Prospective Buyer Looking for Info

[MACinPittsford]

Hi,  I'm renovating my house and want to buy a hot tub for my sun room.  To fit through the door, it has to have one of the sides be 76" or less.  I'd like the tub to fit 4 or 5 people, and I don't really want a soft tub.  I should add I've never owned a hot tub.

I've found a few spas that fit my criteria, and the prices vary considerably.

Nordic Spas Retreat
Hot Springs Prodigy
Caldera Spas Martinique (not sure if this is available locally)
Sundance Marin
Whitewater Spas S101
DreamMaker X400

I've been leaning toward the Retreat since it is several thousand dollars less than the Prodigy, Marin or S101, but it seems a lot nicer than the X400.

I probably won't use the tub more than a few times per month.  And my sun room is fairly small.  Also, I live in Western NY, so it's a cold climate.

Does anyone have recommendations or experience with these or any others that may fit my requirements? 

For an indoor hot tub, would I need a ventillation system in my sunroom?  When the cover is on, will it contain the moisture so that it doesn't permeate the rest of the house?

Will there be an odor in the house from the chemical disinfectants?

I'm having a hard time finding prices on the internet for comparison.  I'm assuming the prices given to me by the local dealers are list prices.  If they are willing to deal, is there any suggestion as to how much discount I might expect?

Thanks in advance.

MAC

[Bonibelle]

I think what you are going to find is that most folks on here will suggest that you to have your tub outdoors. You will definitely need a good ventilation system for the moisture that will be released into your sun room. You also need to be sure that the floor can support the weight of a filled tub. And you will get the smell of off gassing chemicals when you shock the tub. IF you use bromine, you may even notice the smell more.

My husband loves the warm weather and until we got our tub he NEVER enjoyed being out in the cold. There is something very special about sitting in hot water when the air temperature is in the 20's or 30's and the snow is flying. The stars and the winter sky are something that you would not enjoy if your tub was placed in your sun room. A hot cup of coffee and a morning soak when the sun is coming up or a glass of wine when the sun is going down are things that I think about..and now that the weather is turning colder, the hot tub is much more appealing.

So yes, there are some very special considerations for you if you intend to use the tub indoors. And there are folks on here who can help you determine what you need to do, but maybe just consider if you would like the tub under the stars, with no worries about too much moisture...where you can sit in a foot of snow in your bathing suit (or not) in hot water..

[Spatech_tuo]

I probably won't use the tub more than a few times per month.  And my sun room is fairly small.  Also, I live in Western NY, so it's a cold climate.

Does anyone have recommendations or experience with these or any others that may fit my requirements? 

For an indoor hot tub, would I need a ventillation system in my sunroom?  When the cover is on, will it contain the moisture so that it doesn't permeate the rest of the house?

Will there be an odor in the house from the chemical disinfectants?

I'm having a hard time finding prices on the internet for comparison.  I'm assuming the prices given to me by the local dealers are list prices.  If they are willing to deal, is there any suggestion as to how much discount I might expect?

Thanks in advance.

MAC

Having lived in Rochester I know the area and as cold/windy as the winters are I still say put the spa outside but if you want it indoors you need to know a couple things. With the cover on it'll hold in the moisture (assuming a good cover) but when you open it you will need ventilation.

The prices they give aren't necessarily list prices but they shouldn't be considered their final prices either. Some may have given a high price expecting you'll counter; some may have given a true sales price close to their bottom line price. You will only know by haggling and you won't know how much until you try. Tell them are shopping around and need their best price. Then when you find what you want counter that "best price" and see what they say. If they don't move much or at all maybe that is their best price but just be firm yet polite and they shouldn't mind you pushing back for a better deal.

From your list the Hot Spring, Caldera and Sundance definitely stand out as premium made spas IMO and I'd expect them to be cheaper to operate as well (energy efficiency).

[castletonia]

The Nordic Retreat is my #2 selling tub.  Great tub for the money.  Make sure it has the Title 20 insulation upgrade as it will be more energy efficient.  They also just came out with a 220v only version of the Retreat that has a larger motor, LED light and dual water features.  If you are planning on a 220 hook up then I would go this route as the 220v motor will be more efficient than the 110v motor the Retreat normally has.

[MACinPittsford]

Thanks for the comments.

[MACinPittsford]

Castletonia, is the Title 20 insulation as important if the tub is indoors?  Also, do they add insulation to the cover as well?  I'm wondering how effective it is to add insulation to the tub walls if the R value of the cover is so much lower (38 on the sides versus 7.5 through the cover, if I am reading the Nordic Web site correctly).

I definitely would go with 220.  Is the 220 only model already at the stores, or is it a special order?  The model on the floor here locally had the option of 110 or 220, and had no led lights or other bells and whistles.  Do you have a rough idea how much i should expect these options to add to the price?

Thanks.

[castletonia]

I was just notified this past Monday about the 220v only version so it would likely be a special order.  The 220v one should be $400-$500 more depending on your dealer.  I don't personally think the Title 20 insulation is as important being indoors if the temperature is controlled but given that it is not an expensive option, I would get it.  In addition to the insulation value, I will dampen motor noise a bit too which since you are indoors would be a benefit.

[Spatech_tuo]

No doubt its not as important being indoors but it still will cost you more to heat it. If they had to add insulation to pass the standard then its probably not very energy efficient without that added insulation because the standard is not all that rigid from what I'm told.

The other point was a good one; being indoors the insultion will help with sound too but it brings up yet another point. If this is indoors where the spa could be heard when not in use I pwersonally would only consider a spa that uses a circ pump for filtering which can't be heard. Six hours per day with the jet pump in filter mode is not something I'd want to listen to when in the house doing other things unless this is flat out in an area where it just couldn't be head.

[castletonia]

The standard Nordic insulation did pass the CEC requirements however they wanted to be closer in efficiency to the big names (Hot Springs, Sundance, D1, etc.).  I agree a circulation pump is always quieter than a jet pump, but the Nordics are what i consider to be very quiet for a 1.5 or 2.5 hp pump.