Pool Progress.... in Pictures!

So much progress has been made generally in the last couple of weeks that  I think it will be easier to demonstrate it in pictures, rather than me scribbling on about it!

I shall cover just the pool progress in this post and then do a further update in the next day or so, of the other things that have progressed!

This is what the 'pool' looked like two weeks ago.  The steps appear to be in mid-air; the pool is full of concrete blocks - not to mention yet more rain water!







A load of ready mixed cement was delivered (destined for the outer side of the panels) but unfortunately the lorry driver was not prepared to attempt to bring his lorry further than the front gates.  Here is poor Danny with the last wheelbarrow load!

And this is what it looked like once the cement had been poured in.

 

 

As this next series of pictures shows, John then started building up the blocks that will support the steps into the pool....

 

 

 

 

The next stage was for Phil the digger man to come back and scrape out the earth around the pool which will (one day) be the terrace around it.  And this is what it looked like at the end of a very long day!

 

Just as there is a positive side to each negative one, the reverse is sometimes true.  And the wheels of the dumper truck that was used to move all the earth removed from round the pool, has done THIS to our garden! Ah well, c'est la vie!






Yesterday was spent getting the pool ready to have its concrete base laid.  John is very thorough and meticulous and even though the recommendation is for a base that is 10cm deep, he considered that 15cm would be safer, given the volume of water that has to sit on it.  He also used a special mix of cement that has fibres within it, strengthening it still further.  He has had a willing (if now exhausted) assistant in the shape of Danny as you will see...

This was them in action yesterday...

 

John also prepared the ground for a set of steps that will lead from the terrace into the pool area and also for the base for the shed that will be the "pump house".
  

 

The cement for the base was to be pumped in and at 8am this morning a lorry turned up complete with cement mixer and pump.  The tube through which the cement was pumped went over the house from the front garden to the back.  I hope these photos demonstrate what I mean....

 

 

Over the course of the next hour or so, cement was poured into the pool hole while Danny and John moved it around to level it. 

 

 

 

And the rest of the day was taken up with them levelling and smoothing it all.  Here they are in action again!

 

 

Here is an up to the minute picture of the base as it is right now...

 



And before I finish, let me leave you with this picture of my poor husband, exhausted after a very, long, hard day.  He's now had to mix cement and finish off the base for the pump house because (a) there wasn't quite enough ready mixed cement to do it and (b) John is still busy smoothing the pool base.

 I will do another post in a day or so, to let you know about everything else that's been going on here!

À bientôt