We passed!

On Monday, we passed the inspection allowing the retaining wall to be built!

So, on Tuesday they came out and painted lines indicating the layout of the yard. I'm not sure why. It's really difficult to see the lines that are painted all the way on top of the huge mound of dirt in the yard. They even painted over top of a pile of cinder block and a tarp that they're using to hold materials. I think they just like doing everything twice because they'll have to re-paint once all the dirt is levelled out.

Inpection #3 Scheduled for Monday

We're trying to keep our hopes kind of low, but Dulce called on Friday afternoon to let us know that the retaining wall permit made it through the permit process and the inpection is scheduled for Monday. If we make it through the inspection, we believe that construction may once again begin on the yard. I used to have hopes that the yard would be done in time for Drew's birthday, then Shane's birthday, then my birthday, then the holidays.... Now, I'm just hoping to be able to open the back doors by Christmas. That might actually be possible.

Through Floodplain for the 4th Time

Well, it looks as though the retaining wall permit request has passed through the floodplain stage. That's good news; I was worried that after all this, the retaining wall would be rejected and we'd have to start over with a new plan completely. So, now the permit just has to make it through buiding codes and then we're back to being able to have an inspection.

I hate to get my hopes up, but it looks like construction may be able to begin in the next couple of weeks.

In the meantime, all of our custom-ordered patio furniture has arrived and is waiting to be delivered. We have a sofa, two club chairs, and a mosaic chat table for the outdoor living room as well as a mosaic travertine dining table and six chairs.

As I was typing this, Shane let me know that three items have been denied by building plans. I don't know what they are, but we'll see tomorrow..... Stay tuned.

Permit Update

Dulce from California Pools called last Friday and left us a message to let us know that the retaining wall permit has now been submitted to the Pima County permit office. We already knew that since we looked it up online. She also told us that they're trying to have it expedited given the situation with our construction. Lydia from the pool company is trying to get in touch with Eric, the manager at the permit office, to see if our permit can be moved in front of the others that are waiting to be approved. I doubt it. The permit office always takes forever. I just really can't believe that our house is going to continue to be a mess over the holidays.

We just got back from our annual trip down to Mexico for the weekend. After seeing the conditions that most people live in down there, it seems silly to be worried about a yard. But, I can't help it; I still am....

We're Back In the Permit Stage AGAIN

It's the 4th time. We're back in the permit stage. Now I know why California Pools offered us 10% back if they don't finish by January 20th. The retaining wall was not on the building plans. The wall that goes on top of the retaining wall was on the plan and was approved. So, today the pool company submitted yet another request for permit for the retaining wall. They didn't call and tell us; we looked it up on the pima county website. You can see the permit progress here: http://www.pimaxpress.com/research/flow.cfm?117401.

Anything that is applied for on our piece of land is automatically denied due to the flood zone and is redirected to the more detailed floodplain review. So there it sits. Apparently, they have a policy that you can't even call to check on the status of the permit for two weeks.

I'm so disappointed that our house will continue to be a wreck over the holidays.

Inspection Troubles Continue

Today has been a confusing day.

Here are Shane's notes from the day:
Shane called Dulce at 0834. She was going to call Mario to find out what the county had said and get back to him.

Shane called and talked to Lydia at 1106. She said that the permit didn't have the retaining wall on there and needs to go back for that.

Shane called and talked to Amy at 1109. Shane let her know that we were told it would take 6-8 weeks once we got the permit and we are quickly approaching 3 weeks with nothing being done - that we can't even get a simple wall built. She says that the county held up the permit. I informed her that we got the permit on Oct 1 and that I was told more work had to be done before an inspection and it took a week and half before someone came out. She didn't believe that since the office has been told we are a high priority. I also told her that we asked Kory if there are any other permits we need and we were told no. She was going to follow up with the people in the office. Kory will be out until next Tueday.

I was MAD!!! Shane said go ahead and call the pool company and that's exactly what I did. Here are my notes from that:

12:00 Denise called corporate office and talked with the receptionist. She said that the Tucson office is operated independently from the corporate/California offices.

Denise called and talked to Amy at 12:15. Asked for an appointment with Kory. She said that he is booked solid all week with clients from the home show. I then asked her what we needed to do to get the problems with our yard resolved. She then connected me to Kory. I told him that we understood that the retaining wall was not on the permit. He said, of course it's on the permit. It's all just confusion on the part of the Pima County Inspector. So, today, Kory and his superintendent are going our to our site to take a look at what going on and they will schedule a joint appointment with the inspector tomorrow to resolve the confusion and move on. I also told Kory that we are concerned about our assets being tied up in this unfinished project and that we're worried about completion of the project at all. He said that they are a national company that has been in business for 20 something years and of course we'll get to project completion.

When Shane got home from work, there was a message from Justin, California Pools' sales guy, saying to call him back. Shane did and Justin told him that if the pool isn't finished by January 20th, then we don't have to pay 10% of the project cost. Shane told Justin that he hopes it's finished way before January 20th and Justin told him that they had to put pad in the calendar estimate.

On a lighter note, Shane received a call from House and Garden to let us know that our outdoor dining table was ready for delivery and would we like it to be dropped off since the delivery truck will be in our neighborhood tomorrow. Shane responded that that probably would not be best at this point.

Inspection Failed Again

The rescheduled inspection occurred today and, according to the pool company scheduler (Dulce), the inspection was failed and Pima County is going to require some extra work on the structure for the retaining wall. We should know by tomorrow morning exactly what that means to them. To us, it means further delay before we've even begun.

Inpection DENIED by Pima County

You know what? The whole permit process with this project has proven that Pima County is inept.

Today, a pass for the inspection of the structure for our retaining wall was denied. Why??? The summary posted on our front door said that it was due to not having any plans on the site. Shane came home from work and discovered the report and was beyond mad at the pool company for not putting the plans outside for the inspector. He thought about it for a while and, while formulating everything he was going to say to them tomorrow, decided that he'd better go verify that indeed there were no plans out there. So, he walked around to the backyard and you know what he found? The plans. Right there. Right where they were supposed to be.

So, we're delayed pending a reschedule with Pima County to inspect the progress so far with the plans that were already here. I hope the pool company demands to have the reschedule fee waived.

They're here!

It's 6:30am Wednesday. I can't believe it! There's 4 guys here and they're already digging and working! Hopefully they get enough done so that we can call the inspector in to inspect the retaining wall.

California Pools has to be very glad that I didn't have to call them today. I was already prepared with the corporate phone number, bbb.org, and a list of complaints.

Let's just get this done!

Today's Update

They didn't show up.

This is SO frustrating!!! Why can't they just tell us the truth? We've waited for 11 months now. It's our turn. They messed up the 2nd permit; we've waited long enough.

The owner, Kory, told us that after we got the permit, it would be about 6 weeks until our yard was finished. He said he had people just waiting for work. Well, where ARE they? Shane's been calling them every other day. So, I get to call them tomorrow. And, another thing, while I'm complaining: why is it that we always have to call them? Why can't they take the initiative and give us a call to let us know what's going on?

5 more weeks until our yard is done (according to Kory).

Did They Show?

The work on the yard was supposed to resume last Friday or today. Nope. No one showed up. Shane gave the scheduler a call and she said that they are in the middle of another job and can't leave it to start on ours. Well then, why did they tell us that they could be here last Friday or today? Why don't they just tell us straight out that they're in the middle of another job? Supposedly they'll be here tomorrow. I'm tired of hearing "tomorrow".

Retaining Wall

The next step is to complete the retaining wall that will hold in the new yard. The crew is supposed to start this Friday or next Monday. After the support structure is in place, an inspector will need to come out. I'm wary about how long that will take.

Time Ticking Away

By the end of August, 2007, our 3D structure permit passed floodplain! For sure the pain would end, right? Nope. On August 28th, our permit was denied by Building Plans because of failure to list the ramada building materials on the plan. Back to engineering the plan went, where it stayed for about 3 weeks. Then, back to the permit office where the final permit was approved and picked up on October 1, 2007.

Hooray! We have a permit to proceed! I can hardly believe it.

Permit Problems

On June 22, 2007, the pool company determined that a new permit was necessary. You see, the first permit was only for the pool and for the 2D layout of the yard, not for the actual structures. So, on July 22, 2007, a new permit was applied for.

As far as I'm concerned, this was the big mistake that took all the extra time. Originally, the pool company was going to have the designer and his group build the ramada. So, they were assuming that he would apply for the permits. But, they fired the designer and never took care of the paperwork they were assuming he was going to be doing. If all this had been incorporated into one permit, we'd be done by now. After they fired that guy, we met with two other sets of masons before the pool company just decided to do it themselves.

I've included a photo of our New Pool 2007!!! Thank goodness for the playgroup swim rotation. We were able to use friends' pools during the summer to keep cool and we spent a lot of time at the public pools. We're also very thankful that we have a lovely little courtyard on the front of our house. At least the boys have had a small area to run around outside.

ShotCrete

June 7, 2007. The next thing to happen was the ShotCrete. Plumbers came out and installed the cleaning popups, the pool pump and filter, and the spa jets. I might mention that the equipment was installed in the incorrect location and there it sits today.

Next, a crew came out and blasted the pool shell with concrete. This part was fun to see. It looked like we were getting a pool for the summer! Hooray!

The Big Dig

Nearly immediately after the permit was approved, the pool company sent out the excavators to dig our new pool. It was so exciting to see progress. The crew dug the pool in only one day and they even let Drew climb up into the tractor. I didn't realize they were so tall.

Yes, We Have A Permit!!!

Finally, on March 26, 2007, we receive word that our permit has made it through the floodplain permit process. Now, all that has to be done is to get the rest of the permit through the additional permit stages. No problem, right?

Right! By May 3, 2007, we received the final permit for the pool.

Destruction Day

So, in November of 2006, we signed our contract and our permit was applied for in December. Because of the layout of our land, we needed to hire an engineering firm to verify that a raging river would not engulf the project. Thus, starts the saga of the Pima County Permit office.

We decided to proceed at risk since our permit had not yet been approved and authorized the destruction of our existing yard. I've included a "before" and "during" photo and a "during" movie. March 23, 2007. What a day! I was home for the destruction and that tractor was absolutely amazing. It pounded into that pool plaster so hard that the whole house shook. The crew started before Tyler was awake, so I went in to check on him and he was sitting up in his crib, gripping the rails, eyes wide as saucers, and shaking like a leaf. Poor little guy. After I rescued him, he and Drew were glued to the windows watching the tractor.

Finding a Contractor, "Such Big Plans!"

First we had to select a contractor or, more realistically, they had to select us. Our existing backyard was in terrible shape. The rebar in the pool was staining the plaster, the decking was chipped, the tile was a mess. And, to top it off, there was this strange deck suspended between the main house and the yard area. Weird. All sorts of creatures would crawl under that deck including pack rats and even a skunk. We wanted to eliminate that deck by filling it with dirt and covering it with a normal patio.

Oh yeah, and I forgot to mention that we wanted to completely destroy and remove our existing pool and wall, haul it away, and start over.

We consulted several pool companies. I had no idea it would be so difficult to get someone to call us back. No one wanted to deal with our yard troubles.

Finally, we met with California Pools. Their designer was amazing. They visited our home. They called us back. And they provided us with an amazing notional plan. It's a good thing it was amazing, because so far, it's all we have to look at.

We love this new plan because it organizes the yard into various rooms. There's the pool, of course, complete with 4 waterfall features and a built-in spa. On the left-hand side of the drawing is the ramada. Attached to the ramada is an outdoor kitchen. Shane bought a huge new barbeque, a sink and faucet, a refrigerator, and storage doors. Up until last weekend. All these things were being stored in our formal dining room.

Back to the plan--down a few steps from the main area is a gas firepit with banco seating all the way around. And, slightly down from that is a grassy area with a built-in bench.

One of my favorite features is that atop the pillars designating the separate rooms are wok pots. These will be plumbed to the natural gas line and then shall be set aflame when we are outside at dusk or dark. I'm going to fill the wok pots and firepit with crushed glass eventually.

Shane's favorite feature will be the barbeque, I'm sure. He's been nursing our old one hoping it will hold out long enough for the new yard to be finished. I'm hoping we last long enough for our new yard to be finished.

The Path to Paradise

What an absolute ordeal this has been. We had no idea that building a pool where we already had a pool would take longer than a year. So, I've decided to share events of our yard over the last few months and track the progress toward project completion. Enjoy!