Keeping Workers Happy is Hard Work

Blackbird wanted to see what we are wearing for Friday Show and Tell. I am wearing maternity clothes. When you have seen those you have seen them all. Instead I am showing you more of the pool construction. The photos in today's post of the work in progress on the pool took place over several weeks. Each step in the work was completed by a different crew. Once the hole was dug two guys came out early one morning sometime between six and six thirty and started putting in the iron frame work that would help support the plumbing and give the blow gunite something to hang on to. Also the ironwork keeps the gunite from cracking due to changes in temperature. This pool comes with a lifetime gaurantee to hold water forever or they fix it for free. They worked quickly for a two man team. I went out just at lunch time to offer them drinks and sandwiches and they were packing it in to go. In less than 5 hours they had run this entire network of iron. On another day a crew of men came out and started the rough in of the plumbing so that the crew contracted to sculp the pool with gunite could work. This is the gunite crew. It was fascinating to watch these guys work. The gunite comes out of this hose with such a force the man holding the hose had to brace himself and then workers on either side support him until he gets a good grip and grasp of the power coming out of the end of that hose. As the gunnite is blown to a depth of at least 14 iches thick the rest of the crew, except the guys controling all the machinery on the trucks, use a wide variety of tool and begin to hand shape and smooth every inch of the pool walls. This guy hand cut the steps. He did not use a template. Homemade scaffolding as you can see. Nearly finished. Look how smooth it all is. This is the crew that did the gunite work minus two other big trucks that came in with more water and gunite about half way through. We have been very please with the work crews who have been here working on the pool. They have been very polite and kind men, mostly immigrant workers. The crews that were here before 7am and worked until 4 or 5pm really put out a lot of effort. I cooked a noon meal for each of these crews. Several reasons behind the logic: 1. We live so far out it would take them about 2 hours to go get lunch and come back therefore either extending the day or requiring them to come back again 2. Show your appreciation to those who do work for you and they do an extra nice job in the end to say thank you. The next crew that came out was the plumbers. It took them two days to complete their part. They ran all of the water and drain lines. They installed the pump and filter. They also dug and put a 500 gallon LP tank into the ground and set up the heater. Yes, this pool will be heated to extend the swimming season. With the price of gas these days who knows if we will actually use it but we have it if we want to. The next crew that came out were the tile and coping installers. I chose smooth red brick for the coping. I love the smooth bull nose. There will be no snagged bathing suits! I chose the tile from the Island Breeze collection. The tiles are 3x3 and are called Carribean Blue. I think the blue looks really nice with the red brick. Because of the curves of the pool this man had to cut nearly every single brick to a custom fit. This is what the tile and brick look like at the end of the day. This is not even near being finished. We still have to wait for the men to come and plaster the rest of the pool (I chose a white plaster with blue sparkles); the crew that sets up and pours the concrete patio and the walkway around the pool; an electrician who has to come run all the wiring, the people with the start up pool water; the people who install the safety cover -Who know how many steps are left. I am a very impatient person lately. Everything is in the "hurry up and wait" mode. With the weather down in the forties at night now I know we won't get to use the pool until next season. Nonetheless the kids are all excited about it. Ready to plan a pool party for next summer? Put your name on the guest list.