What Happens After You Buy a Hot Tub?

Delivery, Setup & First Use Explained

Buying a hot tub is exciting, but if you’ve never owned one before, you might be wondering: “What actually happens next?” From delivery day to your first soak, understanding the process helps you feel confident and prepared while ensuring everything goes smoothly.

1. Preparing for Delivery

Before your hot tub arrives, there are a few key things to have in place.

A Suitable Base 

Your hot tub will need a solid, level surface such as:

• Concrete
• Reinforced decking
• A properly installed patio

This ensures stability and long-term performance.

Clear Access

Hot tubs are large and heavy, so your supplier will need a clear route to position it.

This might involve:

• Measuring gates and pathways
• Planning around obstacles
• In some cases, using specialist equipment

Electrical Setup 

Depending on your model:

• 13 amp tubs can plug into a suitable outdoor socket
• 32 amp tubs require professional installation

Having this ready and in mind while picking your hot tubs placement avoids delays.

2. Delivery Day: What to Expect

On the day, your hot tub will be delivered and carefully positioned.

This typically includes:

• Safe handling and placement
• Positioning on your prepared base
• Basic setup guidance

When our team deliver a hot tub, they also take care of filling, setting up and balancing the water, so steps 3 – 5 are covered! 

3. Filling Your Hot Tub

Once your hot tub is in place, it’s time to fill it.

• Use a standard garden hose
• Fill to the recommended level
• Ensure filters are correctly fitted

This usually takes 1–2 hours, depending on your water pressure and tub size.

4. Heating the Water

After filling, your hot tub will begin heating. Most hot tubs heat at around 1°C – 2°C per hour. From cold, it can take 12–24 hours to reach full temperature, so it’s best to plan your first use for the following day.

5. Adding Chemicals and Balancing Water

Before using your hot tub, the water needs to be properly treated.

This includes:

• Adding sanitiser (chlorine or bromine)
• Balancing pH and alkalinity
• Running the system to circulate chemicals

Getting this right from the start helps maintain clean, safe water.

6. Your First Soak

Your first soak is where everything comes together, and where you really start to experience the benefits of owning a hot tub.

7. Getting Into a Routine

After those first few uses, it’s all about keeping things consistent.

A simple routine includes:

• Weekly water checks
• Filter rinsing
• Occasional top-ups

Most owners find this becomes second nature very quickly. For more information on maintenance routines, check out our recent blog.

8. Ongoing Care and Servicing

While day-to-day maintenance is straightforward, professional servicing helps keep everything running at its best.

This can include:

• System checks
• Performance testing
• Identifying early signs of wear

For many owners, this adds peace of mind and helps protect their investment long-term. We offer one-off services, as well as maintenance contracts, which offer hot tub owners complete piece of mind.

Buying a hot tub is just the beginning and the process that follows is much more straightforward than many people expect. With a little preparation and a simple routine, you’ll quickly move from setup to enjoying your hot tub as part of everyday life.

If you ever need help with installation, servicing, or ongoing care, the Spafix team are always on hand to make hot tub ownership as easy and stress-free as possible.