Tub covers - space to allow?

[caribbeansun]

I was wondering how the cover lifters worked from the perspective of allowing space behind the tub for the cover to sit in (ie. between the back of the spa and say a retaining wall?  

Also, for those that sink their tubs into the ground or a deck say a couple of feet does this mean that the cover just sticks up an extra couple of feet on one end rather than presumably hiding behind the tub?

Never having owned a spa I have no idea how this would work or look like and I need to know how much room to leave in order to accomodate the cover.

Thanks in advance.

[wetone]

For hot tubs that are not built into a deck or sunk into the ground the clearance required at the back is between 18" to 24" depending on the type of cover lifter.

For hot tubs that are built in or sunk into a deck require a different type of lifter, one that lifts the cover up higher therefor requiring less clearance at the back of the spa.

A few different installations with lifters.

http://www.abchottubs.com/onlineshowroom.htm