Hot Tub / Spa Installation

[Pappy]

Sunday night I picked up a Hot Springs 3 person spa. The footprint is 5' x 6'9" and weighs about 2,800 pounds when full. That comes to about 72 pounds per square foot.

I have a 15' square area curbed in that was originally for a pool with a mix of sand and black dirt. The plan is to set the spa in this area and later build a decked screen room around it. My idea is to dig down about 6" and back fill with recycled concrete to creat a solid base. The tub would sit on 2" concrete pads to create a small air space underneath.

Am I on the right track or do I need to pour a slab under the tub? Another approach would be to build the deck now and close it in later.

[crokett]

I would check with the manufacturer. I am not sure the base of the spa is designed to be over clear space. A quick google search makes several references to patio or concrete slab base.

[JR]

Crockett's got it right, Pappy. The frame around the fiberglass tub is really just a skirt enclosing the mechanicals. The whole shebang needs to sit on a pad.

As you design the enclosure be aware that you must have free unfettered access to the pump assembly. Make sure you will be able to get on your hands and knees, remove or open the access door and maneuver hand tools.

JR

[crokett]

Pappy, I've seen several spas on wood decks. You could frame in a wood one that spans the footings you want to put in.

[Mr__Bill]

Your spa will have points on the bottom that need to be supported. Hot Springs should have a diagram of just where that is. It is usually easier to just pore a pad. I have seen some that were grooved to allow any water that gets underneath to get out. If the pad has a slope to it an the groves go in the direction of the slope this would work I think. I have also seen brick pavers placed over the pad for decoration and to allow drainage. As said before you need to keep the access side clear and allow for a way to drain off the spa when you change the water.

Before you do all that though, figure out where the power is going to enter and get the conduit underground and up in that location.

Before you set it on the pad and while you still have it on one of it's sides, give the spa a good cleaning, flush out the jets with a garden hose, you never know what crawled up in them.

Enjoy and.... we all are expecting pictures too.

Bill, on the Sunny Oregon Coast

[Pappy]

Thanks for the input. I called watkins, who manufatures Hot Springs, and ran the serial number. The unit is a '98 model and the earliest manual available on line is for '99. I down loaded that as well as the '99 "Pre-Delivery Instructions". They are going to send me the right manual, but these will get me going.

The instructions show 10 leveling/support points that can be used but I think I am going to go with a slab. A bit more work but it is permanent and won't settle to an unlevel pad.

One neighbor is an electrician so I will get his advise before running the power. Thinking of a weatherproof box for now that will get hidden under the deck later.

[crokett]

Hi Pappy, you can run this by your electrician friend, but if the electrical service will come out of the ground through the concrete pad (assuming you use concrete) then you want PVC conduit. Also run unsheathed cable through the conduit - much easier to take around corners and the fill restrictions are not nearly as, well, restrictive. The weatherproof box can be under the deck but it needs to be accessible.

[JR]

Here's some inspiration, Don. My brother and I built this at my old house. It required a crane to get the hot tub into the back yard, then we built the deck up around it, as you are planning to do.