BeachcomberMississauga

I have installed 100's of hot tubs over the last few years and a lot of people are faced with the same question(s). You can put it right on the deck if you want (as long as there are good vertical supports that are positioned under the location of the hot tub or the weight of the tub is distributed vertically to the ground under the hot tub). You can also build a pad out of wood ties (I would recommend 4 x 4 to ensure no flexing even though 2 x 4 would probably still work) and fill it with a material to compact level. With regards to this method, if you are digging 6"-8" down, there is no need for putting the wood in unless there are other reasons it's needed. You only need the "sandbox"/wood ties if the crushed material can wash away. If the whole pad is in the ground, it can't go anywhere. If you are doing it above the ground, that is a different story. As per the material, you could use pea stone (I haven't). I don't know much about shurpak. I can tell you what I use is limestone screenings aka crushed/pulverized gravel. The reason is because it can be compacted in layers so you can be confident it won't shift but it can also be leveled easily all at once creating a perfectly flat pad. When that is done, you can put down your 24" patio stones or interlock stone like my tub has been on for 7 years. The most important thing when using a filler material is that it cannot wash out the sides and that there is something solid on top (patio or interlock stone) so it cannot slowly wash away from the top either. Doing this will allow any water to remove itself from contacting the hot tub (which is very important for longevity) and it will ensure the level stays correct for as long as the tub is there.

I second that! Especially regarding injury, liability, and the movers job. If you deal with a price penetration product expect it to be no frills all the way. Delivery, product itself (energy cost), and any service (tech or chemical related) that comes with it. If you want service and no headaches you have to move away from the entry level products.

The tip-off that those some/many of those numbers are a joke can be seen when you look aT Catalina which not only has very low standy watts but all their spas have the same reading, 121 watts. First I'd have to believe they're actually that energy efficient (about half of most other brands, yeah right) and then I'd have to believe that they all miraculously are equal. Hydropool also has all their spa standby watts the same for each model but at least they're fibbing less at 192 watts. Which is why HydroPool is under industry review. If you were to read my first paragraph it fully explains the reason the numbers have variability. There is lying going on even with the CEC Title 20 because manufactures can test their own hot tubs and most do. If you want to throw the results out the window, just read the Title 20 standard yourself and make sure the hot tub you get meets the CEC criteria: http://www.energy.ca.gov/appliances/2003rulemaking/documents/case_studies/CASE_Portable_Spa.pdf It simply says the most important factors for energy efficiency in hot tubs are (in the correct order): 1) Maximum R-Value in both the cover and throughout the hot tub (being filled with insulation with no cavities, just like you would do your house or you would lose heat). Any space or lack of insulation increases heat demand and running cost. Estimated improvement - 30%-50% 2) Low wattage circulation pump/filtering improvements. The addition of a smaller more efficient circulation pump will reduce or virtually eliminate the need for the large energy sucking (jet) pumps to operate. Estimated improvement - 15% - 25% So just 2 factors can control a HUGE variance in the hot tub operation cost. Most manufactures use a basic to no foaming methods while telling the consumer it is "fully insulated". Make sure there is a lot of good quality insulation (icynene foam is terrific). Less than 1 out of 5 spa manufactures use a circulation pump because it cost more money to make a spa that way, but it costs a lot less to run a spa that way. If you get both of these features maxed out you should be in for a good experience.

I cannot say that I have tried both but I can tell you no matter which tub you buy the Beachcomber will the be most affordable to operate. I've owned two 750E's (currently still own one) and I'm planning to get another one when I get my new tub. The 750E is almost %50 more efficient than the Sundance Maxxus. I know price is always an issue upfront but not many people realize the cost of operation can be a "real" ongoing issue (and one that you cannot control) if you don't purchase the right product from the start. See the numbers for yourself: http://www.appliances.energy.ca.gov/QuickSearch.aspx Thanks we did decide to go with the 750. Partly because of the efficiency but mostly because the dealer was great and it was questionable how long the Sundance dealer would be around, since he just bought out someone in November. You made the right choice. Happy hot tubbing!

I cannot say that I have tried both but I can tell you no matter which tub you buy the Beachcomber will the be most affordable to operate. I've owned two 750E's (currently still own one) and I'm planning to get another one when I get my new tub. The 750E is almost %50 more efficient than the Sundance Maxxus. I know price is always an issue upfront but not many people realize the cost of operation can be a "real" ongoing issue (and one that you cannot control) if you don't purchase the right product from the start. See the numbers for yourself: http://www.appliances.energy.ca.gov/QuickSearch.aspx Please don't use that faulty energy report with self-reported data to make your case. Its one thing to you state unequivocally that the Beachcomber will be the most affordable to operate (which is just your opinion but I see no "IMO" included) but to then use the unreliable numbers in that report is nuts. These numbers govern all hot tub sales in the state of California. I agree nothing is exact but even if it isn't perfect, it is the only guideline with any creditability for energy consumption in hot tubs. Everything else is just an opinion because this is the only standard that exists today. You can argue all you want as to the accuracy of the standard itself but it is that or just take a shot in the dark that the sales person isn't lying to simply get the sale.

I cannot say that I have tried both but I can tell you no matter which tub you buy the Beachcomber will the be most affordable to operate. I've owned two 750E's (currently still own one) and I'm planning to get another one when I get my new tub. The 750E is almost %50 more efficient than the Sundance Maxxus. I know price is always an issue upfront but not many people realize the cost of operation can be a "real" ongoing issue (and one that you cannot control) if you don't purchase the right product from the start. See the numbers for yourself: http://www.appliances.energy.ca.gov/QuickSearch.aspx

If that spa is full foam it will be reasonably energy efficient but ignore that Cal energy standards talk. The CEC standards so far are self-reported numbers that every spa manufacturer just happens to meet. Just by looking at the list there are anomalies that tell me much of the reporting is BS. Its a starting point but being on the list doesn't mean much yet and there are some on that list that I wouldn't call energy efficient to start with. Some day that CEC standard will have teeth and will be independently tested, right now it sounds good on a spec sheet but don't put much stock in it. The reason why the CEC results are getting skewed is because there are 1000's of hot tubs to be tested in North America and Cal Poly University in California cannot test them all. It takes 1 full month to test each hot tub, plus they charge about $1000 to test each tub. So it's impossible 1 place is going to test them all. Because of this, CEC Title 20 allows a spa manufacture to construct a testing unit based on specs that would make the results "equal" to the ones that would be produced at Cal Poly. The problem is that you are asking the manufacture to grade itself and it could be years before the (real) results are really known. Companies (I won't mention who) have had their results tagged and they are under industry review review. If you care about energy costs you should by a hot tub from a manufacture who does too. After all, you plan on having the hot tub for a while. A tub that cost you an extra $30 a month to operate will be an extra $1800 after only 5 years. Most people have their hot tub for a while so be careful what you buy because a low price upfront doesn't mean it will be efficient investment when you look back 5-10 years from now. If you want a good product, doesn't matter what it is, buy it from a company that specializes in that only and you "should" have a much better experience. For anyone that is interested in CEC results, you can find them here: http://www.appliances.energy.ca.gov/QuickSearch.aspx

Hello. My name is Peter and I am the owner/manager of Beachcomber Hot Tubs in Mississauga. To answer your question about the delivery charge, it is very common that hot tub stores will charge the customer for replacing the hot tub if it is under warranty because the manufacture doesn't provide compensation for anything but the hot tub itself. In a lot of cases, the manufacture can "reserve the right to replace the hot tub with one of equal value" meaning, it may not be the same model (one that MSRP is less $) or it could be a demo or used tub. The delivery charge being the customers responsibility is in written literature in almost every warranty/guarantee that exists on the hot tub market today (even Beachcomber). As you know it costs money to remove and deliver a new hot tub and some manufactures see quite a lot of shell defects so they have to charge the customer something or they can be at a big loss, especially if shell defects are a recurring theme. Over the last 7 years as a beachcomber dealer, I have only sold 1 hot tub that had a shell defect. The tub was replaced 100% brand new ordered on rush. As a family business, I know all of my customers by face and first name and I opted to do the removal and delivery of the new hot tub with myself and 2 helpers at no charge. It's too tough to face people I know and ask them for money, when they bought a tub me are asking for help. Beachcomber Hot Tubs. Connecting friends, family, and loved ones.