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Best base for a hot tub?


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Old 05-12-2016, 10:42
ajfuk
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We have saved up some money and can now buy a hot tub, but i have a question as i am unsure, what is the best base to use?

Some people have them on concrete bases, others have them stood on top of decking and others just on regular patio slabs.

I priced up for a concrete base and it came out at £600, not something i want to spend.

Will a patio area, and decking support the weight ?
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Old 05-12-2016, 10:53
Chris Frost
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Have you not checked Google?

http://www.hottubbase.co.uk/?gclid=C...FeG87QodWEYDtA

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/you...ase--6-options

It doesn't seem like a particularly difficult topic to research. I wonder though, if you're trying to do this on the cheap have you fully investigated the maintenance and running costs of a tub?
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Old 05-12-2016, 11:09
juliancarswell
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" Best base for a hot tub? "


A sound marriage.😊
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Old 05-12-2016, 11:11
Elyan
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Check out a few swingers' sites. They'll know.
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Old 05-12-2016, 12:00
Fizzbin
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Depends on the type of hot tub, I should think.
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Old 05-12-2016, 12:34
eggchen
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We have saved up some money and can now buy a hot tub, but i have a question as i am unsure, what is the best base to use?

Some people have them on concrete bases, others have them stood on top of decking and others just on regular patio slabs.

I priced up for a concrete base and it came out at £600, not something i want to spend.

Will a patio area, and decking support the weight ?
Just do what we did and put it on the front lawn so all the neighbours can see how upmarket you'v'e gone.
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Old 05-12-2016, 12:36
MAW
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They usually weigh something like 1.5 tons, full of water and people. You're going to need a well built deck.
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Old 05-12-2016, 20:04
seacam
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We have saved up some money and can now buy a hot tub, but i have a question as i am unsure, what is the best base to use?

Some people have them on concrete bases, others have them stood on top of decking and others just on regular patio slabs.

I priced up for a concrete base and it came out at £600, not something i want to spend.

Will a patio area, and decking support the weight ?
Maw is right to point out possible issues with the strength of your existing decking support.

Concrete and tiled, plastic blocking, pea shingle and slabs, it really is down to budget, taste and support.
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Old 05-12-2016, 20:43
Chris Frost
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Just do what we did and put it on the front lawn so all the neighbours can see how upmarket you'v'e gone.
Yep, that's classy, right there. Park it next to the clapped out and rusting car. Surround it with a range of abandoned kids outdoor toys - I find that the Little Tykes Cozy Coupe with sun-bleach-faded colours along with a broken tricycle and some rusty Tonka toys sets the mood just right. For added authenticity cultivate the grass in clumps ranging from 6" to 12" tall and the sprinkle liberally with dog poo hidden in strategic places to catch out the unwary.
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Old 05-12-2016, 21:25
gateaux
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We have saved up some money and can now buy a hot tub, but i have a question as i am unsure, what is the best base to use?

Some people have them on concrete bases, others have them stood on top of decking and others just on regular patio slabs.

I priced up for a concrete base and it came out at £600, not something i want to spend.

Will a patio area, and decking support the weight ?
If you've saved up enough money for a hot tub, why would you spend it on a hot tub?
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Old 05-12-2016, 21:26
solarflare
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I'm guessing "jelly" would not be the correct answer.
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Old 05-12-2016, 22:15
seacam
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If you've saved up enough money for a hot tub, why would you spend it on a hot tub?
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Old 06-12-2016, 09:18
ajfuk
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Just do what we did and put it on the front lawn so all the neighbours can see how upmarket you'v'e gone.
I have MS so this will really help my health. Im not sure i want our neighbours to see me struggling in & out.

But many thanks for the suggestion
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Old 06-12-2016, 09:19
ajfuk
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Yep, that's classy, right there. Park it next to the clapped out and rusting car. Surround it with a range of abandoned kids outdoor toys - I find that the Little Tykes Cozy Coupe with sun-bleach-faded colours along with a broken tricycle and some rusty Tonka toys sets the mood just right. For added authenticity cultivate the grass in clumps ranging from 6" to 12" tall and the sprinkle liberally with dog poo hidden in strategic places to catch out the unwary.
Wow another fantastic response, i have a brand new car which isnt on finance. very little mortgage left, and no children. Also i have MS and this will help with my health issues.

But big thanks to your awesome insight!
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Old 06-12-2016, 09:20
ajfuk
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Because i have MS and it will help with my health, is that not allowed ?
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Old 06-12-2016, 09:33
MAW
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Because i have MS and it will help with my health, is that not allowed ?
This kind of thing is usual on DS. We have one, my wife has Rheumatoid arthritis. It may not actually 'help', with that, or MS, but it does make her feel better for a while, and I daresay it will be the same for you. We had ours fully outdoors on a deck for a while, but now it's in a sliding roof enclosure. It can be used all year round that way, or in the rain. We found the running costs are the limiting factor for year round use otherwise. They just lose too much heat in cooler weather. It's a big hit on the leccy bill if you have it outside. Ours is on a concrete insulated pad, which I built.
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Old 06-12-2016, 10:11
Brian The Dog
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It's simple:

Anything containing a load of water is going to be extremely heavy.
If any base is not able to support such weight then it will over time give way or may do it suddenly.
Depending on the way this accident happens it may result in anything from slight inconvenience to serious injury to death.

So first look up the stats of the weight of your tub when it is full of water. Add on weight of the maximum number of people it holds and then research if the area you want to put it can hold that sort of weight.

You mentioned decking: That decking was only installed with the weight of people walking on it taken into consideration. It will have to be reinforced to make it suitable for its new use.
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Old 06-12-2016, 10:34
grumpyscot
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Put it this way, you'll have a weight of over 2.5 tonnes. You'll need power (certified electrician), plumbing (water feed and drain) -therefore building regs approval for plumbing and electrics. My driveway supports a 2 tonne car, and needed a foundation 18" thick to support it.

Apart from building regs approval may also require planning permission, depending on your local authority and the actual proposed siting. Plus, I would check title deeds to see there are no covenants prohibiting a hot tub.

I know my son's next door neighbour had to remove his because the water company declined permission for it to be sited over a main water supply.

You would be as well installing a jacuzzi indoors - at least yo could use that in all weathers!
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Old 06-12-2016, 14:07
seacam
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Because i have MS and it will help with my health, is that not allowed ?
Hi,

I wasn't asking why, none of my business, I didn't understand the response Gateaux gave you.
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Old 06-12-2016, 14:50
MAW
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Hi,

I wasn't asking why, none of my business, I didn't understand the response Gateaux gave you.
it was a load of bolleaux
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Old 06-12-2016, 15:25
seacam
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it was a load of bolleaux
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Old 07-12-2016, 08:29
Glawster2002
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Put it this way, you'll have a weight of over 2.5 tonnes. You'll need power (certified electrician), plumbing (water feed and drain) -therefore building regs approval for plumbing and electrics. My driveway supports a 2 tonne car, and needed a foundation 18" thick to support it.

Apart from building regs approval may also require planning permission, depending on your local authority and the actual proposed siting. Plus, I would check title deeds to see there are no covenants prohibiting a hot tub.

I know my son's next door neighbour had to remove his because the water company declined permission for it to be sited over a main water supply.

You would be as well installing a jacuzzi indoors - at least yo could use that in all weathers!
As someone who has owned a hot tub for over 18 years I'm sorry but what a complete load of nonsense!!!

The only thing you may need is an external power feed, depending on the location and power requirements of the hot tub. Ours runs off a standard 13A plug so all we were required to provide is a suitable external power socket with integral RCD,

There are no plumbing needs apart from a tap and a hose to fill it and a drain for when it needs emptying. No planning permission, building regs, or anything else is required.

As for the OPs question, a suitable hard standing is required. Because the wright is distributed evenly a typical patio is more than sufficient. That is all ours is on and we've never had any problems.
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Old 07-12-2016, 11:26
seacam
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As someone who has owned a hot tub for over 18 years I'm sorry but what a complete load of nonsense!!!

The only thing you may need is an external power feed, depending on the location and power requirements of the hot tub. Ours runs off a standard 13A plug so all we were required to provide is a suitable external power socket with integral RCD,

There are no plumbing needs apart from a tap and a hose to fill it and a drain for when it needs emptying. No planning permission, building regs, or anything else is required.

As for the OPs question, a suitable hard standing is required. Because the wright is distributed evenly a typical patio is more than sufficient. That is all ours is on and we've never had any problems.
Until it leans.
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Old 07-12-2016, 13:45
Glawster2002
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Until it leans.
All I can go on is my experienced based upon the 18 years I've owned a hot tub and we have never had that problem.

If the patio is laid correctly in the first place there is no reason why there should be an issue.
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Old 07-12-2016, 17:11
grumpyscot
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As someone who has owned a hot tub for over 18 years I'm sorry but what a complete load of nonsense!!!

The only thing you may need is an external power feed, depending on the location and power requirements of the hot tub. Ours runs off a standard 13A plug so all we were required to provide is a suitable external power socket with integral RCD,

There are no plumbing needs apart from a tap and a hose to fill it and a drain for when it needs emptying. No planning permission, building regs, or anything else is required.

As for the OPs question, a suitable hard standing is required. Because the wright is distributed evenly a typical patio is more than sufficient. That is all ours is on and we've never had any problems.
You obviously don't live in our county then. And electrical regs insist that the cable is armoured and at a specified depth. I guess yours was installed long before regs were updated.
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