Shotcrete (Putting concrete into the dirt hole!)

Shotcrete came in today which is like Christmas :) You get to really see the shape of the pool and watch a really cool process. First they put up some Cement backer board (the same kind you use in the house), to put a backing anywhere they need it for the concrete to form up to. Like around the jacuzzi that is raised, in the automatic pool cover vault, etc... They set level lines with wire and attach them to metal stakes in the ground. Then they start shooting the wet concrete in mixed with air (called shotcrete). This process is different than gunite, in which the concrete is mixed with water right at the hose. Then they smooth out the lines of the pool with a big trowel.
The stuff that comes out of there is pretty solid already. It had the consistency of a really heavy mud. Within a half an hour or so it had set enough that people were walking on it and not leaving footprints. These guys were fast and professional, just like the other crews that had been here before.

Now we have to spray the pool 3 times a day with water for 10 days. This slows the curing process of the cement. When it cures slowly, it cures harder. California Pools does guarantee the pool for life, either way, but they suggested it, so we're going to do it :)

Here's some pics!

Plumbing

The plumbers were here from 8am-7pm last night, so that they could finish running the PVC and installing the equipment. All of this so that it can pass inspection today or tomorrow and be ready to pour concrete Friday! I didn't realize how big the equipment was going to be, but there's really no other place to put it. They have restrictions on how far from certain windows or property lines the equipment can go. So far, no problems, and hopefully we'll pass inspection. Here's some pics of the plumbing:

Laid the steel rebar!

Not much happened until today when they came in to do the steel work. Three guys banged it out in a little less than a day. Great job, looks really great. Dylan wanted to go in there, but I told him that it needs concrete, and plaster and plumbing, and he said "Is Bob the builder helping us?" (Our construction site manager is named Robert :) ). The long rectangular cage in the back end is for the automatic pool cover. They used like little zip ties to keep it all in place until the concrete is poured. Next comes the plumbing.

Daytime pictures of the new hole in our backyard!

Playing around in the dug pool:

Yesterday (Saturday) Finished digging

I had to go to my friend's birthday party, but after I got home last night, I took some pics of the freshly dug pool. Starting to really look like an actual pool, and I can't believe they came in on a Friday to dig. Really cool. I think shotcrete and rebar are coming on Monday. So awesome!

YES all this happened in a day and a half

California Pools had a guy waiting on Friday at the Huntington Beach desk to get the permits for digging the pool! They came through again! Gary, Kimo, Robert and the crew started digging and they're going to come back tomorrow morning to finish it all (On a Saturday no less!) Amazing. Here's some more pics:

Pool layout

Today they came again to level out some of the dirt and start laying out the pool for final approval before dig. They're marking up the ground with orange spray paint to show where the water will be. The orange circle in there is where the fire pit will be. Our construction manager Robert, and his boss Kimo have been on it and very helpful with any questions we had.

The pool is all really straight lines, mostly out of convenience. I do kinda like the old designs that Gary had drawn up because they looked nicer, but with this design we're really getting a lot of pool for such a small backyard.

DEMO DAY!

Well they think they're getting close to the permits being pulled, so they decided to do the demolition of the backyard. They brought in a bobcat loader and a big jackhammer to remove the concrete. We had to pull out the bamboo, but that's ok we're going to relocate it in the yard after the pool is in.


Here's some pics! Dylan thought the "big trucks" were "awesome!". He's so excited about the pool!