Congratulations! We love ours, and you will definitely love yours! The coming weeks will be exciting, trying, and sometimes frustrating, but it will all be worth it in the end. Stay on top of your builder and try to keep the workers happy! :-)

Good luck!

DH and kids excited, Mom needs Prozac!

--------------------------

Well that's pretty typical - you're right on target then! Congratulations - with kids a pool is really a blessing and that Baja deck, Mom - now that's exciting - all yours... I see the "Mom only flag" flying now.

Enjoy - you'll be smiling lots very soon - and you won't need any Prozac....

Sounds very nice and well thought out.
Suggestions to consider:
*Stay off the newly poured deck for several days, then keep everyone else off for 2 weeks, including landscapers. The temptation to think its OK to walk on it after just a few days is great, but you will be glad you didn't. It is still very susceptible to scatches, scrapes, dings and dirt (especially from wheel barrow tires). This was a greatly appreciated tip from our landcsape firm. Once its initially cured and blasted, have it sealed with a good water based sealer, which if applied properly should last at least 2 years. We have a colored salt finish that was sandblasted and it looks terrific.
*make 100% sure of solar design and placement for stub outs; we thought we could locate panels on the southwest roof but our militant HOA would not allow pipes to run over roof ridge so this forced us to put them on the northwest side (no problem, still works great, just more panels needed=MORE COST...)
*lower your expectations - expect at least some eventual strass cracks in concrete which are inevitable - don't obsess about every detail (like we did!)
*this is one of the reasons we have that great invention called...alcohol :)

Congratulations!! Relax, breathe deep, it is so worth it! Your yard and pool sounds a lot similar to mine. Our yard is 4400 square feet and with the house, the backyard is a mere 23 feet deep (from sliding glass door to fence) and 50 feet wide. Our pool is 14x25 with a 7x7 spa. We also did 3M as well (Caribbean Blue).

Might I ask where you live? We are in Orange County, CA.

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. The size of your pool and decking sound very similar to ours. Our yard isn't much bigger. Slightly larger pool, little bit less patio. Also,we have an above ground hot tub. You'll probably be surprised at how big the pool actually is - my kids thought it was going to be smaller based on the size of our yard. I waivered on the baja shelf as we wanted to maximize our swim area (2 teenagers live at home) - now I wish I had put one in. They set our equipment on Friday . . . hopefully they'll be able to do the pebble finish by next weekend and we'll be filling with water. Before you know it, you'll be enjoying the amazing transformation in your yard, and the cocktails will be to celebrate!!!!!!

Signing is the hardest part because we kept stressing about the cost. We finished in November last year and one month into the swimming season we think this is the best purchase we ever made. Keep focused on the completed pool and all the family fun it will bring. Your going to have buyers remorse, but this site will keep you focused and look at all the great pools on the site yours will soon be a completed photo. Good luck and happy swimming (soon).

Hi neighbor,

I know how you feel. I was a nervous wreck after I signed also. My emotions went up and down like a roller coaster throughout the building process. At times I felt so stressed I couldn't even visit this forum because I didn't want to have anymore "pool" on my mind. However, much of my headaches and stress were from the fact that I didn't know anything about pools, or contract signing. What I knew about pools then was what my neighbor had and I want one similar to it and also what the salesman told me I should have. Not the best way to "buy" a purchase this big!

Nevertheless, you've been on this forum for quite some time now. You've done your research so you have much more knowledge than many of us when we signed our contracts. To that, I say don't worry because you are a "knowledgeable" buyer. Just remember to follow up all communications in writing via emails. You will always remember what you tell them but they won't because they deal with many customers. So if it ever comes down to the "he said, she said" the customer almost always lose.

Lastly, don't expect everything to go smoothly--it'll be a bonus if it does; however, believe that everything will work out just fine.

Best wishes on your build.

I had the same feelings but after our first year almost all fears are gone. Now my biggest fear is that my liner will go because I realized I forgot to submit my liner warranty!Submit all of your warranties within a week of the pool being completed!

Thanks everyone for your reassuring words of encouragement. I think I am over the initial shock ~ and the fact I have passed my three day right of recision so there is no turning back!

Snookums- yes we are in OC. Fullerton to be exact. FYI- I have you to thank for getting me into this mess, as when I Googled "small pools" your original post came up and that is how I found this forum! Saw your pictures and realized that a pool could actually be possible in our small yard. Our pool is very similar in style to yours, except it is rectangular instead of freeform. Spa placement, baja deck, placement in yard are almost identical. I will scan and post plan soon.

Xnightowl-where abouts in YL are you? My BFF lives off Weir and Yorba de Lomas (?) right below Box Canyon Park.

Oh no - I think you are the second person on this forum that I have gotten into this mess. I also have a neighbor that put in a pool after they saw how ours fit into the yard. Guilty as charged! LOL!