At Best Hot Tubs, we get a lot of new customers through referrals from other happy hot tub clients. But it is very heartening when referrals come from other outdoor living businesses like our own.
Consider when an E. Hampton resident came into our Westbury showroom last summer. She was ready and eager to upgrade her spa. And it was her swimming pool/deck building company (Proper pH Pools of E. Hampton) who recommended us.
Background
Ursula Lindgren, Chief of Operations at Proper pH Pools, explains that the homeowner’s existing spa had been set in the ground surrounded by a deck. And every heavy rain and saturation of the ground around her old hot tub allowed water to access the spa’s electrical components and spa packs, causing continuous problems.
“The homeowners were having difficulties with their inexpensive hot tub more often than you’d like to see,” says Ursula. “And, in addition to wanting fewer operating problems, they were looking for a more luxurious spa experience.”
Ursula, and her firm’s owners, Bob and Shira Barzilay, knew from trade shows that Bullfrog Spas would meet all their clients’ requirements.
“To find a good local Bullfrog distributor, we checked with someone we knew, Michael Truehart (True Blue Swimming Pools). When he mentioned Bill Renter at Best Hot Tubs, it immediately clicked with us. We had met Bill on several occasions and knew he’d be the perfect go-to person and recommend they get in touch with him.”
Bullfrog’s A-8 spa
After visiting Best Hot Tubs, the homeowner settled on one of Bullfrog’s most luxurious models — the A8. It is a large 8-person hot tub that is extremely comfortable. Boasting 6 patented JetPak massage seats, it also has a uniquely contoured foot therapy dome for personal foot massages.
“It was a fantastic choice,” says Bill Renter. “But in addition to the A8 providing great comfort and size, all Bullfrog Spas are built with about 90% less internal plumbing than other designs.”
Ursula adds that with so much less plumbing, so much less could go wrong with Bullfrog Spas.
“Indeed,” says Bill. “The more moving parts, the more chance something will break — and the harder it is to fix. With Bullfrog Spas, when any maintenance is required, only one part of the hot tub needs to be accessed. This allows for creative installations, like the one done for this customer by Proper pH Pools.”
Bill adds, once you set a spa in a deck like this one, taking it out again for repairs is nearly impossible. Spa owners also have to consider warranties. Bullfrog sells a special spa vault for in-ground installations. This means you won’t void the warranty should anything go wrong, which is not the case with other hot tubs.
Project’s Installation
Railroad Ties and gravel used for prepping site
“After removing the existing hot tub and the old decking around it, we raise the height of the new spa’s installation,” says Ursula.
“Because the property pitched in the direction of the hot tub area, this higher application would prevent any excessive water drainage or moisture accumulating around the new hot tub.”
To do this, Proper pH Pools raised the base and added gravel inside railroad ties for a firm support. Best Hot Tubs worked with them closely to ensure there would be easy access for any repairs, including creating an ideal access panel.
Completed Installation
Completed Hot Tub-Deck Installation in E. Hampton
“Proper pH Pools created a perfect space for us to add the new hot tub,” says Bill. “They came back after we installed it and finished the carpentry around it. It’s a beautiful mahogany deck which we coordinated with the hot tub’s cabinet. The access panel door they crafted is removable, so it’s easy to take out the framing and make any maintenance required.”
Both Best Hot Tubs and Proper pH Pools believe a key part of this successful spa/deck upgrade was due to having great business relationships.
“When you’re confident of another company’s integrity and professionalism, this makes a world of difference,” says Ursula. “We take pride in the other businesses we work with — professionals who stand by their products and work. This is one way we can provide a high level of quality to our clients.”
Project Video
Here’s a video where our own Bill Renter shows how this creative installation was done.
