When shopping for a hot tub, it is easy to focus on the spa price. But two hot tubs with similar price tags may not cost the same once delivery, setup, and needed accessories are added, which is why comparing prices should involve more than simply asking, “How much is the spa?”
A better question is, “What is included in that price?” Understanding exactly what comes with the purchase makes it easier to compare hot tubs fairly and know what you are actually getting for your money.
What Does All-Inclusive Hot Tub Pricing Mean?
There is no reason to assume every hot tub retailer includes the same items with a spa purchase. Before comparing prices, find out exactly what is—and is not—part of the quoted price.
At Love’s Hot Tubs, all-inclusive pricing currently includes:
- Hot tub cover
- Cover lifter
- Steps
- Complete chemical kit
- Local Treasure Valley delivery
- Backyard setup
Electrical work is not included.
Love’s lists these items as part of its all-inclusive pricing so customers can have a clearer idea of what comes with their purchase from the beginning.
Start With the Hot Tub Cover
A hot tub cover might sound like an accessory, but it is an important part of everyday hot tub ownership. When the spa is not being used, a properly fitted cover helps keep leaves, dirt, and other debris out of the water while also helping reduce heat loss.
Energy use is significant enough in portable spas that the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) maintains an industry standard specifically addressing portable-spa energy efficiency and standby power. Since a cover is something you will rely on throughout the life of your spa, it is worth knowing whether one is already included when comparing purchase prices.
A Cover Lifter Makes Everyday Use Easier
A hot tub cover does its job only if you are willing and able to put it on and take it off regularly. Covers can be bulky, especially on larger spas, so a cover lifter can make the process much easier by helping raise the cover and hold it out of the way while the hot tub is being used.
It may seem like a small detail while you are standing in front of a new hot tub, but convenience matters once you are using the spa week after week. When comparing hot tubs, find out whether the cover price includes the lifter or whether it is another separate purchase. At Love’s, both the cover and cover lifter are included.
Do Not Forget the Steps
Most portable hot tubs sit high enough above the ground that owners need steps for comfortable entry and exit. It is another item that can easily be overlooked during the initial shopping process, so if the spa you are considering needs steps, ask whether they are included in the purchase price or will need to be purchased separately.
Love’s includes spa steps as part of its all-inclusive package, so this is one less accessory new owners need to purchase separately when preparing for their hot tub.
You Will Need Water-Care Products From the Beginning
Once a new hot tub is filled, proper water care begins right away. Hot tub water needs to be tested, balanced, and sanitized. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), maintaining appropriate disinfectant and pH levels is important for controlling germs in hot tub water. For residential hot tubs, the CDC recommends maintaining a pH between 7.0 and 7.8 and at least 3 ppm of chlorine when chlorine is used.
In other words, chemicals are not an optional purchase that can simply be dealt with months later. Love’s includes a complete chemical kit with the purchase of a hot tub so new owners have water-care products to help them get started. The chemicals will naturally need to be replenished over time, but having that initial kit included is one less item to purchase when bringing your new spa home.
What Does Hot Tub Delivery Include?
Delivery is another area where it is important to ask questions before comparing hot tub prices. Hot tubs are large, heavy pieces of equipment, and getting one from the place of purchase to your home is very different from bringing home most other backyard products. When shopping, ask whether delivery is included in the advertised price and, just as importantly, what “delivery” actually means. There can be a significant difference between having a hot tub dropped off at your property and having it placed in its prepared location in the backyard.
Ask whether the delivery price includes property drop-off, backyard placement, or both. Love’s all-inclusive pricing includes local Treasure Valley delivery and backyard setup, rather than leaving those as separate items in the standard package. Homeowners will still need to make sure the installation area is properly prepared before the hot tub arrives.
What Is Not Included?
Knowing what is excluded is just as important as knowing what is included. Love’s all-inclusive pricing does not include electrical work because electrical needs can vary depending on the hot tub selected and the electrical system already available at the home. Some spas have different power requirements, which is why electrical installation cannot simply be treated as a one-size-fits-all part of the package.
Hot tubs also have specific electrical safety requirements. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) provides guidance for electrical safety around pools, spas, and hot tubs, including the use of ground-fault circuit-interrupter (GFCI) protection. Before your spa arrives, find out exactly what electrical connection your particular model requires and have any necessary work completed by a qualified professional.
Compare the Complete Purchase, Not Just the Hot Tub
Imagine you are comparing two hot tubs. Hot Tub A has the lower advertised price, while Hot Tub B initially appears to cost a little more. If Hot Tub A requires you to separately purchase or arrange the cover, cover lifter, steps, startup chemicals, delivery, and backyard placement, however, the comparison can change quickly.
That does not mean the lowest advertised price is necessarily a bad deal. It simply means the advertised price alone may not give you enough information to make an accurate comparison. Instead, look at the complete purchase and what is actually included in the total cost.
What Does Hot Tub Delivery Include?
When comparing hot tub prices, ask each seller the same questions:
- Is the hot tub cover included?
- Is a cover lifter included?
- Are steps included?
- Do I receive startup water-care products?
- Is delivery included?
- How far does the included delivery area extend?
- Does delivery include getting the spa into its prepared location?
- Is backyard setup included?
- Are there circumstances that could result in additional delivery charges?
- What site preparation am I responsible for?
- What electrical work will I require before delivery?
- What other items will I need to purchase before I can use the spa?
Once you have those answers, you can make a much more useful apples-to-apples comparison.
Know What You Are Paying for Before Your Hot Tub Comes Home
A hot tub is a significant purchase, and the goal should not simply be finding the smallest number on a price tag. Instead, focus on the spa and overall package that offer the right value for your home, your budget, and the way you plan to use it. At Love’s Hot Tubs, all-inclusive pricing includes the hot tub cover, cover lifter, steps, complete chemical kit, local Treasure Valley delivery, and backyard setup, with electrical work excluded.
Knowing what is included from the beginning makes it easier to compare your options and understand the true value of each purchase. Before making your decision, compare more than the hot tubs themselves.
Compare what comes with them, too. If you are shopping for a hot tub in Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell, Eagle, Emmett, or the surrounding Treasure Valley, visit Love’s Hot Tubs to explore available spas and learn exactly what is included with your purchase.
References
Love’s Hot Tubs — All-Inclusive Pricing
Love’s current website lists the cover, cover lifter, steps, complete chemical kit, local Treasure Valley delivery, and backyard setup as included, excluding electrical work.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — Home Pool and Hot Tub Water Treatment and Testing
Guidance for maintaining disinfectant and pH levels in residential hot tubs.
Pool & Hot Tub Alliance — Energy Efficiency
Information about portable-spa energy-efficiency standards and standby energy use.
National Fire Protection Association — Electrical Safety for Hot Tubs and Spas
Electrical-safety guidance for spas and hot tubs, including GFCI protection.