LAST EDITED ON Aug-07-03 AT 10:50 PM (EDT)

LAST EDITED ON Aug-07-03 AT 10:49 PM (EDT)

My last post was getting a little long so it's time to start a new one with new one with more issues!

Our equipment was finally moved today after waiting three weeks with no activity what so ever. Here are pics of where the equipment was and where it is now. The new location looks like a nightmare to service and the backwash drain point to the back of the fence. The equipment was placed too close to the wall. The city has a three foot variance.

Original Location (too close to back wall)

New Location and configuration (The back wall is directly behind me)

Since they didn't move the electrical the box barely clears the filter.

Comments or Suggestions?

Steve O.

Sometimes you just have to laugh (or cry, or both).

I talked to our construction supervisor today and gee wizz there is both a 3 foot setback along the north and east wall. So the filter and maybe the pumps get to be moved again and the electrical will have to be moved too.

I would've thought the designers would have checked whether we had buried power lines in our yard before they got this far along!

The builder is going ahead with the preshotcrete inspection today with the city. That should be amusing with the equipment placement, leaking DE filter, and mud covering the rebar in the bottom of the pool. I wish I didn't have to work and could be there!

Steve O

You can call the building department and find out who your inspector is and talk with them if you want to. I did with mine before inspections and I know it saved me a rejection or two.
Ed

I was thinking about doing that just to ask them some questions. I don't want to pass inspection. I want the pool company to fix this mess.

Steve O

Much to my astonishment we passed the preshotcrete inspection on Friday so the pool company has us scheduled for shotcrete on Tuesday. We still have some rebar under mud so I don't know how this will hold up structurally. Is there some tolerance on these things???

I complained to our construction coordinator that there is still rebar under mud. She promised to send out one of their construction inspectors either this weekend or Monday. I figure Monday night I'm going spend some time in the pool digging.

Here is a picture of what I'm talking about...

Steve O

Well no word from the pool company on the dirt issue so last night I stuck on my boots and gloves, grabbed my shovel and took about 5 5 gallon bucket fulls of dirt out of the pool.

Bright and early the shotcrete folks appeared. I guess what they usually do is respace the rebar in the hopes that the excavator left some extra room. They did tell me digging out the rebar helped so I feel better about doing it. Mad as hell at the pool company of course.

Got a call from our construction coordinator that they have contacted the fencing (equipment wall) and decking company. I had to point out that the pregrading was never done and the equipment is still inside a utility easement. As usual she was clueless!

At least the hole in the ground looks more like a pool with the shotcrete in.

Thanks for letting me vent. My wife and coworkers are sick of listening to me!

Steve O

Just thought I'd update where we are at.

The pool still is not complete. They've done the decking and waterline tile which looks great. I am still waiting for the electrical to be moved and completed. Then site cleanup, final inspection, and finally the pool surface. No activity for a week now and no news from the pool folks.

I received a letter from the BBB yesterday about my contract dispute with the pool surface. I'm curious how the pool company will respond since I have a change order with our choice of pool surfaces. (for those of you not following my story, the pool company did a switch in the contract on the pool surface which wasn't caught because they use different names for their surfaces)

Steve O

I'm getting a recording when I call the pool builder now saying all their lines are busy. Between yesterday and today their complaints with the registar went from 8 to 14!

I have a very bad feeling about this! Time to drive by tonight and see if the doors are permanently locked.

Steve O

As I suspected our builder (Executive Pools and Spas in Mesa Arizona) has shut their doors. My wife drove by their office yesterday which was locked and had a sign they were taking no new pool contracts. So she went straight to the registrars office and started the process so we can eventually finish the pool. When the builder files bankruptcy we will have to file a claim in court, hopefully get released, get three quotes to complete everything, then file a request to draw the money from the registars recovery fund.

We know an excellent lawyer who can help us with the court filings. I guess the process takes about 6 months so we'll be swimming by next summer.

Fortunately the past few weeks has seen our decking and water line tile installed so that is out of the way. We still need the electrical completed, pool surface, auto leveler, navigator, and flagstone spill over installed. I should get a list together I guess.

Steve O