ctm14,
Find a different PB. You're describing a pretty typical product that will look nice if done properly. This is not brain surgery. Call Mission Pools. Good luck.

What is he suggesting instead? We have similar to what you're talking about, I think. We do have some cracks, so you can expect that from cement. Make sure they prep it properly (pack the ground)- that's the most important thing. We had saw cuts put in ours to help minimize cracking. I wanted a clean look and I really wanted an undermount track auto cover but our PB didn't think it would work with the "hex" on the side of our pool.
{{gwi:1321886}}

When I think cantilevered, I think no mastic, that the deck comes right up to the water's edge. You can also do a poured-in-place concrete coping that is separated from the deck with mastic to allow for expansion. That is what we have.

I was interested in the cantilivered coping too but I too could not find a builder to do it (without mastic, just the deck straight up the water's edge). They all cited that in earthquake country it is a really bad idea. Fwiw, even Mission Pools told me they wouldn't do cantilevered.

We thought that a poured-in-place coping in the same concrete as the deck (with mastic) would be the next best thing. You can still do a hidden autocover with that.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pool pictures in pool album

Thanks All,

Do any of you have a referral for a sales person at Mission pools or one of the other top builders in San Diego?

Best,
Chris

With an undermounted autocover, you need to go with something at least 3 inches thick. I was originally going to get reefstone (a cast concrete, but went with Cantera stone instead (bullnosed), which i like much more.

Hi Arieltas Mom,

Can you post some photos of your pool? I am also interested in how I can see the offerings from Cantera stone. I am currently considering poured in place with a square edge.

-Chris

We are doing the same thing with the poured coping separate from the slab. Should the poured in place concrete coping be bonded to the pool bond beam and mastic in between the slab and coping or not boded to the bond beam? Thanks,
Jerry

Sounds like we have exactly what you're thinking about. We love the clean lines - although we originally were supposed to have cast concrete coping...long story. Anyway, we haven't had any problems. A few normal concrete crack lines, that's all.

Here is a link that might be useful:

I called 2 pool cover companies and couldn't get any of them to warrant their parts with a SWG. I've also read on other sites of pool builders taking them out because of corrosion problems. Therefore, we passed on the SWG. The pool cover was very expensive and I didn't want the chance of having to replace the tracks, brackets and parts 5 years from now.

If you are doing an under mounted coping track with a hidden cover vault - I recommended you do a little research on this.

We have a poured cantilevered coping. Our cement guy did it. Diamond was our PB. They didn't have an issue with it. Ours is 3 years old with a SWG. We're in University City if you want to check it out. Your plans sound great with the hidden cover. Lisa

I like your fence ;-)

Santa Rosa,

Thank you for your photos. Your spa design is clever. I was wondering what mfg you chose for your auto cover. I like the concealed walk on lid. Do you have a SWG and if so have you had issues with corosion? I love Santa Rosa, I was a pilot and spent countless nights overnighting at Hotel La Rose.

-Chris

Santa Rosa

Second the vote on both your spa design and the whole pool look. If you dont mind please elaborate on the pool specifics, especially the tiles used, where you have plaster or peb tec etc...

Thanks in advance....

ctm14,
I am a Landscape/Hardscape builder in San Diego County. If this helps you good. I work allot with a custom pool builder George Cornwall 760-458-7318. We did a pour in place about two weeks ago in Carlsbad. Deck sub structure preparation is everything on a monolithically cantilever pours. When expansive soil is left to get wet, something is going to move. There are many factors to review, and every site is different as to itself and other lots around it. Pay attention to your site and general plan, then build to accommodate for what you are building on.
Alex

Hey there -

Thanks for the kind words. Our pool cover is by Coverstar. We have SWG, Pebblesheen in Ocean Blue, and the tiles are Jeffrey Court glass tiles in Tahoe Blue, I think. Boy, it's funny how you obsess over these things and a year later can't remember everything very clearly. The spa surround is a natural stone - I think the stone yard called it Carmel Stone. I believe it must be a type of limestone. The thing I appreciate about it is that it never gets hot. All the concrete work was done by our landscape contractor. Thank goodness for him - he saved us many times during our pool process!

We have not had issues with corrosion. We did have to clean out the pool cover trough - take off the heavy concrete slabs - and vacuum out all the leaves and debris that was piling up over the year from being blown in there. We also had to tighten all the screws on the roller. The cover wasn't working properly and was making a horrible sound. We took a look and saw everything was coming undone. Don't know if it was poor installation of the screws initially - but at least it was an easy fix we could figure out and do ourselves.