So you’re thinking about purchasing a hot tub? Many people do, it’s a great leisure activity. Perfect for enjoying time with family and friends or just for taking time out to relax from a busy life. But there are lots of things to consider – in this blog post we explain the pitfalls and decisions you will have to make.

Site

Finding the perfect spot in your garden is essential. You want a sunny spot not too shaded by a tree, as leaves can become an annoyance when they keep falling into your clean sparkling water.

Give privacy a careful consideration but also try to keep the hot tub location reasonably close to the house. Don't forget to consider what direction you will face and how the tub will fit in your overall garden design.

Water supply needs to be local, as does drainage. The tub, depending on usage, will need to be emptied every 8 – 10 weeks and refilled. If you have a large garden then the use of a hose to drain the tub onto the lawn maybe ok in some circumstances. As long as your chlorine levels are correct – they will be quite low and will disperse into the ground causing no harm to your lawn generally. But if you have any concerns then empty into a drain or consider having one installed.

Groundwork

When a hot tub is full it will become very heavy so you will need to place your tub on a secure base - grass won’t do. Generally concrete but it could be paved or decked.


Decking and Featherboard

Installation

Ask how you'll physically get the hot tub into the garden. Remember most side gates are no more than 1m wide, so a hot tub on a trolley, even on its side, won’t fit through a normal garden gate.

If installing a new fence prior to installation consider panels fitted into slotted posts that can allow for easy removal of a 1.8m wide panel for access in and out of the garden. Also a great tip if using traditional featherboard is to install the horizontal rails with good quality screws rather than nails. By using this method it allows for relatively no damage when taking out and putting back a section of the fence, allowing easy access to your garden.

Electricity

Usually a 32amp supply will need to be installed but this will vary on the size of the electric motors. We would recommend getting advice from an electrician, as your fuse box may need upgrading first.

Extra costs

As well as the initial costs you have to consider the on going running costs of electricity. An average cost for a 6 persons hot tub is approximately £25 per month, but many factors can affect this so this cost can only be used as a guide.

Water is another cost to factor in, particularly if you have a water meter.

The water will need to be tested most days and chemicals added to keep the water bacteria free and your hot tub in good condition. As a rough guide allow for £10 a month.

Filters will also need cleaning  - at minimum once a week. To do this run them under a hosepipe and depending on usage filters will need to be replaced approximately every 3 months costing around £10 per new filter.

All advice given in this blog post is non-professional and intended purely as a guide of helpful hints from a genuine hob tub owner who has been through the project progress.