When is a hot-tub not a hot-tub?

[C70R]

We're in the process of buying a house in the countryside, and I quite fancy the idea of having a hot-tub of sorts.

What I absolutely don't want is one of those above ground plastic boxes. I feel like they just look a bit too 'Chelmsford'.

I'd like to get a sunken 'tub' built, maybe even a stock tank.

Does anyone have any experience they can share?

[nunpuncher]

Being in the countryside is the ideal location and situation for a wood fired one. these are about the only ones that don't look "chelmsford" or indicated "sex people live here"

[beanoir78]

The house we’re in the process of buying has an acrylic hot tub, but sunken into the patio. The running costs out me off and I’m not sure I’m likely to ever use it. However, I’m happy to give it a go based in the fact it doesn’t look too bad as it’s sat flush with the patio.

My other half is over the moon about the idea (she’s from Cheltenham incidentally) but I’m a bit nervous of inheriting another man’s hot tub, and I was born and raised in Chelmsford.

[boyse7en]

C70R said:

We're in the process of buying a house in the countryside, and I quite fancy the idea of having a hot-tub of sorts.

What I absolutely don't want is one of those above ground plastic boxes. I feel like they just look a bit too 'Chelmsford'.

I'd like to get a sunken 'tub' built, maybe even a stock tank.

Does anyone have any experience they can share?

Sunken hot tubs are available from any decent swimming pool company. I used to work for a wholesaler that sold the shells.
They are less common than the above ground type because they are much more expensive to install, but the advantage is that you can make them look slightly more "natural" with some judicious landscaping. You usually buy the shell with jets and pipework fitted, then source the pumps, controls and filtration separately, but the installation company would spec this depending on what you want.

Alternatively, you can "hide" a standard hot tub with some clever landscaping; half burying it, fitting a deck around it level with the top, etc.

[C70R]

boyse7en said:

C70R said:

We're in the process of buying a house in the countryside, and I quite fancy the idea of having a hot-tub of sorts.

What I absolutely don't want is one of those above ground plastic boxes. I feel like they just look a bit too 'Chelmsford'.

I'd like to get a sunken 'tub' built, maybe even a stock tank.

Does anyone have any experience they can share?

Sunken hot tubs are available from any decent swimming pool company. I used to work for a wholesaler that sold the shells.
They are less common than the above ground type because they are much more expensive to install, but the advantage is that you can make them look slightly more "natural" with some judicious landscaping. You usually buy the shell with jets and pipework fitted, then source the pumps, controls and filtration separately, but the installation company would spec this depending on what you want.

Alternatively, you can "hide" a standard hot tub with some clever landscaping; half burying it, fitting a deck around it level with the top, etc.

That's the thing. I'm not sure I want a plastic shell full of jets and lights. I think I'd prefer a lined 'hole' with some seats and pumps/filters.

[C70R]

nunpuncher said:

Being in the countryside is the ideal location and situation for a wood fired one. these are about the only ones that don't look "chelmsford" or indicated "sex people live here"

We had one of these in a house we rented in Islay recently. I might be lazy, but it felt like a lot of faff.

[LimaDelta]

C70R said:

We're in the process of buying a house in the countryside, and I quite fancy the idea of having a hot-tub of sorts.

What I absolutely don't want is one of those above ground plastic boxes. I feel like they just look a bit too 'Chelmsford'.

I'd like to get a sunken 'tub' built, maybe even a stock tank.

Does anyone have any experience they can share?

https://www.skargards.com/uk/

This is what we are fitting.

Edited by LimaDelta on Monday 25th July 09:38

[HRL]

LimaDelta said:

https://www.skargards.com/uk/

This is what we are fitting.

Edited by LimaDelta on Monday 25th July 09:38

Snap. Took this the other day after putting the lid back on.

[LimaDelta]

HRL said:

LimaDelta said:

https://www.skargards.com/uk/

This is what we are fitting.

Snap. Took this the other day after putting the lid back on.

Not meaning to hijack - any issues with delivery/install? As good a quality finish as they appear on the website?

[nunpuncher]

C70R said:

nunpuncher said:

Being in the countryside is the ideal location and situation for a wood fired one. these are about the only ones that don't look "chelmsford" or indicated "sex people live here"

We had one of these in a house we rented in Islay recently. I might be lazy, but it felt like a lot of faff.

It definitely is a lot of faff but I think that's why they don't have the same "swinger" appeal as the LED bluetooth speaker equipped electric jobbies. By the time it heats up your semi will have wilted.

[HRL]

LimaDelta said:

Not meaning to hijack - any issues with delivery/install? As good a quality finish as they appear on the website?

Product is great, delivery was pretty stty TBH.

Delivered someone else’s tub by mistake, then delivered ours but the courier had damaged it, got a replacement expedited and then third time lucky. All the couriers fault BTW, not Skargards.

I had to help load/unload each time too which annoyed me a little.

Had to transport it about 100 foot by hand afterwards and ended up having to position it on boards and drag it as there were only three of us and it would have taken 4-5 to carry it comfortably.

Make sure you order the bigger one if there’s ever going to be more than two of you in it.

[DodgyGeezer]

nunpuncher said:

C70R said:

nunpuncher said:

Being in the countryside is the ideal location and situation for a wood fired one. these are about the only ones that don't look "chelmsford" or indicated "sex people live here"

We had one of these in a house we rented in Islay recently. I might be lazy, but it felt like a lot of faff.

It definitely is a lot of faff but I think that's why they don't have the same "swinger" appeal as the LED bluetooth speaker equipped electric jobbies. By the time it heats up your semi will have wilted.

well I would assume that 'entertaining' will be organised ahead of time given the tub time to heat-up and the sperm filters to do their job. I'd also imagine that the wood ones wouldn't take that much longer to heat up either

[Tlandcruiser]

C70R said:

We're in the process of buying a house in the countryside, and I quite fancy the idea of having a hot-tub of sorts.

What I absolutely don't want is one of those above ground plastic boxes. I feel like they just look a bit too 'Chelmsford'.

I'd like to get a sunken 'tub' built, maybe even a stock tank.

Does anyone have any experience they can share?

Whats the connection between Chelmsford and hot tubs? I don't quite understand....

[C70R]

C70R said:

That's the thing. I'm not sure I want a plastic shell full of jets and lights. I think I'd prefer a lined 'hole' with some seats and pumps/filters.

Coming back to this. Is this a thing?

[AC43]

Tlandcruiser said:

C70R said:

We're in the process of buying a house in the countryside, and I quite fancy the idea of having a hot-tub of sorts.

What I absolutely don't want is one of those above ground plastic boxes. I feel like they just look a bit too 'Chelmsford'.

I'd like to get a sunken 'tub' built, maybe even a stock tank.

Does anyone have any experience they can share?

Whats the connection between Chelmsford and hot tubs? I don't quite understand....

Essex, innit?

[Portofino]

I though about lowering our tub into the decking, but then though how the hell do you get access to fix it if it goes wrong. So it’s staying where it is.

[Douglas Quaid]

HRL said:

LimaDelta said:

https://www.skargards.com/uk/

This is what we are fitting.

Edited by LimaDelta on Monday 25th July 09:38

Snap. Took this the other day after putting the lid back on.

Just need to chop those trees down now so you can have a view.

[C70R]

Portofino said:

I though about lowering our tub into the decking, but then though how the hell do you get access to fix it if it goes wrong. So it’s staying where it is.

That's the thing. I'd be looking to build one into the ground, so we could plan for maintenance access etc.

[C70R]

Anyone have any experience of doing something like this? https://www.buildatub.co.uk/construction.html

[dhutch]

You can get ceder 'barrel' hot tubs.

Slightly more upright seating position, atleast in the ones I've used, but obviously much less plastic feeling.

Was also bromine not chlorine which was nice.