Pavers vs Natural Stone – Outdoor Living & Pool Patio Design Ideas

January 9th, 2012

Pavers vs. Natural Stone – Outdoor Living & Pool Patio Design Ideas

Are you looking for a new outdoor living patio space? Are you building a pool but don’t know what surface to choose for your pool patio? Maybe you’re considering a patio renovation? If any of these questions apply to you, you’ve been faced with a very important decision. What material do I choose for the patio? Stamped concrete? Pavers? Natural stone? Patio materials range in style, durability, price, and shape. More specifically, in this blog, I will take a brief look at the advantages and disadvantages of pavers.

First, let’s look at the upside of pavers for your outdoor living space. If you’re looking at your upfront expenditures, pavers are a low cost option as compared to natural stone. In terms of appearance, pavers are a better looking alternative to cool deck or concrete patios. For certain maintenance purposes, pavers are a convenient choice. For example, if settling of pavers occurs, they can be easily repaired. The short installation time also makes pavers a practical choice if you have time restraints. Clearly the best advantage of pavers is the tremendous variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and styles from which to choose. From permeable pavers to the more traditional ones, pavers have proved their versatility and worth over time.

 

Paver Advantages for Outdoor Living-

Better appearance than cool deck or concrete

Low cost relative to natural stone easy to repair if settling occurs

Short installation time

Large variety of choices

 

Now, there are obvious disadvantages to using pavers for your outdoor living space as well. First and foremost, pavers can’t compete aesthetically with natural stone. Also, natural stone offers you a much higher return on investment. How? Due to natural stone’s timeless look and longevity, the higher initial price is paid for in value over time. In contrast, pavers tend to go out of style every 5 years or so. Old stop-sign pavers, for example, are a thing of the past. Interestingly enough, within 5 years, even today’s pavers will be tossed aside in exchange for ones that look more like natural stone. The biggest complaint we have found with pavers is the continual maintenance issues, such as weeding and constantly needing to power wash because all the joints attract dirt and moss.  Lastly, pavers tend to be less comfortable than many natural stones because concrete pavers tend to absorb more heat than cool, light-colored natural stones. They can be painful to walk on with bare feet.

 

Paver Disadvantages for Outdoor Living-

Return  on investment is poor compared to natural stone

Pavers generally go out of style in 5 years

Weeds and dirt in the joints can be an issue

Concrete pavers tend to retain more heat compared to light natural stone

Not as aesthetically-pleasing as natural stone

 

 

For additional information on outdoor living spaces please Email Chris@plantnj.com

 

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Landscaping Trees – Fall Tree Planting Can Be Risky

November 9th, 2011

Landscaping Trees Mahwah NJ

Trees provide everything from pure natural beauty to screening, shading, and windbreaks. They stand tall among the landscape and platform themselves as beautiful borders and distinguished centerpieces. That sounds nice, but when should these trees be dug and planted? For people who live in growing zones 5 thru 8, October, November and early December is a good time to plant your trees. The mild fall weather puts less stress on the trees. Also, roots are active during winter months and store nutrients for the next season. But don’t get too carried away with the idea of a Fall planting project just yet. In this blog, I will give you a brief explanation as to why certain trees can be risky to plant in the Fall. By taking these facts into account, you can weigh the risk of a Fall planting for yourself. In addition, these guidelines will help explain why knowledgeable landscape design companies and/or nurseries may refuse to plant a certain tree in your landscape during the Fall months.

 

Fall dig hazard trees tend to fail for a couple of different reasons. There are roughly about four troublesome types of trees:

Trees with thin bark and lots of small branches: Betula (all) – Birch

Trees with thick roots that regenerate slowly: Nyssa sylvatica -Tupelo, Black Gum, Sour Gum

Trees that harden late in Fall: Crataegus (all) – Hawthorn and Pyrus (all) – Pear

Broadleaf evergreens: Leyland Cypress and Ilex opaca Greenleaf – American Holly.

 

Trees that are more likely to survive a Fall planting in your landscape are those with shallow, fibrous root systems.

Examples of trees that are not a fall dig hazard:

Aesculus Hippocastanum – Horse chestnut

Amelanchier Leavis – Serviceberry

Fraxinus Americana- White Ash

Hamamelis Virciniana- American Witch hazel

Picea Abies- Norway Spruce

Pinus Stobus- White Pine

Tsuga Canadensis- Hemlock

Here’s a general list of trees that should not be dug during the Fall, known as Fall Dig Hazards. If  you plan on planting trees on your property this Fall or plan on having a landscaper do it for you, do a bit of research. If the tree is on the fall dig hazard list, I would suggest you verify  that the trees were dug this past spring and not this fall.

Abies concolor – Concolor Fir

Acer rubrum – Red Maple
Acer japonica – Full Moon Maple
Acer saccharinum – Silver Maple
Acer freemanii – Freeman Maple
Betula (all) – Birch
Carpinus (all) – American Hornbeam, Ironwood
Cedrus Deodara – Blue Atlas Cedar
Celtis (all) – Hackberry
Cercis – Redbud
Cornus – Dogwood
Crataegus (all) – Hawthorn
Cupressocyparis leylandii – Leyland Cypress ***
Fagus (all) – Beech
Ilex x Fosterii – Foster Holly***
Ilex Nellie Stevens – Nellie Stevens Holly***
Ilex opaca Greenleaf – American Holly ***
Juniper virginiana – Easter Red Cedar
Liquidambar – Sweetgum
Liriodendron – Tulip Tree
Malus (move as late as possible) – Crabapple
Nyssa sylvatica -Tupelo, Black Gum, Sour Gum
Oystrya virginiana – Ironwood, Hophornbeam
Pinus nigra – Austrian Pine
Platanus (all) – Planetree
Pyrus (all) – Pear
Quercus (all) – Oak
Taxodium – Baldcypress
Taxus b. Repandens – English Yew

Tilia tomentosa (other Tilia ok) – Silver Linden
Zelkova (all)

*** Not recommended for fall planting

 

 

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Hydrazzo Pool Plaster – Pebble Tec Plaster or Glass Tile, Which is Best for You?

November 8th, 2011

Hydrazzo Pool Plaster – Pebble Tec Plaster or Glass Tile Which is Best for You?

Pool plaster options and other pool finishes offer a pretty standard formula for determining price and durability. The pricier the finish, the longer it will last. In terms of lifestyle and aesthetics, there are plenty of options. Smooth, polished plasters, like Hydrazzo, are great for active families. These plasters are reasonably priced, last 10-20 years, and look great.

Textured, pebble finishes, such as Pebble Tec or Pebble Sheen, cost more, but they last 20+ years. They also have a unique, sparkling look. Because the pebbles can be rough in texture if  too much aggregate is exposed (which is when this plaster looks its best), I normally don’t recommend this finish to active families with young children. For those young, active families who insist on a pebble-like finish, I would recommend a glass bead finish like Beadcrete as a better alternative. Glass tile is another popular pool finish. It’s the most expensive, but it lasts 50 years if installed correctly. It is also, without a doubt, the most aesthetically appealing, offering a brilliant shimmer of varying colors across the entire surface of the pool. Glass tiles can also produce beautiful mosaic designs that give the pool additional character. Outside of these options there is the standard, white Marcite finish. This is the cheapest plaster option. It will last 5 to 15 years and is very limited in appearance. Overall, proper pool maintenance will extend the life of any finish; however, the better plasters tend to be more forgiving. If you’re planning a pool renovation and need more information, call us to discuss which pool finish would be best for you.

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Swimming Pool and Spa Controls ? Pentair has an APP for That!

November 6th, 2011

Mahwah NJ

Swimming Pool and Spa Controls? Pentair has an APP for That!

Do you have an iPod touch, iPhone, or iPad? Do you have a swimming pool in your back yard? These questions may seem completely unrelated. (Or, you may be thinking about how horrible it would be if your new iPhone fell into the pool.) But today, the swimming pool and communication technology industries have collided in an exciting way.

With the help of a wireless interface and a handy iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch app, you can control all your swimming pool and spa functions from the comfort of your living room, your train ride home from work, or even another country while you’re on vacation. Warm up the spa on your way home from the gym. Attract a dinner party out into your outdoor living space by discretely turning on colorful pool lights, waterfalls or landscape lighting. With the addition of a video module, you can even use your phone to keep an eye on your teenagers while you’re away for the weekend! (My parents would have loved that feature!)

The free iPhone app works in conjunction with the Pentair controls and wireless interface. An easy-to-use layout and a number of cool, convenient features make the app well worth your while. Remotely managing the pump, heater, and filter allows the pool to save on excess energy costs. Swimming pool lighting options allow for set themes and sweeping color displays. The system can track pool temperatures over time, provide handheld video surveillance, and send you an email if any problems are detected with the pool or spa. In this day and age, we have the world at our fingertips, and your swimming pool is no exception.  This is by far the one of the coolest swimming pool features we installed for 2011! Mahwah NJ

 

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NJ Swimming Pool Builder Cipriano Custom Swimming Pools – Tips for Water Safety Month

May 2nd, 2011

It’s National Water Safety Month. Time to check on the safety of your pool! Already this year, 75 drowning or near-drowning incidents have been reported in the United States. Let’s take pool safety month as an opportunity to raise awareness of water and swimming pool safety.

Cipriano’s Pool Safety Tips:

1. Always provide strict adult supervision.

2 Utilize and examine approved swimming pool and spa safety covers.

3. Use drains, suction/return fittings, and jets that meet industry standards for safety, and do not let anyone swim in pools with damaged or missing drain covers!
4. Look at diving boards, rocks, platforms or slides prior to annual use. Repair if necessary.
5. Inspect electrical equipment to avoid any potential hazards.

6. Check for loose pool patio stones and coping stones or tile. Repair them if necessary.

7. Use fences, self-closing and latching gates, and baby barriers. Be sure that these barriers function properly and provide adequate protection in terms of minimal spacing between bars in the fence and gate. Supervision is much more difficult when you don’t know who’s around the pool.

8. To follow up on this point, install exit alarms on doors providing access to the swimming pool and spa.

9. Assure that sanitization, circulation, and filtration systems ensure water clarity. Clear water aids in identifying soakers and swimmers in danger. It also helps swimmers avoid dangerous collisions in the water.
10. Learn how to perform CPR because accidents can happen.

 

Remember: Swimmies or other inflatable flotation devices are not life jackets and should never be used to replace adult supervision. Also, remove toys from the pool when it is not in use so as not to attract children to the water.

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NJ Swimming Pool Architecture-How Landscape Architects Can Kill Your Pool

April 7th, 2011

Let me start by saying I have a tremendous respect for landscape architects and their dedication and valuable contributions to the swimming pool industry. My goal here is to bring attention to companies that advertise as swimming pool architects who overlook best management practices that can compromise swimming pool structures.

Yes, it’s very important for a landscape architect to know municipal ordinances and where the sun rises and sets when designing a swimming pool.  It’s also important to know where the swim-out and the dive rock should be placed. But shouldn’t you expect more from your landscape architect or pool designer? What about safety, proper equipment function, and construction techniques? Just because a landscape architecture firm has designed a lot of properties that included a swimming pool doesn’t necessarily make them experts who can manage or build your luxury swimming pool.

This 20K Pebble Tec Plaster Upgrade is Ruined After Only 5 Years

There are some New Jersey landscape architects who claim that they can save clients money by managing their swimming pool project. They tell the client that they can send the job out to bid, get them the best price, and manage the construction for a percentage of the swimming pool construction costs. In many instances, the low bid pool builders (who will give the landscape architect that “best price”) sub contracts most of the construction out to smaller companies. So that means the sub contractor of the low bidder is being managed by a landscape architect who more than likely has no construction experience. Does anyone else see the problem with this?

If you’re going to spend fifty thousand dollars on a swimming pool and then add a fifteen thousand dollar waterfall or a twenty thousand dollar vanishing edge, I’m sure you want to enjoy it for many years to come. That’s questionable at best, given this scenario, As the degree of difficulty in luxury pool building continues to rise and the economy continues to remain weak, it has created the perfect storm in the luxury swimming pool market. Low and mid-market pool builders now claim to be high-end builders. They are running to the luxury pool market (because it’s the only pool market left) despite lacking the necessary skills to build these extremely involved structures! In addition to that we have certain landscape architects who claim to have experience managing swimming pool construction. It’s become confusing for the consumer, and unfortunately the end result is a lot of failing pools.

Swimming pools have been the dominant feature in back yard designs for many years. Over the last ten years we have built some of the most intricate structures garnished with some of the most lavish finishes. Unfortunately, we have also seen a larger number of failures in structures and finishes due to poor construction techniques. Here are five of the thirty issues that will ruin your swimming pool which most landscape architects fail to address in their design specifications:

Soil Stability – The failure of many pools and patios stems from the soil on which the structures are built. On all the landscape architecture plans we have bid on in the last ten years, I have yet to see one plan with any specifications regarding poor soil conditions.

Rebound – What is rebound and why will it destroy your pool?  During the gunite installation material is pneumatically applied to create the pool shell. During the application, material that does not bond accumulates on the floor of the pool. This material is called rebound. Rebound should be discarded because it no longer contains structural qualities, but many pool companies don’t discard this material. They simply shovel the loose material into the walls and “flash” over it with fresh gunite. Once the material hardens it forms weak nonstructural pockets which can compromise the structural integrity of the pool vessel. This practice is against best management practices, but it is still a widespread problem in the industry.

This Vanishing Edge Swimming Pool Has Sever Structural Damage

Groundwater – How can groundwater compromise the inground swimming pool vessel?  Gunite needs 28 days to properly cure, but the first 48 hours are the most crucial. Fresh gunite that is exposed to groundwater can be structurally compromised. As the water infiltrates the newly applied gunite, it basically washes out the concrete and leaves the weakened aggregate behind. The problem with this usually becomes apparent several years down the road when the homeowner decides to upgrade the pool plaster and drains the pool. Once the pool is drained, the pressure relief plugs which normally allow the groundwater to enter the pool vessel and reduce the pressure on the pool shell are rendered useless. If the groundwater reaches weakened gunite before the pressure relief plugs, the pool will crack under pressure where the groundwater compromised the gunite during installation. In other words, a cosmetic upgrade becomes a difficult structural repair.

Improper Sealing- Most companies don’t properly seal their pools, and some don’t seal at all. Some use generic sealers that only deal with positive water flow but fail to address the negative flow of water through the gunite shell. This can lead to plaster or tile damage or, even worse, the structural failure of the gunite.

Pump Size and Function – Undersized pumps in a spa will ruin the whole experience. What’s the right size pool pump for your spa? Spas are getting larger and more elaborate, and there isn’t much worse than getting in your spa and having weak jets. Ok, a cold spa would definitely be worse, but you can easily fix a heater. For pumps, it’s very expensive to have to redo the plumbing if the pump and piping is undersized.

The economy is still hurting and the mid and low swimming pool markets have been annihilated, so everyone wants to build luxury pools. Meanwhile these luxury swimming pools are getting more intricate and harder to build, and your everyday pool company is not capable of building these extravagant structures. Given the climate of this perfect storm, it’s extremely dangerous to let landscape architects who don’t have the proper build experience manage your swimming pool construction. While having a landscape architect is so very important (that’s why we have one on-staff), someone with the proper pool building experience must oversee construction to ensure the safety, durability and reliability of the pool. In my years in the pool industry I have never seen specifications come out of a landscape architecture office that address essential best management practices. Without these specifications, it’s easy for swimming pool contractors and subcontractors to make mistakes or drop their price, earn a bid, and do a half-hearted, poor job without the landscape architect ever realizing what’s going on. It’s a scary situation, and these 5 issues are just the tip of the iceberg. To find out the solutions to these 5 issues and the 25 other critical specifications not addressed by most landscape architects, email me at chris@plantnj.com.

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NJ Mason Contractor – Natural Stone Work – Stone Masonry Patio

March 30th, 2011

Natural stone masonry and stone structures can be largely overlooked when it comes to landscape and swimming pool designs. To some homeowners, swimming pool and dining patios are valued but seriously underestimated in terms of their power to really define an outdoor living space. Natural stone patios provide a number of opportunities to transform the most functional aspect of a landscape and swimming pool into an art-form that adds to the overall ambiance. Before you embark on a natural stone masonry project of your own, use this blog to help learn how to judge quality masonry construction.

This week, I went to consult on a masonry project and discovered that 2,000 square feet of patio needs to be removed and reinstalled. Why you ask? For starters, the contractor neglected to install any expansion joints and more than likely missed a few other important steps vital to the proper natural stone installation process. We are taking core samples  and sending them out to an engineer for structural analysis. A paver company who thought it was a good idea to start installing stone appears to have gotten in over their head.

Unfortunately, with the recession still lingering, there are many companies like this who just don’t have the experience or who mislead clients about their ability when interviewing for these large projects. Many companies are getting on the “one-stop shop” boat and leaving plenty of unhappy customers in their wake. In order to help you see through this smokescreen, I want to share some tips on how to determine a quality natural stone installation.

First of all, when you’re researching companies on the internet and you’re going through photo galleries, be sure that you see multiple examples of what you’re looking for. For example, we can show our clients 50 outdoor kitchen and fireplace structures. If we have a client that is looking for natural stone patios or walls around their pool, I can show them 100,000 square feet of natural stone patios or 50,000 square feet of veneer. Just to be clear, I’m not trying to boast; I’m just trying to convey how important it is to have a lot of hands-on experience.

If a landscaping or swimming pool company advertises a natural stone patio or a masonry structure on the internet or in a print ad and it interests you, make sure you ask to see that very patio as it stands today.  Try to see several examples of the masonry to help judge a company’s craftsmanship! When you go see the stonework, be sure to get a good look at all the masonry patios and walls. Here are a few things to look out for:

1. Look at the joints. Joints should be no wider than ½ inch regardless of the pattern or type of stone. Larger joints tend to separate from the stone faster than normal because of the different absorption rates of mortar compared to the denser stone. If the joints are too big, the patio is sure to call for repairs sooner rather than later as a result of damages from freezing and thawing.

 

 

2. How does the stone feel when you walk on it? Any sawn pattern stones with a finished surface like sand blasted limestone or thermal faced bluestone should be very consistent. It should feel like you’re walking on smooth glass. Irregular stone patterns or natural cleft stones will be slightly inconsistent but should still feel evenly pitched. If the stone feels uneven when you walk on it or if there are large edges sticking up or large pieces missing, it could be a sign of poor craftsmanship.

3. Give it the Tap Test. Bring a small hammer or a 2” stone with you to visit the project. Gently tap on the stone throughout the patio area and listen for hollow pockets. A hollow sound suggests that the stone has somehow separated from the setting bed. Very few stones should be separated from the setting bed! If you have a hard time recognizing the hollow sound, don’t worry. At least the mason contractor will see your hammer and know you mean business.

4. Make sure there are no large puddles on the patio. Obviously it’s easy to detect puddles after it rains, but even if it’s been dry for an extended period of time, you can look for accumulated areas of dirt or grey chalky film left behind by puddles on the patio.  Small puddles are fairly common on large slab stone patios and tend to form in stones that are cupped or concaved. Most of the time we try to avoid the cupped stones, but sometimes its unavoidable. Even on a patio that has 2” pitch, you may still see small puddles. As long as the puddle is within a single stone, you shouldn’t be too alarmed. On the other hand, should you see puddles spanning several stones, this is definitely a source of concern. Large areas of standing water tend to erode the masonry joints on a patio. This allows water to infiltrate the setting bed and cause widespread separation of the masonry and the natural stone.  Eventually the structural integrity of the concrete patio slab will be compromised as a result of these large puddles.

5. Check for settling where the patio meets up with other structures such as the pool coping or steps. If the back of the pool coping is higher than the patio, this is a sign of settling. Look at the staircases too. If the bottom step is taller than other steps leading up the staircase, this could also mean the patio has settled and   the base preparation was more than likely inadequate.

I encourage you to be a little skeptical when it comes to your next masonry project. Go out and visit completed masonry works and put them under the microscope. With hammer in hand and these few helpful tips, you’ll be able to judge good stone masonry and feel comfortable about your investment. If you would like any additional information or want to dissect some of my own stone masonry work using these tips, email me at chris@plantnj.com.

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Concrete Patio Resurfacing NJ– Stamped Overlay Concrete Surfaces NJ

March 26th, 2011

 

With all the snow we’ve received this winter, you may not have seen most of your patio and walkways in months. Now that spring has arrived, I encourage you to take a look at them. Are they worn and dated? Do they have chips and exposed aggregate, possibly from the stress of this cold winter? A stamp overlay could be the perfect solution for your concrete patio, driveway, and walkway problems.

A stamp overlay provides a quarter-inch thick concrete resurfacing that will renew your patios and walkways in strength and appearance. If the concrete is badly cracked, it will call for a repair or replacement, but if the concrete is just worn and unsightly, a simple resurfacing will do the trick. First, an acrylic or later primer is applied. Then, the thin layer of cement is applied. After that, the new surfaced is stamped with a texture to make it look like new. In the end, the resurfacing process is extremely convenient since the very thin layer (1/4″) can easily match any elevations of existing structures such as steps or coping.

There are two types of stamp overlays, cementitious and elastomeric. Each of them can be stamped, colored, and stained in a variety of patterns that can even mimic natural stone. A cementitious resurfacing option is a strong, waterproof coating system that can be modified with specific colors and stains to achieve the decorative look that the name suggests. This new surface is even advertised as freeze/thaw resistant. In addition, the new surface will resist deicing salts, which may be extremely valuable if next winter is anything like this one.

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Building a Zero Edge swimming Pool – Vanishing Edge Pool Infinity Edge Pool? Beware!!

March 24th, 2011

Building a Zero Edge swimming Pool – Vanishing Edge Pool Infinity Edge Pool? Beware!!

The other day, I visited a woman who was interested in an outdoor kitchen. We looked at the space, and I shared some ideas with her. On the way back to the house, she asked, “You build swimming pools, right?” I said, “Of course.” She then told me she was having someone repair the tile on her zero edge pool, AKA  infinity edge pool or vanishing edge pool and asked if I would take a look at it. “Sure,” I replied, but in a few minutes, I was also sure she wished she never asked the question.

The tile was falling off, and the plaster was cracked throughout the collection pool at the bottom of the infinity edge wall. Noticing that there was probably a more serious issue with the pool, I asked her if I might come back the next day to remove the cover and see what was causing the problem.

The next day, we removed the cover and saw that the pool was in need of much more than a simple tile repair. After four years, this $150,000 infinity pool was in horrible condition. Here’s what we found:

NJ vanishing edge swimming pool Zero edge pool infinity edge pool

NJ vanishing edge swimming pool Zero edge pool infinity edge pool

Gunite Rebound

The weir wall (i.e. the wall of the pool that showcases the infinity edge) was cracked in several places. Initial core samples show signs of “rebound” encapsulated in the wall. When the gunite is sprayed and applied to the pool, a certain amount bounces back. This “rebound” should be discarded before the gunite is shot over it once again. If not, useless gunite is trapped beneath the surface, creating pockets of nonstructural masses in the walls, in this case the weir wall. This threatens the structural integrity of the wall that withstands tremendous pressure from the pool water all on its own (i.e. without the support of surrounding soil). This can be dangerous when the rebound forms weak deposits of unusable gunite scattered within the wall.

Calcium Deposits

What was left of the tile on the weir wall had severe calcium deposits all across the surface, producing a white stain on all of the tiles due to a process called efflorescence. During this process, water enters the pores of the weir wall and slowly travels through to the other side, picking up salt and minerals from the concrete along the way. When it reaches the other side, which in this case, is covered in tile, the water evaporates and leaves the salt and minerals behind. The salt and minerals form calcium deposits on the tile and may lead to cracking. They appear in the form of white stains.

Plaster Cracking

Due to the structural failure of the weir wall, the Pebble-Tec pool plaster, a 20-year rated finish which probably cost the homeowner about $35,000, was cracked throughout the lower weir wall and needs to be replaced after just four years.

Poor Construction

To wrap things up, we checked the level of the weir wall, and it was 3/8 of an inch out of level, which is significant when you’re dealing with an infinity edge pool.  If the pool were 1/16 of an inch out of level, the infinity edge could run on a 1 hp pump to move the necessary 25 gallons per minute over the edge of the weir wall. The pool builder on this project used a 4 hp pump, which can move 400 gallons per minute over the infinity wall, to compensate for the lack of precision, taking “playing it safe” to a whole new level. Also, a 1 hp pump runs on 3.5 amps as opposed to the 20 amps of a 4 hp pump. In other words, by having a level infinity edge and using the appropriate pump, the homeowner could have cut energy usage for the water feature by 80%.

Conclusion

If a pool company is going to advertise a vanishing edge swimming pool on the internet or in a print ad and it interests you, make sure you ask to see that very pool as it stands today; furthermore, look at all the pools they are promoting that might interest you and try to see several examples of the pools they are advertising! When you go see the pool, be sure to get a perfectly good look at the infinity wall itself, not just the view it overlooks. If done right, infinity edge pools showcase every essential skill of a quality pool builder. If done wrong, these pools won’t be able to hide it. Here are a few things to look for when visiting that vanishing edge swimming pool:

1. The flow shows best. Take a look at the working infinity edge and make sure the water flows all the way across the vanishing edge. An even flow over the edge will show you that the swimming pool is level and did not settle in the ground due to poor soil conditions and bad engineering. Then, check the pump size and make sure the pump is not oversized to compensate for imprecision.

2. Have the contractor turn the water off and look at the top of the weir wall. Make sure there is no discoloration or cracks in the tile at the top of the weir wall. With the water off, you will be able to really focus and see any possible imperfections.

3. Check where the pool meets the patio on every side. There should be a consistent joint where the pool meets the patio. Be sure that there is no separation. If there is, the pool could be settling or rolling as a result of problems with soil, drainage, or slope.

3. Examine the backside of the weir wall. Are all the tiles intact? Are there tiles popping off? See that there are no cracks in the joints of the tiles as well. These problems could mean that the weir wall was poorly constructed or improperly sealed.

4. Do you see any discoloration in the tile on the weir wall? Calcium deposits will lead to big white spots on the tile. While this may occur in slight moderation, you certainly don’t want to see it throughout the weir wall. If you do, it is a good sign that there are voids or “shadowing” (i.e. empty spaces behind the rebar) in the gunite. Either way, water is travelling through the wall and leaving salt and minerals behind when it evaporates, which is not good.

5. In the trough or collection pond, closely examine the plaster. Make sure there are no cracks, spider cracks, or deformities. If the finish is cracked or deformed within its lifespan, it could be because there is water travelling through the weir wall and damaging the outer surface material. The collection pool should have just as smooth a finish as the inside of the pool.

Bonus: Visually take note of the length of the weir wall. If the wall is within 1/16 in. from level, the infinity edge will need 1 gallon per minute for every linear foot. Ask the pool builder what size pump he uses to run the infinity edge. Any weir wall 25 feet in length or less should be running on a 1 hp pump. If the pump is too big for the wall, the swimming pool contractor could be making up for imperfections and costing the homeowner unnecessary money on operating costs.

Remember, “you don’t know what you don’t know,” and that’s dangerous in the pool business! The swimming pool contractor who built this pool has been in business for over three decades and just followed standard pool building practices, which in this case contributed to the pool vessel failure. Do your due diligence! If you see a swimming pool contractor advertising pools that you like, demand to see them!

For more information email me, Chris@PlantNJ.com

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NJ Landscape Architects – Hire a Professional Landscape Architecture Firm and Avoid Free Landscaping Plans at “All Costs”!

March 11th, 2011

Starting a great landscaping project with limited funds?  Here are five hardscape and planting suggestions that are GUARANTEED to save you THOUSANDS.

1.     Always start with a landscape plan (blueprint) prepared by a licensed landscape architect. This will ensure a balanced design and will allow you to phase the work as budgets permit.

2.     Pick materials and plants that will work within your budget. You can cut the cost of a project in half with the right choices in material. For instance, if natural stone isn’t in your budget, try pavers and save about 50%.  Larger trees and shrubs cost significantly more than smaller ones. Reduce the size and save 20 – 50%.

3.     Start the construction process by focusing on your main areas of concern, your focal point, and your most valuable asset. In general, focus on the areas you’re going to enjoy the most.

4.      When phasing a project, always look ahead to future portions of the project. Be sure to include any infrastructure components like conduit or irrigation lines early in the process so you don’t have to disturb your completed areas. An experienced landscape architect will help prevent you from doing things twice!

5.     At the start of every landscaping or swimming pool project, the best investment is a great set of plans prepared by a licensed landscape architect. A well thought-out set of plans takes a considerable amount of time to prepare, but they will help avoid hidden costs and minimize overruns in your custom landscape or swimming pool project. Don’t waste time with anyone offering you free landscaping or swimming pool plans. It’s a gimmick used to trap you into a situation where you never know the true value or cost of your project. Pay for the plans, and you will own the exclusive rights to them. Once they are in your hands, you can get an apples to apples comparison through a bidding process.

Please remember only a Licensed Landscape Architect can offer landscape architecture services. Anyone offering landscape architecture services must post their landscape architect’s name and license number issued by the state in which they practice. If any firm is advertising landscape architecture services and fails to post the proper credentials, please contact your state’s Board of Architects or your state’s Attorney General.

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