construction
With this edition of WaterShapes, Dave Peterson introduces a new, ongoing series that will focus on plan schematics builders can use to improve, fine-tune and fortify their projects. He starts here with a simple way to eliminate visual insults to waterline tile and interior finishes.
Pool service can be complex and challenging, with the level of difficulty largely determined by decisions a builder makes long before a technician ever shows up. That's why Steve Kenny infuses his design and construction approaches with awareness of the basic needs of gourmet water.
Every year during fire season, we see aerial news footage of houses that have burned down next to swimming pools full of water. It always makes me despair and wonder, had there been a way to use that water to stave off the fires, would those houses have been saved? And, are there scenarios where an available water source might even save lives? Growing up in Southern California where wild fires are part of life, I've seen the destructive power up close. I've been evacuated three times, have had friends lose their homes and have witnessed what it's like to live in a community that's been devastated by the flames. It's a sudden tragedy that often unfolds in a few terrifying minutes
When you target the high-end custom pool market, you have to be prepared to work with clients who like to change things along the way. It can be a real challenge because it causes delays, re-engineering and sometimes removing work you've just installed. More than anything, you have to remain patient, constantly listening and explaining the ramifications of changing things to the client. It helps when you have a good rapport from the start. All of that was true and then some for the project pictured here. It's located in an upscale neighborhood in Sherman Oaks, Calif. The property is about a third of an acre on a relatively flat corner lot completely surrounded by tall fichus hedges for privacy.
Tying form boards to structural steel is a huge mistake, says Paolo Benedetti: There's no standard or rationale that supports the practice, and as he notes here, that's simply because doing so conjures a host of problems and can result in structurally incompetent walls and shells.
