Who Does The Installation?

[rangerfaninva]

Hello all, been an avid reader for over a year, and I have learned a lot. Well, maybe after you hear this question you will debate my learning. Anyway, do the spa companies, sundance, hot spring, marquis, D1, and such have people that put the concrete down for you as part of the installation price. I am pretty set on the tubs I will be looking at, and in Fairfax, VA I have most of the major companies to choose from, but obviously I need the concrete layed down and the electrical work done. So am I confused? Do I buy the tub and then on my own set up getting the 4 inches of concrete put down and a electrician to do the electrical line? Can someone please tell me the order of how things go..ie measure space for tub, buy tub, call electrician, call decking company to do the concrete. Or is it as simple as buy the right size tub and the company figures out installation. Any help is appreciated.

[cplarsen]

Some companies will do that. But all they're really doing is sub-contracting most of it out. You can do the same for yourself.

I'd pick the tub you like, then get the specs for dimensions, electrical, and weight from the dealer. Get a drawing of the tub if you can, or note where the access door and electrical hookups need to be.

Then, figure out where you want to put the tub. Making a quick scale drawing on graph paper really helps. Cut out a piece of paper the right size for the tub and move it around your yard drawing to see where you think it'll fit in best. Keep in mind view, electrical run, nosy neighbors, trees, cocktail table, etc. Put it aside for a week and then go back and look at it again. You'll probably change your mind on something.

After that, you can call an electrician and a deck/concrete company to get bids. Maybe your spa dealer can beat it, maybe not.

Then go back and buy the tub.

[rangerfaninva]

Sounds like a plan.. It is kind of what I thought, but I wanted to make sure.

Thanks for the reply.

[anewspa]

Our hot tub dealer is also a contractor...separate bids for everything....my husband is handling everything, but says it will be complete by next week, I can't wait! If we went with the other dealer my husband may have done some of the work himself, but he decided this was the way to go.

anewspa (next week!)

[rangerfaninva]

I tend to pay more for convience so if I can find a dealer that does that it will be a plus.

Thank you, and I will post updates as I go through the used car lots I mean hot tub dealerships.

[anewspa]

Now That was Funny!!

[Nat]

Hello all, been an avid reader for over a year, and I have learned a lot. Well, maybe after you hear this question you will debate my learning. Anyway, do the spa companies, sundance, hot spring, marquis, D1, and such have people that put the concrete down for you as part of the installation price. I am pretty set on the tubs I will be looking at, and in Fairfax, VA I have most of the major companies to choose from, but obviously I need the concrete layed down and the electrical work done. So am I confused? Do I buy the tub and then on my own set up getting the 4 inches of concrete put down and a electrician to do the electrical line? Can someone please tell me the order of how things go..ie measure space for tub, buy tub, call electrician, call decking company to do the concrete. Or is it as simple as buy the right size tub and the company figures out installation. Any help is appreciated.

I'm in Northern Virginia, too. We just bought from the Hot Springs dealer at Fairfax Circle (a Tiger River Bengal tub). We were told that we had to have a concrete pad poured by a contractor of our slection if we wanted to go that route. Or, for $250 (maybe $300) the dealer would install our tub on three 6 X 6 pressure treated posts. I gladly paid the dealer install charge!

You are on your own for the electrical. I ran the circuit myself and installed the 20 amp GFCI breaker, and spent a grand total of about $75 (we bought a 115 Volt convertable model to prevent the need for an entire electrical upgrade). Its a 330 gallon tub, too, and does just fine on 115 volts!

--Nate

[B0Darc]

Think about some of the criteria for this semi-permanent installation ...like just how *permanent* do you want it? If it's your home and you plan to stay there...well you're in Fairfax where every other house is for sale <evil grin> so you'll be locked in for several years (sorry swatting self on back of hand). A concrete pad is ~somewhat~ permanent or the most permanent, and pouring your own 10' X 10' X 4" monolithic pad is not for the faint of heart (80 bags of crete?) ...it is cheaper to get a concrete company to do the job. They'll know about permits etc if necessary, and you could make it part of a larger, future backyard hardscape project... you know make it something other than a simple square ...check with your Home Owners Assoc!

Spa pads is the non-permanent option... $300-ish and various decking options which falls more into the DIY projectey zone. You can google stuff like that, and I think HomeDespot can order spa pads (since they carry spas) which would be ideal if you planned on moving soon and wanted to move your spa too. I also asked HommieDepot who did their spa electrical and used that company. The idea is that you are adding on to your home, and in a not-good-return-on the-dollar kinda way adding on to the resale value... but this is about hottubbing so don't worry about that too much, however permanence and resale should factor in the decision ...hey future glassed in back patio, niiiice!

[felix6]

As a person who is in a business where we sub work out to other contractors, I can say you should find someone yourself. When I went to my HS dealer, I got a price quote that was $300 above what I paid for an independant contractor to do a slab that was 80 sq/ft larger than the dealers quoted price. Dealers can and do tack on a little and sometimes a lot for the convienience of giving a number. When the contractor knows the dealer recommends him, he will automatically include the dealers price. When doing both electric and concrete slab, it could cost you a large additional price. Call around and get recommendations. Remember though, concrete takes at least 4 days to cure so don't rush to put a spa on it once poured. Happy soaking.

[wireman]

A 120V, 20A supply will not be sufficient for a cold weather tub. Perhaps one in warm climates.

[Chas]

Not trying to be picky, but I see this type of statement from time to time, and I like to chime in. That is, that a slab is permanent.

Yes, they surely can be, and I do think they are the best way to go when you can. But I have removed enough of them to know that for a couple hundred dollars you can get rid of one.

If it is smaller - say just the size of the spa itself, you could rent a jackhammer and break it up yourself. Use it in your yard as stepping stones, stack it as a retaining wall, or put it into the trash piece by piece over a period of weeks. Or borrow a truck and haul it away - we have a rock quarry nearby which charges a flat fee, I think it is around $25 to drop off any amount of broken concrete. They recycle it.

If it is a larger slab, you can hire a gardener, landscaper or handyman - I have had several larger patios removed for around $300 each plus another $100 dump fee.

I only offer this to let folks know that if you really want your tub in a certain location, but there is an existing slab or patio in the way, you can do something about it. Or if you are concerned that you might take the spa with you when you move and don't want a slab in the middle of the lawn when you sell, keep in mind that whatever you put in can be taken out if needed. No, it might not be free, unless you own the equipment and do your own labor, but it doesn't have to be the deal breker either.

HTH

[Pathfinder]

A 120V, 20A supply will not be sufficient for a cold weather tub. Perhaps one in warm climates.

How do you figure??? Someone who doesnt sell or service hot tubs shouldnt be recommending this type of advice.

[Chas]

How do you figure??? Someone who doesnt sell or service hot tubs shouldnt be recommending this type of advice.

I agree. I see by your screen name that you are most likely an electrician by trade - and you have offered sound advice in that realm. I get this from lots of electricians, and it simply isn't true. Perhaps it was true with older tubs, or perhaps somebody in your area sells poorly-insulated junk, or perhaps you have seen spas with air blowers that cool rapidly or whatever. But it simply is not true of all spas, especially the better ones.

There are many smaller tubs made by the major name brands which do quite well on 110volts in any climate. I have sold quite a few to mountian homes and ski areas around Southern Cal and they do quite well. I have talked with many of my dealer friends in Colorado and other snow-bound parts of our country, same thing. I have talked with several of our International dealers who have 220 spas which have 1500 watt heating, but can't run both heat and jets due to limitations of the local power supply. They still report happy customers.

Now, a poorly insulated tub, maybe an off-brand tub, or a tub on a raised deck being heavily used in icy winds might need the larger heat capacity of a 50 amp 220volt system.

[Kent Ohio]

We hired a separate concrete guy to come in and do our stamped colored concrete, came out really nice.

We talked to an Electrician to find out the local codes, then wired it ourselves.

The Spa delivery folks only did the basic setup:

put tub in place

installed cover lift hardware

installed the ozonator(whatever that does)

put the steps together

I had to actually wire it up myself. Figure the SPA folks don't want the liability of messing with the electrical.

We went with 60A 220V to get the most heat and pumps run at same time.