BajaNomad - building a pool in BCS

building a pool in BCS

BFS - 4-11-2009 at 08:13 AM

First a saludo to everyone out there and may you all have a very happy Easter weekend.
After spending an fantastic 3 days in Joshua Tree NP with fantastic scenery under an otherworldly moon we have had the inspiration to build a pool at our home in Todos Santos hopefully over the summer and wondered if anyone in southern Baja can point us in the right direction. I know most people think a pool is like a bad marriage or a leaky boat, but we rent our house out for 6 months of the year and get lots of families with kids wanting to swim in beautiful southern Baja, but the beaches in this immediate area are a little unfriendly for casual swimming.
I have heard very bad reports about a pool builder in Cabo and understand they are in court over a few bad builds so want to avoid that all togeher.
I will also be on site all summer so do not mind putting in the legwork to make sure everything gets done...hopefully.
Any help,recommendations, advice from Nomadlandia out there?
I promise a full blown inauguration bailongo to all nomads out there if this thing ever gets built!!

abrazos
Aq

Phil S - 4-11-2009 at 08:28 AM

Weeeelllllllllll. Come November when it's done, we'll stop by and check out the 'finished product," and bring our bathing suits on our way to Cabo for Thanksgiving, (and Loreto/Nopolo where our friends still live. I'd think that there are several pool owners in T.S. that would 'guide' you to the right builder!!!! I've never built a pool, but I'd suspect there are some really important facts to adhere to. Good luck. Bob & Susan. Jump in here, because there in Mulege area, you went through this. (haven't seen your yet, but looking forward to doing so. Possibly on our trip south this winter. Be sure to have a "buddha and maybe a thousand candles" to get through this project.

Bob and Susan - 4-11-2009 at 09:15 AM

alright...

the pool WILL NOT be swimmable in November...too cold

pools are ONLY good for the summer months

heater...450,000 btu is necessary
it's take 8 hours to heat and 600 pesos of propane
then the next day...
it'll be cold again
and you can heat it AGAIN!!! 600 pesos

there are no pool stores in baja to purchase
the filters and pumps that will last
you NEED to import these items

lots of newer variable speed pumps available now
i'll replace mine later with one of these
they are expensive $$$

a nomad assisted us with the pool plaster too
as it's NOT here either
we imported it

we run our pool eguipment on solar power
i hope you have electricty...it'll sure be easier

i'm sure there are pool builder in your area

lots of pools in cabo

vandenberg - 4-11-2009 at 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bob and Susan
alright...

the pool WILL NOT be swimmable in November...too cold

pools are ONLY good for the summer months

heater...450,000 btu is necessary
it's take 8 hours to heat and 600 pesos of propane
then the next day...
it'll be cold again
and you can heat it AGAIN!!! 600 pesos

there are no pool stores in baja to purchase
the filters and pumps that will last
you NEED to import these items

lots of newer variable speed pumps available now
i'll replace mine later with one of these
they are expensive $$$

a nomad assisted us with the pool plaster too
as it's NOT here either
we imported it

we run our pool eguipment on solar power
i hope you have electricty...it'll sure be easier

i'm sure there are pool builder in your area

lots of pools in cabo

In other words, forget about the pool. Had pools all my adult life, and believe me, they are a royal pain, and take lots of work and money to maintain, not to mention the little use they get compared to the cost.
About everything about them is highly overrated.

longlegsinlapaz - 4-11-2009 at 10:02 AM

Au Contraire, Bob and Susan, La Paz has several pool stores! They carry Jacuzzi, Hayward & other brands of equipment. The equipment IS more $$$ here because of importation, but you have to weigh that against the hassle of getting it down here yourself, importing it & running the gauntlet of the drive.

Not to mention that evil thing called warranty if any component fails out of the box!

This might be a fairly controversial topic, but I've had 3 pools here, so I'm speaking from personal experience...no matter how hard your contractor might try to convince you that cartridge filter is the way to go...IT'S NOT! Go with a sand filter. Way easier to maintain & a LOT less expensive in the long run. Do some research.

There are pool contractors in La Paz who will work in TS, but IMO as long as the contractor has experience building pools (go LOOK at his work & talk with a few clients, don't take his word for it!) you can save $$ by having a general contractor build the pool, but have a pool company involved for the plumbing in the design/construction phase & have them do the actual plumbing & equipment installation.

And DO NOT let the contractor talk you into pool paint! :no:

Tile the interior or go with white cement.

Yes, a pool can be a lot of work, but during the 105 degree months of summer here, a pool is not a luxury, it's a necessity! :bounce:

comitan - 4-11-2009 at 10:37 AM

Tile pool the ONLY way to go, The best filtration system is a DE filter, do the research I have had one for 13 years and everything for servicing is here in La Paz. I will check on a contractor for you and u2u.

rpleger - 4-11-2009 at 10:38 AM

Make sure that the pool is level...

vandenberg - 4-11-2009 at 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by rpleger
Make sure that the pool is level...

Maybe not necessary if you make it deep enough.

interesante

BFS - 4-11-2009 at 11:35 AM

Ok, so if the pool is not swimmable Nov through May thats not great. Thats exactly the months we rent the house out. Summer months when it is swimmable I am living in the house. Good news for me, but not quite what I was looking for.
What do you think about solar for heating during the winter months? Do you think there is enough sunshine to heat up 15,000 gallons for comfortable swimming Nov. through May in those black solar tubes I see mounted on homes in So Cal? I dont want to get into gas heating with renters. Too complicado. Actually May and June are the coldest months in TS so I can lose those months but Nov through April would be nice to be able to swim.
Aq

Marie-Rose - 4-11-2009 at 11:43 AM

Got your U2U... thanks, and we will meet next week!

We know several people who have pools in TS. One is being installed as we speak.
We can connect you with them. I do know that the common complaint is that there is no one here to maintain them properly when you are away... and if you do find someone, it is very expensive.

Bob and Susan - 4-11-2009 at 11:44 AM

dont use "white cement"
pool plaster is "special" for in-groung pools

it "holds" the water in :lol:

Dave - 4-11-2009 at 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bob and Susan
dont use "white cement"
pool plaster is "special" for in-groung pools

it "holds" the water in :lol:

What is used for pilas? Wouldn't that work?

Bob and Susan - 4-11-2009 at 11:53 AM

lets do some math...

a 1hp pumps pumps 60 gallons a minute
thats 3600 gallons an hour

15000 gallons in 4.1 hours

winter temp maybe 65 degrees
solar power from 11am until 3pm

figure the solar heater would need to raise the temp 20 degrees in 4 hours
that would put you at 85 degrees at 3pm in the afternoon

i havent found anything that could raise up
the temp 5 degrees in that time

the ONLY thing that is guaranteed to work is a propane heater

just build the cost into the rental price
get a BIG tank
get an automatic fill from gaspa monthly
and
PAY$$$

capt. mike - 4-11-2009 at 11:59 AM

as a contractor who has built quite a few pools i can tell you that in mexico you should tile the pool - tile mat'l and labor is cheap - alabaster marble plaster is a maintenance and headache nightmare long term. or go cementous if someone there is licensed for Pebble-tec et al.
i would check out the new glass tiles. they are beautiful once finished.

why so big? 15K gallons?
8-10K is a big enuff size for residential.

i have built my last one for myself - it has a spa and dam wall with Jandy turn-over valves - bext one will be spa only but big enuff for a motored swim spa.

i love jacuzzi but a swimming pool of any size is a pain - and expensive to run.

oh - dittos on the sand filter or also go with a salt system. forget all that clhorine.

solar heat will work if you have a large collector mat, a trickle pump and a rock lined storage tank in the ground.

Swimming pools. As others have said...

Pompano - 4-11-2009 at 12:03 PM

..a lot depends on where in Baja you are. I live in Conception Bay and have filled in 2 swimming pools at separate casas over the years. They're not for everybody. Live and learn..sometimes a bit slooowly..especially if you are Norsk and used to breaking ice for a swim.

It was just too cold to use them during the winter here. But...your area of Baja may be perfect for them, especially if you are not next to, or near, the ocean. If I lived either inland or in a city in southern Baja, I would build one again.

If you do build, consider doing so with tile. The photo below is of a friend's seacliff home near me. in The Bay. That pool was built in 2000. Note: After 5-6 years, he filled his in, too. :rolleyes:

It was easy enough to maintain, he said, but never used it enough and would rather have the patio space. Thier view attests to that improvement of use.
.

.
.
.
During our warm months in the Bay, they are nice to have, but a chore to maintain...plus paying high rates for our locally trucked fresh water. But, that's The Bay, your water will be much cheaper I'm sure.

Good luck with the project and write a follow-up when done.

[Edited on 4-11-2009 by Pompano]

mtgoat666 - 4-11-2009 at 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by aqbluegreen

Any help,recommendations, advice from Nomadlandia out there?

Yikes, pool maintenance is a PITA!!! If you are not there all the time to keep up on mainntenence, then hire competent pool maintenance.

Look into heating with solar thermal roof top system. Done right, they crank the heat.

Use a pool cover -- greatest loss of energy (heat) from pool water is evaporation.

Hire a good contractor, and make sure your subgrade is prepared right, and concrete is mixed and poured right.

comitan - 4-11-2009 at 12:37 PM

Pool covers, Bubble type to keep your pool warm longer, Regular duty not even one year, heavy duty 1 year, if you want it to last longer get a 15 mil. they can be had. This info is here in La Paz, don't even consider what the MFG warranty says.

Bob and Susan - 4-11-2009 at 01:32 PM

pool covers work GREAT!!!
they are just ULGY!!! fast

maintaining a pool now is pretty easy
as long as you build it correctly

a "pool vac" does ALL the real work
it vacuums when the pool filter is on

notice pompano's pictures...
square sides

that doesn't clean well
you should "round" everything
tile is hard to clean too

plaster... stains

forget paint..it chalks

balancing chemicals would be a problem if you aren't there
no one here would know what to do
and it can get green FAST

pools are great in the summer

mtgoat666 says
"Look into heating with solar thermal roof top system. Done right, they crank the heat."

i'd have to see a unit that actually works...

BigWooo - 4-11-2009 at 02:03 PM

Quote:

If you have the $$ to invest in solar heating, it may be a way to keep your pool warm in the winter months without using propane.

http://www.solarroofs.com/SolarSpaHeating.html

Cypress - 4-11-2009 at 02:06 PM

How much fill dirt is required to fill in the pool? That's it! After you seed it etc. get creative. A garden? A covered BBQ area? :lol: