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New Hot Spring Aria rocking on uneven patio


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Hi! We just had a Hot Spring Aria delivered and were surprised to find that the patio is not flat. The patio is four slabs with the hot tub straddling all four seams. The two slabs on the right appear to be slightly higher than the two on the left. Pressing down on the corners of the hot tub make it rock by around 1/4". Pictures and a video attached. How big of a deal is this and what is the best solution? I don't want to risk cracking the base by not having it properly supported. We have the electrician scheduled for Friday, but I'm worried that we may need to postpone until we can solve this issue. Advice is much appreciated! Thanks!

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I would drain the spa until you have a flat surface.

With the current setup - the weight of the water alone will stress the shell and eventually something will "crack" or tear.

Friend of mine had a cheap spa from the local pool chemical supply store which worked great for several years.  It cracked within months after he moved it onto a new set of pavers he'd installed himself in the backyard (incorrectly and not level) - the shell started to crack from the underwater light to the step they used to get into the tub.

I'd drain the tub to eliminate pressure on the tub, and then flatten the surface or move somewhere else.

Also note - do not shim the hot tub either - this will put more stress on the tub causing it to crack (Pretty sure the manual specifically states shimming the tub will void the warranty)

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@ratchett, thanks for the response. We haven't put water in it yet, for the reasons you stated. As far as I can tell, our options are:

- Level the patio - this is the best long term solution, but the places I've called are months out to do the work.

- Grind the patio - not sure if we'll be able to grind enough, and it'll look bad when the hot tub is removed.

- Build a wood platform

Anybody have an opinion on the wood platform? Wood and water = rot? 

Other ideas? Thanks!

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18 hours ago, Zach P said:

Anybody have an opinion on the wood platform? Wood and water = rot? 

It would be hard to shave down the wood platform so it's perfectly level/flat on the concrete pad - a gravel base and and wood frame base on the ground NEXT to that pad might be an easier option.  However modern pressure treated lumber has a shorter lifespan than older arsenic-infused pressure treated lumber.   You'll still get 5-10 years out of wood platform, but your Hotspring Highlife spa is made with composites and tool-grade plastics and would outlive the wood platform (with proper care/maintenance) - but that's not a major issue - just rebuild/replace the wood frame if/when needed.

Grinding or pouring self leveling cement might be an option, but that's beyond my expertise. If you really want to use that concrete slab, I personally would call out an expert who can tell you the cheapest/easiest way to solve the problem while still supporting the weight of the tub

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