Spa or No spa?

[FnC80]

Thanks for the input. Question, what brand is that 500k btu heater? I can’t seam to find anything greater than 175k. What does it run for? ALSO, i checked out your pictures, seems you have a gray’ish pool! Which is what I am going for, is that French Gray by any chance from Diamond Brite? If so do you have any other pictures and do you notice any drawbacks to it or regrets? (seems like I am hi-jacking my own thread)

It’s a hayward, and part of their professional line. I don’t know exact cost, but wasn’t much over the 400k, so I figured less time hearing water. We had to upgrade our gas meter, but natural gas in south Texas is pretty cheap.
As far as plaster, it’s a quartzscape grenadine grey. My wife and I love it as it gives the water a nice blue we wanted without being turquoise, and not so dark where it would heat the water up with the sun.

 

[Gui0312]

It’s a hayward, and part of their professional line. I don’t know exact cost, but wasn’t much over the 400k, so I figured less time hearing water. We had to upgrade our gas meter, but natural gas in south Texas is pretty cheap.
As far as plaster, it’s a quartzscape grenadine grey. My wife and I love it as it gives the water a nice blue we wanted without being turquoise, and not so dark where it would heat the water up with the sun.

Awesome thanks for the information! I think French gray is pretty similar!

 

[Gui0312]

So I think I am going with the spa. Question Is what I can fit is the 5x9 more rectangular type spa, although I’m finding it hard to see any pictures of them. Anyone have one or been in one? Pros/cons?

 

[Nikilyn]

We love our spa! We use it all the time and we are in AZ where it is also hot all the time. In the summer it becomes a place to sit and talk for the adults. The grandkids love playing in it too. We only had it a couple of months during the winter but we very much enjoyed it. Personally, I don’t like a freestanding hot tub. My BIL has one and I don’t care for it. With the specialty seats you can only sit in those places and they never work for me. I’m either too high or low in the water and my feet don’t reach the ground properly. I much prefer the in ground one. It was the best decision we made.

 

[Gui0312]

We love our spa! We use it all the time and we are in AZ where it is also hot all the time. In the summer it becomes a place to sit and talk for the adults. The grandkids love playing in it too. We only had it a couple of months during the winter but we very much enjoyed it. Personally, I don’t like a freestanding hot tub. My BIL has one and I don’t care for it. With the specialty seats you can only sit in those places and they never work for me. I’m either too high or low in the water and my feet don’t reach the ground properly. I much prefer the in ground one. It was the best decision we made.

Thanks! I did end up adding the spa to the contract. It just made sense to do it, I figure the pool looks much better with the flushed spa not to mention obviously enjoying the spa itself. I went flushed because it gave it that negative edge look and seemed more modern which is a look we are going for since the house is pretty new and resembles that.

 

[Olddad212]

I’m in Texas . I use the Gunite spa all the time. Can use it past swim season and use it in winter as well. If I want to get in it in evening, I turn on the heater while I’m driving home from work. It takes about 45 minutes to heat up. My young kids use it all the time. It’s a matter of preference.

 

[poolnoobgrandma]

I’m in Texas . I use the Gunite spa all the time. Can use it past swim season and use it in winter as well. If I want to get in it in evening, I turn on the heater while I’m driving home from work. It takes about 45 minutes to heat up. My young kids use it all the time. It’s a matter of preference.

We're in Florida, and... same. We love our gunnite spa and use it a lot. Our grandkids love it, too.
Edit: Case in point.. pool temp 85 (brrrr!).. spa up to 92 in about half an hour. Ahhhh!

 

[kicksavedave]

Thanks! I did end up adding the spa to the contract. It just made sense to do it, I figure the pool looks much better with the flushed spa not to mention obviously enjoying the spa itself. I went flushed because it gave it that negative edge look and seemed more modern which is a look we are going for since the house is pretty new and resembles that.

Good call. Where I live it gets really hot in the summer, we still use the spa all the time, with bubbles/jets but no heat. When it is not roasting hot outside, we use the spa all the time with jets/bubbles and heat. Its 100% the focal point of the whole pool. The chairs where people who aren't swimming are all around it. The kids love using it when the adults are just chilling on the deck, and whenever we swim in the pool and work up a sweat, we always end up chilling out in the spa for a good long while before we get out and dry off. We probably spend 80% of our time in the spa and 20% in the "cold pool" as my 6 year old calls it.

 

[klanel]

Ours pool is still under construction so I have no experience, just my expectations of how much I might use. I too think it looks better and liked the idea of the spillover into the pool. For me it was an extra 15K or so and I was splurging putting the pool in and didn't want to have regrets later. If I have it, it at least gives me the option. I will have a heat pump where I can heat the spa or pool but the therapeutic effect of the water I thought would soothe my back when I'm working around the house but I've heard kids liked them too. Will see.