[WVUjeeper]

Guys,
I recently purchased a 1500 sqft rancher and am interested in installing a hot tub on an outdoor deck (not yet constructed) that will be about 2-3 feet off of the ground. My question is, for those of you who have had a hot tub or have experience with them, what advice do you have regarding the placement, wiring of or anything that you feel might be helpful to a noob. The plan is to have the hot tub placed on a deck that will be about 40 feet from the service panel in the garage. Anyway, thank you for any advice that comes my way!

P.S. - I plan to have all of the electrical work done by a licensed professional but keeping the costs as low as possible is preferable therefore I will be purchasing the wire, conduit, shut off, renting the trencher, etc.

 

[Windows on Wash]

Welcome to the forums.



Talk to the electrician. There is a bunch of grunt work that you can probably do for him so that he can just pull the wire and do the hook up.

 

[HandyAndyInNC]

Everyone that I have known that had one, was so happy to have gotten rid of it.

 

[ktownskier]

Yeah, what he said.:devil3:

On both accounts. :vs_cool:

It is a good thing to familiarize yourself with the work you have being done. That way, you are less likely to be taken advantage of. Whether it be work being done on your house, your car or your body. Ask questions of us. others, and most importantly, of the person doing the work.

Now comes the hard part. You need to familiarize yourself with the local building codes and permit process.

I am not sure if the deck the hot tub is going on is already built, but if it isn't, you will more than likely need a permit for it.

The best place to check for the building permit, permit process and building codes is your cities or counties website.

If you haven't decided on your hot tub, now is a good time to do so. Do you want a soaking tub, a jetted tub, a swim spa or something else.

Who is going to take care of it? You or a service? Some of the more modern ones are very easy to take care of, almost self-service. But, they add a lot to the cost of the spa.

A couple of suggestions. Make sure your electric service is 240 v. capable. The better tubs will need that for the pumps and the heaters. Also, it is better to have a couple of pumps, one for the jets and one for circulation.

Are you going to put your spa ON the deck or IN the deck or Beside your deck?

On the deck requires that your deck be capable of supporting several thousand pounds of static weight. And you will need stairs and railing.

In the deck means that you will need precise measurements and then make precise cuts as well as have a support base created to support spa. Some require a poured concrete slab. While others just require a tamped earth base.

 

[afjes2015]

...P.S. - I plan to have all of the electrical work done by a licensed professional but keeping the costs as low as possible is preferable therefore I will be purchasing the wire, conduit, shut off, renting the trencher, etc.

Before you purchase any materials I would highly suggest you first retain the services of a licensed electrician. Many will not work with materials purchased by the home owner. I would also not run any conduit etc either. Also be sure they have experience in wiring a hot tub. Not the most difficult thing to do but if not done correctly could cause a hazard.


The other thing is also the licensed electrician should tell you if your proposed project can be handled by your existing electrical service. Many hot tubs require a lot of power. So be sure the hot tub you purchase can work hand and hand with the power you have already at the house. Don't spend $5,000 on a hot tub just to find out you need to upgrade your electrical service at the cost of $2,500 just to handle the tub. This again the electrician should be able to tell you.



Get a written quote from at least three different electricians and have them explain what will be included in the project and how they plan on doing it. Let them educate you. Then select one of them for the project (lowest price is not always the best choice though). If it is agreed upon that you can do some of the grunt work or purchase some of the materials then you can proceed.


I have had a few potential customers who call me to come look at a project and want me to use their materials/parts and most of the time they have purchased the wrong parts or incorrect wire and want me to use it since they purchased it and can't return it. I politely bow out of the project explaining I can't put my liability insurance on the line in order to use their parts etc. Same thing when a home owner runs wires and put in boxes etc and then wants me to just hook up the circuit/s to the panel - I politely pass.

 

[ront02769]

Everyone that I have known that had one, was so happy to have gotten rid of it.

Had one for 12 years...until it died. Got a new oneless than a week Later. We use it as LEAST 5-6 days a week......for years.

 

[afjes2015]

A little off topic but still in with the thread -
I have had two hot tubs at different times in my life.


I absolutely if I could afford one again right now buy it and install it in my backyard right out under the stars!! Yes, even in the dead of winter like we are now in my neck of the woods.


Just like ront02769 said above - I used the ones I had almost every single day/night that I owned it and it had to be outside so I could look up into the sky and love the stars above me. Even when it was snowing out. Sit down deep in the tub up to your neck, look up at the stars and catch the snow drops falling into your mouth. Talk about a "Hot Toddy" before bed time - WOW!! Outside temperature is 15 degrees and the tub water 102 degrees. Can't tell you how many times I jump out of the hot tub, dropped into the snow on the ground, made a snow angle and jumped back into the hot tub. :vs_laugh: If I had the money now for another one I would buy it without hesitation!!!! :smile:


WVUjeeper - again, before you buy the hot tub speak with a few licensed electricians. Make sure your present electrical service can handle the tubs electrical demands. It may end up costing you way more than just the price of the hot tub.

 

[ktownskier]

There are hot tubs, and then there are Hot Tubs!!

Some are a pain in the neck, take a lot of maintenance, cost a lot of money, and don't work all that well. And, they tend to be the cheaper to buy in the first place.

Others are wonderful to step in every time. The water feels silky, and they take minimal maintenance to keep it that way. And you look forward to the next time you get back in the water as soon as you get out.

However those ones cost a lot more, but they cost a lot less to maintain.

We have had 2 hot tubs. The first one we had we bought used. We actually sold it for more than we bought it for when we had to move.

When we moved into our current house, we bought a smaller hot tub that we love. It holds 4 people, if you are friendly, but is perfect for the two of us. We use it year round, as it does get quite cool in the evenings even after a very hot day.

However, to each their own.