Does a hot tub need to be on concrete? Pad options and size
The One Model needs a base at least 86 by 86 inches, with 18 inches clear on every side. A pad averages $500 to $1,000 on Vancouver Island. Whoever designs your pad may ask how much the tub weighs.
What does the One Model need under it?
The base must be at least 86 by 86 inches, with 18 inches clear on every side. The One Model's acrylic shell is 86 by 86 inches across, so the base is at least as wide as the shell on each side.
Good Hot Tubs has not released the tub's weight, a pad thickness or a list of pad materials yet. The requirement today is the size and the clear room, and whoever builds your pad confirms the rest for your ground.
Mark the 86 by 86 inch footprint on the ground with string or tape, then mark the 18 inches around it. Stand there and look. You see at once whether a wall, a fence, a step or a plant is in the way.
How much does a pad cost?
A pad averages $500 to $1,000 on Vancouver Island. That is Good Hot Tubs' average, and your own quote depends on your yard. A pad is a separate job from the tub and from the electrical work.
The electrical work averages $1,500 to $2,000, and the tub is $19,995 CAD with the hard cover and delivery to your pad. Together the usual total is $21,995 to $22,995.
If you already have a base, the video call is where the team checks its size and its condition with you.
What are the pad options?
People ask about concrete, pavers, patio stones, gravel and interlock. What matters is that the surface and what sits under it are built for the load. That is why the video call before you order looks at your yard.
Each option has its own cost and its own amount of work. Ask your builder to price the options you like, and keep the quotes for the video call.
What does the pad designer need to know?
Whoever designs or builds your pad may ask how much the tub weighs. Ask your pad builder to work from your ground and the tub's weight once it is confirmed, and ask them to put what they will build in writing.
How does the One Model handle the pad?
The pad is part of the check before you order. The team looks at your yard with you on a video call and covers the base size, the room on every side, the way in and whether a crane is needed. Standard delivery wheels the tub to your pad on a dolly and a cart, so the pad has to be ready before delivery day.
The pad is one of two jobs outside the tub price. The other is the dedicated 240V, 50-amp circuit, installed by a licensed electrician.
How do you brief a pad builder?
Give the builder the facts Good Hot Tubs publishes. The base must be at least 86 by 86 inches, with 18 inches clear on every side. Tell them the tub is a One Model, and ask them to get the figure for how much it weighs from Good Hot Tubs once it is confirmed.
Ask for a written plan that says what they will build and what is under it. Ask them to tell you if your ground changes the plan. Then bring that plan to the video call, so the team can read it with you.
- Base at least 86 by 86 inches
- 18 inches clear on every side
- The pad ready before delivery day
- The dedicated 240V, 50-amp circuit planned beside it
- A written plan from the builder
What if you plan to use a deck instead?
A deck is a different case from a pad. The City of Nanaimo's deck guide requires a structural engineer for a deck that supports a hot tub. A tub going onto a deck also needs a crane, which you hire and pay for directly.
Check with your own municipality or regional district for the rules where you live. If you are weighing a deck against a pad, bring both options to the video call.
Questions
How big does a hot tub pad need to be?
For the One Model, the base must be at least 86 by 86 inches, with 18 inches clear on every side.
How much does a hot tub pad cost?
On Vancouver Island, a pad averages $500 to $1,000, according to Good Hot Tubs. Your own quote depends on your yard.
How thick does a hot tub pad need to be?
Ask your pad builder to work from your ground and the tub's weight once it is confirmed, and to put the plan in writing.
Can I put a hot tub on pavers or gravel instead of concrete?
Raise it on the video call before you order, and ask whether pavers or gravel can serve as the base.
Sources
General facts on this page come from these public sources. Facts about the One Model come from Good Hot Tubs.
- Deck Addition Guide with Sample Plans (PDF). City of Nanaimo.
Related answers
Is the One Model right for you?
Ten questions about your home and how you would use a hot tub. You see your result before you give any contact details, and you can ask for a test soak on Vancouver Island when you send it.