Hot tub up and running

It has been a long time since I posted anything about the house.  We've done a lot and are 98% done with the home addition.  Hopefully I'll get to posting pictures before the spring and summer fun starts around here.  For now, here is a report about one major milestone: The Hot Tub Is Up And Running!

One part of the home addition plans called for an in-deck hot tub.  We wanted to move our existing hot tub from its former life behind the old garage to a place of honor and potential frequent use set down in the deck.  We couldn't do this because the place we have for it is less than 10 feet from the property line, a SLC building code (we don't know why that code exists).  Well, we passed our final inspection, on 10/11/11.   Once that was out of the way, we were free to do things that are not quite up to SLC building code.

First step was to cut a hole in the new deck.

which got ugly and big.

The hole is the place where the hot tub would drop into.  But the ground below wasn't at the right height, so we had to pour a concrete pad.

We went to great measures to protect our new sod from the tire ruts that could be created by wheel barrels full of concrete.

 Meanwhile these darn cats of ours can't keep out of anything we're doing, including running across the new pad.

Drew had to catch Marley and quickly wash the fresh concrete off her paws so they wouldn't get burned by the additives.  He reported that she "didn't really like having her paws washed".  Understatement!

But the pad came out just fine and was ready to accept the hot tub.

But the hot tub wasn't ready yet!  Years of direct sun had weathered the composite skirt.

 So Drew spent a couple of days cleaning it up and adding new stain.  The new stain looks really blue in this picture, but it's not so colorful in real life.

 Once the tub was ready, Drew hired three or four other strapping men to move it into place.  I was away at work on the day they moved it, and Drew was up to his elbows in a certain heavy object, so we don't have any pictures.  From the description of the act, there were Egyptian-esque techniques employed to move the tub across the lawn, up a temporary ramp, and down into the hole.   There was a moment of drama when the heavy tub reached the tipping point to slide into the hole, but brute strength and ingenious engineering prevailed, and our hot tub is in its final resting place.

 Here is how it looks from the back of the house. When the wether warms up again I'll finish the lattice deck skirt for the hot tub side, which will hide the bottom of the tub.

I will say, it is rather wonderful to have a steaming hot tub of water waiting for you on chilly nights.  Especially one with your husband in it!