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Day 66 - Can't see too much, but took a lot of the dirt
and stone and filled in within the Pool House area.
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Day 66 - Finally filled in all the plumbing going from the pool to the pond pump house under the Pool House. This is when we started having leakage problems within the pond. That's all we need now is more issues to fix - UGH. |
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Day 66 - This was my first attempt in burying all the pipe connections. This will change due to the problems with the pond as time goes on. These are old and no longer being used for plumbing to the pond. |
Day 71 - The crew started forming out the deck. This is the only area that we increased beyond the 5 feet surrounding the pool. There was a lot of trash and items that weren't distributed very well for the concrete pour. Lana and I went in and cleaned it all up and added crush and run all around and used the compactor to insure that we had a real good base around the entire pool prior for the concrete pour. It would have never gotten done if we hadn't had done it and I don't want to see any cracks in the cement in the next few years. Get this: When I told the pool builder that we cleaned it up and compacted, he indicated that you don't want it compacted too much. My best friend pours concrete and he said the more compact the better. |
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Day 73 - Most of the wall is complete going around the
pool. We've got a little more to do on the top, but it's really taking
shape.
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Day 73 - As you can see, it's coming along really well. |
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Day 73 - Another perspective.
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Day 78 - They started laying out the coping for the hot tub this week. I began building the wall around the hot tub. |
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Day 78 - I had my best friend Mark here working with
me on the wall all day. We finished stairs and back wall behind us.
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Day 78 - Another perspective of the entire layout. |
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Day 78 - All the drainage tile coming from walls on lounge area side of the pool. |
Day 78 - Wall view from pool house side.
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Day 79 - Completed most of the back wall and all the front wall. |
Day 79 - All the pipe heading out of the property. The
black pipe is pipe that is laid near the end of the concrete in front
of the Celtik block on the deck of the pool. The other two pipes are
drainage coming from the back of the celtik wall on both the 1st and
2nd tier on the right side looking towards the garage.
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Day 79 - Originally this area was to be a putting green.
It may well still be that in a couple years, but due to wall budget,
it's not happening this year. It will be a walk way coming from the
house porch out to the deck area.
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Day 79 - this is the right side of the deck. Plenty of room to line up a LOT of deck chairs. |
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Day 79 - I threw a bunch of stone down in the bottom
for the pool builder to finish spreading stone for the bottom. it should
certainly be firm enough for a good concrete pour. This is a picture
from the deck area behind the deep end.
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Day 79 - Another picture from the deck looking over the entire pool. |
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Day 79 - The wall is tiered down walking from the driveway
to the original porch. That entire walkway along with the top deck will
be Pennsylvania bluestone slated to be completed in Spring 2011.
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Day 79 - Here are the narrow steps going to the hot tub from the pool house. This entire area will be a congolmeration of walkway deck leading to a fire pit to the right of this picture overlooking the pond. |
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Day 79 - This will be the entertainment area under roof
and beyond will be the firepit ampitheater area. It isn't very large,
but will be awfully cozy. All to be completed in Spring 2011.
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Day 79 - I struggled with the design in this area for
a good time and trying to determine how much deck to place here. There
is new plumbing for the pond past the black pipe. After all the investigation,
it was determined we have a leak in the lining of the pond. It won't
be fixed until the Spring. We have about 2 feet of water in the pond
which is sufficient for the fish to survive the winter and I've got
too much else to do.
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Day 79 - They've begun running the rebar in the pool
deck area for the concrete pour.
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Day 79 - Another perspective.
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Day 79 - Mark and I finishing the deck on top with crush
and run. The only thing now needed is stone dust and Pennsylvania bluestone
in the Spring.
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Day 79 - Mark being a little goofy. Notice all the fill
behind the wall. We put about 2 1/2 feet of drainage stone in behind
the wall which will be sufficient for settling. pipe shown in earlier
pictures come from here and to the left of Mark behind the bottom wall.
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Day 79 - He's now trying to tell me how to build the
wall? It's way too late. I find a good plastic hammer and a small level
with all directional leveling seemed to be the easiest way to lay your
first course. A lot of stone dust under a good base of crush and run
and it's very simple to get these blocks level. A lot of documentaiton
online. All you need to do is find out how to get everything delivered
to your house. Find a local quarry and get stone delivered directly
from the quarry and have the wall supplier only deliver the stone dust
and wall material. Each time I had a truck deliver something, it cost
approximately $90. that was a good portion of money after the fact -
they delivered at least 12 times so far.
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Day 79 - Mark was a great help. Except for Mark and
one other friend, Lana and I were the only ones that worked on this
entire project. I mentioned once to my kids, but no takers and quite
frankly, if my dad was doing this work, I would have asked if he needed
help. It works both ways. Too bad Mark doensn't live any closer. We
could be significant help to each other.
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