We are having a pool built very similar to the size of your pool. I would love to see some updated photos.

Thanks for the input on Intercoastal. It looks like we are about to sign the contract on Monday after much thought. If you're interested here are the details of my pool build: Pool - Rectangle shaped 28' X 14' with cantilever edge to give it a contemporary look. It is 3 feet deep in the shallow end and slopes to 6 ft deep on the other end. Spa - 6' - 7' square corner spa, 6" raised with 4 therapy jets and 2 12" tile spillways (waterfalls) into the pool Decking 30' X 40' area - broom finished concrete with free stain negotiated into the deal. We are going for a gray stone finish as well (modern look). This includes footers at the perimeter of the deck. 30" retaining wall at back of decking since our yard slopes downward to a man made lake. Screen Enclosure - yes we are in Florida, it will be a black enclosure covering the entire deck area. Thoughts on the black cage fading over time? Removal of a couple trees currently in the back yard. The equipment is pretty basic, other than the salt system: Pump: Stra Rite 2 hp Max-E Pro for pool circulation Filter: Starite System Cartridge (150 sq ft) Sanitizer: Pentair Intellichlor salt system Gem Exposed aggregate finish Valves: Jandy 2 & 3 way for easy operation 5 ton electric heat pump to heat the spa (on demand) 3 LED lights (2pool and 1 in the spa) Free robotic cleaning system - have not seen this one yet Again, as you can see we are going for the modern, clean lines approach with the simple concrete, cantilever edge, and rectangular pool and spa. After some negotiation we got the price down into the mid 37 K range (including pool, spa, deck, and screen). Is this a good deal considering the current market? Should I be asking for anything different as far as equipment goes? I don't mind doing some work myself, so automation was that much of a big deal for me. Thoughts on the bull nosed cantilever (simple) edge for a modern pool? I wish I could do flagstone or blue stone, but that would put us outside our budget :) Thanks! Joe

I stumbled across these comments and had to add my $0.02. We contracted with A. T. Coyman pools over a YEAR AND A HALF ago. We anticipated a smooth installation because the hole was already done due to dirt work the landscapers had done, we had been referred to them from a relative, and all prep work had been completed at the site for the pool's installation. However, as of the date of this note, we have yet to receive a final inspection (they failed two so far), we have yet to receive a call back from their office asking if things are okay, we have yet to have the pump moved to comply with code, we have yet to receive a final accounting, and have yet to hear back about our complaint letter. Months after a personal promise LAST YEAR from Adam Coyman, the owner, that we'd be fine and finished by January of 2006, I called to tell their general manager, James Callen that their installers had goofed up yet again and installed the fountain wrong (a custom copper piece that was to have been countersunk in the pool's wall). Not only was his demeanor unprofessional (he actually asked if me "do you want to meet me somewhere and discuss this" - essentially challenging me to a fist fight) but he demanded that I send an email to him "within 10 minutes, before i'm busy on something else and maybe I'll have time to look at it." I WAS FLOORED. He even said "You've been way too involved in this project!". For Pete's sakes, I'm the one paying the bills and they wouldnt' even answer their phones or respond to certified letters asking when they were going to finish, when they were going to adjust their invoices for damages, or when final inspection was scheduled. I CAN'T WARN YOU ENOUGH. IN MY OPINION, SIMPLY THE WORST EXPERIENCE I'VE HAD WITH ANY HOME CONTRACTOR BAR NONE. I'll happily produce any documentation requested by anyone to back all of this up. Also, when we became aware that they were just another pool contractor horror story, we contacted BBB in December of 2005 and they had 12 complaints at that time - so according to the postings here, they've managed to add almost a dozen more. When you speak with the head lady at the BBB, she'll have an immediate recall of A. T. Coyman...not a good sign.

PoolguyNJ...Lots of questions. I will do my best. My answers are in blue What size was the rebar? Looks like its #4 with a 12" On Center grid. I honestly do not recall, but I had engineering and it met code. How many salt cells? If it's only one, I'd say it's just barely adequate if it a 40K cell. If it's larger, ever mind. I seem to remember AutoPilot's units can put out more chlorine than most other cells. I have a Pool Pilot Total Control System with a CC-15 commercial cell and an acid feed tank Does the VF take one of the loops i the spa? And the VS gets the other loop? No, the VS+SVRS does both spa loops This question is based on the the above questions answers being YES. Does the AutoPilot cell reduce it's output in spa mode? In the last picture, is the man shoveling out rebounded gunite? It looks very dry. Its not rebound but the scrapings from leveling the seats & walls The previous picture showed 3 valves that look like splice valves but aren't what I am used to seeing. Who makes them? They are waterway valves (P/N 600-2370) that I am using to adjust the sunshelf bubblers Is the fire pit getting a gas line? NO Is blue glue code? I like using clear glue when working above ground. I'm surprised the plumber didn't use rags to wipe off excess. The Inspectors did not seem to care what color glue was used. I asked, and yes clear glue and clear primer would also have been ok above ground. How much friction loss do you think you saved by using the sweep 90s? The best info I found suggested a 35% reduction in fitting head and a 10.4% reduction in system head, but the study used Long Sweep 90s that had much shorter radii than what I used, so who knows. Given the amount of space they take, would you use sweep 90s again? Well, there will never be an again for me (I hope), but the use of large pipes, large valves, and straight pipe between valves and fittings seemed to take more space than the actual sweeps. As I live on 6 acres, space was not that big of an issue Did you have a bypass installed for the heater? Your pump can push more water than it can handle. YES, there is a 3-WAY Jandy Valve (in the picture above the heater) that I will adjust to handle bypass. The bypass flow and heater output combine @ a 3" Wye fitting before the jet control valves In spa mode,, I would expect the VF to be running at capacity give the number of jets you have. It is the VS+SVRS for the spa. The valves are set up so I could use either upper (10) or lower jets (8) or both, and Yes, I expect to fully crank the pump if using both, hence, the use of sweeps, etc to get the last bit of performance as the VS tops off at 160GPM with no head. I also do not intend to often have all of the jets full open