How to Prepare Your Garden Space for a Hot Tub Installation
Knowing the hot tub you’ve purchased is on its way, and you’ll soon be taking a dip and enjoying the fantastic health benefits of hydromassage is exciting. But there are a few things to do beforehand to prepare your garden space for the hot tub’s arrival. Here we’re going to look at the primary considerations you’ll need to make before delivery to ensure everything is ready for when the hot tub arrives.
Surface Area
Preparing the ground where the hot tub will be placed is important to take some time over and ensure it’s done correctly. Like many large items, a hot tub will require care when its placed, and one of the requirements is that the hot tub base lies on a flat and even surface. This is so the hot tub can work as intended, the hydromassage benefits are fully realised, and no jets are starved of water due to being on an uneven surface.
If you’ve chosen an in deck, semi-recessed or in-ground installation, you’ll need to ensure the appropriate parameters are in place, such as a concrete vault, before delivery so the installation can proceed smoothly. These will require planning to make sure enough time is given for these to be in place before the delivery of the hot tub.
Talk to your dealer about the best way forward and whether laying a concrete base for the hot tub is best or arranging an area in your garden that is flat enough and won’t require concrete to take a hot tub base pad. Either way, the surface will need to be flat while also allowing access to the cabinetry if free standing, with two feet on at least one side accessible for servicing.
Electrical Supply
Some hot tubs can be very easy to set up and require less electrical work, being simply a plugin and play type of scenario. But that isn’t the case with all hot tubs. Some models and collections will require additional electrical wiring to be in place in order to use the hot tub.
Speaking with your dealer about this will inform you whether an electrician will need to be called prior to the installation. Preparing for this will need to be done before delivery and installation, so you can start using your hot tub as soon as possible.
Final Location
Settling on a great location beforehand will help make everything during the installation process go smoother, and it’s important to not see a hot tub as something that can be moved easily. Hot tubs vary in weight, but the majority are heavy without water and become much heavier when full, so moving one, if needed, should be carefully considered.
Thinking about where you want the hot tub to be placed before delivery and seeing it as a permanent space within the garden will help you make it part of the garden aesthetic and a great focal point to build around.Your dealer will help you find the perfect spot in your outdoor space to maximise the benefits the hot tub can bring. It’s also important to think about space around the hot tub as well, whether you want room for people to move about and if it will be complemented by a seating area.
Privacy and Sunlight
Privacy and sunlight are important factors to consider. If you live in a built-up area where you have neighbours overlooking the location of where your hot tub is going to be, it’s worth looking at how much privacy you want as well as how much direct sunlight. Shelters like wooden gazebos can provide protection from the elements and keep out debris such as tree leaves but also offer a level of privacy for you and your guests.
As with many considerations with the pre-install process, speaking with your dealer will enable you to have a better picture of how best to approach this before the hot tub arrives.
Clear Access
One of the most important things to consider is accessibility. The hot tub cabinetry will need to be accessed at some point for serving or maintenance purposes, so ensuring there is enough space for that to happen is worth considering when it comes to hot tub placement.
A hot tub can be placed against a wall or fence, no problem at all, but a least one side will need to be clear to enable access, making fewer headaches all around. If you’re planning on an in-ground or semi-recessed installation, talk with your dealer about the best way to create access to the plumbing and parts.
Drainage and Power Points
Draining your hot tub will need to be done every 3-4 months for hygiene purposes, and so having good access to your drains is important, as using a hose to drain the hot tub can take some time.
Locating where your nearest drain is to the hot tub is also key, as this will be needed when draining the hot tub for maintenance or moving is necessary. Draining, if not done correctly, could harm the area around the hot tub as well as other parts of your garden, along with flooding it. Placing your hot tub within easy access of a drain will ensure quick drainage can happen, and you can be refilling the hot tub and enjoying it in no time.
FINAL POINTS
As with all pre-installation considerations, speaking with your dealer and discussing these factors during the site inspection will help prepare your garden for the hot tub installation and make the whole process smoother.
Not sure what type of installation you’re looking for? Check out our hot tub inspiration gallery. Haven’t decided on which hot tub will work best for you? Click here for a free brochure, and we’ll get in touch to help you find the perfect hot tub.