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Best base for a hot tub?
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ajfuk
05-12-2016
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 ?
Chris Frost
05-12-2016
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?
juliancarswell
05-12-2016
" Best base for a hot tub? "


A sound marriage.😊
Elyan
05-12-2016
Check out a few swingers' sites. They'll know.
Fizzbin
05-12-2016
Depends on the type of hot tub, I should think.
eggchen
05-12-2016
Originally Posted by ajfuk:
“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.
MAW
05-12-2016
They usually weigh something like 1.5 tons, full of water and people. You're going to need a well built deck.
seacam
05-12-2016
Originally Posted by ajfuk:
“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.
Chris Frost
05-12-2016
Originally Posted by eggchen:
“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.
gateaux
05-12-2016
Originally Posted by ajfuk:
“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?
solarflare
05-12-2016
I'm guessing "jelly" would not be the correct answer.
seacam
05-12-2016
Originally Posted by gateaux:
“If you've saved up enough money for a hot tub, why would you spend it on a hot tub?”

ajfuk
06-12-2016
Originally Posted by eggchen:
“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
ajfuk
06-12-2016
Originally Posted by Chris Frost:
“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!
ajfuk
06-12-2016
Originally Posted by seacam:
“”

Because i have MS and it will help with my health, is that not allowed ?
MAW
06-12-2016
Originally Posted by ajfuk:
“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.
Brian The Dog
06-12-2016
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.
grumpyscot
06-12-2016
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!
seacam
06-12-2016
Originally Posted by ajfuk:
“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.
MAW
06-12-2016
Originally Posted by seacam:
“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
seacam
06-12-2016
Originally Posted by MAW:
“it was a load of bolleaux”

Glawster2002
07-12-2016
Originally Posted by grumpyscot:
“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.
seacam
07-12-2016
Originally Posted by Glawster2002:
“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.
Glawster2002
07-12-2016
Originally Posted by seacam:
“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.
grumpyscot
07-12-2016
Originally Posted by Glawster2002:
“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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