What Does a Swim Spa Cost?

When you are looking at purchasing a swim spa, you should consider the different costs you will incur and when these costs will take place. Today we will take you through everything about swim spa cost.

Some swim spas may cost more upfront, but you get higher quality workmanship that costs you less to operate and maintain. While budget swim spas initially promise a lesser financial burden, much more can go wrong if inferior materials and unskilled labor are used.

The total cost of a swim spa has three major components:

• the purchase price
• the installation cost
• the maintenance cost

Additionally, there is the initial cost of water and the ongoing cost of electricity.

A traditional fiberglass swimming pool can easily cost $40,000. That’s before you factor in the cost of site prep and a cover. Maintenance is time-consuming and can be very pricey. And in most parts of the country, you can only use your pool a few months out of the year, whereas the rest of the year you hope the water doesn’t turn that green…

For these factors, choosing a swim spa can be a cost-effective alternative to putting in a traditional swimming pool.

A swim spa is a small pool that uses water jets or propellers to create a current. This current gives you resistance to swim against, letting you have the experience of swimming without installing a full-sized pool.

Some swim spas also have similar features to hot tubs. They can be installed in-ground, above ground (or even inside a garage).

You can use your swim spa year-round. Swim spas can be located outdoors, but can also be set up indoors.  You can have it above ground or below; place it in a deck or in one half of a garage. If you move, you can take it with you. And the maintenance is easy.

Various manufacturers sell swim spas ranging from about $10,000 on the lower end to over $30,000 for a fully customized swim spa. Swim spas are not cheap but about half the price of a nice pool making swim spa cost not seem so bad.

You can use the swim spa year-round. There are a lot more options with installation. It can be inside or outside; above ground or below; placed on a deck or in one-half of a garage. You can take it with you if you move. And the maintenance is easy.

Royal Spa swim spas range from $19,995 to $25,000 with most purchases landing right in the middle. The final price depends on many available customizations.

Delivery costs are a large part of swim spa cost and can vary depending on location and can range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.

IMPORTANT: Delivery is NOT installation. Delivery gets the swim spa to the street or driveway of the homeowner. Installation is what happens AFTER delivery.

Another part of swim spa cost is the installation cost for your specific swim spa. They depend on the scope of your specific job. These costs may include site preparation, landscaping, and electrical work.

Sometimes, a crane may be required to get your swim spa into position.

Swim spas require a solid, level surface and an electrical supply line (usually 220 volts, similar to a hot tub). Due to their size, electric heating is the most efficient and regularly used to heat swim spas.

Additionally, electric heating will save you the cost of running a gas line, running a gas heater, and maintaining the entire unit. With swim spas, there are no water line hook-ups or underground waterlines to deal with either.

All that aside, a knowledgeable salesperson should be able to give you a ballpark estimate of the possible costs involved for your specific order.

The cost of owning a swim spa will vary among manufacturers and models. Like cars, not all swim spas are alike. The ongoing costs associated with owning a swim spa include chemicals, electricity, maintenance, and potential repairs.

Swim spas with poor purification systems will require extra money (and time) spent on chemicals. Specialized filters can be costly. And computer control systems can be quite expensive to replace. This is why we make Royal Spa Swim Spas from components found at most pool and spa supply stores.

Energy costs can also add up over the years, so choosing a model that uses an efficient pump system can mean a difference of hundreds of dollars over time.

It goes without saying that cheaper spas use cheaper materials. This isn’t just in the shell, either… the cabinet supporting the spa, the pumps, and the propulsion system are places where bottom-line driven manufacturers seek to cut costs.

Cheaper spas sometimes reduce the size of the unit to make up for these cuts. However, this can negatively impact the swimming experience, which is the focal point of purchasing a swim spa. And when support cabinets are made from weak structures and the shells (also known as the tub) are made too thin, stress cracks will eventually form, resulting in costly repairs and premature failure.

The motors used in Royal Spa swim spas have a lifespan of 10 to 14 years or longer if maintained. We don’t use computer controls, so you’ll never have that high repair expense. And we’re confident the actual tub will outlast you.

Generally speaking, cutting corners to save a little money upfront means there’s a good chance you’ll spend more in 7-10 years than you saved. Because we take pride in our products, Royal Spa swim spas have a lower cost of ownership than our competitors, though our sticker price will not be the lowest you can find.