Home Pool Designs Adding a Spa to your pool

Adding a Spa to your pool

Jump to Section

Can & Should I add a spa to my pool?

I was sitting outside by the pool one evening not long ago and had thought it would be nice to warm up the pool – and then it hit me – why didn’t the original owners add a hot tub to this pool when it was built!? (I have a pool with a heater but no spa)

I mean who doesn’t have a spa connected to the pool? Does it really cost that much to add a spa to a inground pool? Most of my family & friends all have an attached hot tub to their pools, so it must be more of a preference over price tag.

If you ask me, I think a hot tub should come with a custom pool, you think you won’t use it – but you will – and you will wish you had one if your pool does not already!

So I did a bit of investigation and thought I would share the results with you guys; some of my findings actually do make sense.

It turns out that most people add a spa to an existing swimming pool because they bought a house with a pool that did not have one.

adding a spa to existing swimming pool

The reasons for not installing a spa when building a new pool are somewhat common.

Add a spa to new or existing pool?

Come to find out there are several reasons for going either way, having a spa attached to the pool or not. From what I can tell here are the main considerations for this decision:

- Not enough budget for the spa
- The decision maker is convinced there is no need for the family to have a spa
- Some people are convinced that the spa just adds more problems to the pool overall

Budget: Swimming pool buyers considering their budget investment compared to the return on the decision. Adding a hot tub to your pool can start around $6,500.00 in most areas and ranges upwards of $9,995.00 depending on customization of design and the size. Many new pool buyers can justify this cost, however others put all their budget into swimming-pool-only features.

how much does it cost to add spa to a pool

The typical cost to adding an attached spa to a NEW inground pool:

- $6,500 for a 6ft diameter, level with the pool
- $9,950 or more for a 7ft diameter, raised 18 inches from the pool

Prices for attached spa combinations tend to get a littler more as they get bigger than 7ft (inside) and the higher it is raised from the pool level. As you would imagine, adding a spa to a pool during construction would cost far less than adding after the fact.

HAVE DESIGN QUESTIONS?

ASK a PRO about my pool design options

ADDING A SPA TO EXISTING INGROUND POOL

We hear a lot of people asking if a spa could be added to their already existing pool. If you have a in-ground gunite swimming pool, then yes, you should be able to add a spa to the existing pool. (If you have a vinyl liner, or a fiberglass pool you may not have this option.)

how much does a spa cost to add to pool design

The typical cost for adding a spa to an EXISTING inground pool:

- $12,995 for a 6ft diameter level with the pool beam
- $18,995 or more for a 7ft diameter, attached, raised from the pool

Note: when adding a spa to an existing pool you will need to re-plaster the interior of the pool when the interior finish is applied to the project. Because of the way a spa is added to an in-ground pool, there are preparations for the work that are irreversible. The prep work creates a situation where the pool interior will not seal the pool structure, will not match the new spa addition, and could be integrally compromised during the work.

Resurfacing the pool after adding a spa, expect to add to cost around:

- $6 per sqft for typical pool interior finishes
- Plus all minimum & standard charges (like fixtures, fittings, bond coating, etc)

Adding a spa to a pool that already exists is a common occurrence and typically takes place during an extensive pool remodeling project, for those who add one to their pool are the ones who find the most vale out of having one, and have probably had a pool with a spa all their lives – you just can’t have a pool without a spa!

how to add a spa to existing swimming pool

READY TO ADD A SPA TO YOUR POOL?

FIND a LOCAL PRO to remodel my pool

Factors that effect the cost to add a spa to a pool

Adding a spa to a completed pool is actually like building a miniature pool. A spa has it’s own set of equipment to make it all work (and shares some of that equipment with the pool).

In most cases I found that a spa is attached to the pool at an advantageous placement, includes a spillway into the pool, and requires modification of the pool structure, plumbing, electrical, adding new components, and finishing off with materials.

Cost of Ownership: Some pool owners have discovered that over time the spa ends up needing repairs – such as the heater, as the added equipment is used infrequently and much less often than the pool itself.

Therapeutic Benefits: The foremost consideration of a buyer who values a hot tub is having those relaxing nights surrounded by warm bubbling water in their own private spa, and this alone is enough to justify the cost or added maintenance.

Resale Value: A house without a pool may not sell very fast, which could be the same about selling a home with a pool but without a hot-tub. If the pools around the block have attached spas to their pools you may want to consider keeping up with the local market if you intend to sell the home.

Add onto Existing: In most cases it’s possible to be hot-tub ready by building a new spa right into the swimming pool remodeling and adding the required plumbing / equipment. This can be a little more costly than when building it new but it happens all the time!

Just adding the hot tub (or not) is a big enough decision, then there are things like design, shape, height, spillway, benches, where to put the deep end in a pool and more. So just like designing a custom pool, you can start out with a cookie-cutter spa and go from there.

can i add a spa to existing swimming pool

REASONS TO ADD A SPA TO THE POOL

If you can afford the spa, get the spa!
For those who enjoy the health benefits of a hot-tub but short on cash, talk to local pool builders to see what your options might be to curb cost and still get one.
Sometimes we must decide between a water feature vs a spa but if you design it correctly the spa can become the water-feature!
Existing pools may experience some challenges but is certainly possible to add a spa to most inground gunite pools. There is a process to remodeling a swimming pool especially if adding a spa.
In all cases there are priceless returns on investment, think of the memorable times in a custom designed spa!

adding-spa-to-a-pool