Hi.
So glad I found this forum because my searches just don't seem to be getting me anywhere...
Obviously, I'm looking for a hot tub :-)
I have no clue where to search for exactly what I want/need - the usual home improvement places or Google have not helped me that much.
The most important thing for me is to find something for 2 people (maybe 3) with strong jets that are placed in anatomically useful positions for back and neck massage and seating that allows for the body to be submerged as far up to the bottom of the head as possible.
The plan right now is to have it outdoors but right next to the house and a basement window that we could break open to run wiring/plumbing through, and I'll try to build some form of wooden cover around it against the worst of the elements until I can get someone to build an actual room around it.
I should mention that I live in Minnesota, so the winters get really cold here, and I'd like to be able to use the tub in Winter, too, if possible. I'm guessing that would make a difference in how the water gets into the tub. I doubt I'll be able to afford a properly insulated room to make this indoor tub worthy... But there's simply no room elsewhere in the house for this.
In my research, I couldn't even figure out which tubs need high voltage electricity or plumbing or not - some apparently need to be filled with the garden hose... Since the basement is right "next door", chances are I can get hot and cold water there as well as a pipe for the outlet.
I also don't know if these tubs generally have a re-heating feature to keep the water hot or if you simply release some cold and add more hot - my main experience with hot tubs is in hotels, and they tend to not be particularly comfortable.
I think the best sitting position is with raised legs, but that may be influenced by advertising, so I don't know if that's beneficial at all or not.
I'd also prefer the two main seats not to face each other but to be at a 90 degree angle or parallel so TV watching doesn't undo all the benefits of the neck massage, but that's a minor point and not necessary.
So ... where do I start with this?
I've seen some brand names mentioned in the forum here, but I have no clue where I'd buy them - simply Google the brands and see what it spits out?
Also some very rough price range would be great - I'm hoping to keep the entire project (including plumbing, electricity and "room" building) below $5,000 or so, but I don't even know if that's realistic - one home improvement site has tubs ranging from $1,500 to $5,000 for up to 8 people, but none really fits my back/neck massage requirements.
I've been to a local hot tub show ages ago, but I don't think any of them were filled, so how do you actually get to wet test anything? Do you find local show rooms or something?
Thanks in advance!