Enjoy spa resort living in your own backyard. For the price of a weeklong spa getaway, you can create a custom-designed retreat providing year-round enjoyment. Whether you’re simply adding a hot tub to your existing environment or planning a built-in design complete with hardscape and landscape, look no further than your local HotSpring dealer – at MainelyTubs – to help brainstorm, plan, and install a hot tub in your own backyard.

Setting the mood

Choosing a site for your spa is a personal decision based on your intended use and the existing features of your home and property. When choosing an outdoor location, consider that the closer to the home the spa is located, the easier it will be to go back and forth when it’s used. Also, think about how you plan to use your spa. Is it strictly an adults-only relaxation environment, or will you also use it for family gatherings and social entertainment?

You’ll want to consider things like accessibility, privacy, and general aesthetics. If your home has a scenic view or a secluded grove of trees, you many want to create a special area so that your spa makes the most of this environment.

A solid foundation

Whether you choose to set up your spa on an existing patio or deck, or want to conquer unexplored terrain in your backyard, you’re going to need a firm, level surface that is strong enough to support it. The size of your spa will determine the exact amount of space you’ll need. Keep in mind you’ll need a source of electricity to run the spa. If electrical power is being brought from your house, this is a good opportunity to consider other retreat features such as lighting and music. You’ll also need access to a hose to fill your spa.

Decks and patios

There are three ways to install a hot tub on your deck: flush-mounted with the deck surface, partially mounted in the deck surface so that a portion of the hot tub is exposed, or freestanding. Freestanding spas rest directly on top of the deck. The advantage to this type of setup is that if you ever remove the spa, there won’t be a hole in your deck. Remember that deck materials aren’t limited to wood. Alternative surface options include ceramic tile, slate, brick and stone. Don’t be afraid to mix and match.

An important feature of any hot tub is the way it coordinates with your outdoor surroundings. While there are multiple color choices of composite-wood siding, HotSpring also offers a Custom Cabinet spa, or what they refer to as the ‘naked’ spa. One-of-a-kind in the spa industry, the Custom Cabinet allows landscape architects and do-it-yourselfers alike to fully customize the outside appearance of the spa. From stacked stone slabs for a stone-wall look, to actual logs for a log-house feel, this spa is ready for whatever ‘clothes’ you decide best match your own personal backyard setting.

For a stone-like appearance, explore SpaStone surround options. These low-maintenance composite surrounds from HotSpring are an elegant way to add the beauty of stone to your outdoor environment without all the labor of actually building it. To assist you in the design of your backyard, spa specification renderings are available for download at hotspring.com. Here you can request a free brochure or a free backyard consultation with a specialist.

You can even design your dream deck on the Web site (in partnership with DoItYourself.com). Customize all the details – select from different wood, stairs, railings, and hot tub options. Once you add the HotSpring Spa, finished specs are downloadable as PDF files with a FREE materials list and 3D plan. Or design the perfect patio with furniture, plants, outdoor kitchens, BBQs, and your spa. Though it is recommended that you begin with pre-designed templates, you can also start from scratch.

A room with a view

Trees, shrubs and flowers surrounding your spa can create many different atmospheres. Be aware of the location of any tree limbs, as you do not want them hanging over your spa. Landscaping is not possible in every environment. For these situations there are many ways to create an inviting atmosphere. Some ideas include gazebo, arbors, built-in planter boxes, freestanding planters, potted plants, hanging baskets, and additional water features such as fountains and waterfalls.

Privacy

Patio coverings range from very simple to complex. You can create different environments by selecting a particular type of wood, posts and lattice design, sealant, stain or paint. The amount of sunlight and privacy can be controlled by how close the spacing of the lattice is. Growing flowering and fragrant vines on the covering produces a very cozy atmosphere.

Enclosing your spa with a decorative hot tub gazebo is a great way to enhance the sense of a getaway and increase privacy. Sliding windows allow the option of an open-air feeling or privacy. They are also beneficial for year-round use. Pitched roofs keep the elements out of the hot tub. Combination roofs keep most of the snow out, but enable you to enjoy some of the outdoors.

Performance

Owning a spa doesn’t need to be an electric-bill nightmare. HotSpring manufactures the ‘greenest’ EnergySmart hot tubs with which energy efficiency is of equal importance to massage therapy. Just like with the gas mileage of our vehicles, energy efficiency will make a substantial difference in the operating costs for the lifetime of your spa. Make sure to ask for a written guarantee as to what the ownership costs will be for any particular product, and that the dealer agree to pay if the guarantee doesn’t hold up.

Enjoyment

Above all else, a hot tub has the ability to transform a few minutes in your backyard into what feels like an entire vacation – the relaxation of a day spa, the therapy of a deep muscle massage, the quality family time together, and the romance of a night under the stars. Let your local HotSpring dealer help transform your dreams into a reality – a warm, relaxing reality that you can enjoy every day of the year.

– Courtesy of HotSpring Spas and MainelyTubs. For more information, visit www.MainelyTubs.com.