The Essential Buying Guide For Hot Tubs

When it comes to purchasing a hot tub or swim spa, it can sometimes be a daunting process, especially if you’re not provided with the essential information you need. However, in this post, we are going to help you, and assist you through your own unique search to find the desired hot tub or swim spa that you require.
Let’s take a look through our simple guide, which covers all of the important aspects that you should cover within your research for your new potential investment.

Sizing

Considering the size of your hot tub is important, as you have to think about how many people you would like to relax with at a time, not how many of you are in the family. Remember, in most spas, each seat is different, so if there are two of you then you should consider a 4-5 seat spa to enjoy all of the benefits. Secondly, you need to consider the area you wish to locate your hot tub, as it needs to be easily accessible whilst still keeping enough area for your garden/outdoor space available.
We also highly recommend you call into our showroom and take advantage of our ‘wet test’ experience, where we ensure you can try all of the seats for at least 15-20 minutes and also compare them to other desired spa choices.

What Can I Use My Spa For?

  • Exercise – Many large hot tubs and swim spas now offer an extensive range of aquatic exercise techniques, which is deemed to be one of the best forms of exercise. Not only does it give you a great work out, but it also helps to remove the pressure off your joints and strengthens your muscles and ligaments.
  • Hydrotherapy/Rehabilitation – Hydrotherapy is one of the most natural and efficient ways to help treat any muscular or skeletal pains. It is also widely proven to treat conditions such as arthritis, diabetes and MS. Many top athletes also use hydrotherapy for injury rehabilitation.
  • Social/Family Time – A hot tub or swim spa is now regarded as the new ‘dinner table’ as it takes away all of life’s distractions (e.g. TV, mobiles, gaming etc.) and helps people to spend more time with one another in a relaxing environment that they will all enjoy. This form of socialising is also great to help encourage open conversation and clear thinking.

Cost

One of the most important aspects is, of course, the price, because you don’t want to be overcharged by any provider. 
Here are the price ranges you should be looking for –

  • Budget range hot tubs – Priced around £2995-£4995, an example could be the American made 100 Series Vita Spa.
  • High-Quality Hot Tubs – Priced around £5k-£8k, this could include the likes of American made brands, such as Vita Spa. There are also brands such as Marquis Spas, that also range from prices of £8k-£15k.
  • Swimspas – Tend to range from £10k-£27 for a good quality product, which could include swim spas for American born brands, such as Vita Spa and Marquis Spa.

Our own advice from years in the repairs sector would be to avoid Chinese made spas, as these are often unreliable, have poor build quality and spare parts can be rare or hard to find. The top brands in the industry are all American made.

How Long Do They Last?

Most modern American made spas can easily surpass 20+ years. However, it is important to ask about warranties/guarantees when enquiring about a new hot tub or swim spa as this will tell a story about the build quality of your spa. Overall, expect at least 7-10 year warranty on the shell, 10 years lifetime warranty on the structure, a minimum of 3-5 years on the spa equipment (pumps, blowers, controls electronics etc.), the same years for the plumbing, 2-3 years on your cover and a least 1 year on your lighting, stereo and diverter valves etc.

As well as the warranty, ask about labour warranty and do some research on the provider. Ensure that they are established and have experience in aftercare, repairs and servicing. It is also important that they have service technicians within your area, so should you need to utilise the warranty, then the right people are on hand to support your needs.

What Are The Running Costs?

This is an interesting topic to touch on because it all depends on many different factors – 

  • The brand you buy from.
  • The amount of water it holds.
  • Whether it is out in the open or within a gazebo/building.
  • How many times it’s used per week.
  • The size of the heater/type of pumps.

This topic is worth discussing at length with you spa company, as you should ensure that they can answer every question, based on the spa you are looking at in the conditions it will be used within.
BISHTA (British and Irish Spa and Hot Tub Association) state that an average hot tub will cost around £1.00-£1.50 a day to run, and expect swim spas to cost £2.00-£2.50 a day. Although, a high-quality hot tub, in the right conditions, can cost as little as 60p per day to run, however, poorly built spas can cost up to as much as £5.00+ a day to run!

What Do I Need In Place For My New Hot Tub Or Swimspa?

Let your local hot tub retailer recommend to your specific requirements, however, you will certainly need the following:

  • Flat/Level Base – On average, a 6” thick concrete base, which is slightly bigger than the length and width of your spa is ideal, although depending on the filled weight of the spa, you can place your spa onto a patio or deck as long as there is adequate support underneath.
  • Electrical Support – Some of the budget hot tubs only require a standard 13 amp outdoor socket to power them. These are referred to as a ‘plug and play’ hot tub. Your average twin 5-6 seat hot tub will require a 32 amp dedicated outdoor supply, including an isolation switch and RCD protection. This MUST be installed by a qualified technician.
  • Plumbing – There is no plumbing required, as almost all spas are self-contained, however one thing to consider is drainage for when you empty your spa. Most spas will have drains located near the base of the spa, so bear this in mind when deciding on where to locate your desired spa.

Delivery

Try to avoid buying a spa from a company that offers only ‘kerbside delivery’ unless you are receiving a small, portable spa. Due to the size and the weight of the hot tub, you need to ensure that it is delivered and installed by a professional company.
Another thing to consider is that 90% of swim spas will need a crane lift for them to be installed, so be sure to factor this in. Your local retailer should have some good contact with the local crane companies, but always ensure that the lifting company has adequate insurance. 
Now that you have found out everything you need to know about buying the perfect hot tub or swim spa for your home, it is now time to consider which one you would like to choose from! If you would like to find out more about anything related to our products or services, then feel free to contact a member of the team, by calling us on 01522 300737.

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