anyone built a hot tub (jacuzzi) ?

[cowboy]

I am about to start on a project to build a really nice hot tub, jacuzzi, spa, whatever you call it.

has anyone here done this?

I want to save a lot of money building it myself, but I want to have the jets, pump, heating, etc. as good as any company that builds the $10,000 models.

I am interested in any wholesale sources of great jets, pump, filter system, heating, chlorination, etc. and experiences you might have had building one of these.

I think it might save energy and warm-up time to go with gas heating, which I believe is quite a bit more rare on a spa.

any thoughts appreciated!

cheers!

cowboy

 

[SQLit]

I am about to start on a project to build a really nice hot tub, jacuzzi, spa, whatever you call it.

has anyone here done this?

I want to save a lot of money building it myself, but I want to have the jets, pump, heating, etc. as good as any company that builds the $10,000 models.

I am interested in any wholesale sources of great jets, pump, filter system, heating, chlorination, etc. and experiences you might have had building one of these.

I think it might save energy and warm-up time to go with gas heating, which I believe is quite a bit more rare on a spa.

any thoughts appreciated!

cheers!

cowboy

I built one of concrete block and tiled the inside back in 1980. Put the air lines and water lines in the block and then poured it solid. ( pity the fool that tries to remove it )

I found local suppliers for the equipment that I used. I used a paper cartridge filter. Actually made for a pool it was about 1.5 times the size I needed. It was a bargain so I bought it and then bought new filters. Bought a new pump, and heater. I used gas cause the gas was near. BTU's are the same so gas and electric of equal size should heat about the same in time. As for cost your local utility rates will govern.

Brother has a spa, 50 amps to the sucker. I am pretty sure it costs him close to $150 a month just in electricity. His has a computer so he programmed it so that it maintains the temp. He makes a lot more money that I do. He paid something like $10k for delivery and set up. We did the electric line and the pad. He does not have gas and was anti putting in propane. His neighbor has a couple of 100 lbs tanks of propane for his spa and pool.

My seats were made from pvc pipe with 1/4" holes drilled in them. I used a 2 hp blower. One bench was so powerful that I could not touch the seat when the air pump was on. ( planned that way ) The other side was lower and less violent. I did not worry about making recliners cause I knew I could never make it work right.

I used regular pool eyeball jets connected to a 2 inch line 2 per wall.

Chemical applications have to be done manually. Test the water after each use and then correct. To much of anything can be pretty nasty. I had a girl friend that was super sensitive to chorine. She did not even know it. Until an evening in the spa... Sure ruined that weekend. You will be amazed at how 2 bodies in a spa can screw up the chemical balance. I found that spas were a lot less forgiving than a pool. 'Course there is a lot less water.

 

[SteveB]

I am about to start on a project to build a really nice hot tub, jacuzzi, spa, whatever you call it.

has anyone here done this?

I want to save a lot of money building it myself, but I want to have the jets, pump, heating, etc. as good as any company that builds the $10,000 models.

I am interested in any wholesale sources of great jets, pump, filter system, heating, chlorination, etc. and experiences you might have had building one of these.

I think it might save energy and warm-up time to go with gas heating, which I believe is quite a bit more rare on a spa.

any thoughts appreciated!

cheers!

cowboy

It is a simple thing. All you need is about two million dollars worth of tooling and equipment.

Steve

 

[James (archive)]

just a thought - not to disway from building, but if you live in a medium to large size town people are always selling spas.

i just purchased a 1998 coleman, 6-7 seater with two recliners for $800, (the guy was getting a newer model with tvs and all that)

we paid a few hundred for electrical to be hardwired in, and total cost was no more than $1400. (transport, beer for my friends that helped)

just a thought, there's deals to be found, and you can probably get one that needs repair even cheaper.

i spent some time examining the electrical panel, pumps, hoses, insulation, learning where stuff is, so if i do have problems down the road i can hopefully diagnose myself

take care