installing spa in-ground

[paulitzlee]

I may need to get a new tub. Mine is 30 years old, and the heater doesn't appear to be working.

My wife insists a new tub be installed in the ground, like a swimming pool.

What are the issues with this?  Must the hole be lined with cement?  Plastic?  Or what?  Is electrical a major issue for in-ground tubs?  What about getting to the equipment for repairs and maintenance?  Are bugs an issue?  If the spa leaks, the water will go into the ground.  Is this an issue?  And down the line, if we need to replace the tub again, I guess we’ll to get one a similar size to the existing one to fit in the same hole.  Do tubs usually stay around the same exterior size?  And lastly, what is the approximate cost to sink a tub?  4 person, about 300 gallons.

And CAN a prefab fiberglass tub be installed in-ground?  Or do I need to have a tub custom-built, like a swimming pool with tile, etc..., for that?

Thanks!

[Hollywood]

I can only speak about the electricial requirements.  The equipment HAS to be accessable.  That leaves out a pre-fab hot tub.  If you want it in ground it will have to be one build into the ground just like a swimming pool where the equipment is in a separate location.

[Chas]

I can only speak about the electricial requirements.  The equipment HAS to be accessable.  That leaves out a pre-fab hot tub.  If you want it in ground it will have to be one build into the ground just like a swimming pool where the equipment is in a separate location.

Not at all true. When you set a self-contained spa into the ground, you simply set it into a vault. That allows drainage, airflow, and you can allow an extension of the bottom of the hole so that a tech can hop down to the floor level of the vault and do repair. How do you close off that hole? There are many ways. MANY ways. I have built a nice hatch (think boat hatch) out of some fancy hardwood like Jarrah, Mahogany, Apeton, or similar. Oil it once a year, or let it go grey, your call. Leave air spaces between the planks as you would on a boat, to allow air flow. Also this allows you to step out onto wood, which is usually not too hot in summer or ice cold in winter.

I have poured concrete lids for the hatch - takes two strong people to lift out, but you don't go down there that often. Perfect match to the concrete deck around the tub.

I have made the hatch out of exterior/marine plywood and finished it with epoxy deck finish - dead match to the concrete around the tub, including texture if you take care in applying it. May need a bolt or two on each side to keep it from warping over time. You can build it strong with structure beneath to avoid warping, but it adds weight of course.

You can put the sub-panel in the access area, I have seen sprinkler control systems end up down there too, but in any case, be SURE you allow good drainage. You will not usually get enough rain or melted snow down there to fill it up, its usually the owner who puts the garden hose in to fill/refill the tub and forgets it...

Here's one from Bullfog's site:



Here's one from HotSpring's site, with a wood deck surround. The HotSpring site offers several pages of images, along with ideas on how to set a tub down.

[Hollywood]

Fare enough.  I forgot one of my own favorite saying. 

"Yes it can be done.  All it takes is money."

[rin-spa-aic]

At my father's house there has been an in-ground spa with remote equipment pack as long as the pool has been there.

A couple years back it developed a leak and none of the local companies would look at it to estimate a repair.
Nor would any I contacted be interested in doing an in-ground vaulted installation.

So I went through the exercise of looking at the options for a replacement in-ground spa to replace it.

Ultimately I decided on a purpose built in-ground spa that could re-use the existing plumbing. The model we chose was a stainless steel Bradford Spa.
It doesn't have all the fancy jets of other tubs, but it is excellent quality and very comfortable.

A year or two later we pulled it out of the ground and moved it to an expansion of the pool deck.

The original design was sunk in with no access, one replaced we made a single access to the plumbing connections access similar as to shown in Chas concrete image.

You've inspired me to look back and provide some pictures.  I will start a new thread in the Show your Tub section and provide a link when it is up.

[rin-spa-aic]

In-ground Bradford Spa:

http://www.whatsthebest-hottub.com/forum/index.php/topic,16603.msg174849.html#msg174849