year and we want to look into putting
solar heating to it. At the moment there is no heating but I've been
amazed at how warm the water gets. Absolutely fantastic - it's
forcing me into some relaxation (not something I generally have time for
with the pressure of work) and it means I get some exercise. Just
as important - I'm getting some skinny dipping, too.
It really has been a brilliant project, I thoroughly recommend it and it's
a lot less expensive than you think!! I've got some photos back and
I'll put them up when I can.
May 19th 2003: and yes, things did go belly up. We
had planned to put the wall in Friday evening and then move on to the liner
over the weekend but the weather didn't play ball - it hammered down Friday
evening and then I couldn't get people together again until Sunday afternoon.
So come Sunday afternoon we started on the pool wall. This was probably
the hardest part so far. An extremely long piece of metal 52" wide.
We had to slot the wall into the bottom rail and hold it in place
in the uprights with (flimsy) temporary plastic clips and bungee ropes.
We got it all the way round and found it was a couple of inches
short - not a problem, all we had to do was kick the bottom of the rails
inwards on the oval ends to pull the bottom rail closer together. we
had just got it lined up when there was a gust of wind which took it out
of the rail all along one side. Once we had got it in and screwed together
at the ends we decided to put the top rail on temporarily to hold it all
securely in place until we were ready to do the liner. We got the top
rail out of its box and fitted it. It went together very well but ...
four bits are missing. There is no top rail for one oval end so at
the moment we have something which looks like a pool but which has no liner
in (we ran out of time) and which is held together by temporary plastic
clips and bungees at one end.
Foir the liner we need a warm day to make it more pliable and stretchy.
The weather forecast isn't good for the next few days so we'll have
to play it by ear. The other problem is that we are busy next weekend
and the guys who are helping us are away, so we'll just have to try and grab
an opportunity when we can. In the meantime I'll start putting the
pump and filter and plumbing together.
May 15th 2003: Now we're making progress. Famous
last words - I really shouldn't have written that as it has just guaranteed
that things will go belly up tomorrow! So what has been happening?
Well, I got through to the company which supplied the pool via AG Budget
and I am now *very* happy with them. They have been most helpful in
sending out the missing parts immediately and quickly (and I found out
that the bits missing from the box were not their fault). They have
also been very helpful with advice and support. Paramount Pools - take a
bow! The bits arrived last Saturday as promised and that meant that I could
finish installing the uprights, the base plates and the connecting straps
across the pool.
Once that was done I put the base rail in place, marked round it and
laid a couple of inches of concrete at the oval ends to provide a firm
base for the bottom rail pieces at the pool ends. Today I put on
the upright covers and the plan is (weather permitting) to install the
wall tomorrow evening and the liner this weekend. Fingers crossed ...
Some photos have now come back from the developers ( I know, I should
have gone digital by now. I just can't afford the camera I want - I
have my eye on the Minolta dImage 7i) but I haven't had time to scan
them. Watch this space ...
May 5th 2003: We have
started but seem to be taking two steps forwards and one back. The
pictures are still in the camera - I'll put some up as soon as we get going.
OK, what has been happening. Last weekend we hired a mini-digger
and a mini-dumper and with a builder friend (Dave) we dug out the hole for
the pool. That was the saturday. It is important not to underestimate
how much soil comes out - I had no idea it would be so much! On the
Sunday we dug out for the two concrete pads which will take the side supports
and I ran the cables for a light and for the toolstore where we are going
to put the pump and filter. On the Tuesday Dave came back and but in wooden
blocks which would form slots in the concrete pads. On Wednesday
the concrete was delivered and poured into the preformed holes for the pads.
My next job was to remove the wooden blocks as soon as possible -
I got half out the Friday evening and then it took me nearly all day Saturday
to finish them. On the Sunday (yesterday) I made a concrete base ready
to take the tool store. This meant that I could now get on with starting
to construct the pool itself so today I put together the T-pieces which form
the basis of the side uprights. Then, when I came to the next stage
I found another problem - as well as not sending a box (which has since
arrived) they have also sent a wrong box. In fact not only was the
box wrong, but the contents were also wrong for that box. I will be
ringing tomorrow - and I can chase up the solar cover and winter cover
at the same time (the ladder has arrived but not the covers). These
problems are not caused by AG Budget but by their suppliers from whom the
pool is coming direct. I have already left two voice mails about the
covers but not had any reply - it doesn't exactly fill you with confidence,
does it?
Oh well, now we have to see what they can do to remedy this problem.
I really need those bits this week so that I can get the first stages
of construction out of the way this week and next weekend as I have people
lined up to help me with the wall and liner the following weekend. It
looks as though this will take a while longer than expected ...
April 11th 2003: The moment of truth approaches. We
had one or two hiccups with the delivery as a box was missing and we are
still waiting for the ladder, the solar cover and the winter cover. However
we are making progress - I have got more of the electric cable in and hope
to run the final length of cable under the patio and under the dining room
this weekend. Then I need to go and buy the rest of the electrical
components.
We have scheduled the work as follows:
April 26th -27th: dig the hole for the pool (we are installing it part
in-ground). This means I need to buy some bitumen type coating in
advance
One evening the following week we plan to put two concrete pads in
May 3rd-4th: construct the pool
May 10th-11th: finish the construction.
And then I will need to work on tidying up the area round the pool
We'll see how close we manage to stick to this
March 2003: Nothing's ever straightforward, is it? When
I had a look through the boxes I couldn't find the instructions - or the
bottom rail, or the solar cover, or the debris cover. It turns out
that the solar cover and debris cover are to follow and that one of the
boxes was missing. They are going to send me the instructions by post and
will send the missing box along with the solar cover and debris cover when
they receive them. Plan is still to install in April. At least
I have finished the book and can now turn my attention to the preparation
(water supply, electrics ...)
March 2003: It's here!! It arrived a couple of
days ago. At the moment it's just a pile of boxes in the shed.
I've had a quick look in them and I'm afraid I can't find the bottom
rail, the installation instructions (fairly crucial I would have thought),
the solar cover or the debris cover. I've e-mailed the suppliers
and we'll see what they say. A friend of ours is a builder and he
said he'd help us install it as we are having it half-sunk (although it
is an above ground pool) so the next thing is to get the instructions and
give him a copy. We aim to install it in April this year. Before
then I have to
(a) finish a book I'm writing - this has held a lot of things up.
It has to be finished by the end of March
(b) reroute some water supply - we've had an underground leak.
(c) get the electricity supply sorted out
(d) buy a small tool store for the pump/filter/chemicals
Dec 2002: Progress!!! We have finally placed
an order. In the end we went with AG Budget Swimming Pools and Spas.
To date we have been very pleased in our dealings with them. we'll
see how we progress and I'll let you know. The pool should be delivered
in January 2003 and we will store it until March when we hope to
install it. Before then I still need to redo the electrics. I have
made a start in that the cable has been run between the garage and summer
house, but the rest is still to do. The new garage has also been erected,
so there really is progress to report. The garage still needs equipping
but priorities are electrics and pool. Watch this space. In
March we really should have something to report!
Sept 2002: Not much further to be honest. Have continued saving
- but not as much as I had hoped. Still, it looks as though we
should be in a position to buy the pool in a couple of months.
By next Spring I must have the electrics in place. Part of the problem
is that we became aware that the old wooden garage needed replacing
so that has needed money, site clearance ... It has all meant a shift
in job priorities - as you will see when I get the electrics section
done on the page
April 2002: At last I've made a start. The local
electrician has helped me draw up a shopping list of the electrcial
parts I need - it's going to cost a fortune (and this before we can even
order the pool) so I'm going to have to buy it in stages. I've ordered
the cable: 140 metres of 16mm armoured cable and 100 metres of BICC Multiplus.
The next step is to start digging up the garden.
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