Hot tub or basement??

[GCLOUD911]

OK, I know the last topic I started was Hot Spring or Arctic Spas...

Well, we decided on the Arctic Spa...have it all set to order, all we have to do is call the dealer and say "GO"...and then we get home and start feeling guilty about it and start to think maybe we should be using our extra fun $$$ to start finishing our basement first???  And now we're debating over our hot tub or putting in a nice family room and bathroom to start off our basement!!

I know this is a strange comparison for this forum, but I just wanted to see what kind of response I'd get.

We'd love to have both and we know the basement is the more practical use and would increase the value of our house...but you just can't soak in a basement!!  Or, if you can, maybe you should have your basement fixed!

Dilemma  :-/

[Payton3485]

Easy choice if you ask me, do the basement! We had our basement finished in 2001 and it was the best thing we ever did! The hot tub is second but a distant second. Just my opinion.................

[Spatech_tuo]

You sound like me when I have to make decisions like this. I go round and round and go nuts for a few days weighing my options but by doing so I make sure I've thought it through and avoided the buyer's remorse. I'd love to give you advice but this can only be answered by yourself and your wife. Take your time and think it over.

[drober30]

If you’re not going to move then put the money into your house.

I finished my basement and that’s were we live.

Two years later I purchased a hot tub.

I could not imagine living in my house without my basement now.

It was a 1650 square foott ranch and the basement added another 1200.

[GCLOUD911]

I'd love to give you advice but this can only be answered by yourself and your wife. Take your time and think it over.

That would be "myself and my husband"  Otherwise it would be like talking to myself!!  Which seems to happen at times anyway!!    

I think we're driving our spa salesman nuts!!

[Vinny]

My personal opinion is to list why you want to finish off the basement. If you come up with logical reasons then do the basement. What the logical reasons are is up to you.

Look at things such as how high the ceiling is, where are the waste pipes if your planning on sinks or bathroom. If you're making it living space, what do you need to pass codes.

The few basements that I have heard of  being finished have never been used  ... one was to have the kids play down there, well they never did, another became a finished holding area for junk.

My wife and I tossed the idea around but we decided that we will leave it alone as is except to add a wall to enclose the washer/dryer area eventually.

Being of Italian heritage and coming from New York City, I really don't want to finish off the basement, I have flashbacks of my relatives and friend's families having kitchen, bathrooms and family rooms down there and NEVER being allowed upstairs! It was like the boogie man would get you for just suggesting to use the upstairs areas -  LOL (No one but a NY Italian may get this!)

[GCLOUD911]

My personal opinion is to list why you want to finish off the basement. If you come up with logical reasons then do the basement. What the logical reasons are is up to you.

Look at things such as how high the ceiling is, where are the waste pipes if your planning on sinks or bathroom. If you're making it living space, what do you need to pass codes.

We actually have really nice plans for the basement.  Nice big full bathroom, bar/entertainment area, tray ceiling, possibly half logs to give it the lodge type feel, etc.  Nice area to retreat to.  Our last house was about 150 sq ft bigger than our new one and had both living and family room.  So we're missing that extra space.

We've already checked into the codes and all and we had a contractor friend of ours draw up the plans and he is willing to do it all himself or to teach us how to do some of the stuff if we want to learn...and we do!!

[spaman--]

Do the basement,come down see me get 12 mos. same as cash,(no payments no interest) on a hottub.You will be all set!

[GCLOUD911]

Thanks Spaman, but I can't see how we'd get the spa home from CO

[GCLOUD911]

How's this for a possible solution??!!  We might be able to have our cake AND eat it, too!!!  

Sounds like my hubby called the Arctic salesman that we've been dealing with today and told him our dilemma and the fact that with the tub and sound system set up that we were looking at we were a few thousand over the budget limit that we originally set aside for the tub.  He told my hubby that if we still want to go for a tub he would look into what he could do for us for price w/o the audio system and said when we decided we were ready for the sound system he would come out and intall it whenever we wanted for the same price that he quoted us originally...which was $1,200 less than what their sound system shows retail for!!!  

Now, if we do it this way that would put us back into our budget line to be able to do the basement and the hot tub!!!  YAHOO!!!  (If all works out)  I have to admit I really hate the thought of giving up the sound system...hubby doesn't mind either way, I'm the one who HAD to have it!  But I can live without it for now and we could still get the Summit Ultra like we were looking at.

GEEZ, more to think about!!!  The salesman at ARCTIC has been really really nice!!  Not pushy at all like some of them can be, and he respected the fact that we were trying to keep our heads on our shoulders and not do something we might not be totally comfortable with.

[bosco0633]

listen, I bought an arctic tubs as well, but lets face the facts, the sound system with the arctic is just to much money.  It is a 3500can upgrade here.  That is nuts.  I went to my local electronics shop and got a really nice pair of outdoor speakers and ran the wire to my home stereo for 250can total parts.  it sounds way nicer then a little marine stereo hooked up to transducers in a tub.  So what if you cant feel the base in your back, just one more thing to go wrong with a tub.  

As much as I love the arctic spas they must come down and enter the real world with these stereos.  


As for your basement.  My wife and I have gone the other way.  Outside first.  My little guy is just turning two and no plans for a second yet.  We have a big enough house right now 2300sqft without basement.  

The nice thing is, when I finish my basement, I can soak in my tub after all of my hard work every night.

Hope this helps, sounds like me when I was buying my tub.  I had major buyers remorse and the good people on this forum told me it was normal.  Two days and Spatopia....... I hope, maybe next Thursday now.

[johnvb]

listen, I bought an arctic tubs as well, but lets face the facts, the sound system with the arctic is just to much money.  It is a 3500can upgrade here.  That is nuts.  

I also skipped the sound system that could go in our spa. Since the tub is indoors, I already have outdoor speakers and equipment to set something up.

I was checking into getting a waterproof universal remote control to use in the tub, the only thing I have found so far is the Crestron WPR-48, which list for $700, but has to be used with a control system starting around $2000!

But I agree with you, my system will be made up of seperates, including an EQ to taylor the speakers to the spa room.

To GCLOUD911

I say go for the basement first, then use the addition's added equity to refinance or second a loan for the tub AND maybe add a nice home theater in the basement.

[MRB]

As far as the stereo for a spa... my opinion is that it's a complete waste of money.  Just have a look at the length of the warranty.
When I want to listen to music, I just put a boom box on the deck or play music from my pc and put the speakers outside.  Installing a deticated set of outdoor speakers is another good option.  The outdoor environment is hard on electronics.  If the speakers are the only component outdoors, replacement/repair costs over the long term will be minimal.
I realize that dealers are not likely to agree with me on this  

[wmccall]

How many kids at home?  If I had several, the family room would be higher priority.  But with none, and an achy over 40 body, the hot tub would be my preference.

[Perk1]

We love our finished basement.  If I add it all up I guess we have more money invested in the basement than the hot tub(2 pinball machines, slot machine, air hockey, pool table, electronic dart board, surround sound stereo and 32" TV vs. Hotspring Landmark)

For sound out by my spa I purchased a water resistent wireless speaker.  If I want music I can plug the transmitter into my stereo and put the speaker on my spa bar.  I also have a TV stand mounted to the eave of  my house so if the Eagles are playing I can plug the transmitter into the TV and listen to the game through the speaker.