How to: Outdoor Inground Spa

Pick a location. If you have an in ground swimming pool, installing the spa next to the pool is logical since the electrical and plumbing are already in place. The spa is best placed in a location near the house and the junction box to save costs of stringing electricity a long distance. Also, avoid placingunder trees to keep leaves and dirt from getting into the tub. An overhanging deck or other sheltered location is also a good place for the spa.

Measure the existing hot tub or shell’s width and height to calculate the width of the hole. Add an extra foot to the width and make the hole four inches deeper than the tub to allow for the plumbing and base. Level the ground it will be placed on.

Put gravel in the base, about two inches deep and add sand on top for a 1- to 2-inch depth to give the spa a smooth and flat base to sit on.

Dig trenches for the plumbing that runs to the location of the filter and pumps. Make sure the pipes are below the frost line, anywhere from 8 inches to 3 feet. Check to see what this number is for where you live. Using PVC pipe and 2-inch flex pipes for corners and angles run the plumbing to the pumps. For the tub connections, check the tub and mark on the ground about where the intake and outtake hoses are located and leave enough piping to connect to those outlets.

Lower the tub or shell carefully into the hole and make sure all the plumbing outlets are exposed for connecting the pipes and electricity. Level the tub again and make any necessary adjustments.

Connect the plumbing. Line up the connections and connect the plumbing to the tub. Seal all the connections with plumbing adhesive to prevent leaks.

Wire the electric. Add the electrical wiring for the pumps, heater and spa jets and wire it into the electrical source. Hiring an electrician is a good idea if you are not licensed in working with electricity.

Build the deck. The decking around the tub can be any material but concrete works best and will last the longest. Mark off the area with string and dig it out and level it. Use 2 x 4’s to frame the area where the concrete will be poured. Add a sand or gravel bed prior to pouring the concrete and smooth it out up to the edge of the spa.

Fill with water. Use a garden hose to fill the tub and start the pump and heater.