A hot tub can be a wonderful addition to your home, but the big question is where to put it? Hot tubs are large and heavy enough that you can’t usually move them very easily. This means you want to put them in the right location, the first time.
There are a few considerations if you’re going to add a hot tub to your home. You need to be sure that you’ve selected the perfect location. Look at how practical the spot is, as well as how comfortable.
Choosing a Hot Tub Location
What should you think about when you’re trying to figure out the best possible choice for your hot tub? Here are a few considerations:
Indoors or Outdoors?
You can set your hot tub up anywhere you please and it can be outside under the starry sky, or you can have it installed on a patio under a roof. While it doesn’t make any real difference to the hot tub, you do need to decide whether or not you want to use it in inclement weather and if you would be willing to do that if the hot tub is outside.
View
The view you have from your hot tub will help you decide where to put it. You want to relax there and enjoy your surroundings, so be sure to select a space that will give you a vista of your garden or anything else that is worth looking at.
The best way to choose a spot is to stand where you’re considering putting the hot tub and looking around. Is this what you want to see while you relax in your spa?
Delivery Access
How will the hot tub get to where you want it? Some homes have very limited or even no access to the area they want to put the tub, from the front of the house. If this is the case, you can still have your hot tub delivered and placed, but you will need a little extra help getting it into position, via crane. Lifting services make it possible to get the hot tub over your house or fence and into the space you want it.
Ground Inclination
Tilted ground can be difficult to install a hot tub on. You should look for a nice flat space in your garden that will work. Of course, you can always level a section of the garden out to ensure the hot tub has a nice flat spot, but it’s usually best when you start with a relatively level area.
Support
Hot tubs are heavy, particularly with water in them. A basic hot tub, with 450 gallons of water, plus people relaxing, is going to weigh well over 5,000 pounds. That requires some decent structural support to prevent falling through whatever platform you set it on.
What sort of support you do will determine how it needs to be built. You should consider talking with the hot tub company to find out how much they require. However, a four-inch concrete slab is often recommended for outdoors. Remember that the spa needs to be level so the weight is evenly distributed.
Drainage
You won’t just fill your hot tub once and leave that water forever. You will need to drain the spa several times throughout the year. You’ll need to have a drain in place for this. It’s really much simpler to use an existing drain, but you can also install a new drain if needed.
Plan this out ahead of time, so you can place the spa in exactly the place it needs to be. Remember that these things are heavy, so once it’s in place, you probably won’t want to move it again.
Waterproofing
The water from your hot tub can damage the area around it, particularly if you use wood or something else susceptible to water damage. For example a wooden patio will require the wood being protected before you place the hot tub.
There will always be some overflow or splashing and you’ll have better peace of mind if you waterproof the area first. Keep in mind that you may need to repeat the treatment over the year.
Access
How easy is it to reach the hot tub from your home? If it’s difficult to get to, you’ll find it gets used less. However, if you can easily reach the hot tub from your back door, you’ll use it more often. This is the main reason people put their hot tubs on patios or concrete slabs just behind the home. It allows for easy access and you can see all of the activity from the house.
It’s very important to look at where you want to enjoy your hot tub. It’s not just about how easily it can be installed, but about where the spa will best serve you in the years to come. Consider carefully before you make a final decision as to where to put the hot tub. It won’t be easy to move once it’s in place.
Considerations for Hot Tub Lifting and Spa Lifting Services
There are some things you need to consider if you’ll be using hot tub lifting services or crane hire companies. The crane needs to be able to operate clearly and will require some open space in order to get through.
In most cases, the hot tub will be lifted over your house. This may seem worrisome, but as long as you have an experienced crane operator, it won’t be an issue. They will neatly clear the roof and place the hot tub where it needs to go on the other side of the house.
There are a few things that can cause issues for spa lifting services. These include:
Trees: Too many trees can make it difficult to put the spa down in the right place. This is something that you’ll need to evaluate before you can put in the hot tub. Wide trees and tall ones are particularly difficult to work around, so if you have this issue, talk to the crane company.
Electrical wires: Do you have electrical wires running close to your home? If they block access to the place in your garden where you wish to have the hot tub, you may need to have them temporarily put down. This type of manipulation will require advance planning and permission from the electric company.
Cables: Other cables may also cause issues, particularly if they run close to the house or if they are directly over it. Again, these may need to be moved in order for the crane service to place the hot tub correctly. It can be dangerous to touch cables with the crane, so it’s best to avoid this possibility.
Narrow roads: Normally, the crane will move into your drive, but if you don’t have enough space there, the crane will need to stay on the road. This doesn’t present a problem in most cases, but very narrow roads may require special permission in order to have the crane operate there. You may even need to have police present to manage traffic or close the road.
Roofing: Is your hot tub going to be installed under a roof or gazebo? You may need to temporarily remove the roof, or the company will have to see how they can move things from an unroofed location to the specific place you want your hot tub to rest.
You should ensure that the crane company has a good idea of what your property looks like and where you’ll be placing the hot tub before they arrive. This will allow them to plan accordingly.
Crane Rental
If you can’t get a truck into your garden, you’ll need to look into crane rental. You want to choose a company with experience doing hot tub lifting. This is something that is non-negotiable, since the project is one that needs to be quite precise and requires prior knowledge.
You should also avoid hiring a random person over a company. While crane rental is not cheap, hiring the right person can make all the difference in how well your installation goes. This requires experience and care, so definitely opt for a company that has previously worked with hot tub placement.
Do you need to install a hot tub in an awkward place? Why not use Armquest crane services to help you get your hot tub into the perfect place for you? We have the expertise to ensure your spa is properly moved. Get in touch today and we’ll be more than happy to give you the best advice to make your vision a reality.