Hot Tub Moving Tips

When you look online for Vancouver hot tub movers, or instructions on how to move a hot tub, you’ll get some confusing information. But if you look a little more, you’ll find out that moving a hot tub is no easy feat. This is why you may want to hire professional movers for this job. But if you want to do it yourself, or make sure your hot tub movers know what they’re doing, we’ll give you some tips in this article.

Moving a hot tub is expensive!

The first thing you’ll want to really consider is whether or not it’s worth the payoff to move a hot tub in Vancouver. Sometimes, the cost of moving this large, over-sized luxury is about as much as it would cost to buy a new one. But, that doesn’t consider factors such as installation and delivery fees. And of course, if you invested in a pricey luxury spa for your backyard, moving it might be worth it, if you want to keep that investment.

Keep in mind however that once you move your hot tub, it will need to be re-installed. So you’ll have delivery fees (which can cost hundreds), and then installation fees. Possibly even repair fees if things go awry during the move.

If you read this guy’s story of finding a used hot tub, then transporting it himself (with friends), you’ll see that while yes, he saved money on the big picture. But he also had to do A LOT of work, pay a lot to move it, and already had the know-how in “physics, engineering, plumbing, hydrodynamics, electrical engineering” to make it all worthwhile. A novice – or merely a busy person – would probably not be able to do all this. So there is a reason why professionals need to charge as much as they do for moving something as complex as a hot tub.

Moving a hot tub is risky.

A hot tub can break during transport, and it can also cause injuries. These spa pools can weigh between 500-1000 pounds. You will likely need to get the structure on its side, and that will require heavy lifting. Do you want to put your friends through that risk? A professional mover will have the right workers compensation insurance for any potential injuries, not to mention trained staff.

You need proper equipment to move a hot tub.

You could try to wing it and move a hot tub with a few small doilies and some reliable, strong friends. But chances are, you’ll find that it’s a heavy, heavy item. It probably won’t fit in a moving truck (depending on size, of course). So you’ll need to get it on a trailer.

There are companies that make equipment specifically for hot tub movers. Here are some to check out, so you get an idea of what you’ll need for this job:

https://spadolly.com/

https://spa-mover.com/product-category/spa-sled-mover-products/

If you don’t have the made-for-hot-tub tools, you’ll need at least 4-wheeled dollies, preferably those with a flat bed of some sort (like skid movers), 4×4 wood or pallets, straps and the right protective gear.

Remember the small details when moving a hot tub:

When you move a hot tub, you’ll also need to consider the small details. For example:

How are you going to wheel it to a truck once it’s on dollies? Some videos online will show movers using planks of plywood to create a flat, smooth surface all the way to the vehicle. You’ll need to purchase these as well.

What about the cover and cover lift? These should be detached beforehand.

Is it completely drained and dry for the move? You won’t want to move a hot tub that is wet, as that will make the job all the more annoying. In fact, this article mentions that if you’re moving in cold temperatures, water can freeze and damage your pipes in the tub! On that note, you may want to get it well cleaned before you move, or right after it lands in its new spot.

Do you have the padding material to keep it safe? Don’t let it crack or dent! Get the right protection for your hot tub when moving it. And that is not the top cover! Tape cardboard, blankets, whatever it takes to keep it from hard bumps.

What about re-installation? We mentioned this above, but don’t forget you can’t just plop it down on the grass in your hard and fill it with water! It needs proper installation.

Will your warranty cover a self-move? Maybe you want to hire insured movers for this, so that you’re covered if the hot tub breaks during transport.

How will you store all the small parts? We recommend you keep the blowers, pumps, heaters, cords, plugs and caps, wires or anything small and detachable that goes with the tub in a contained, separate bag or box. Don’t let these lie around where you’ll forget about them!

What if you have to get the hot tub through small spaces? Think about the logistics before you try to relocate your hot tub!

Consider recycling an old hot tub.

If your hot tub is old or damaged, and you basically want to get rid of it before you have to move, you can consider two options:

• Call a junk removal company to come and deal with it for you
• Recycle your hot tub yourself, using City of Vancouver resources

And yes, there are fees associated with the above options.

Need a hot tub mover in Vancouver?

As you can tell by the above advice, moving a hot tub is not easy, and we don’t recommend doing it yourself. We have plenty of advice on how to move other items on your own, on our blog. But this one is a bit of a mountain to climb. Give us a call, and we can discuss how to move your hot tub if you need us to, or if it’s a good idea.

See related articles:

Moving Large Appliances: How To Move A Deep Freezer

Moving large appliances: How to move a Refrigerator

How to move and store a washer and dryer

Home improvement investments you can take with you when you move