If you just want a personal hot tub for relaxation in your backyard or patio, you don’t need to spend an outrageous amount of money for an 8-person unit. There are a number of 2-person hot tubs available on the market for individual or small, personal use that are affordable. Additionally, they take up far less pad space and they don’t cost as much in electricity to keep the water warm.

There is no shortage of manufacturers of small hot tubs either. Every established manufacturer of hot tubs and jacuzzis has a small, personal unit model or have made such a model in the past. While not marketed heavily, consumers can get model information easily by simply asking a dealer or checking for the information on the Internet.

The units are not rinky-dinky affairs either. With room for two average people to sit inside, the personal hot tub typically provides water movement with 20 jets, give or take. Non-round models may have twice as many jets given the additional space of a square frame. Most people opt for a three-person model to provide room to move around, as a two-person model can be extremely close.

The overall market range on personal hot tubs versus standard models varies considerably. Some can be priced very low in the the $2,000s while other models can be as much as $7,000 a unit. As the price increases, so do the options and benefits included in the model. At the very low-end, the tub will have probably the least amount of jets and sitting capacity. At the high end, models practically overlap into benefits that can be had with a large tub that seats more people for less cost. Some even come with aesthetic add-ons like fountains and waterfalls.

Specific model costs can be hard to find because dealers like to maintain a buffer for markup profit. Industry website rarely offer much on cost information, adding to the ambiguity. The best sources tend to be direct sellers.

The very low end hot tub cost starts with portable models starting at $900 base price. Corner pocket models and two person lay-down models average $3,000 to $3,500 for a two person hot tub price. Three-person hot tub models are not as common yet, ironically, price at the same level as the upper-end two-person models with most beginning at $3,000. Keep in mind, local dealers may markup above these price levels.

Delivery

Just buying a personal tub is not the end of the cost, however. A consumer also needs to add in the expense of delivery as well as electrical hookup and maintenance. Most times, if bought through a dealer, the delivery cost will be included in the sale price. If a dealer really needs to move a unit, he may deliver for free but assume the unit price probably includes the cost markup. Delivery tends to be a flat fee of $50 to $100 driven from a local warehouse unless the location is farther than 30 miles. Then the fee typically increases.

Installation Expense

Electrical hookup cost can range widely. If the house or structure near the tub is already plumbed for a spa connection, the electrician can simply run a conduit from that connection to a safety shut-off box and then to the hot tub. These three phases are required by most building code. Such work, assuming no major parts are needed but a safety box can run about $500 to $750 for the electrician’s work. If the electrician has to set up a connection for the hot tub to the house’s existing electrical grid, the two person hot tub price and the same for other models probably doubles for more work involved.

Some very small tub units run on standard 110 volt power, so you may not need to incur the expense of a dedicated electrical hookup. However, upgraded units and three-person units are likely to need a dedicated conduit.

Additionally, a flat cement pad or stable floor will be needed. It is not advisable to place the tub on indoor floor as water spillage and leaks could damage the floor underneath the tub. If you don’t have a cement pad are in your backyard or patio, the cost of the cement construction will add to your new tub expense.

Added Hot Tub Cost

Accessories will add to the price as well. Not all units come with a cover or entry steps. Steps typically run $50 to $100 and a cover could be as much as $200 to $300.

Finally, there is the cost of filling up the tub and chemical maintenance. Every three or four months a water change-out is recommended. Depending on your location, the water could be free or add as much as $50 to your water bill in the month of filling it up. Chemicals range from $10 to $30 a bottle. At a minimum you will need chlorine just to kill off bacteria. A $15 bottle can last at least a year however, so the chemical cost is fairly low.