How Much For An Electrician To Wire Up A Hot Tub?

How much for an electrician to wire up a hot tub? If you didn’t know, wiring a hot tub is often considered as one of the most common requests by most electricians.

However, you need to understand that the cost of installing a hot tub is highly variable; there’s no fixed amount that one can quote.

There are several factors that come into play, such as the distance between the main distribution control panel and the place where your hot tub is kept, as well as just how big the spa really is.

More importantly, the complexity of the work to be done to install the circuitry will also play an important role.

While there are most spa dealers who will simply quote a figure between $100 and $1000, you need to understand that these figures are not accurate at all.

The price generally differs from one electrical contractor to another. If you can find one of the lowest priced contractors in the industry, things will be easier for you.

How Much For An Electrician To Wire Up A Hot Tub?

The average cost quoted by electricians for installing a hot tub can go as high as $1,500. This price range usually factors in an assumption that existing wiring or a conduit is not already fixed in place. In some cases, the quoted price might be as low as $900.

Again, there are five critical factors that determine whether the price quoted to you is higher or low. Let’s talk about these five factors.

Pre-planning

If you are planning on landscaping the backyard, it might be a wise idea to factor in any future installation of the hot tub.

The best way to save money on this is to put the underground wiring and other materials in before you decide to cover the whole thing up with a layer of concrete or grass.

For instance, if you have hired a landscaping expert for the job, just ask them to create an underground conduit that will allow for future electrical, gas, or water pipes. It doesn’t matter if you are going to install something in the future or not, it’s always a good thing to do.

A professional tradesman is going to install the conduit in place and it doesn’t really cost a whole lot more. More importantly, it will make the place more attractive for future installations.

The Location Matters a Lot

Most people don’t think about this, but the location you choose has a major role to play in the costs you pay for the wiring later on. A majority of the costs are attributed to buying the materials.

The electrician must create an entirely new circuit, running it the whole length from the main distribution panel all the way to where the hot tub is situated.

If the distance between your hot tub and the distribution panel is greater, you will obviously end up paying more. Before you decide to fix your hot tub in place, you may want to take a look at the closet electrical panel.

As per the official building codes, a distance of six feet must be maintained from the GFCI outlets. If you don’t have GFCI outlets, the distance should be at least 10 feet.

More importantly, if the hot tub is not placed close to a wall, you will also have another decision to make: do you run the wiring above the ground or do you run it below the ground? Both are going to depend on the actual situation, and the costs vary dramatically.

Fix the Spa in Before You Call the Electrician

To ensure that the installation is done properly, you should call the hot tub experts and have them fix the hot tub in place before you call the electrician.

This makes it easy for the electrician to fix the spa panel based on the building regulations and close the connection between the main distribution panel and the spa with ease.

If the spa is not placed at its main location by the time the electrician arrives, the electrician will charge you more for an additional visit. Ultimately, this is going to run your costs quite high.

Have Someone Else Do the Trenching

If you are going to install a trench first for the wiring, it’s a great idea to call another company to do that for you. Trenching is not an electrician’s job, and since they decide to go ahead with it, they are going to charge you money for it.

Needless to say, they are going to charge you much higher than an average handyman would. It’s best to hire a landscaper or someone who specializes in outdoor work to do the trenching for you.

Hiring a laborer from a local company or someone online is another excellent way to save money on the whole thing. It’s important to note here that the trench should be dug to a particular depth.

You may want to refer to the building codes associated with installing a hot tub, or talk to an expert to figure out the best option.

More importantly, you can’t have the handyman or laborer fix the conduit in place. It must always be done by an electrician, since the risk of damage is so high.

Confer with the Building Regulations

Have you already checked with the local building regulations in your condo? If there are any requirements that must be met, such as getting a clearance for adding an extra fence, you will want to meet those as well.

It could save you a great deal of time and money in the long run if you decide to go through the whole process in an efficient manner, otherwise you’ll be left frustrated later on.

If your property is in the middle of its construction phase, you can save a bit of money on the wiring. That’s because the open framing for the house will reduce the amount of labor work required by the electrician to ensure that the connection is made seamlessly.

But, as mentioned before, the majority of the money is spent on getting the materials.

Buying Materials

Can you buy the materials on your own? The answer to this is that you probably can’t. First of all, you won’t know about all the materials that you need for wiring the hot tub.

Second, it’s important to get the quantity right. For instance, if you are buying the wiring, do you know about the gauge and the length of the wire itself?

Instead of doing it all by yourself, it’s highly recommended that you hire a professional to help you out. You can ask for quotes from different electricians in your area, and they will come and check before letting you know about the location.

It’s generally a wise idea to ask for quotes from multiple electrical service providers before you decide on any particular company.

Another good thing to do is check reviews about local businesses in your area so that you get a good standard of service from the business. These are just a few simple things to help you get the wiring done right and at an affordable price.