Most people picture the first soak: cold air, warm water, the cover folded back on a December night. What they don’t picture is the part in between, the measuring, the electrician, the morning the delivery crew pulls up. Getting that middle part right is what makes the first soak easy.
This guide walks through the steps in the order they actually happen for an Indianapolis-area homeowner, so you know what to plan and what to ask when your showroom gives you a delivery date.
Why timing matters in the fall
Every Royal Spa hot tub is custom built to order at our factory on Epler Avenue in Indianapolis, where we have built hot tubs since 1981. Built to order means your shell color, cabinet, and jet layout are made for you, not pulled from a warehouse. It also means the calendar starts when you order, not when you shop.
Lead times vary by model and season, so there’s no single date that works for everyone. When you visit a showroom, ask for a delivery date for the model and build you choose, and plan the rest of the steps around it.
The other clocks running in parallel are yours: an electrician’s schedule and fall weather for any outdoor site work. If you need a new pad or other site work, ask your contractor how weather could affect the schedule.
Step 1: Pick your model at a showroom
The best way to choose a hot tub is to sit in one. We have three Indianapolis-area showrooms: the Factory Showroom at 2041 W Epler Ave on the south side, Avon at 7994 E US 36 on the west side, and Pendleton Pike at 9820 Pendleton Pike on the northeast side. All three are open seven days a week, with Sunday hours from noon to 4 PM. Hours and directions are on our locations page.
Three questions narrow the lineup fast: how much room you have, how many people will really be in the water on an ordinary weeknight, and what kind of soak you want. Our lineup runs from the 3-seat Princess to the 8-seat Monarch, and every model comes in more than one build level with the same 40-year structural warranty. Our model comparison guide and price guide cover the details.
Bring three numbers to the showroom: the size of the spot where the tub will sit, the narrowest point on the path from the street to that spot, and the distance from that spot to your electrical panel. You’ll use all three in the steps below.
While you’re there, ask for a delivery quote for your address and a delivery date for the model you choose.
Step 2: Choose the spot and check the delivery path
Space stops more hot tub purchases than price does. Royal Spa footprints run from 63 by 82 inches on the Princess to 98 by 98 inches on the Monarch, and you need clearance beyond that to open the cover and reach the equipment bay.
Then walk the delivery path. Gate width, the turn at the corner of the house, a low branch over the driveway: these are the numbers that matter on delivery day, and delivery day is a bad time to learn them. If access is tight, the Knight is 71.5 inches wide, which lets it move through a standard doorway and down a hallway for basement and sunroom installs.
Location rules apply too. Inside the City of Indianapolis, a hot tub can’t sit in a front yard, closer to a side lot line than your zoning district’s side setback, or closer than five feet to the rear lot line, according to Indy.gov. If you live outside the City of Indianapolis, check with your town or county, since their rules may differ. Check your HOA covenants as well.
Share your measurements with your showroom when you order. They’ll confirm what clearance delivery needs and how the tub will reach your spot.
Step 3: Prepare a level, stable base
Your hot tub needs a level, stable base. If you already have a suitable patio or pad, site prep may cost you nothing.
Plan for the weight once it’s full. Water weighs about 8.34 pounds per gallon, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. A 250-gallon model like the Crown carries roughly 2,085 pounds of water, and the 550-gallon Monarch carries roughly 4,590 pounds, before you add the tub itself and the people in it. That’s why a deck or elevated surface deserves a contractor’s check.
Royal Spa tubs are built on a pleated fiberglass bottom that raises the frame off the ground and lets air move underneath, which helps avoid the rot common with flat-bottom designs.
Ask your showroom which base types suit your model and site.
Step 4: Line up the electrical work early
Electrical is the item buyers forget. Most full-size hot tubs run on a dedicated 240-volt circuit, and a licensed electrician prices the job based on the distance from your panel and its capacity. Get that quote before delivery day, not after.
A few code points your electrician will handle:
- Indiana’s residential code requires ground-fault circuit-interrupter (GFCI) protection for hot tub electrical equipment.
- The National Electrical Code calls for a disconnect that is readily accessible, within sight of the tub, and at least five feet from the water unless a permanent barrier separates them. Your electrician will confirm what applies under Indiana’s adopted code.
Your electrician will confirm the circuit and breaker your model needs from the specifications for the model and build you choose, so ask your showroom for those specs when you order.
Step 5: Delivery day
Delivery and placement are quoted with your tub, based on where you live and what your yard access looks like, so the number on your order is the number. Lead times vary by model and season, so ask your showroom for a delivery date when you visit.
Before delivery day, ask your showroom what to have ready, such as a clear path, a finished base, and whether your circuit should be in place when the tub arrives.
Step 6: First fill and startup
Once the tub is placed and the circuit is live, you’ll fill it with a garden hose. Filling through the skimmer basket can help prevent an airlock in the circulating pump. Before heating, check for airlocks at the filter and pumps, because an airlock can cause the heater to dry fire, which isn’t covered under warranty. Run the jets briefly with the heat off, check fittings for leaks, then bring the water up to temperature.
About 24 to 48 hours after the spa is running, test alkalinity and pH and adjust. Our step-by-step first-fill guide and your Operation and Care Guide cover every step. Questions during startup? Call our Parts & Service Center at 317-780-2121.
Then the good part. Many owners use their hot tub more in winter than any other season, and our winter use guide covers temperature settings, keeping the cover clear of snow, and safe footing on icy patios.
A simple install-planning checklist
Lead times vary by model and season, so there’s no standard countdown. Start with the delivery date your showroom gives you and plan around it:
- At your showroom visit: choose your model and build, get your delivery quoted, and ask for a delivery date.
- Before delivery: line up a licensed electrician, ideally with the work finished before your delivery date.
- Delivery day: path cleared and base ready. Ask your showroom whether the circuit should be live when the tub arrives.
- After delivery: fill, start up, and give the water time to heat and settle, then test alkalinity and pH 24 to 48 hours later.
- Then: your first soak.
- If a date matters to you: tell the showroom when you ask for a delivery date.
Common questions
Does the delivery quote include electrical work?
No. Delivery is quoted with your order based on your location and access. Electrical work is separate and belongs to your licensed electrician.
How long does delivery take?
Lead times vary by model and season. Ask your showroom for a delivery date for the model and build you choose.
Is it worth installing a hot tub going into winter?
Many Royal Spa owners use their hot tub more in winter than any other time of year. The main thing to plan for is the install itself: base, electrical, and delivery access before the weather turns.
Start with a showroom visit
A showroom visit gets you your real numbers: the model that fits your space, the build that fits how you’ll use it, and delivery to your address. Visit our Factory Showroom, Avon, or Pendleton Pike showroom, and bring your three measurements. Book a showroom visit and we’ll help you plan your install.
