| We recently purchased a new Hot Tub and | | | | Preparation and Additional Costs |
| Gazebo from Cal Spas in Minnesota. The purchase | | | | Here are a few things to consider in your decision |
| was not something we planned, just something | | | | they either provided additional cost or hard work |
| that caught our eye when visiting the Minnesota | | | | on my part. |
| State Fair. As a result we learned a few things | | | | Electrical: You'll most likely need a dedicated 50 |
| that would have made our purchase smarter. In | | | | amp circuit with a breaker box in plain view of the |
| the end we're pleased with the decision but its | | | | tub. In our case this meant digging a 36 inch deep |
| easy to say now that all the work is done. In this | | | | trench from the garage to the gazebo (50 feet) |
| article I'll outline the information I wish I had | | | | so the electrician could run the conduit. The cost |
| considered when making this purchase. I hope it | | | | of the electrical work was about $1000.00 and I |
| helps you in your decision. | | | | had to dig the trench myself. My buddy did his |
| The Tub | | | | own electrical and still spent $500.00 in parts so |
| This isn't going to be a detailed rundown on what | | | | keep that in mind. |
| to look for in a good tub or who to buy it from. | | | | Cement: I also needed a new cement slab to |
| I'll leave that to the other articles out on the | | | | accommodate my tub and gazebo. We put in a |
| internet. There are two points I'll make of things I | | | | 14x15 slab to accomplish this. What I did not |
| may have changed. We purchased the top of the | | | | consider was that cement has gone way up in |
| line system, the only thing it lacked was an LCD | | | | price since my last 10x10 slab. We spent almost |
| monitor and DVD player. So what would I | | | | $2000.00 for the labor and materials to have this |
| change? Well after using it for a season I find that | | | | poured. What I also did not consider was the |
| the multitude of jets is irrelevant for me. I am | | | | work of removing the grass from that area. This |
| more of a soaker and actually prefer that the | | | | took three days of exhausting work cutting strips |
| jets aren't all blasting. Its too much noise and I | | | | of sod and hauling them to the disposal site. |
| don't like the splashing. So I would look for | | | | Gazebo: What I did not consider and was not told |
| something at a better price point and give up | | | | by the sales rep was that immediately upon |
| some of the fancy jets in favor of more | | | | erecting the gazebo, we'd need to stain it to seal |
| common ones. A friend of mine paid 1/2 of my | | | | the wood from the weather. This is a 12x12 |
| cost for a more basic unit and he couldn't be | | | | structure I hadn't considered staining. Let me just |
| happier. So where would I put this money? I | | | | say it was a day of hard work which will need to |
| would ALWAYS splurge and get the stereo and | | | | be done at least every other year. |
| speakers built into the tub. My wife insisted on this | | | | Additional Items to Consider |
| and it added quite a bit to the price but I wouldn't | | | | A few additional items you may want to consider |
| want it any other way. The tub uses a marine | | | | purchasing. |
| radio/CD player with water proof speakers and a | | | | Cover Helper: The covers of these hot tubs are |
| remote controller on the top side of the tub. You | | | | not easy to move around by yourself. This is |
| can easily hear the music and I even ran a TV in | | | | especially true in a Gazebo. They sell cover |
| through the Auxiliary so we can hear the TV | | | | helpers which are lever type devices that life the |
| through the tub speakers. My friend who didn't | | | | cover mechanically and put it behind the tub. |
| buy this feature is left with setting up elaborate | | | | Unfortunately for me my wife wants the tub |
| wiring and remote control extenders to get his | | | | against the wall so we're stuck either using 1/2 |
| stereo to play outside. Another feature I'd | | | | the tub or man handling the heavy cover. This is |
| suggest is fiber optic lighting. There are a bunch of | | | | my pet peeve about tubs. So if you have the |
| small lights around the top of the tub that change | | | | room or consider making the room, this will make |
| color. At first glance it looks like this would just be | | | | your spa much more enjoyable. |
| to make it fancy. Try the tub at night and you'll | | | | Portable Utility Pump: Tubs have a gravity drain at |
| find they provide a great deal of light which | | | | the bottom but these can take all day to drain a |
| makes the tub much easier to use. It also helps | | | | tub. My neighbor was smart and purchased a |
| when messing around outside the tub with CD's | | | | utility pump or sump pump at the local Home |
| Drinks Towels, Chemicals etc. My friend again, is | | | | Depot or Menards. This drained the tub in about |
| stringing rope lighting. So in a nutshell on the tub, | | | | an hour and let us get to work cleaning and |
| consider the stereo and fiber optics and if | | | | refilling fairly quick. After borrowing his I went |
| necessary go with less jets to cover the cost. | | | | right out and picked one up for about $70.00 For |
| Gazebo Information | | | | those of you who've drained a waterbed without |
| My wife insisted on a Gazebo surrounding the tub | | | | a pump you'll know why this is a good investment. |
| and for years I put off the purchase because I | | | | Hose for adding water: Just like with my |
| didn't want to spend another $7000.00 on a | | | | waterbeds, I prefer to purchase a special hose |
| Gazebo. Once we took the plunge I'd say that for | | | | for adding water to the tub. I keep it inside so it |
| the Minnesota winters I'd have it no other way. I | | | | stays clean and not frozen. Tubs evaporate |
| have neighbors that freeze climbing in and out and | | | | water at a surprisingly fast rate so plan on adding |
| maintaining their spa. Ours is like another room in | | | | water once a month or so. |
| the house and is quite warm in the winter due to | | | | In Home Jacuzzi Tubs |
| the heat from the tub. Now a word of advice. My | | | | When we built our house we splurged and added |
| buddy purchased an 8x8 Gazebo that basically | | | | one of those large two person Jacuzzi tubs with |
| encloses the tub with no extra space. They climb | | | | six jets. I thought we'd be in heaven and was |
| up stairs and go through the windows of the | | | | reminiscing of nights spent in the Jacuzzi suites in |
| gazebo to get in the tub. On a showroom this | | | | a hotel. What I didn't consider is the following and |
| looks like a fine arrangement. Well this winter his | | | | because it these things, it functions more as an |
| wife climbs in, closes the windows to keep the | | | | ornament to make the bathroom look grand. |
| cold out and finds herself trapped in the gazebo. | | | | Filling: These things take time to fill, by the time its |
| They had to damage the windows getting it open | | | | filled do you still need or want that bath? |
| due to the condensation that froze the window | | | | Hot Water: Filling these will drain your water |
| shut. My smart wife insisted we purchase a larger | | | | heater down unless you've planned for extra |
| gazebo. We went with a 12x12 that had racks | | | | capacity. I find that the water for my pre bath |
| and storage for chemicals and towels. It also has | | | | shower isn't very warm once I've filled the tub. |
| built in lights which are a bonus. The important | | | | Cleaning: Ok so I'm lazy but just like a hot tub, |
| thing to note about this decision is that I enter | | | | you have to clean the tub and jets and the larger |
| the gazebo through a sliding door, not the window. | | | | the tub the more work it is just to keep the dust |
| If anything freezes it will be the windows by the | | | | out. |
| tub not the ones opposite the room and the | | | | I hope my thoughts have given you something to |
| sliding door. Additionally its just nice to have a new | | | | consider and plan when making a large purchase |
| room on the house and the cost relative to the | | | | such as a spa or gazebo. All things considered I'd |
| benefits isn't bad at all. Plus we have room for a | | | | do it again if I moved but I'd be a little smarter |
| bar and stools in there. | | | | and save money and effort. |