You're ln Good Hands With Grand Isle Custom Pools

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After you have approved the final design and contract for your pool, Grand Isle will generate a detailed set of engineering plans that will guide the construction of your backyard oasis.  The outline of your pool will be painted on the ground per your signed drawing and then construction can begin.

The next step in the construction of your new Grand Isle Pool is the excavation - a messy, dirty process that is both exciting and unavoidable. An excavation crew carefully digs and hand-trims your pool in precise accordance with every detail of your swimming pool's design specifications. The excavation process usually takes a day. You will see wooden forms around your future swimming pool, which are there to guide us in the rest of our construction. We ask that you do not tamper with these wooden forms as they are set to a specific elevation.

The majority of dirt from the excavation process will be removed during the excavation. Don't be concerned if some dirt remains, as we will use this for other phases of the construction. If you would like a portion of this dirt reserved for landscaping purposes or some other uses, just let us know where and how much you desire.

Next, Grand Isle Pool's steel crew forms a rigid contoured grid of reinforcing steel to create the backbone of your swimming pool. You will see bars crossing one another for the utmost in reinforcement. Notice the tie wires at some intersections; they tie the steel together. Be advised that even though we bend the ends of the steel bars, the steel may be sharp, so please be careful when inspecting the progress of your pool's construction. You will notice that there are block spacers under the steel. This is typical of concrete swimming pool construction and helps to hold the steel above the soil, so the steel will end up being approximately in the middle of the gunite. When steel is complete it will look like the steps are missing; they will be added during a different phase.

Your Grand Isle pool is now ready to be plumbed with high-grade NSF- (National Sanitation Foundation) approved "Schedule 40" PVC pipe designed to prevent leaks and deterioration. All pipe connections are solidly bonded and the entire plumbing system is hydrostatically pressure tested. As with every other stage of your new Grand Isle pool, the plumbing is done in accordance with your pool construction details, to ensure the plumbing meets Grand Isle Pool's rigid standards of quality and design.

The next process of your pool construction is the application of the shotcrete or gunite. Gunite is a mixture of sand, rock and cement that is applied by spraying it through a hose. Technicians will skillfully shoot the gunite around your pool's steel reinforcement grid. After the gunite has been completed, we will need your assistance to allow the gunite to cure properly. You (or Grand Isle Pools) will need to water your pool a minimum of three times a day during the daylight, from 7 am to 7 pm. You will need to do this for five days. Simply use your garden hose (without a nozzle) and wet the pool thoroughly, top to bottom. Don't worry about the water collecting in the deep end of the pool. It's normal and will be pumped out before we apply your pool's interior finish.

The next step in the construction process is the installation of your waterline tile and coping. Our skilled craftsmen will hand-lay and carefully grout a high-glaze, weather-resistant tile around the waterline of your pool. The coping will be hand-laid and grouted on the "beam" (the top of the pool's wall) by the same craftsmen that set the tile. Tile and coping should take several days to finish. Once the tile has set securely, you will have a durable, non-porous surface that will last for years. If you have chosen to add picturesque rocks, a rock waterfall, or other natural rock features, our professional stonemasons will carefully place the decorative stones in precise accordance with your pool's design specifications. Once this process has been completed the decking crew will come in and start the forming of your deck.

Spraydeck - For the Spraydeck process, a natural concrete base will be poured and will need a curing period of two to seven days, depending on the time of the year. Then a protective acrylic coating will be applied. This process usually takes about a day.

Exposed Aggregate - For a hand-seeded exposed aggregate finish, a natural concrete base will be poured. The concrete will be allowed to set for a couple of hours (depending on temperature, wind, etc.). After setting, the chosen aggregate will be applied by hand, allowed to set, and then washed to bring out the colors of the aggregate.

Patterned Concrete - The process of "stamped" or patterned concrete creates a custom look similar to cobblestone, brick, or flagstone. The process begins much like the Spraydeck process, but then a selected color and pattern are applied to the concrete base.

Natural Stone or Paver Deck - For stone decks, a natural concrete base will be poured and will cure for two to seven days, depending on the weather. Then the selected stone will be laid and grouted. Paver decks are sometimes finished with fine sand rather than grout between the pavers.

Gas or Propane - If this is an option you have chosen, your city's gas line/propane tank requirements and your individual lot size will determine whether your gas line or propane tank can be buried underground or must be above ground. If it can be buried, the trenches will be dug and the pipe will be laid at the time of the plumbing of your new pool.

Now is when the mess we made in your backyard will be professionally cleaned up and you will start to see just how beautiful your new pool is actually going to be! Be patient... it won't be long now! We will make sure that all of the tire tracks are filed in, that the wood and trash is hauled away, and that the ground in the pool's construction area is raked out. We will also make sure everything that was disrupted in the construction process is put back in its proper place (with the exception of any planters, decorative rocks, sprinkler heads, etc.). Any disturbed soil will be spread out evenly to ensure proper drainage/grading. If additional soil is requested, please, contact your superintendent for pricing of material, delivery, and spreading of the additional soil. The clean-up process will only take one day and the next step of your pool's construction will be the access close-up if applicable.

At this time, your Grand Isle Pools superintendent will meet with you for a walk-through to list any issues and/or corrections that need to be addressed. Your Grand Isle Pools superintendent will make an appointment that is mutually convenient to list out these corrections. Any outstanding items will be addressed and completed prior to the interior finish being applied.

Now that your pool has had all phases completed, an experienced surfacing crew applies the interior surface that you have selected. Upon completion, we will begin filling the pool with water. Once the pool is full, it will require brushing twice a day for two weeks. Proper chemical balance is required and is very important for proper maintenance of your pool. It is also recommended that a sample be taken to a qualified water analysis center once a week for the first several months to ensure a good start.

Now that your pool is finished, it's time to jump in and ENJOY! Grand Isle Pools will schedule a "Pool School" orientation for you and anyone else who wants to know how to operate the pool. And of course, if you ever have any questions about your pool, we're only a phone call away.