Hot Tub Enclosures

[silverbullet]

I had a cheap gazebo from Menards with 3 sides mosquito netting which worked pretty good from keeping crud out of the tub when we were using it & breaking up the wind, It blew away.
I live in Central Wisconsin.

I kind of like it being topless & looking at the stars when soaking but my bride thinks differently. She doesn't like it & hardly uses the tub since the top blew away. I also have a large birch tree nearby along with some long needle pines which can be pretty messy. Realistically a top of some sort would be in a good idea.

So we've been looking around. And of course our dealer wants to sell us his turn key cover that lifts to a top for a mere $7.000. In which I replied I'm certainly not gonna put a 7k top over a 7k tub.

The one that has caught our eye is Tub Tops by Sequoia Works. The one we are considering is the fully enclosed as pictured here, http://www.sequoiaworks.com/tubtop-model-c/ I like the idea of the sky lite in this also.

Does anyone here have one of these Tops from this company? if so how do you like it? Is this company good to work with? I find these priced  compareable to having one built without siding.

With the snow we get here in Wisconsin winters I want to stay away from fabric tops.

What kind of enclosure do you have?

[BullFrogSpasMN]

I don't personally have one yet, but we sell a few that I like, here is a popular we keep on the floor: http://www.visscherspecialty.com/products/mt-alta

rarely see the Tubtop models anymore, Sequoia may be the only company in the country building them nowadays, it will serve its purpose but to me they can feel a little cramped, I think I like a little more space...keep an eye on craigslist for cheaper enclosures as well, people often times give them away for little to nothing if they buy a house and it doesn't fit into the backyard plans

[Tman122]

There are a ton of plans out there for build your own gazebo's?

[wmccall]

With no actual experience with them, I too think we would feel cramped.  We also depend on the cool air to keep us comfortable when we do long soaks in really hot water.  Hopefully your wife will lose the preference against the open tub. We were talking about this last night as rain is the only thing that keeps us out of our tub and we estimate we have and still use our tub 300 days a year. 

[silverbullet]

I don't personally have one yet, but we sell a few that I like, here is a popular we keep on the floor: http://www.visscherspecialty.com/products/mt-alta

rarely see the Tubtop models anymore, Sequoia may be the only company in the country building them nowadays, it will serve its purpose but to me they can feel a little cramped, I think I like a little more space...keep an eye on craigslist for cheaper enclosures as well, people often times give them away for little to nothing if they buy a house and it doesn't fit into the backyard plans

A agree with you on the extra space. My other concern would be the "Echo" effect in such a small space. I have a bluetooth stereo & when the Gkids are over it could get a bit noisy in a small space.

The Visscher looks nice & will look into those. What else is out there?

[silverbullet]

I don't personally have one yet, but we sell a few that I like, here is a popular we keep on the floor: http://www.visscherspecialty.com/products/mt-alta

rarely see the Tubtop models anymore, Sequoia may be the only company in the country building them nowadays, it will serve its purpose but to me they can feel a little cramped, I think I like a little more space...keep an eye on craigslist for cheaper enclosures as well, people often times give them away for little to nothing if they buy a house and it doesn't fit into the backyard plans

Being sort of new to this (my second year as a hot tub owner) I'm curious as to why you rarely see tub tops anymore? They look attractive, seem more affordable, And with all the glass on the tub top it wouldn't seem so cramped. Just Curious.

[BullFrogSpasMN]

I don't personally have one yet, but we sell a few that I like, here is a popular we keep on the floor: http://www.visscherspecialty.com/products/mt-alta

rarely see the Tubtop models anymore, Sequoia may be the only company in the country building them nowadays, it will serve its purpose but to me they can feel a little cramped, I think I like a little more space...keep an eye on craigslist for cheaper enclosures as well, people often times give them away for little to nothing if they buy a house and it doesn't fit into the backyard plans

Being sort of new to this (my second year as a hot tub owner) I'm curious as to why you rarely see tub tops anymore? They look attractive, seem more affordable, And with all the glass on the tub top it wouldn't seem so cramped. Just Curious.

It just seems to be the trend...back in the 90's EVERYONE bought a redwood gazebo or tub top with their spa and now they just don't sell, same the with motorized Covana, dealers are moving those at cost just to get them off the floor.  I think part of the issue as well is everyone now days wants maintenance free materials that last a lifetime, unfortunately most of that stuff available to pool/spa retailers is NOT being stuffed in a container and shipped from China, but instead being built in the US and therefore those new enclosures can get quite expensive (especially if you're shipping it across the country) so its tough to compete against LOWES, Costco, Menards, and all those other companies offering cheap Chinese enclosures so many dealers refuse to waste their retail space on them.

[silverbullet]

That covana is the 7k lift cover that our spa dealer stared carrying. said he was gonna have a top that will crank up for about 4k in spring.

For a middle of the road guy like me everything is to overpriced or (as you said) Cheap chinese junk not worthy of a showroom floor space & that's why the Sequoia keeps looking good for my Bride & I.
Even the small Visscher is $4.200 (Unassembled) and offers half the protection.

The fabric tops are out. Not so cheap to buy them & not so cheap to replace the top. And here in Wisconsin you can't let to much snow accumilate on them.