LF - Hot Tub

[troutman]

What are best brands, features, value? New or used?

We looked at Spa Berry - but they have bad reviews.

[Locke]

I bought my Hot Tub from Costco. It was a great experience and I've had it for nearly a decade, I highly recommend it.

Also the warranty is pretty good.

A few things to note:

Costco will deliver it to your house, but they will leave it on your driveway, etc. (curbside delivery) So you need to have friends, or better yet as I did, a hot tub moving service to put it where you want it on your property.

Further, an electrician to wire it up.

And finally...never, ever, ever ever ever buy a used hot tub. The very though I find difficult to entertain.

Find a good place for chemicals and find a good service pro.

[pylon]

I have Jake from The Hot Tub Ninjas come out once every 2 months to do a chemical tune up and every third visit (6 months) he does a complete water swap. We add chlorine and do our best to keep the PH levels right in between, but the guy is a frikking magician with the water chemistry.

Our hot tub came with our house but the previous owner had put it in 6 months before we moved in. So it was technically used. But they left behind the paperwork for warranties, and after I saw what the frikking thing cost, I didn't want to gamble with maintaining it wrong. I wasn't super stoked about the idea of having one, but my wife wanted it more than the house I think. I am a convert now. It's works wonders for my back, and in the summer, we turned the heat off, and used it as a cold tub.... which was awesome.

It's one of those things where I'd rather pay a guy who's an expert a few hundred bucks a year to make sure it's working right and there are no issues, than try and DIY it and screw something up.

For the record our is a Dynasty Spa, and it's pretty freaking rad. The only thing that I don't like, is the touch screen controls. With wet hands it can be frustrating.

https://www.dynastyspas.com/radiance.html

[bossy22]

we bought from Paradise Bay. We've been happy with it. We did convert it to Salt water a year ago and it was the best decision we've made. It's so much easier and less hassle than dealing with chemicals constantly.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by bossy22

we bought from Paradise Bay. We've been happy with it. We did convert it to Salt water a year ago and it was the best decision we've made. It's so much easier and less hassle than dealing with chemicals constantly.

This appeals to me. Mind me asking what the cost was to do this?

[bossy22]

IIRC it was about $1300. I just looked up our tub's price and it's crazy what they cost now. We got our tub 4 years ago, and now it's almost double the price.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by bossy22

IIRC it was about $1300. I just looked up our tub's price and it's crazy what they cost now. We got our tub 4 years ago, and now it's almost double the price.

I know right? We bought ours ~8 years ago? And it has more than doubled in price.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by bossy22

we bought from Paradise Bay. We've been happy with it. We did convert it to Salt water a year ago and it was the best decision we've made. It's so much easier and less hassle than dealing with chemicals constantly.

Do you have contact information for how you converted? I've been thinking about this for a while, but I was reading things where the salt is really hard on the internals without providing a ton of additional benefit, so I'm interested in your experience.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by bossy22

IIRC it was about $1300. I just looked up our tub's price and it's crazy what they cost now. We got our tub 4 years ago, and now it's almost double the price.

Yeah. When we were buying our house last year, it was basically the hang up in the deal. It was before the utter insanity that started in the fall and you could actually negotiate. They didn't want to throw it in, and I said I'd walk if they didn't. I figured the thing was only $7-8k as the last time I checked hot tub prices that seemed to be your average price.

When I went through the document package for all the stuff in the house, and saw the receipt, my eyes almost touched the paper Looney tunes style. With install their invoice was $18k. It was installed in April 2021.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by pylon

Yeah. When we were buying our house last year, it was basically the hang up in the deal. It was before the utter insanity that started in the fall and you could actually negotiate. They didn't want to throw it in, and I said I'd walk if they didn't. I figured the thing was only $7-8k as the last time I checked hot tub prices that seemed to be your average price.

When I went through the document package for all the stuff in the house, and saw the receipt, my eyes almost touched the paper Looney tunes style. With install their invoice was $18k. It was installed in April 2021.

That is so weird.

If I sold my house I think I'd insist on it being included. I dont want to move the thing.

[bossy22]

Originally Posted by Locke

Do you have contact information for how you converted? I've been thinking about this for a while, but I was reading things where the salt is really hard on the internals without providing a ton of additional benefit, so I'm interested in your experience.

I went to Paradise Bay and asked for it. We bought our tub through them, so I figured that would be easiest. My wife couldn't go in the tub because she was reacting to the chemicals, so I got the salt water installed. Now it's been great for her. I have no idea though on if it's hard on the system. So far things have been good, but it's only been a year.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Locke

That is so weird.

If I sold my house I think I'd insist on it being included. I dont want to move the thing.

They'd just bought it, and the seller got transferred to Edmonton hence the house sale. I'm guessing at most it would cost a couple grand to move it, which is better than forfeiting the 18 they just spent. At least that was the story their Realtor told ours.

[CroFlames]

Just do what I did.

Have a neighbor who owns a hot tub rather than owning one yourself.

My neighbor said his cost $20k.