Your COMPLETE Guide to Hot Tub Delivery: What You REALLY Need to Know
Choosing where to put your hot tub is one of the first decisions that you need to make, often coming even before you decide which hot tub model you want to purchase.
And here’s what typically comes right after that is this question: How are you going to get it there?
Delivery is one of the core parts of buying a hot tub. It’s up there with choosing the appropriate model and building an ideal spot for your hot tub.
We generally advise that as a process at Hydropool: Choose a model, then get an install plan, which includes delivery.
If you want to have an indoor hot tub, space is one of the most important considerations. Often, people will wonder if a hot tub will fit through their door and what the proper measurements must be to ensure that the hot tub will safely fit through your door frame.
And if it’s outside? Similar issues exist. How big of a gap do you need to deliver? How much space do you need to leave around your hot tub once it is placed? These are all things best to figure out beforehand (so you don’t have to wait, we’ll give you the quick answers: you generally need a 40” gap in width and 100” in height for delivery and you should leave 2-3 feet surrounding your hot tub).
In this article, we’ll go over what you need to know to have a hot tub delivered. We will cover:
- Having your hot tub delivered outside, to your backyard
- Having your hot tub delivered inside your house
- Specific hot tub delivery issues
Hopefully, by the end, you’ll have a strong sense of what you need to have in place to have a hassle-free delivery!
How Do I Prepare for a Backyard Hot Tub Delivery?
The first thing is determining you have the right space in general.
- You need to leave two to three feet around your hot tub. This is to allow for any future repairs, so that the service person has room to access the hot tub.
- Make sure you have enough space for delivery.
Here are the core questions we ask for any hot tub delivery to the backyard: “Do we have 40 inches through the gate and 100 inches in height? Any hills, steps or slopes?”
The width and height are important because hot tubs can be delivered on their side in most situations, making them skinny and tall as opposed to square or rectangular. That’s what typically gets them through most urban gates and down driveways.
If you don’t have that width or height available, we’d encourage you to contact a local retailer who will then come out and assess how the hot tub could be delivered. In some cases, boards or fences need to be removed, in other cases a knock on the neighbour’s door may be to come in from another side.
In many cases – most! - hot tubs can be delivered via dolly, which is to say, placed on a board with wheels and rolled near their eventual resting spot, before being gently eased into place.
Most hot tub deliveries can be accomplished with a dolly
Almost all delivery issues can be overcome when it comes to hot tubs. What’s key is knowing them in advance. That’s why the “hills, steps or slopes” question comes in. Ramps can be built as short-term solutions as examples, but you’ll likely need to provide pictures or have an onsite visit happen beforehand.
There are also cranes. If your situation is particularly difficult, your hot tub can be lifted and gently placed. This is more common for swim spas, but also done for hot tubs. As you’ll see below, there’s also the odd time when a helicopter gets involved! But those are usually for condo balcony deliveries -- they are typically quite rare.
How Much Does a Hot Tub Delivery Cost?
There’s a range: It will depend on where you live and how far the hot tub must travel to your home. Delivery will usually be around $500, but it can also often be incorporated into the price of the hot tub. This is something that can be negotiated at the time of purchase.
Can I Have a Hot Tub Delivered Inside My House?
While a sunroom or garage are usually easy to fit a hot tub through the door, other areas may be more difficult. For an average-sized hot tub, you will need a door frame that is at least 40” wide and 80” tall to ensure proper clearance.
Here’s a handy tip: If you are in the construction phase of your home, installing French doors is a perfect way to allow plenty of room to get your hot tub to its desired location inside.
How Do I Make Sure My House is Ready for a Hot Tub Delivery?
It’s not strictly a delivery issue, but before installing an indoor hot tub, but wherever it goes, you want to ensure that you have an adequate foundation and support.
- The floor surface needs to be strong enough to not only support the weight of the hot tub itself but the additional weight of when it is filled with water and has bathers in it - which can easily reach over 3,000 pounds.
- Hot tubs also produce steam and humidity which can form condensation if your room is not properly ventilated. Having the proper HVAC systems or fans will ensure that the humidity produced by the hot tub will be exited from the room, preventing moisture build up.
- It is recommended to use hot tub-friendly wall materials such as cement, glass, and tile to prevent damage or rotting to the structure of your home. In addition to the walls, flooring is also an important consideration. Installing a non-slip floor is essential for safety.
Can a Hot Tub Fit Inside in Any House?
If you are faced with smaller doorways or a staircase that may be difficult to maneuver a hot tub inside, you do have options. Hydropool, for example, has smaller-sized hot tub models that can easily fit through small doors and tight spaces, making tougher installations possible. The Hydropool Signature 379 has a 30” version which is much easier to install.
Again, you’re going to want to work with a local retailer here on selecting the right hot tub to both fit your space and fit in your space.
What if I Have Specific Hot Tub Delivery Issues?
We do get some wild ones. Check out this video, which sees a Hydropool delivered by helicopter:
If you have a specific hot tub delivery issue – such as a patio on a condo, for example - this is when you want to be sure you’re buying from a local retailer, who can help you figure it out, rather than just dump your hot tub on your driveway.
What Do I Need to Know to Get a Hot Tub Delivered?
Whether your hot tub is inside or outside of your home, the same rule applies: The main thing you need to know is if you have 40” of width and 100” of height, all the way to the hot tub’s final location, as well as a clear path without obstacles.
There are special hot tubs designed to go into tighter spaces, sold by us at Hydropool and at other retailers. There are also options such as cranes for dropping hot tubs in place, in especially tricky-to-access situations.
Our main point here is that there are often options if you’re facing any kind of delivery issue. But you’ll want to work with your local retailer to figure them out. You can find your local Hydropool dealer here.
