Slow progress on my Mustang, because...

[Mister 4x4]

I haven't made much progress on mine the past few weeks for a few reasons:

1. I'm still stuck running the Auto Hobby Shop, and it doesn't leave a lot of time for Mustang work.

2. Had to stay home and do some yard work, clean the garage, remove a dilapidated shed and major trees/bushes:



To bring about the following:

Today, I'm removing the rest of the fence sections, so the concrete guy can pour a retaining wall to level the yard, for the pool guy to have a place for all the dirt removed to go for backfill (the yard is sloped just that much too much...). After that... and at some undetermined day within the next week or so, I'll be putting the fence sections back where they belong (with some adjustment to compensate for 'level,' instead of 'sloped') - basically, I get to rebuild my fence with the existing materials... yay.

Looks like I have a few more "No Mustang" days ahead of me as well to rebuild the fence, build a new shed/closet (for the pool gear), and finish 'landscaping,' once the pool deck and patio are done. At some point, I need to build a new shed/outbuilding on the side of the driveway for all the cool tools and yard stuff (and maybe a place to set-up my airbrush rig - semi-permanently)... but that's something for after the Mustang's done.

 

[caspianwendell]

Pool is going to be great. Post some update pics...this will be fun to watch

 

[Mister 4x4]

Most definitely will share pics.

This was her birthday present, as they actually broke ground on her B-Day, this past Wednesday. Once the pool is all squared away, it's all Mustang 'til it's done (with a couple of band gigs now and then around Christmas time, that is).

Gonna be close, but I'm still planning to drive it to the Charlotte wing-ding next April.

 

[droptop73]

The pool will be fun, we had one for about 20 years while the kids were growing up.

Sometimes priorities are shifted to what's really important.

 

[CZ-75]

You gotta have a pool in Texas!!! Looks great! your wife had a good birthday this year

 

[Mister 4x4]

You gotta have a pool in Texas!!! Looks great! your wife had a good birthday this year

Why yes she did! Thanks again - the coin was a BIG hit!

 

[Mister 4x4]

OK - I've neglected my duties in getting the update pics posted, mostly because the yard was kind of a major bummer until today. Let me start where I left off.

So they came back after I removed the fence and poured footings for the retaining wall, and plumbed the pool:

A few days later, the retaining wall is formed up, poured, and curing. 38" on the corner - and the guys even extended my fence posts... Yay!

At some point (Friday of Week 3) they back-filled the pool area after the retaining wall was cured - burying what's left of my broken sprinkler lines (sigh).

Random picture of the plumbing. Apparently, it's going to be slabbed over with concrete (and consequently, where I must dig to find and repair sprinkler lines that were cut during excavation.

Tuesday of Week 4, the guys came in and formed up the pool deck and extension to the patio. We also had to dig up and cap the sprinkler supply line (to the grassy area) in order to be able to use it later to keep the grass and other landscaping alive:

We're all formed up, and ready to go with the deck and patio. This was taken last night:

Thursday of Week 4, a whole swarm of pool & concrete guys showed and emptied this truck into the forms.

Roughly 20 minutes after the concrete truck showed up - these guys work FAST!! They also do excellent work! This is definitely 'Git 'r Done' kinda stuff.

Here we are about an hour-and-a-half after the truck's gone. Floating and primary smoothing is pretty much done. The guys are stamping the 'brick' border - which only took them about a half hour to do the entire perimeter of the deck and patio.

Concrete truck showed up at 11:30, left by 12:15, and after the guys were done floating and smoothing, they left around 3:00... leaving one pool guy to cook in the pool while removing and smoothing the pool edge. Everything was done by 4:00 PM.

So, tomorrow the concrete guys will be here to dig and form up the footing for the rest of the retaining wall so the whole yard is leveled out. They'll also be stripping off the outside forms so we get to see how cool the wall looks from the outside.

Then, more concrete work next week, and the pool guys will be here to put down the cool deck over all the concrete they just poured (except the cool brick border), and finish installing the pool pump equipment, liner, and wire it all up. So I'm thinking by next Friday, this thing might be ready for water. Still supposed to be in the upper '80s, so some swimming will definitely be happening before it gets closed down for 'winter.' Once the wall is done, I'll get the fence re-installed, rebuild at least the grassy side of the sprinkler system, and lay sod.

Since I'm a DoD Employee, and currently have lots of time on my hands, I promise I'll do better getting the pics put up as they happen.

 

[RocketFoot]

Looks great! My wants a pool but we need a house with bigger back yard first!

 

[CZ-75]

Looking great, Erik!!

 

[Don65Stang]

Very nice. My wife and kids also want a pool. We have a sloped back yard so your thread is especially interesting.

Have plans for a tiki bar yet?

 

[Boss1Ray]

Really looks good Eric!

Bet you can't wait to enjoy.

Ray

 

[Mister 4x4]

Very nice. My wife and kids also want a pool. We have a sloped back yard so your thread is especially interesting.

Have plans for a tiki bar yet?

Definitely going to have Tiki torches (damn skeeters, anyway). I'm thinking once the sprinklers, sod, and landscaping rocks are down, I'll be building a pool shed for the gear and chemicals. THEN, I might be able to call it done.

Trust me, Ray - we WILL be getting wet before the 'end of the season.' I believe the temperature stays reasonable until the week or so before Turkey Day, but I don't even care - I grew up in Utah, after all... a little bite in the air is a taste of home. rofl

We're getting a solar cover for it, and I'll probably build a cool passive solar heater manifold at some point to extend the season even more (after the Mustang's done, that is). ::thumb::

 

[imusa76]

Nice Pool!!

teh season is already over here in the Northeast pools were closed abour 2 weeks ago.

 

[bkdunha]

Going with salt water? We installed a salt water pool back in 2007 and it is definitly the way to go. If you chlorine level is low you go push a button and your done. Pool was also for the wife and kids, but I am the one who gets to maintain it. I use it MAYBE twice a year. Funny your concrete truck was there and gone. We did a gunite pool and the first truck pulled up at 7:00 am before I left for work. The last truck left at 11:30 pm. This was in March. I had every back yard light on and put up some more work lights for the guys. I even started a fire in the fire pit and put out some hot coffee. It was cold at night in March. The family will definitly enjoy to new pool. It helps for the STAYCATIONS as well.

 

[imusa76]

+1 on the salt system.

My parents installed it in their pool, and there has been No other chemicals added, just salt, I think he used 8 bags this year, and the water is crystal clear.

the theory was no chemicals for the grandchildren when they use the pool (which is daily).

 

[Jim and Jutta]

Really looks great Eric, very pool!

 

[Mister 4x4]

We're going with a standard chemical system, only because we haven't heard any significant benefits either way (one over the other). Salt water systems are a lot more expensive initially, but cheaper to maintain... and chemical systems are cheaper up-front, but cost more in chemicals over time. I think because of our climate and ungodly hardness of the water, the pool guy recommended sticking with chemical... or something. I don't remember what the big mitigating factor was. It made sense at the time, though.

What I do know, is that it's about a 13,250 gallon pool, so it's not horrendously big and shouldn't be THAT expensive to keep up.

I know we've ordered a multi-speed pump (don't need backflush pressures to simply circulate the water), and it'll save a ton on the electric bill. Also splurged for a self-leveling system (hook up a water line, and it'll keep the level automatically), inline chlorinator, and some other cool things to help with the maintenance. Gotta get a solar cover ordered and a few other things though.

 

[CZ-75]

Make your own tiki torches! My wife makes then from empty liquor and wine bottles... All you need are some small copper plumbing fixtures. Google it. They are fun to make. My job is to empty the bottles.

 

[Mister 4x4]

Make your own tiki torches! My wife makes then from empty liquor and wine bottles... All you need are some small copper plumbing fixtures. Google it. They are fun to make. My job is to empty the bottles.

I LIKE IT!! Best advice ever! ::thumb::

I think I'll get started right now... got a 6-pack of Redd's Strawberry Ale to finish off, and nothing to do all day. rofl