Newbie looking for advice!

[PJRath]

Hi guys -  what a great forum you've got here.  My wife and I are looking to buy a hot tub and have narrowed it down to three.  I'd really appreciate your opinions about them and especially about whether pricing seems good or high.  We live in Danville, CA = which is about 25 miles east of San Francisco.  I'm guessing we're going to pay higher prices than the national average as a result.

1.  Sundance Chelsee:  $10,300 including cover and lift, steps, delivery, before tax.  We are wet testing tomorrow
2.  Hot Springs Limelight Pulse:  $11,900 including same stuff as above.  Only dry test available - seemed nice.  We could wet test the Vanguard which i think is similar. 
3.  D1 Meridian:  $8,895 including same stuff as above.  Not sure if wet test is available.

Some notes: 

-D1 and Hot Springs dealers have both been around 30+ years.  Family run, seemed service would be good with both.  I need to research the Sundance guys more on this issue.
-The D1 felt more cheaply built than the other two.  The plastic pillows were bad/flimsy feeling for example.
-Limelight is built in Mexico.  Doesn't mean it's inferior, but makes me suspect it could be.  Any particular insights on this would be helpful.
-Our neighbors have a Sundance, 2 years old.  Good experience so far. 
-Our current thought is that Sundance and HS are both nice, and the Sundance is quite a bit cheaper, so leaning that direction, pending the wet test. 

Also, we are leaning towards a reinforced concrete pad, but wonder what y'all think about crushed granite (or other) option?    ~$1000-1200 for the pad.

Thanks so much in advance for your help!
Paul & Laura

[Hottubguy]

All three are made in Mexico. About 3-4 miles apart. I’ve actually been to both factories. Both very well run operations. Watkins is Hot Spring and the Apollo group is Sundance and D-1. Pick the one you like he best!

[PJRath]

Thanks - that's good info!

Anybody have any thoughts on the pricing for the three tubs above, or comments regarding a proper foundation for a hot tub (concrete, crushed granite, hot tub interlocking pad, etc)?

[Sam]

Crushed granite works just fine if done right.  Frame it in so it doesn't settle or wash away.  You want the spa to be uniformly supported underneath by the rock only.  Not any framing. 

[silversun]

I think you can get the chelsee below 10k. I got pretty aggressive pricing when i was shopping around, I ultimately went with the Optima but the Chelsee is probably a better value given the price.

[Andocrx]

Hi there,

Just wondering did you end up buying a tub yet and if so which one did you end up going with? 

[PJRath]

Hi guys.  We pulled the trigger on the Sundance Chelsee two weeks ago.  It arrives Oct 19th.   My wife and I wet tested it along with the others and we really liked the way the Chelsee fit us - the variability of the jets and seats, it seems well-built, and the dealer has been around for +25 years.   It was close with the HotSprings unit, but that dealer just didn't impress us as being terribly knowledgeable about his product - although a very nice guy.  And the Sundance was less expensive too.  Finally, our good friends and neighbors down the street have a Sundance and they love it, with no problems so far anyway (pretty new, just 2 years old).

We've poured a concrete pad, landscaped around the area, and the 220 V line is buried, hooked up and all set to go.   Just waiting for delivery.   I had back surgery last year and am currently sporting a hard cast for recent wrist surgery (tore a ligament) which comes off the day before the spa arrives.  Recently retired, so looking forward to some 'therapy' (although my college son who's not far away at Berkeley seems to think we bought it for him and his buddies!

Appreciate all your help
Paul

[Andocrx]

Congrats Paul,

Give us an update once it arrives and you have used it for some time would love to hear how your enjoying it. The chelsee is one of the models we like along with the Optima but I dont think the optima is in our budget.   

[PJRath]

Thanks.  We wet tested the Optima at the same time as the Chelsee.   I really liked the "captain's chair" in the Optima - the jets were awesome.   But the other seats weren't as compelling and it was something like $3k more than the Chelsee.   We liked the Chelsee quite a bit and figured it wasn't worth the extra cash for the Optima.   Wet testing really does help the decision.

One correction to my note above:   I don't yet have the delivery date for the Chelsee - i was confusing it with a Sleep Number bed that we also just bought (and the bed delivers Oct 19).  I'll hopefully find out tomorrow what the Chelsee delivery date will be.  Was quoted for 4-6 weeks from ordering - and that was 2 weeks ago, so we'll see.

[silversun]

Congrats, great purchase! you will love it!

[swilly1000]

2.  Hot Springs Limelight Pulse: Only dry test available

Their loss.