Least Expensive Hot Tub

[thinkxingu]

OK, so my wife and I were looking at $6K spas, but we're just not going to have that kind of money in the next few years (or ever, since I want a UTV, second home, etc.!). We discussed how every time we've had access to a spa, it has been a simple, round one with a bunch of regular jets--you know, resort style ones.

SO: any feedback on inexpensive spa options, like $3k or so?

S

 

[RoseRedHoofbeats]

Look on Craigslist, people practically give them away!

~Rose

 

[gpcollen1]

One of my buddies is in the business and he says the tubs from Costco are really good for the price. A basic tub for around $3,500...

http://www.costco.com/Browse/ProductSet.aspx?Prodid=11537058&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC|50126|87124&N=4047222&Mo=21&No=1&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=87124&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&topnav;=

I do not recommend getting a used tub unless it is relatively new. They have made great progress is energy and heat efficiency so anything old is an energy hog as compared to new. I did get a used tub recently but it is only 3 yrs old. They did not winterize it properly so they had some cracked pipe that needed repairing as well as a pump housing. I am almost finished with the repairs but not sure if i will pour the pad now or wait until spring.

Recommendation: A major difference between expensive tub and cheap ones is the insulation on the bottom. I STRONGLY recommend putting your new tub up on it's side, removing the bottom [which is usually plastic that is stapled on] and beefing up the insulation. I am using 2" solid XPS Foam cut to fit in between the wood frame on the very bottom and caulking them in there. My tub is going to rock...

 

[homebrewz]

Look on Craigslist, people practically give them away!

+1. I see one on the free section of my local CL about once a week. Almost as often as I see free pianos. They usually have various things wrong with them.. heater or pump stopped working, there is a crack in the fiberglass, etc. You could get one and make it wood fired, though unless it was a loop from a boiler or similar, you'd have to drain it in the winter when its not in use.

 

[esuitt]

I was going to say, we passed one sitting in a front yard yesterday with a free sign on it.

 

[btuser]

A freind of mine just bought a hot tub and put in about $15,000 to the whole wonderfull mess. Don't just count the tub, because after you get done with electric, chemicals, A DECK/PAD for it ect then you're in for almost as much as the tub.

 

[Highbeam]

You can just plop it down on pavers if you want like I did with my first tub at my last house and also with an 8 footer at my inlaws home. You could also pour a slab like I did with my current tub. The covers are 300$ if your chosen tub doesn't have one. Chemicals are super cheap, sodium dichlor for chlorine and sodium carb for pH increase. You don't need fancy small batch chems. The electrical will depend on your skill level. My last two were installed by me with parts from the Home Depot. Nothing particularly expensive, the whole thing was about 250$ and it is a home improvement that adds value to your home.

So tub plus 1000$ will get you going if you have nothing now. Figure your electric will go up each month about 15-30$ depending on time of year.

My current tub was a 10,000$ Phoenix tub that I bought for three grand from a neighbor that was afraid her kids would drown. Seriously, we got a great deal. Wonderful tub. Even the modern ones can have better/more insulation added to them. I notice that the snow melts from the slab about a foot around the tub, indicating heat loss to the slab as CT points out. You can also take off the skirting and apply insulation to the tub instead of tipping it up on edge with the potential of busting the edge.

 

[woodsmaster]

I got one for free that had a cracked pipe from freezing. fixed it in a couple houres and $20 parts. works great.

 

[homebrewz]

Any idea on what does it cost/how many KWh to run a medium sized hot tub per to keep that water heated? I imagine a good cover will help, as does adding extra insulation as suggested in a previous post.

 

[Highbeam]

We saw an increase of 15-30$ per month in electric, at 10 cents per kwH, for a large 8' square tub. Not as much as I had expected. This is the same as our last tub which was medium in size. Our large tub is out in the open exposed to winds and weather but I only live at 700 feet and in a moderate climate.

There are covers available with various R-values. The highest seems to be R24, 6" thick in the center.

 

[Flatbedford]

We just bought a used 6 person softub for $1000. http://www.softub.com/
Pugs into 15 amp supply. Portable. Check it out.

 

[gpcollen1]

Any idea on what does it cost/how many KWh to run a medium sized hot tub per to keep that water heated? I imagine a good cover will help, as does adding extra insulation as suggested in a previous post.

no kw data but:

older tub will be around $30-50 per month in summer and $50-100 in winter, depending on where you are. Some folks have different results depending on the pumps they have, jets, insulation, amount of use, temp settings...

 

[gpcollen1]

You can just plop it down on pavers if you want like I did with my first tub at my last house and also with an 8 footer at my inlaws home. You could also pour a slab like I did with my current tub. The covers are 300$ if your chosen tub doesn't have one. Chemicals are super cheap, sodium dichlor for chlorine and sodium carb for pH increase. You don't need fancy small batch chems. The electrical will depend on your skill level. My last two were installed by me with parts from the Home Depot. Nothing particularly expensive, the whole thing was about 250$ and it is a home improvement that adds value to your home.

So tub plus 1000$ will get you going if you have nothing now. Figure your electric will go up each month about 15-30$ depending on time of year.

My current tub was a 10,000$ Phoenix tub that I bought for three grand from a neighbor that was afraid her kids would drown. Seriously, we got a great deal. Wonderful tub. Even the modern ones can have better/more insulation added to them. I notice that the snow melts from the slab about a foot around the tub, indicating heat loss to the slab as CT points out. You can also take off the skirting and apply insulation to the tub instead of tipping it up on edge with the potential of busting the edge.

If the tub is in bad shape I may not stand it on end but the only way to insulate the bottom properly is to stand it up. Sure the sides can be done too but the bottom is in contact with the cold ground/concrete.

 

[Flatbedford]

The insulation on the Softub seems to be pretty good. There has been ice on the cover and sides this winter after snow and rain. I figure if it can ice up, there must not be much heat loss.

 

[Highbeam]

Ugh, I had to use the tub last night and the cover had a one inch thick matt of ice and snow on it that I could not get off with a push broom. I about busted a gut trying to put it back on after the dip. Very nice with no moon and clear skies, great star show. 20 degrees F.

CT: I didn't realize that you were proposing to insulate under the entire tub. The only hot part of the tub to touch the ground is the center well. It sounded like you were piecing rigid foam inbetween the floor supports but not under the actual contact patch where your feet go. Why not just set the entire tub on a layer of foam? Blue or pink. I'm actually considering doing this during my annual 4th of July shutdown.

 

[gpcollen1]

Ugh, I had to use the tub last night and the cover had a one inch thick matt of ice and snow on it that I could not get off with a push broom. I about busted a gut trying to put it back on after the dip. Very nice with no moon and clear skies, great star show. 20 degrees F.

CT: I didn't realize that you were proposing to insulate under the entire tub. The only hot part of the tub to touch the ground is the center well. It sounded like you were piecing rigid foam inbetween the floor supports but not under the actual contact patch where your feet go. Why not just set the entire tub on a layer of foam? Blue or pink. I'm actually considering doing this during my annual 4th of July shutdown.

I am doing mine in between the wooden framing but the foam is right against the bottom. The foam will touch the plastic bottom covering. I don't have 'feet' on mine and I don't think i would want them. So air is able to flow under the tub?

As for the ice, my buddy has a small tarp on top of the cover that helps with snow and ice removal. He just pulls the tarp off...his wife thinks it looks like crap though...

 

[gpcollen1]

The insulation on the Softub seems to be pretty good. There has been ice on the cover and sides this winter after snow and rain. I figure if it can ice up, there must not be much heat loss.

Those soft tubs are pretty cool. I helped re-skin one once - what a pain. They are not he most comfortable thing int he world when comparing to a nice hot tub but they work, are relatively efficient and you can put them anywhere.

 

[Flatbedford]

...his wife thinks it looks like crap though...

Wives are like that. :shut:

 

[Flatbedford]

The insulation on the Softub seems to be pretty good. There has been ice on the cover and sides this winter after snow and rain. I figure if it can ice up, there must not be much heat loss.

Those soft tubs are pretty cool. I helped re-skin one once - what a pain. They are not he most comfortable thing int he world when comparing to a nice hot tub but they work, are relatively efficient and you can put them anywhere.

We were skeptical at first, but a more conventional one would have been out of our budget. Now that we have had it for a couple months, we are pretty happy with it. We like that it does not have specific molded seats so we can move around and get the effects of all the different jets. It is like a big bath tub.
On efficiency, I will say that our December electric bill reflected the first two weeks of operation and our usage was actually slightly down from last December. I will have a better idea after the next couple bills.

 

[Highbeam]

Ugh, I had to use the tub last night and the cover had a one inch thick matt of ice and snow on it that I could not get off with a push broom. I about busted a gut trying to put it back on after the dip. Very nice with no moon and clear skies, great star show. 20 degrees F.

CT: I didn't realize that you were proposing to insulate under the entire tub. The only hot part of the tub to touch the ground is the center well. It sounded like you were piecing rigid foam inbetween the floor supports but not under the actual contact patch where your feet go. Why not just set the entire tub on a layer of foam? Blue or pink. I'm actually considering doing this during my annual 4th of July shutdown.

I am doing mine in between the wooden framing but the foam is right against the bottom. The foam will touch the plastic bottom covering. I don't have 'feet' on mine and I don't think i would want them. So air is able to flow under the tub?

As for the ice, my buddy has a small tarp on top of the cover that helps with snow and ice removal. He just pulls the tarp off...his wife thinks it looks like crap though...

I must not have been clear. Hot tubs are like big square cereal bowls. Only the very bottom touches the ground and then the wider rim hangs out farther. The skirting is vertical making a large void between the skirting and the side of the bowl for pumps, plumbing and even insulation. Unless you slide rigid insulation under the bowl then the hot bottom of the bowl will be touching the ground = heat loss. How are you insulating under the bottom of the bowl? This is where your feet go.

The tarp thing would do the job. Our snow doesn't usually stay around for long so the hundred pound cover isn't usually a problem. We're still frozen after a week though. Tonight should bring rain.

 

[gpcollen1]

Got ya now - my tub actually has 2 inches of foam under that bowl so it does not sit on the ground. The bottom of the tub is at the top of the 2x4 that support the bottom of the tub, so maybe more like 1.5 inches of foam under the tub.