You know you want a Hot Tub but where do you start? These are the top 6 questions to ask yourself and your family before even walking into the dealership.
Research
Doing your research is extremely important. You will be loaded with an abundance of hot tub information before even pulling up to the parking lot. Find what makes each hot tub different from the rest. Research is also important when looking at dealers. Google reviews, the BBB, Yelp, Angie’s list, and even your local chamber of commerce are great places to vet dealers. You may find the best hot tub but if your dealer can’t help support you after the sale it wouldn’t matter if find the best hot tub in the industry.
Location
Now, where is the Hot tub going to live on your property? Do you have space for it? Hot Tubs and swim spas weigh thousands of pounds and need to be supported as such. If you want it up on a deck, the deck needs to be able to support the weight, and a crane is typically required. Some hot tubs are more flexible than others on what they can and cannot go on. Pavers, pea gravel, concrete, and decking are common foundations. Most hot tub manuals and requirements are available on the manufactures website.
A Big Hot Tub or a Small Spa
How big do you want the spa? Really the question is how many people you want in the spa at one point in time? Is it just you? You and a significant other? A family of 5? A party of 9? A lot of first-time spa owners want to fit a lot of people in the tub but you find out really fast you do not want to be so close to another person in a large bathtub, plus the more people you have in a one-time the faster the water chemistry can go south. Some people are not as “clean” as they may seem.
Why
Why do you want one? This may seem like a weird question but what is the purpose of having a spa? Do you need it for therapy purposes? Is this something your doctor recommended? Do you want it for entertainment or for gatherings? You put in a pool and the next step is a spa. Or do you need a Spa to elevate your rental property? this helps you and your dealer find the best Hot Tub for your specific needs.
Budget
Budget is also extremely important. Hot tubs can range from $500 blow-up tubs to over 20k Spas. This all depends on the quality and technology that is invested in the tub. We encourage you to look at all hot tubs to see what the value is in the price. A lot of dealerships have sales and promotions on their spas. Some may even offer payment plans and financing. Never hesitate to see if they offer military discounts or PIF (pay-in-full) discounts. Sit down with your family to find a budget you are willing to spend on a Hot Tub. You also need to take into consideration if you need to put in money for the foundation of the hot tub, the electrical work, and chemicals to keep it sanitized.
Responsibility
Who is going to take care of the Spa? Hot Tubs are like cars. They need to be maintained to keep them safe and effective. They need to be chemically treated to be sanitized, filters need to be cleaned and replaced, then it needs to be drained, purged, and cleaned quarterly. Sometimes Hot Tubs need repairs and maintenance from a company. Keeping care of a Spa is a responsibility. See if your prospective dealer has a maintenance program that will come out to your property and do it for you!
At Bullfrog Spas of Tri-Cities, we are more than happy to help you at any stage of the hot tub buying process. We would be delighted to assist you to help answer any questions you may have!
