Vanishing Edge Pool Completion Advice Request

[blindnetsurfer]

I am a newbie here and nearing completion on my home build in Nakhon Pathom province. It's been a long process but I was prepared for that, having been reading this forum since before i started my build. I had to change builders at about 30% of the way. WIth the house nearing completion I have turned my attention to completing the pool that was part of the original contract. I am looking for advice on how best to complete it and possibly completing the pool under contract.

The design includes a 10x3 meter by 1.6-1.8 (depending on if the floor needs additional layer)meter deep concrete pool with a concrete balance tank incorporated. It is a vanishing edge pool with the edge along one of the long sides.The first contractor built the pool/balance tank concurrent with the pile/beam foundation so the pool was one of the first things to go in. The pool and balance tank are constructed with 20 cm reinforced walls and floor with waterstops and the entire pool is set on underground piles. The top of the pool about the same level as the floor of the house and since the house is raised about 1 meter, part of the pool is above ground. The part of the pool adjoining the house is backfilled and the other three sides are partly exposed also due to the elevation of the terrain. The balance tank and the pool share one 20cm wall and all the floor. The waterstop is contiguous around pool and balance tank and there is also a waterstop between the pool and the tank. The pool has two large floor drains and the balance tank has one large floor drain incorporated in the 20cm floor. I have a quote from a local pool builder through the current builder to finish the pool but would like a second opinion. The pool looks very similar to the one in Nikki5's swimming pool post.

When I started the build in June 2013, I thought about putting the house building process on CTH but decided against it since it was not a DIY project but a turnkey build, inclusive of pool. Earlier in 2013 I had hired a thai architect to turn my very detailed Google Sketchup model into drawings and hired the same to build the house. He is a very good architect but turned out not so good at managing the build. The new builder(also thai) I hired in June 2014 (also on a fixed price basis) is way better but he has also taken longer than he planned. When I changed contractors, i decided to make design changes for cost saving but the final result looks like it will be very satisfying and looks not very disimilar to my original design. Maybe someday I can summarize my build experience on coolthaihouse.

I would appreciate hearing from the likes of Jazzman and others that might be interested and I can send whatever information needed to those individuals. Being a newbie, I cannot send private messages, so I am hoping Jazzman reads this post. A visit would be better, if that is possible.

regards,
blindnetsurfer

[Rdteth]

Hello blindnetsurfer,

You've been busy for quite some time already.
I'm doing about the same right now and my plan will be similar to what you describe. Looks like you done good, sofar. Put in an all around waterstop, dimensions and thickness of concrete sounds good, I guess the amount (percentage) steel in he concrete will be sufficient. So no worries for you.
What is it that you ask Jazzman and the likes exactly?
Now you have a concrete tub with concrete walls halfway in the ground that needs to be turned into a pool? So you need to finish the walls to correct hight, render with a suitable waterprooffing render, glue your tiles and grout them? And you want to know what to use and how much it will cost you. Is that correct?
Have you decided on pumps and filters and lightning etc already?

I think it would be very useful to add some pictures first.

Are you sure you want a vanishing edge? Do you have some nice scenery for it to go with? Because I don't have any scenery, after long thinking I have decided to go for an overflow pool. I guess you can still change on that?

PS Why can't you pm. I'm new too, but am able to pm.

Regards
Rene

<To keep the trolls and scammers away the system is set up to only allow PM's after ten posts - mod>

[jazzman]

There aren't many professional pool experts out there in Nakhon Panom, indeed, if you ask for advice from the handfull of pool specialists in the big city of Udon Thani you'll get a handful of different answers. The thing to0 do is call them all and see whose advice is the most convincing. Of course, you'll need to keep trying until you find one that speaks your language.