Hot Tub Parts Stolen, how to get it back to life - Help needed

[abec91]

I have just bought a house with a hot tub but unfortunately before i moved in the hot tub has been vandalized and parts were stolen. Now i have never owned a hot tub before and am not sure what is actually is needed for repairs. From what i did find out on the internet it looks that i need the main pump and circulation pump and the heater. Unfortunately i was not able to see any pictures of the exact model of hot tub to compare. The model is a Seville ultralife made by Dimension one spas. Any help with advice or photos of the exact model would be a great help. I do understand that it will cost to get this sorted but want to make sure if it is even worth repairing.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 Bummer, and that's gonna hurt!    You either have to buy all new equipment from D1 or go with an aftermarket Balbo equipment pak and pump with new topside, then retro fit it back in there.   

[abec91]

You think 1500 pounds would cover repairs and labor?

[goneaway]

It looks like they've taken the lot.
If you were to retro fit balboa parts, there are lots readily available on Fleabay.

A pump costs about £200 - £300.
Control Panel with heater probably about £250.
Top side control about £150.
And then any necessary pipework to make it all fit.

I take it, by asking how much in pounds, that you are UK based.
I'd be tempted to call Dimension One and explain the situation ask them for a simple idea of cost.
Tell them that everything has been ripped out.

http://www.d1spa.co.uk/

[abec91]

Yeah, im UK based. I would like D1 parts for ease of installation but if the price is a lot cheaper then Balboa parts may be the way to go. The thing is i know nothing about hot tubs so i will need to get someone in which means additional time if they need to retrofit it. Other option is looking at a lot of web pages and try to wing it but im not sure that i am brave enough.

[goneaway]

Of course the cheapest option, would be DIY, but if you're not brave enough to wing t and retro fit, then D1 parts is really the only option.
I think i would also be weary of spending in excess of £1000 with no guarantee that it will all work when i'd done.
At least if you purchased D1 parts, everything should potentially fit where it should, making it an easier for a DIY job.
We have to bear in mind that call outs are generally charged at £50+ per hour in the UK, regardless of what it is you're having fixed.
So if you were to call a hot tub pro out, consider that it's going to be a days work getting it back together.
When was it robbed out ?
Has it stood a winter like this, as there is a possibility of freezing in the pipes to consider.
Was the property insured during the time it was robbed out, maybe report it to the police and start a claim ?

[abec91]

The house was a bank repo and it appears that this has been either done by the angry previous owner or then the house was vacant so no point of contacting the police. The sad part is that most likely they were just taken out and thrown in the garbage or something. It looks like it may have been like that since last year. I did not consider winter damage to the pipes to be honest as i thought that the water would be gone if the pumps were removed. I think i will take the £50 hit to get someone out to at least tell me what else is missing and how much they would charge for labour. I really want to have this thing running before Christmas (probably nothing better than enjoying a bottle of bubbly in the winter in the hot tub)

[goneaway]

I'd still be tempted to phone D1, and just see what they say.
If D1 tell you the parts bill would come to 1000's you know it's not worth it.
Also D1 may actually be the best people to fix it.

[abec91]

True, will do. When you say not worth it you mean going with D1 or fixing the spa in general? I was looking at a total replacement but something comparable to this cost quite a bit more than £1500.

[goneaway]

I paid £1000 for my used spa.
Granted it was from a family member, so i got it at a good price, but you can buy a good condition used spa in the UK for about £1500 to £2000.
Then factor in that your's as it stands is still probably worth about £500, even with it's guts ripped out (someone will want it as a project), it wouldn't be cost effective to spend much more than the £1500 you've budgeted on, to fix yours.
I'd hazzard a guess (looking at the average component prices), that you'll not see much change out of £1000 for the parts.
I'd guess at £750 - £1000.

I'd be interested to learn how much the project cost when (or if) you get it fixed.

[goneaway]

Maybe my guestimate is miles out, although these may just about bolt straight in.

http://www.poolandspacentre.co.uk/complete-systems.html

[abec91]

Thank you for all your help. I wont be touching the tub until the end of November as we will be doing some renovations inside the house first. But i do want it up and running by the end of the year (might be optimistic). I will try and safe it as it is already in its place and i am all into recycling. I will keep you posted.

[Tman122]

Yea get somebody to look at it. If your comfortable stick a shop vac on the lines and blow and suck on them see if you get any water. Open the valves and close them and try it both ways.

[abec91]

Wow, some spa place near me just quoted me 1500pounds or possibly more saying that D1 parts are hard to come by. All this from just the pic. Might get a second opinion on that one.