Thanks Scott...we do have heavy red clay soil. As far as rain goes, we have had many below average years for rainfall but not this past year and not now. Even as I type this, there is flooding in some of the areas around us. Are there steps that can be taken while the pool is being built that would address the problem for the future and be less expensive during the construction phase? Thanks again.

During the construction phase is the best time since everything is chewed on in the back yard anyway. As for specific remedies, without a soils report, survey and visual of the surrounding area, I couldn't offer more advice. Some of the remedies include dry wells, soil replacement, lawn drains and so on.

Tanning ledges, BTW on a liner pool need a special, thick material to withstand the pounding of people bringing in lounge chairs and such and this will drive up the cost for the liner and replacements in the years to come. This thicker material is usually a solid white or blue. Most liners have a pattern and this section will not match.

When a liner pool has steel steps instead of vinyl or fiberglass steps, the same material is used over the steps and, surprise, these liners cost more to purchase and install.

Often, people opt for buddy seats with jets. They make some pretty neat ones that you can change the seat back and it changes the jets or the plain ones with or without jets. They are still comfortable and often have an umbrella stand built in.

Scott

I Live in Tennessee and every pool we build is on heavy clay soil. Any Vinyl pool build has to have proper drainage and is not that expensive to do. For Example have the pool back filled with gravel and a french drain placed around the pool regardless if you add a shelf or not this will insure that water does not get under the liner. I would not be afraid to have a shelf on a pool and we have built several. Proper drainage is a must regardless of the shape of your pool or any type of pool for that matter. And yes it will add cost to your liner replacement.But if that is what you want than go for it..

Thank you both for the information...it is good to know going in as we continue to look at our options. Hopefully swimming before this year is over!

We have built many vinyl liner pools with a sun shelf. I would recommend modifying your chairs, rather than foam under liner. Or doubling liner up with piece of extra liner material. You can also velcro fist step down or use rod and liner loops with clips. Vynall liners and Kafko have built great liners for me with complicated coverd steps and shelfs.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sun Shelf

Thank you poolguymi! That is a great picture and exactly what I wanted to see. Is it possible to put bubblers in as well? Thanks again...

That is a great question? I've never built one. I don't know if anything is currently manufactured in the liner industry to do exactly that. I have done in floor cleaning systems and I would have to imagine it would be very similar. One vinyl pool I built with another contractor had a gunite pebble beach entry, and gunite steps with swimout bench the rest of the pool was steel wall vinyl liner.He put a bubbler/ built into a table post, so it would double as a fountain and a table. He liked to call the pool a HYBRID Vinyl Gunite. He had some videos of it on youtube. I will look for photos.

Has anyone added a plastic tanning shelf that has to be removed for the winter in a vinyl pool? They have plastic steps that has to be weighted down, how about a tanning shelf?
Please help because I would really like one.
Thanks!

Anything can be done with a liner pool that can be done with gunite. I do both. Not a fan of hybrids. Not a fan of medal walls. Grey or black polymer is better. I like grafix. Gravel for backfill and french drain yes. We do a double bottom on our vinyl pools. Three to four inches of concrete tied into any concrete freeform structure (like a sun ledge) with rebar. Then an inch of vermiculite and a brown coat over freeform. Then quater inch foam (happy bottom) over freeforms. Then velcro and/or rods where needed. Then liner. This answer is specific to your question. However, there is much more that can be done with vinyl pools. As for fade it depends on the site, specific type of use, cleaner, liner color, and liner quality(they are not all the same). Vinyl or gunite. Vinyl is softer and gunite is tougher, etc. The choice depends on what you plan to do with it. Fiberglass not recommended.

I would love to see a picture of a vinyl pool with that ledge. Anyone?

I have just installed vinyl pool with ledge would like more info on winterizing so much conflicting info anyone?