By code hot tubs have to be hard wired, bonded and protected by a GFI, they cannot be 'plugged in' otherwise it won't pass the inspection (an electrical permit is required to do this I believe).

http://www.serenityelectric.com/hot.html

Interesting it states that "Full-sized acrylic spas, are designed for the most part to operate on hard-wired, GFCI-protected 220-240V 50 amp circuits. Some spas with multiple pumps may require a 60 amp service".

Our Spa is UK Voltage so this complies with the 220-240V (and I think the amp is less than 50 amp) requirement so it may mean (and please correct me if I am wrong!) that we don't have to worry about the transformer and can hard wire it straight into a supply. If that is correct it makes it even more economic to ship it! (subject to the comments received from the supplier to the points raised by the other posters!

We had to have a separate breaker installed for ours, and had to use a specific (expensive) cable.

Have you contacted any Jacuzzi dealers in BC to find out the installation requirements? They would probably be your best bet!

You're making an assumption that any house you buy without an existing hot tub will have the capacity within it's breaker board to run an additional 50 amp supply, and if it does, that the work entailed to route additional cabling is going to be inexpensive.

Also bear in mind that there are building codes for how a hot tub is sited - often located on decks that require adequate engineered structural support to cope with the weight of 1,500l of water, plus the tub itself. You'll be lucky if it's as simple as shipping it and running some cable.

This is the requirements of the City of Burnaby
http://www.city.burnaby.bc.ca/cityha...ls_spshtt.html

You'll find it will have to meet local and provincial standards.
http://www.safetyauthority.ca/files/...e%20final1.pdf

As well the the supplier you may want to check with the municipality you'll be living in. If you bring it over and cannot use it, it's one big (and expensive) bit of junk to get rid off.

There are loads of links with this info, if you Google BC+Electrical+Code+Spas

Similar rules apply in other provinces.

As a builder who does alteration to houses all the time even if my assumption is incorrect, I don't think that it is beyond mankind to put in an upgraded supply and either install a concrete base or reinforce decking - we apparently put men on the moon in 1969 you know!

Also if there isn't a supply in the place where we eventually buy and we have to put a new one in anyway the cost implication on new Vs shipped jacuzzi is equal.

Bear in mind that as I am in the trade, I normally can obtain labour and materials more economically than the man on the street.

Thanks for your positive help - I will look into and revert.

The sarcasm's not really needed - I don't know your trade, background or ability. The comments were made to ensure you're fully aware of possible issues and cost implications, that's all.

In my experience of running a business here, employing labour building domestic and business premises, when you're a newcomer you may find your ability to negotiate trade deals and reduced labour rates more difficult - no credit history or past relationship to develop trust often means $ up front, and no haggling.

Don't count on that here. On more than one occasion this year I have negotiated better pricing on materials than my contractors, up to 20% below their pricing from the same suppliers. Often a contractor does not mark up materials, or only a small amount and they don't seem bothered if the customer buys or they do.

If you only have a 100amp (most common) supply in the house and need to upgrade to a 200 amp the cost can be extremely high, depending on what's needed. You cannot just do it yourself, Hydro charge pretty much what they like and do it when it suits them. I beleive we just paid something like $7000 for a 200amp service.

I would suggest that you don't come to Canada and expect to be teaching the yocals how it's done. This is the surest way of getting nowhere.

Aviator

Funny enough as a builder I have clients who provide materials as they think that they are purchasing them cheaper than I can. More times than not they normally have a problem such as material shortages, incompatible materials or the like. A good example is clients who buy tiles as they know someone who does them a deal and they hand you them and they are all different thicknesses meaning that they don't line up on the vertical plane. You tell them and they beg you to make it work as they can't get their money back and then complain when you use them of the exact problem that you don't them about prior to installing them. If you leave the whole package with the builder he is totally responsible and there is no way out for him when defects arise at a later date.

Contractors always mark up materials - don't be fooled into thinking otherwise. Their is an angle and you can't see it.

I know that you can't upgrade the supply yourself and need to use the energy supplier - you have missed my point that the upgrade if necessary will be require whatever jacuzzi is installed (i.e. shipped or new).

Thanks for your suggestion that I don't come to Canada and expect to teaching the yocals how it's done. Funny enough I ain't tried to teach any locals anything, I was simply responding on a forum aimed at Brit Expats to points raised about the benefits / disadvantages of shipping a jacuzzi that I own. Sorry if you feel otherwise but no offense was intended.

As for teaching yokels, I believe that you can learn from any relationship you have with others; likewise they can learn from you.

Look Mr. Buckley, I think you have some things backwards.

You asked a question and then several knowledgeable people helpfully pointed out difficulties with your initial assumptions.

Accept their help or don't ask the next time.

And referring to us as "yokels" will not win you many friends either !

You are right in this. When we were having a new bathroom put in the basement recently, we raised with the electrician the possibility of running a line for a potential hot tub. It made sense to get it done while the walls were open. He was quite blunt in telling us that the existing board didn't have the capacity and that a new board would cost us lots. Big lots.

The help was gratefully accepted. I came back with some solutions and posters try to shot them down.

As a builder I think that I have knowledge that might outweigh that of some posters in some areas and not in others - I was not being rude nor defensive but genuinely looking for heads up on the pros and cons of shipping a UK jacuzzi.

The fact is that I have a jacuzzi in UK and it costs me no more to ship it than leave it behind. The 2nd hand jacuzzi market in UK is not great and you would be lucky to get 10-20% of what you paid for it. If I bring it I was simply inquiring as to what issues might arise - some posters have made useful contributions, others not so. What some don't seem to get is that if I want a jacuzzi in my new Canadian home there is two possibilities regarding electrical supply - this first is that the power supply is sufficient and the second is that it isn't. If it is the latter then the cost (albeit it a cost that will have to be paid) is equal irrespective of if the jacuzzi is purchased new or shipped. Hopefully now that I have once again spelled this out, it is understood and there is no need to discuss that point any further.

FYI My reference to Yokels was responding to The Aviator earlier post and as such I was quoting rather than referring. It was not meant to offend anyone.