Swimming Pool Consultant - Plan Check and Construction Specifications
Reviewing the Plans of other International Aqua Designers
On occasion, I am called on to review the plans of other so-called "design firms." Some of these firms deliver plans that are full of meaningless information, meant to baffle the client with pages of worthless plans and data. I guess that a thick set of plans equates to value. A phone book is thick and full of information as well...
One such firm out of Arizona, includes structural engineering in their plan sets. But these structural plans are nothing more than generic structural plans that they selected out of a catalog.
There was no review by a structural engineer for the suitability of those selected pages for the project.
Nor were the pages they selected, even validated for their suitability for the soil conditions present on the site. Neither the soils engineer or the structural engineer reviewed the plans.
Absolutely worthless engineering... but the client thought they were getting something useful that they could actually use to obtain bids and construct the project.
Lack of Training
This same firm did not even provide simple flood protections for the underground equipment room. Fail proof protection against reverse siphoning of the plumbing was not provided. The plans specified that the pumps and equipment were to be mounted directly on the floor - subjecting them to flooding and potentially posing electrical hazards to personnel. Ventilation for the equipment and OSHA mandated "confined space" ventilation requirements were simply omitted - the room would have overheated with all of those electric motors and gas heaters.
Provisions for sump pumps or positive drainage were not provided. In the event of a leaking pump, valve, pipe or component, they were simply going to allow $100,000 worth of equipment to flood.
Valves were not specified on every line entering or leaving the room. Any future repairs to plumbing components below the water level would have required draining the pools.
Hydraulics
The turnover rates and surge tank size were grossly inadequate. Pipe sizes were too small resulting in excessive line velocities. Auto-fill lines injected make-up water into the pool instead of in the surge tank where pump protection is critical.
A simple modulation valve would have solved the problem - a simpleton's knowledge.
Inadequate Licensing
And, to top off the insult to the client - this firm is not even licensed to perform design work in California. They are not California licensed contractors, architects or landscape architects. In California they are not even allowed to provide structural engineering - but they did. There was no recourse for the owners against this firm with a pretty website.
They possessed an inadequate background in swimming pool construction, structural engineering, hydraulics or mechanical design, specifications writing or construction management.
They merely assembled CAD drawings based upon their limited skills and charged the client top dollar.
Paolo Benedetti
Aquatic Artist, Watershape Consultant, Expert Witness
"Creating water as art."™
Aquatic Technology Pool and Spa
©www.aquatictechnology.com
Reviewing the Plans of other International Aqua Designers
On occasion, I am called on to review the plans of other so-called "design firms." Some of these firms deliver plans that are full of meaningless information, meant to baffle the client with pages of worthless plans and data. I guess that a thick set of plans equates to value. A phone book is thick and full of information as well...
One such firm out of Arizona, includes structural engineering in their plan sets. But these structural plans are nothing more than generic structural plans that they selected out of a catalog.
There was no review by a structural engineer for the suitability of those selected pages for the project.
Nor were the pages they selected, even validated for their suitability for the soil conditions present on the site. Neither the soils engineer or the structural engineer reviewed the plans.
Absolutely worthless engineering... but the client thought they were getting something useful that they could actually use to obtain bids and construct the project.
Lack of Training
This same firm did not even provide simple flood protections for the underground equipment room. Fail proof protection against reverse siphoning of the plumbing was not provided. The plans specified that the pumps and equipment were to be mounted directly on the floor - subjecting them to flooding and potentially posing electrical hazards to personnel. Ventilation for the equipment and OSHA mandated "confined space" ventilation requirements were simply omitted - the room would have overheated with all of those electric motors and gas heaters.
Provisions for sump pumps or positive drainage were not provided. In the event of a leaking pump, valve, pipe or component, they were simply going to allow $100,000 worth of equipment to flood.
Valves were not specified on every line entering or leaving the room. Any future repairs to plumbing components below the water level would have required draining the pools.
Hydraulics
The turnover rates and surge tank size were grossly inadequate. Pipe sizes were too small resulting in excessive line velocities. Auto-fill lines injected make-up water into the pool instead of in the surge tank where pump protection is critical.
A simple modulation valve would have solved the problem - a simpleton's knowledge.
Inadequate Licensing
And, to top off the insult to the client - this firm is not even licensed to perform design work in California. They are not California licensed contractors, architects or landscape architects. In California they are not even allowed to provide structural engineering - but they did. There was no recourse for the owners against this firm with a pretty website.
They possessed an inadequate background in swimming pool construction, structural engineering, hydraulics or mechanical design, specifications writing or construction management.
They merely assembled CAD drawings based upon their limited skills and charged the client top dollar.
Paolo Benedetti
Aquatic Artist, Watershape Consultant, Expert Witness
"Creating water as art."™
Aquatic Technology Pool and Spa
©www.aquatictechnology.com
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If you want to ask a question of Paolo Benedetti, you may email him at: info@aquatictechnology.com