looking_for_spa

You may want to keep the disconnect in the line of sight from the spa electricals for the permit reqs ...

If you are looking for 7'x7' - you may still get the one I got Sundance Cayman '06 at $6.5k! My tub gets installed this Sat - I can't wait :0)

You are right - the electricain is asking for $100/hr for spending time related to inspection! I am thinking of pulling the permit myself and getting it done. Here we have permits avl online which saves the drive time! The property value may not be impacted as the spa is "portable"?!

John - thanks for the permit info, will follow your advice! Regarding the tubs, as many have said - time to get your "feet" wet, well, maybe a little more than that ;-) I am sure that will help you decide ... by the way, the Jacuzzi & Sundance dealership is the same (paradise valley & spa)

JohnInSJ, Question on the permit (sorry to detract) ... my electrician initially was sort of pushing me into not getting the permit/inpection but I decided to go ahead with the permits. Now his response is he will do that provided I pay $100 an hour to cover his time spent with the city. AND he is pointing out the inspector may find other problems existing in the house which I will have to fix. Is this reasonable situation? In SJ, does the inpector go out of the way to find issues in the house (its 40 yr old house)? Greatly appreciate your response. Thanks!

I would think Sundance Chelsee is more expensive than Cayman which was a '06 model. It was $6.5k including all those & tax is seperate. Yes, I went to the same HS dealer but he told me the $1000 rebate (I was looking at Prodigy then) runs out on April 16th! I have another post regarding permits in SJ http://www.poolspaforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=5852 if you get a chance let me know your thoughts regarding permits and feel free to email me at neogi@yahoo.com.

I am in the bayarea and just bought a Sundance Cayman for $6.5k. I also visited my friendly neighborhood HS spa dealer ;-) Decent dealership, low pressure but they wont budge much in price which is higher than the nataional avg I would say! I found the Sundance Spa dealer excellent (on Almaden Expy) - you should check that one out as well ...

So he is saying you do need a permit ideally but most people dont go thru the hassle and skips it! He has left it upto me to pursue it or not. I would do the right thing and in the process of finding out the details. As regards children, I plan to use the cover all the time when the tub is not in use ...

Sounds like a great deal at $5700! I just paid $6500 with the usual accesories (cover, steps, chem) in San Jose , CA ... where are you located?

Well, my kids are 8 & 11 years old and they are both swimmers ... waldorbigbill - thanks for pointing that out about the insurance ...

Folks, I am getting a Spa which will be installed in a week's time. I know different cities have different permit requirements - however I was told by the electrician that "usually" no one bothers about permits (I am in San Jose, CA). He will be pulling a 220V/50Amp dedicated line for the tub connections. The spa itself does not need any permit as it is considered an appliance. Is this true in general? Whats the downside of not getting a permit - any experiences? Thanks!

I am in San Jose, CA. Cayman is discontinued and Certa is the 07 version which is why they discounted Cayman ...

These were the same 2 brands I short-listed as well!! I was looking in 7' size range and narrowed it to Sundance Cayman/Certa and HS Prodigy/Bengal. Finally went with Cayman at $6500+tx - just yesterday ...

Good advice! However, just today I signed the deal on the Cayman :-O - I don't think I will get a good brand with similar features/size below $6500 (+tax) with financing... thanks to this forum for easy access to the wealth of knowledge! Certa felt good for me. Cayman's are 2006 model, so they are not on the floor but the hardware is pretty much the same. Also, this Sundance store is a big dealership and I am quite happy with the dealer. He also mentioned that upto 3 degree slope is ok so I don't have worry about the level - is 2" tilt for a 7' width of water ok? Thats the slope I have ... ... so next step is get the electricals done and wait for the spa!!!

Thanks! I think I will go with the Sundance Cayman '06 - planning to wet test in couple of hours (they dont have it on display but the new comparable model Certa is - the have similar layout & jets). The HS Prodigy sale ended yesterday - so ... also Cayman is a bit bigger with a lounge and couple of hundred less ...