Let me be the first to say Bellissimo!! :) I think it will be a gorgeous pool! What is the finish on the pool? The pool water looks like a canal in Venice! :)
Tara

Thanks! As for the finish...It is PebbleSheen blue granite. The PebbleTec guy came out today and said that all of the pools he has done in our area always look green until the system gets running. I can't wait to see it look less "authentic Venetian canal." Hopefully the end result will be BLUE!

We are getting our pebblesheen blue granite tomorrow! As soon as I figure out how to post pictures (any tips on that would be appreciated) I will post them so we can compare. I was told it may look greenish at first also. We plan to start filling on Wednesday and try to be swimming on the 4th, even if the water doesn't look perfect...

Very nice!! Love the lines & all the tile! How big is your pool? What is your coping made of?

Wow, I think your tiles are absolutely gorgeous, especially the diagonally placed ones. Just beautiful!

Thanks for all the nice words. We are soooo excited to have this project coming close to being finished!

graceunderpressure...the coping is tumbled toreon. It is a tumbled marble. The look reminded us of the materials used in all of the Italian architecture.

I just looked outside and we are about a foot away from the waterline...a foot away from needing a gondola! It is not an appealing color for swimming. Hopefully we will get that worked out soon. My kids aren't as picky as me. I am sure it won't be long before they throw themselves in!

graceunderpressure...I forgot to answer the question about how big our pool is. Sorry. It is about 130 linear feet in perimeter. The depth ranges from 3.5" to 8.5".

Hurryupandwait, very beautiful pictures of your pool. I can't wait to see what it looks like when everything is done.
I saw that you said you had some issues with the septic.
I think we might have had a pool by now if it weren't with the septic issue.
I posted a question back last week I think, regarding septic issues.
Would you care to tell me what was your issues and what was your solution.??

Well, I'm always the romantic and when I "envision" those
Venice canals I view a beautiful blue against all the stone there...I'm sure the actual canal is much more diluted than my vision! :) The Thames river was not what I had envisioned either, nor the smell! :) I can't wait to see the final color!! :)

Tara

terrier96...

The septic SHOULDN'T have been a big deal for us. I read your post last week because the word "septic" peaked my curiosity.

Basically, we (for some reason) didn't have a map of our layout. We have a dripline system because the way our lot is situated it wasn't big enough for spray...anyway, I digress. So...we had our septic installer come out to flag the places he thought our lines were located. We were told when we bought the house that they had left PLENTY of space for a pool. He put ONE flag in and said, "You'll probably hit one line here, but it won't be a big deal. Here's my card...call me." Well, dig day comes and we hit 6 lines and a main return line (or something like that). I called the man as soon as we saw what happened. He couldn't get out there that day or anytime soon so he called his cousin (who does our mainenance) who replied that he was busy, too. Out of the "kindness of their hearts" they called a friend who came out and tied it up for us (for $75). He didn't touch the big white pipe that was cut because he didn't think it was septic...ummm...later we were SURE it was. Anyway...we called them again that day when it started gushing water into our pool. Nothing. "We'll try to come out next week." I was frustrated with their lack of motivation, so I called a different company. At this point, I hear that I need a permit from the county and a new design from an engineer. ARGH. So...I call the engineer and he comes out...EVENTUALLY...to see the situation. After two weeks of waiting for him to come up with a plan, he comes back...I pay him...we call the original septic guy back who then FREAKS out that we DIDN'T need a permit or a design and calls the county. We then WAIT...again...for everyone to argue with each other. FINALLY...we find out...YES...we need a permit...which requires a design...which requires another $600. We pay that...get the permit and design...call the septic guy to schedule a time...he proceeds to yell at our pool guy and us that we didn't NEED a pool and that we would just have to be patient!!!! Patient?!?!?! We have been calling him since DAY 1!!!! He is the one who flagged it incorrectly!!!!! Heaven forbid he feel grateful for the business! I assumed that since he made his livelyhood in this way that he would like the business. Instead, he is completely put out! ARGH. Anyway...the story is that he is going to "try to get out here today." We'll see. I guess our $700+ to fix it isn't good enough.

Sorry terrier...You got me started on this rant. The answer to your question is...We don't know what this will cost in the end. Because we had more than double the linear feet of line that we needed, all they have to do is go in and cap off the lost lines and tie the rest back together. We don't have to add lines. We are lucky we are on a drip system because we can be closer to the pool this way. We only have to observe a five foot boundary. ...

Wow!! Sounds like a huge headache, which is what I am hoping to avoid by working this septic issue we have BEFORE we start to build. We got bids and would have went ahead with a pool build late last fall, but ran into too many questions regarding the septic issue, so instead decided to gut and remodel the kitchen. It is now done, but it is hot and we want to swim, so now I am back on the pool project.

Anyway, I don't want to take your thread off topic, you are going to have a gorgeous pool! Forget all that crap(literally) and prepare to swim.

Would you care to share the dimensions of your pool in feet(length and width)?

Although I would love to have a freeform shape, a modified rectangle makes more sense for us, we could get more swim space in the area I might be able to build in w/o having to move septic tank or field line(does that make sense?)
However, I was concerned about the looks of a rectangle or more geometric shape, until I saw your pictures. I am so glad you posted!!
Did you come up with the design yourself? I may have to snag some of your ideas and I am going to save your pictures as some of my favorites, do you mind? I really love the reddish tiles you picked, red is my fav. color and I never imagined I could get red in a pool design.

We love our shape! We knew we didn't want free form or just a rectangle, but after that, we had no idea. Our wonderful landsaper came up with this. I picked the tile because RED is my favorite color, too. Our living room window is two stories high and is right in front of the pool. I wanted the pool to be an extension of our house (the decor is predominantly red and yellow) so...red it was! Also, our brick is the same color..so it really worked out well. As the tiles were going in, I couldn't help but stare because they gave me such a warm and fuzzy feeling. They are comfort colors for me and truly mimic the colors and worn look of Italy and its beautiful landscape.

Once the arbor and landscaping are in I may not be able to be pulled away. Here is a very ROUGH drawing my landscaper did for me. I struggle to visualize anything by staring at it from the top. He drew this so I could "get it." It isn't exact because he drew it before I chose the colors and the deep end shape doesn't show the right design...but you get the idea. There will be red roses and bushes tucked in behind the spa and all the walls.

That's a great-looking pool! I'm sure you'll be sipping vino next to it in no time! I spent 6 months in Toscana back when I was in college, that was really a great time. If you're going to mimic Toscana you've got to work a few grape vines into your landscaping :-)

I think your pool is going to be gorgeous! I can't wait to see it finished!

tresw...I am hoping we can get some grapes to grow up the arbor. We'll have to see how they do in our climate! I am so jealous you were there for 6 months!!! Someday we hope to go back and spend more time. We were there with our church choir. We were in Paris (sang at Notre Dame), Florence, Pisa, and Rome.

Well, the water is in...EXTREMELY GREEN and the septic guys are working. So far so good. Maybe I will have the beginnings of a patio tomorrow!!!! It just may be possible that I will be swimming (well,lounging) by the 4th...

ARGH...no patio until next weekish. The septic is finally fixed, but now we have to wait on the county to inspect it before we can cover it up and move on with the deck! So...it looks like we will have a plywood deck on the 4th!

yippppeeee...we have blue water! Our PB, Stephen Stewart, is the best. He promised us we would be swimming by the fourth and he did it. He had his pool/chemical guy come out last night to shock the water so that we could start swimming. It no longer looks like a yucky canal. It is beautiful! I will try to take pictures tomorrow and post them.