Moving a hot tub to another house is a dangerous task and we don’t recommend that you do it without professional assistance. A Jacuzzi hot tub happens to be one of the most difficult things to move due to its extraordinary weight (800-900 pounds) and overwhelming size.
Also, a hot tub is a substantial investment as they go anywhere between $3,500 and $8,000, and more for some more luxury models. So, you can imagine the results of a failed hot tub moving attempt where your prized possession picks up serious damage.
And what about all the risks of bad personal injuries to the non-professionals involved in the move? The cost of moving a hot tub could be too high in the end.
However, you might still want to move your hot tub by yourself for one reason or another, especially after you’ve considered the rest of your feasible options. In that case, we’re willing to help you out by giving the best way to move a hot tub by yourself.
How to move a hot tub by yourself? Here are the 12 steps to help you move a hot tub safely without professional movers.
What to know before moving a hot tub
Before you start thinking about the easiest way to move your hot tub, there are a few important things you’ll need to know first – things that will help you make the right decisions when the critical decision-making moments come along.
- Hot tubs are HUGE. Hot tubs come in different sizes, of course, but they all share one common feature – they are super big. Generally speaking, spa manufacturers offer 3 size categories you can choose from: small hot tubs (2-4 people), medium hot tubs (5-6 people), and large hot tubs (7+ people). The length of mini spa pools can vary from 5’4’’ to 7’9’’, their width can be from 5’4’’ to 9’2’’, while their height comes between 29’’ and 38’’.
- Hot tubs are HEAVY. Non-surprisingly, hot tubs are extremely heavy which makes them a real challenge to move from one place to another. How much do hot tubs weigh? A standard hot tub can weigh approximately 800-900 pounds without any water in it. With water, a hot tub can reach staggering weight values (up to 6,000 pounds!). Luckily, all the water should be drained from the unit before the actual move commences.
- Hot tubs are EXPENSIVE. You’ll surely know that home Jacuzzi tubs are rather pricey so you’d never want to see your expensive possession damaged during a move, would you? How much do hot tubs cost? Depending on the brand, model, size, and extra features, a hot tub can cost anywhere from around $3,500 to $8,000, or even more for some of the more luxury models.
Keeping in mind the dimensions, weight, and cost of your entertainment and relaxation unit, you’ll definitely want to pick the safest way to move a hot tub to another home with no damage to it whatsoever and a zero chance of personal injuries during the move too.
Weigh up your viable options and choose wisely.
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Evaluate carefully your hot tub moving options
Basically, you have 3 options when it comes to moving a hot tub to another home: don’t move it, move with hot tub movers, and move it by yourself.
Option 1: Leave the hot tub behind
Having done the math, you may have to leave your hot tub behind…
You may not be too thrilled about this option, at least not in the beginning. However, once you factor in the money you’ll need to pay for the transportation of your Jacuzzi hot tub and the time you’ll need to prepare it for moving and to load it safely onto a truck, you may conclude that it’ll be better to try to sell your current one and buy another one after the move is over, especially when you’re moving long distance.
Include the risks and dangers of moving such an enormous and heavy item, and you may see that this option makes a lot of sense, at least in the majority of relocation cases. If you’re selling your current house, then you can add the price of the hot tub to the overall sale price of the home. If you’re moving out of a rented place, then consider selling your Jacuzzi as a separate item.
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Option 2: Hire professional hot tub movers
Without a doubt, the best way to move a hot tub is to hire professionals who are specialized in transporting large hot tubs between people’s homes. Those specialty movers will come with the necessary moving equipment so that the job can get done quickly, and more importantly – safely. Their vast experience alone is a guarantee that your valuable possession will reach the new house’ backyard as it left the old one – without any signs of damage.
How much does it cost to move a hot tub with professional movers? Have several moving companies come over to your home to see the hot tub in person. Once they do, they should be able to give you a cost estimate based on a number of factors, including the weight and dimensions of the hot tub, as well as the particular model. Yes, it’ll cost you extra money to get your mini spa to the new home but the peace of mind that it’ll reach the destination safely is enough to convince you to do what’s best for you and your prized possession.
Option 3: Move the hot tub on your own
Unless you choose to leave your spa bath behind, hiring professional movers with years of experience remains the best way to move a hot tub to a new home. In case of a limited budget, however, you may not be able to afford to pay professionals to get the job done. In such cases, the viable option for you is to move your hot tub together with a bunch of trusted friends.
Seriously, can you move a hot tub by yourself? Yes, it can be done without professional assistance as long as you’re adequately prepared for the tough task ahead.
Here’s what you’ll need to move a hot tub by yourself:
- Moving equipment. You’ll need the following equipment to move a hot tub: a couple of furniture dollies (the low 4-wheel platforms), 4 wooden pieces (4’’ x 4’’), and moving straps or strong rope.
- Enough helpers. You’ll need at least 3 other helpers besides you to complete the task safely. This is a critical requirement due to the extraordinary weight and outstanding dimensions of a hot tub.
Do NOT start the preparation and moving procedure unless you’ve secured those 3 friendly assistants. If you can’t, then go with either Option 1 or Option 2.
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How to move a hot tub in 12 steps
For one reason or another, you’ve decided to move your hot tub to the new home without paying professionals to help you out. In that case, SAFETY becomes of paramount importance and that’s why the following steps will show you the proper way to move a hot tub with safety in mind.
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Secure a moving vehicle
Professional movers can choose to transport your hot tub on a specialized trailer. For safety reasons, you’d be better off renting a moving truck.
Measure the dimensions of your hot tub – unless you already know the exact size from its manual. You want to make sure that the moving truck you rent will be large enough to fit the enormous item.
In most cases, you’ll be fine getting at least a 15 ft. moving truck, usually with a storage capacity measuring 15′ x 7’8″ x 7’2″.
When renting the moving truck, ensure that it has a loading ramp to make the loading job easier and safer. The good news is that there are a good number of truck rental companies that can offer you the right type of moving vehicle for your DIY needs.
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Rent the proper moving equipment
You won’t be able to move a hot tub with a dolly if you don’t have a dolly, right? Once you’ve secured a suitable moving vehicle, it’s time to turn your attention to the equipment needed to move a hot tub safely.
First of all, you’re going to need 2 heavy-duty furniture dollies designed to carry super-heavy loads. Your local Home Depot or a reputable local moving company should both be able to offer you dollies capable of holding up to 800 pounds.
Secondly, you’ll need 4 pieces of wood measuring approximately 4’’ x 4’’. You’ll need those to lift slightly the home spa off the ground so that you can roll the two furniture dollies underneath it.
And thirdly, get strong straps or a good length of rope to immobilize the huge hot tub while it’s loaded onto the dollies.
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Recruit trustworthy helpers
Needless to say, moving a hot tub from one house to another is not a job for a single person. Therefore, choosing not to use the services of professional hot tub movers automatically means that you will be counting on a few strong friends to complete the task.
Ask at least 3 extra people to give you hand with the heavy lifting. If possible, get together a friendly moving team of around 6 people to minimize the chance of any accidents.
If you have trouble assembling your team, a third in-between option is to hire labor-only movers – professionals who only offer moving labor without offering any transportation services. In other words, those are professional movers without a truck.
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Inspect the exit path
Some exit paths are tougher than others.
Take a walk along the planned exit path of the hot tub and make sure there are neither any obstacles nor hazardous areas along the way. Assess carefully the surroundings and act accordingly.
Will you have to move the large hot tub over grass across a yard?
What about moving it up or down a hill?
Hopefully, your home spa will be on the ground level and you won’t have to move it down stairs. If there are any steps or stairs involved, you’d better call up professional movers as things can get really dangerous in seconds.
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Disconnect the hot tub
Unplug your hot tub from the electrical network, then coil the power cord, wrap it in plastic and put it away in its designated storage compartment on the side panel of the spa.
Remember that no cables should be dangling from the hot tub during transport – otherwise, the whole moving operation can be quickly jeopardized with a single wrong step.
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Drain the hot tub
The next step is to drain your hot tub as it cannot be moved with any water in it. The bad news is that draining a home spa is not as easy and straightforward as draining your bathtub, for example.
How to drain a hot tub before moving it? To do it properly, make sure you follow the instructions of the hot tub manufacturer. In most cases, you’ll need to access the side panel, then shut off the water supply.
Use a long hose to drain the water if your hot tub is located inside. If your Jacuzzi is located outside, close to your garden, then you can drain it directly into a suitable area in that garden or pump out the water near a street gutter, if that’s an option in your case.
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Clean and dry out the tub
Clean the inside of your hot tub either using a special manufacturer-recommended cleaner or an all-purpose cleaning product. Use a soft cloth to avoid any type of damage to its surface.
Then, rinse well, then dry off any remaining water with bath towels. Once your hot tub is completely clean and dry, you can move on to the next step in your hot tub moving “adventure”.
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Remove the tub’s cover
The stage of preparing your hot tub for moving is crucial.
If your hot tub is equipped with a detachable cover, then it’s best to remove it and move it separately from the tub. After the move is over, you should be able to easily re-attach it back with no damage whatsoever.
In most cases, you’ll need to unscrew the cover of your portable spa using a suitable screwdriver. Remember to keep the small screws in a safe place, preferably a plastic Ziploc bag.
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Position the 4 wood pieces
Here come the toughest and most dangerous 4 steps to moving a hot tub to another house.
Have all your helpers lift slightly each corner of the heavy hot tub, just enough so that you can insert one wooden piece beneath each corner. The idea here is to elevate the portable spa off the ground so that you can slide the moving dollies underneath it.
As a result, your Jacuzzi spa tub should be approximately 4 inches off the ground, completely stable on those 4 pieces of wood.
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Get the dollies under the tub
Slide a furniture dolly under the front section of the hot tub, then secure it well with straps or rope. Then slide the other moving dolly at the back part of the tub and secure it again to ensure that the massive structure of the Jacuzzi won’t slip off the dollies.
This is a crucial step so do it slowly and don’t start moving the home spa unless you’ve checked twice that the enormous load is well-secured to the moving dollies.
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Roll the tub to the moving truck
A fun hot tub party after the move is a must.
In the best case scenario, the terrain from your starting point to the moving truck will be predominantly flat, without any hurdles or obstacles along the way. The straps or rope should keep the load on the dollies fairly stable, but you’ll need to exercise extra caution as well.
Have you helpers have their hands on the hot tub to keep it steady, then start rolling it very slowly toward the moving vehicle. Don’t make any abrupt movements and whenever you face any difficulties – like having to squeeze the hot tub through a gate, for example – just stop and think about the best way (understand the safest way) to do it.
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Load the hot tub onto the truck
The final step to moving a hot tub with a moving truck is the most dangerous of them all. Once you reach the moving truck, you’ll need to load the enormous portable spa onto the transportation vehicle.
Push the hot tub up the loading ramp by having one person in front for guidance and the rest at the back to provide enough forward momentum. Once inside, secure the hot tub to the sides of the truck to prevent it from moving during the haul.
If you feel really nervous about getting that huge load up the truck, contact professionals who’ve done it safely hundreds of times before. Don’t forget even for a second that staying injury-free, you and your helpers, is still the number one priority.
