Want to know how much a swim spa costs? Wondering about swim spa prices and why there’s such a difference? This article fully answers those questions and more...
Thinking about buying a swim spa,and wondering: "How much does a swim spa cost?". You may also be asking: "Why is there such a huge range in swim spa pricing?”.
After all, you can spend $15,999 on one swim spa or $59,999 on another and (on the surface) they look pretty similar. But are they?
Working out how much to spend on a swim spa can be confusing.
For example, if you compare three different swim spas from Spa World™ with (on the face of it) similar specifications you will find a big difference in prices.
Three similar looking swim spas, three very different prices:
The swim spas above are all are 4.5 metres, seat 4-5 adults, have a circulation pump (filtration pump) and two jet pumps, and 35 to 40 jets – so why the price difference?
When building a swim spa, manufacturers have many options to choose from.
Here are some factors that can have an impact on the final sale price:
If you look more closely at the technical specifications of the spas mentioned above, you'll see they will have some key differences that set them apart. We explain more below...
Swim spas are very labour intensive to make.
Most of the process is not automated and therefore the cost of the labour in the country of manufacture, ultimately influences the price (but not necessarily quality) of the swim spa.
Many of the best quality swim spas in world (and certainly the best value swim spas) are made in China, Mexico and Eastern Europe where labour costs are lower than in developed countries. Learn more about spas and swim spas made in China.
It's important to note that where a swim spa is made is not a guide to quality.
Some of the best swim spas on the market for quality and value are made in developing countries; Jacuzzi® and HotSpring® spas have factories in Mexico. Oasis Spas™, Lifestyle Spas™ and Vortex Spas™ are made in China.
Equally, we have seen some very poor quality swim spas that are made in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US and Western Europe.
Why? Because; the higher the labour costs – the fewer the hours invested in the production. Otherwise; the higher labour costs would have to be passed on to the customer.
This does not mean that there are not some great swim spas made in developed countries (Sapphire Spas™, Signature Spas™, and Endless™/Fastlane™ Swim Spas are all made in Australia and the US respectively).
Ultimately, where a swim spa is made should not be the final judge of the quality.
The options for how a swim spa is made are too many to mention, but there are two things to look for which are good indicators of quality:
Firstly, warranties. Generally speaking, the longer the warranty, the longer the swim spa will last. The shell of the swim spa should be warranted for at least 10 years and the pumps and electronics should be warranted for two to five years.
But beware. We have seen newcomers offering long warranties to grab sales before they have been around for the duration of their warranty.
Which leads to the next point; how long has the brand been around?
As you would expect, longevity leads to experience. Newcomers to the market will generally know less about making a swim spa than a company that has been around for decades.
Two really good questions to ask when buying a spa are:
There are many great swim spa makers and sellers who could answer 20 years+ to both questions. Jacuzzi®, for example, has been manufacturing spas for over 64 years!
As an influencer of price, superior manufacturing techniques will certainly lead to higher prices.
Cutting corners in the manufacturing process will certainly allow for a cheaper swim spa, but will just as certainly mean the swim spa will not last as long, and equally as important, will cost more to maintain and operate.
The average swim spa has hundreds of components and manufacturers have options for every one of them.
Put simply, cheap parts lead to a cheaper swim spa. They also lead to breakages, failures and buyer remorse!
Here are six really important things to look for when choosing a swim spa:
Ask to see the frame so you can judge how robust it is. Remember it has to support the shell with up to 7 tonnes of water in it. Also, don’t be fooled by ‘stainless steel’ frames. It is usually very low-quality stainless steel and we have seen many rusted steel frames
If it doesn’t state US-made, it isn’t. No one outside of the US makes decent quality acrylic sheet yet.
The big ones are Balboa, Gecko and SpaNet. HotSpring Spas® make their own and these are also very good. Once again, if the supplier is not claiming they use one of the above brands – steer clear!
This should be 2-5 years.
Ask the retailer to remove it for you so you can assess the weight and integrity. The cabinet is going to get hit with years of UV rays and poor quality cabinets will quickly fade and warp turned your new spa into an eyesore
This is one of the single biggest determiners of swim spa cost and value. Most swim spas use big spa jets to provide the swimming stream, but high-end swim spas such as Jacuzzi® and Fastlane® use either specially designed swim jets, or in the base of Fastlane®, a turbine. These certainly make for a great swimming experience but they can drive the price up.
In summary, the extra cost in a swim spa can be hidden in the components. Using quality components can easily double the manufacturing cost of a swim spa, which in turn leads to a retail price that is twice as high.
Just be aware, it is almost impossible to build a quality swim spa and bring it to market for less than $16,000 and even then, it would have very low functionality (see below).
The more features a swim spa has, the more it will generally cost – but the more enjoyable it is likely to be to own it.
Here are the seven top features to look for in any swim spa you buy:
Circulation pumps lead to cheaper running costs, better water quality and a quieter spa than a two-speed pump. A spa with a circulation pump would be at least $1000 more than the same spa fitted with a 2-speed pump.
Ozone (which clarifies the water) is a must. UV (which sanitises the water) is preferable, and any spa with multi-stage filtration is going to be easier to maintain than one without. A very good automatic sanitising system can easily add $2,000 to the price of a swim spa.
The bare minimum should be insulation of both the shell of the spa and the inside of the cabinet, but ideally, choose a spa with ‘full-foam’ insulation as these have the lowest running costs. Full foam insulation can add $4,000 to the retail price of a spa but the savings over time on running costs could be considerably more, making good insulation a great investment.
A thicker, higher density cover is better for reducing heat loss and therefore running costs. Choose a cover lifter to make removing the cover easier.
Once again, ask the retailer to remove the side of the spa and show you.
Manufacturers will often inflate the jet count of a spa by using lots of little water jets or air jets. The bigger the jet, the better the massage. Some of the best hydrotherapy spas on the market including Jacuzzi®, HotSpring Spas® and Bullfrog® have relatively low quantities of jets. More jets is not necessarily better. What is important is the way the jets are designed into the spa. Spa companies with great design and engineering teams will generally produce a spa with superior hydrotherapy, but this does come at a cost. This is one of the many hidden costs that are not recognised, but certainly, contribute to a better spa ownership experience.
A big attraction of swim spas in the fitness aspect. If you use apps to track your progress and monitor training you’ll want to connect them to your swim spa. Jacuzzi® and Fastlane® (Endless Pools®) both offer swim spas with fitness app integration via WiFI and smart devices.
The above points are easy to look for but there are some other aspects of a swim spa that are harder to spot.
We’ve already mentioned things like the acrylic, the framing, the controller type and the insulation, but there a couple more to pay attention to.
The first is the amount of resin that is applied to the acrylic shell. This is probably the single biggest determiner of swim spa life span. Discuss this with the retailer.
Lastly, check the type of piping that is used in the plumbing. Clear plastic tubing is not good. You should be seeing ribbed flexible PVC plumbing. This type of plumbing has been specifically designed for hot, chemically treated water.
Hopefully, after reading this article you now have a better understanding of why swim spas that look the same on the surface, can vary so much in price.
For more information, visit the Spa World product pages where you can see all of our spas, swim spas and prices.
Or visit your nearest Spa World store or contact us now, for advice and tips on buying the best swim spa for you!
DISCLAIMER
In this article, we’ve used brand names not affiliated with Spa World™ or Vortex Leisure Pty Ltd, the parent company of Spa World™.
All information, including pricing and product details, was accurate at the time of writing (8 July 2020) and may change without notice.
The following registered trademarks are owned by companies not affiliated in any way with Spa World™ or Vortex Leisure Pty Ltd: Oasis Spas® trademark is owned by Oasis Leisure Products Pty Ltd. Bullfrog Spas® trademark is owned by Bullfrog International, LC Signature® Spas trademark is owned by Spa Industries Pty Ltd (SCS). HotSpring® Spas trademark is owned by Watkins Manufacturing Corporation (Watkins). *Lifestyle Spas® trademark is owned by Lifestyle Spas and Leisure * Sapphire Spas®
Affiliations:
Vortex® Spas, Fisher™ Spas and Spa World® are trademarks owned by Vortex Leisure Pty Ltd. The Jacuuzzi® brand is owned by Jacuzzi Inc. and exclusively licensed for use to Spa World™ in Australia and New Zealand.
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