In a few weeks, the Softub hot tub will arrive. It requires a level surface. I have a flat spot on the property and only need to level it by about 30cm (12 inches). The soil is fairly compacted and clayey. Which method or construction would you recommend?
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hampshire10 Jun 2019 21:34@HilfeHilfe: We ordered the model with a 180cm (71 inches) diameter, green on the outside and light beige on the inside. Additionally, we purchased the newly released steel and wood frame.
@danixf: No, a wellness oasis is something different. We’re placing a hot tub and a barrel sauna at the edge of the forest, where we can comfortably overlook the valley without being seen ourselves. It will be kept quite simple. I’m reluctant to seal large areas; ideally, I’d like a basic WPC (wood-plastic composite) deck, but that requires a substructure and leveling, plus the whole thing has a certain surface weight.
@guckuck2: Yes, it’s purchased—we ordered it spontaneously at the furniture fair last year and added the frame at a building trade show in Dortmund this year. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, within a certain price flexibility. The output doesn’t need to be higher, as this “lightweight” model is very well insulated, including the cover.
@Dr Hix: We will probably take this pragmatic approach and create a base with frost protection and sand; XPS (extruded polystyrene) boards are a new idea. That way, we can really see if and how anything shifts, and later build a WPC surface on top. We had frost protection and sand lifted near the installation site while the crane was still at the house.
@danixf: No, a wellness oasis is something different. We’re placing a hot tub and a barrel sauna at the edge of the forest, where we can comfortably overlook the valley without being seen ourselves. It will be kept quite simple. I’m reluctant to seal large areas; ideally, I’d like a basic WPC (wood-plastic composite) deck, but that requires a substructure and leveling, plus the whole thing has a certain surface weight.
@guckuck2: Yes, it’s purchased—we ordered it spontaneously at the furniture fair last year and added the frame at a building trade show in Dortmund this year. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, within a certain price flexibility. The output doesn’t need to be higher, as this “lightweight” model is very well insulated, including the cover.
@Dr Hix: We will probably take this pragmatic approach and create a base with frost protection and sand; XPS (extruded polystyrene) boards are a new idea. That way, we can really see if and how anything shifts, and later build a WPC surface on top. We had frost protection and sand lifted near the installation site while the crane was still at the house.
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HilfeHilfe10 Jun 2019 21:48Thank you. How much does something like this cost? My wife is still in the decision-making phase. There are already some great ideas coming up.
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hampshire10 Jun 2019 22:08I just checked; it’s a Legend with a diameter of 2.2m (7.2 feet). The frame is called Stausee and is made of stainless steel and wood. I don’t put prices that come from a casual conversation into a public forum. Sorry.
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boxandroof10 Jun 2019 22:43hampshire schrieb:
This will be kept quite simple. I prefer to avoid sealing the surface; ideally, I would like a basic WPC wood deck, but that requires an underlay and height adjustment, and it also has a certain surface weight. Pier foundations and aluminum substructure on adjustable pedestals, possibly double or cross battens for more height adjustment and fewer foundations.
At least remove the topsoil; you can then fill the resulting depression with gravel and sand. I don’t see any reason for further effort in this case. Actually, even the "frost protection" is unnecessary; if the unit is lifted a few centimeters (inches) by frost heaving, it will thaw again without anyone noticing.
I would build a later wooden or WPC (wood-plastic composite) deck independently of the pool’s substructure anyway; why adjust the entire area’s load capacity to the heat pump?
@HilfeHilfe
You should budget at least 5k for the soft tub including the surround.
Not to discourage @hampshire’s purchase, but in your position, I would either start with a “budget” option and get an inflatable tub for a few hundred euros (my brother is very happy with that), or look at a “proper” hot tub from a specialized dealer (try before you buy!).
This is exactly the point @guckuck2 already made. A hot tub is basically a hydrotherapy device; the jets are supposed to massage you. To work properly, it needs a certain number of jets and pumps that provide enough power. I don’t think that is guaranteed with 4 jets and 1.4 kW (for comparison: ours has 54 jets and 8.35 kW, of which 3 kW is heating power with about twice the water volume).
I only know the unit from the trade show and, as mentioned, I don’t want to put the soft tub down here. However, to me, it simply seems like a luxury version of the inflatable tubs—nicer, more durable, better insulated, and much quieter in operation, but basically just warm water with air bubbles.
I would build a later wooden or WPC (wood-plastic composite) deck independently of the pool’s substructure anyway; why adjust the entire area’s load capacity to the heat pump?
@HilfeHilfe
You should budget at least 5k for the soft tub including the surround.
Not to discourage @hampshire’s purchase, but in your position, I would either start with a “budget” option and get an inflatable tub for a few hundred euros (my brother is very happy with that), or look at a “proper” hot tub from a specialized dealer (try before you buy!).
This is exactly the point @guckuck2 already made. A hot tub is basically a hydrotherapy device; the jets are supposed to massage you. To work properly, it needs a certain number of jets and pumps that provide enough power. I don’t think that is guaranteed with 4 jets and 1.4 kW (for comparison: ours has 54 jets and 8.35 kW, of which 3 kW is heating power with about twice the water volume).
I only know the unit from the trade show and, as mentioned, I don’t want to put the soft tub down here. However, to me, it simply seems like a luxury version of the inflatable tubs—nicer, more durable, better insulated, and much quieter in operation, but basically just warm water with air bubbles.
H
hampshire11 Jun 2019 02:24Dr Hix schrieb:
At least I would remove the topsoil; you can then fill the resulting depression with gravel and sand. I don’t see any reason for further work in this case. Actually, the "frost protection" is unnecessary; if the unit lifts a few centimeters (inches) – it will thaw again and no one will notice.
I would build any later wooden or WPC deck separately from the pool’s substructure anyway; why design the entire surface load to match the pool? That sounds great so far. The topsoil is already removed, so I’ll keep it simple for now.
And you’re probably right; we didn’t purchase the Softub as a massage device. It looks good, seems well made, and fits the intended spot well in terms of color and design (lightweight and portable). We didn’t compare prices, and in the morning we didn’t even know we were going to buy something like this. We were just in a good mood, planning the house, visited the IMM in Cologne, and bought it on a whim. It’s no problem for me if there are technically better or cheaper options. I appreciate your thoughtful way of putting it.
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