br524

Hi everyone, We're new to the world of hot tubs, but after careful research and several wet tests, we decided on a Sundance Constance. As we prepare to accept deliver of the hot tub, I'm finding myself worried about a few things. Here is a picture of the concrete slab for your reference: http://www.flickr.com/photos/brobinson/10169542455/. And my concerns are as follows: 1. Orientation. The dealer says that the electrical hookup is on the same side as the control panel. As such, considering that the tub will rest 6 inches below ground level and will be surrounded by a patio that sits at 12 inches above ground level, I expect that we'll need to have the control panel facing our neighbor's house. Therefore the hookup will be on that side, and the electrician can easily do his work. Another thing to note about this orientation though are that the cover will be resting on that side when open, and I'm wondering if that will make the control panel a lot more inaccessible as a result. Finally, I don't know how you drain a hot tub yet, but I expect that there's some sort of spout that drains out of the side. Is that right? If so, I'm guessing that needs to be on the open side as well. 2. Maintenance. Given that the tub will be recessed into the ground and below the patio level, I'm nervous about the need for maintenance say, 10 years from now. What if we need to replace a pump or look at the motherboard? Do we need to make sure the internals are accessible on that open side? How much of a concern is this in real life usage? 3. Mobility. If there should be access for maintenance purposes, is there some way that we could prepare ahead of time to make it somewhat easy to simply slide the tub out of its nook? I'm imagining laying down some strap underneath it or something like that. Any suggestions? Any insights would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, -Brian