Owner Builder Process - Full Backyard - San Diego
Comments (24)
David Peace
9 years agoPlanning Phase (Jan 31st, 2015)
Marking up the backyard for ideas - this was redone like 5 times. Before paint, I used a really long rope, and digitized it using Google Sketchup
Before Demo:
After Demo:
David Peace
9 years agoExcavation (Feb 16th - Feb 17th, 2015)
We used Arban Excavation - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Very professional - works with a lot of owner builders, did a stellar job - even with me making a bunch of changes while he was digging.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSEq-5C7Ae8 (timelapse Day 1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1ZyShvtLFQ (timelapse Day 2)
Related Discussions
San Diego Sunshine Poolbuild -- Thread 2
Comments (85)Hi Katherine, Your pool is gorgeous! I have no idea if you're still monitoring this, but I came across your post while searching for information about installing a fastlane in a niche for our pool installation. Our PB has never installed a fastlane before and they are unsure about how to cover it inside the niche. Do you have any information about how this was done with yours, and what the cost of the cover might have been? The niche and supports have been built in our pool, and the PB says they can have a stainless steel person create a cover for the niche, but they will charge us $1000 just for the cover. Seems a little high to us! Any information you can provide would be very helpful! We're REALLY far away though - in North Carolina! Hope you're still enjoying your beautiful pool....See MoreURGENT: Need help with Succulents in my backyard!!
Comments (5)Probably sunburn, but that mulch may keep the oil too moist for those plants. Maybe this from some people in San Diego might be of some help. http://www.mastergardenerssandiego.org/newsletter/article.php?ID=61 kimmq is kimmsr...See MoreCreative ideas for backyard area
Comments (31)Sorry about the confusion. The "+" sign is a symbol representing the center of a plant. The circle represents its perimeter. In this case, it represents a small tree. The "." symbol is the same thing. In this case it represents a shrub form. The shapes in between the patio and house are generic plants ... there only to give the plan a vague sense that plants in that space are possible. When looking down from above (as in a PLAN) all individual plants are going to look like a circle with a center. The scalloped edge thing is a plant MASS .... where smaller plants are amassed together such that you do not see the individual, but only the perimeter of the group. Here, it's all generic and doesn't yet matter about the plants. I'm only showing them to say that "some plants can fit in this space." At this point, all you need to care about is the patio. The hardscape (patio) comes first. The plantings are subordinate and will comply with whatever way the patio ends up being. Since you don't want a deck, whatever steps you have will come fairly near the door. You'll still need a landing at the door (rather than immediately stepping down as that would be cheap looking and feeling, such as what one would expect to see in a mobile home situation) which is why I suggest make it and steps full width of the wall face. It will work and look much better than if you try to make it only one door width, as it is now. You only need 4 risers for the set of steps. You want a small patio. There is no need or reason to make a contrived or convoluted set of steps with this small, simple need. Keep them spacious and simple and you will have a nice finished package. Get cute or clever and you might like it for a while, but others will wonder why you bothered or the next owner may dislike it. Simple, well functioning steps will work best. You can glamourize them in the construction details, if that suits your taste. If you want something other than straightforward, it would be best if you sketch it out in plan view, and then I'd be happy to react to what you've proposed, giving the pros and cons. I think I mentioned before but did not see your answer .... you'll need to figure out the total square footage that you want for patio space. It doesn't need to be to the square inch. You just need to get into the ballpark on it. While I'm not working to scale -- just proportion -- I estimate the patio in the sketch to be about 170 s.f., which does not count the pure walking space in front of the steps. Including that, it might be around 200 s.f. Keep in mind that in order to do the same functions (cook and eat) requires a little more room outdoors than it does indoors. Outdoors, people move about faster and flail their arms more :-)....See MoreBackyard eyesore.... any ideas?
Comments (23)I was thinking hostas also. We have one planted by the previous owners in a tiny little patch of dirt that got weedwhacked once by accident and yet the next year came back gangbusters anyway. For safety I’d see about painting a strip along the edge of the concrete, though, to highlight that it is a step. Something simple like a narrow band of white or some other light color will do the trick, plus maybe tuck some lights in with the planting to help make the edge show up when it’s dark. (Like actually pointed at the side of the concrete pad or washing it - you want to create a visual difference between the concrete pad and the planing bed so people don’t think the pad continues and fall off.) You could do that with some small spotlight type lights on the fence, too, pointed at the edge....See MoreDavid Peace
9 years agoRebar (Feb 19th, 2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mgRKA24MjM (Timelapse)
Flooding (Feb 20th - Feb 23rd, 2015)
Mini-heart attack when San Diego's skies opened up, and completely flooded the backyard. Nothing huge in the way of issues, but still had me in full fledged panic mode. I kept pumping water out of the ditches, and bottom of the pool. I noticed that the weather report showed more Rain coming on the 28th for like 5 days of pouring rain - so I RUSHED the crew to get plumbing done, so we could get to Shotcrete ASAP before the next rain.
Plumbing (Feb 24th - Feb 27th, 2015)
I called for the inspector to come out on the 26th, so he would come out on the 27th. The plumbing wasn't done yet, but I had faith it could get done in time. I asked the inspector to come at 4PM, he came at 2PM....plumbing wasn't done....it was ALMOST done. But not done - the inspector passed us anyways. fhew. This meant we could go to Shotcrete, but rain was coming TOMORROW - still panicking.
David Peace
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoShotcrete (Feb 28th, 2015)
Slight drizzle in the morning, hasn't RAINed yet - still holding out hope we can Shotcrete the pool today. Crew shows up in rain gear, and asking if they should come back another day. I tell them to push through - good thing too, because they finished just a few hours before 3 days of massive rain. (which was nice - because mother nature watered our pool for us)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqZiatlz88s (Timelapse)
More Shotcrete Videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr0XDu3Ychg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVclECrodfw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEQzTN--kaI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSYL2UEBfYA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h796teVd7M
David Peace
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoDavid Peace
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRock Texture & Painting (Mar 7th - Mar 10th, 2015)
The guy we hired for the rock work came from Vegas after responding to one of my Craigslist ads. I guess Vegas is very competitive right now, and there's not a lot of work, so he branches out to San Diego. This guy is unbelievable! You can tell how much he cares about you, your project, and his art. Every aspect of his work was stellar, and I can't recommend him enough. If you need rock work done (Boulders, waterfall, slide, grotto, anything like that) please let me know, so I can refer you. He was A+ all around - really good guy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FVywBhGnlE (Timelapse - Rock Texture)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHuHcvMIoYQ (Timelapse - Rock Color)
More Videos:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT4OhITSips
David Peace
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoMarch 17, 2015 - UPDATE
So here we are on March 17, exactly 1 month in to the project - and I've uploaded everything I have up to now. They are working on the Firepit, Bench, and BBQ Island. When I have more pictures, I will upload them.
To give a sense of scale - so far we have completed:
Completed
> Demolishion
> Excavation
> Rebar
> Plumbing
> Gas Lines
> Electrical & Lights (Pentair RGB LED ColorLogic lights - 1 for spa, 2 for pool)
> All Equipment Set (filter, heater, salt cell, 1 VS filtration pump, 1 spa jet pump, 1 waterfall/bubbler pump, 3 actuators, easy touch)> Shotcrete
> Stone Coping
> Boulders & Fountain
> Drainage
> GradingTotal Paid so far: $38,000
Remaining
> BBQ Island
> Firepit & Bench
> 1,600 sq. ft. Deck (stamped concrete w\ crazy joints)
> Tile
> Stacked Stone Veneer
> Low Voltage
> Plaster
> Solar Heating
David Peace
9 years agoDavid Peace
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoBBQ Island (Mar 17th - Mar 23rd, 2015)
Last week had a lot of work done. We are prepping for deck, so the Firepit, seats, and BBQ islands structures needed to go in.
BBQ Island location "BEFORE":
BBQ Island 3D visualization overlay:
Progress:
David Peace
9 years agoFirepit & Bench (Mar 17 - Mar 23, 2015)
The firepit had a mini-crisis. I did a 3D drawing of exactly how I wanted it, but it got lost in translation. The seat-backs had to be removed, and re-added. See below.
Concept:
What I came home to:
Needless to say - the floating rebar/mortar seat backs had to be removed, and replaced with block. The contractor agreed, and happily removed them and redid them correctly. I only wanted a very slight 2" - 3" reclined seat-back.
Torn out:
Rebuilding with block
DONE - the right way and STRONG - so comfy!
Laurie Kertzman
8 years agoRoy_R
8 years agoDavid Peace
7 years agoI'm the worst - over a year late on this. Sorry I forgot to update. Everything finished June of 2015. Here's the final pics.
Finishing up the BBQ island
Cement Complete
Final Product
Color changing LED lights
5birdy
7 years agoDavid Peace
7 years agotx2sd
5 years agoDavid Peace
5 years ago
We went with 9”, and feel like it’s perfect. We have little ones come by a lot and use it as a splash pad (with some upward shooting bubblers). I also like to lay down on it!
Either way I think you’ll be fine. Some furniture already tends to float in even 9”, so depending on what you’re putting there 12” might cause more floating.
PROOdila Enciso-Rosas
3 years agoDavid Peace
3 years ago- PRO
Odila Enciso-Rosas
3 years ago - PRO
Odila Enciso-Rosas
3 years ago
Gary Clark