You can take your interior area (walls and overall floor) and divide by 45. Add for other features like spa, raised bond beam, waterfall pads, caved out/rocky walls, etc.

Its a start, but guessing the exact yardage is near impossible unless you have a perfect nuts on dig.

Being a builder, this is one of the main reasons I like shotcrete over gunite. Shotcrete is delivered by a third party concrete supplier with "mud slips" for exactly how much leaves the yard. We demand all mud slips and know exactly what is placed, not just what is ordered.

With gunite, asking for mud slips is impossible, and you're just trusting the guy you're writing the check to to be honest, as he is the supplier and placer of the concrete.

Thanks, natural one. I appreciate your input. Gunite tends to be the only thing used in my area (that I know of, anyhow).

I am assuming the factor of 45 includes a conversion of the sf to yards and accounts for the standard wall depth?

Yes it does, however you need to figure out what your interior area is, which is dependent upon your actual depths.

One simple way is to find your average depth (maybe take 5 various depth points of your pool and divide by 5) and multiply this average depth times your total pool perimeter to calc you entire vertical wall surface area. This wall surface area added with your pool surface area (the floor) will give you your interior area, or i.a. as we refer it to.

Divide by 45 and your getting pretty close.

If I was an owner builder, I would ask for onsite visits after the steel is installed with written and firm bids, "not to exceed".

Yeah, all my gunite bidders recommended a "firm" bid after steel (to protect themselves, as well, from any dig issues). Just trying to get a pretty solid number to see what needs to be cut from the budget. :)

If my advice doesnt line up, feel free to post your dimensions and features and the couple builders like myself on this forum could take a guess as well.

Thanks...I'll see if my bidders can get more aligned; there was a 2k discrepancy (on a 6k average bid). Yikes!

Awood,
Where are you building your pool. I see you commented on my post and I was also considering doing a owner build myself. I have one source here locally that also did a owner build and he has said he would provide me with contact information for some subs. If you have any suggestions please send them my way.

Thanks,
Todd

Awood,
Thanks for the reply. I have a relative in the construction buisness so we have a few contacts already. Only thing I am still having an issue with is plumbing and equipment. If I can figure those out then I'll probably go the owner build route. I've been lurking here for several years so I have alittle knowledge of the process.

Thanks,
Todd

Awood,
Thanks for the reply. I have a relative in the construction buisness so we have a few contacts already. Only thing I am still having an issue with is plumbing and equipment. If I can figure those out then I'll probably go the owner build route. I've been lurking here for several years so I have alittle knowledge of the process.

Thanks,
Todd

You have posted on my post..and Im very interested to see your progress!!!
Dena

to awoodwaring, I also live in northern ca an have started a owner build. I would lve some contacts on sub constractors as my deisgn man I feel may have taken advantage of me. he charged 1800 for design and engineering. he did generic engineering from a company in LA and did not give me any contractor worksheets or specs. I did get permt process started with city but difficult to get bids without exact measurements on some of the pool items (steps, ledge, etc... He said he deigned it to cost less than 50k t build then came back with his bid over 66k and another 18k optional extras. I would love to discuss options. I am in the east sf bay area between sac & sf

Hello - I am in the East Bay too and we did a owner-builder pool in 2015 and planning another one at new place in the area. Happy to share experience and referrals from the previous build.

how do I get ahold of you? in Antioch 9253255641

Sent you a PM with contact details. Thanks

Chalkboard Services and Angela Long- Doing owner build in Antioch. Are either of you still available to discuss?

text me 929253837214

Hello