5 Alternatives to Buying a Hot Tub (That You Can Build Yourself)

Last updated: September 2026

Hot tubs are a brilliant way to relax, but a good shop-bought one isn’t cheap, and a cheap one isn’t always good. So it’s no wonder so many people are looking at other ways to get a hot soak in the garden or backyard.

This is my run-through of the five alternatives to buying a hot tub that I see work, from a weekend stock tank project to a fully custom in-ground tub like the one I built. For each one I’ll tell you what it involves, roughly what it costs, and what to watch out for.

The five alternatives at a glance

Alternative	Typical seats	Difficulty	Main watch-out
Stock tank	2–6, depending on the tank	Easy	Rust on cut edges; needs insulating and a cover
Horse trough	1–2 in a small trough	Easy	Size and depth vary a lot
Wooden tub	2–6	Moderate to hard	Joinery, timber choice, leaks on the first fill
IBC / pallet tub	About 2	Easy	Tank history, heat limits and rotting pallets
Concrete, block or ICF	Whatever you design	Hardest	Time, budget and doing the planning properly

Alternative 1: use a stock tank

A stock tank is a large galvanised steel trough, originally designed to hold drinking water for livestock. People have been turning them into hot tubs for years by adding a pump, a filter and a heater, and often some insulation and a cover. You’ll hear them called cowboy, hillbilly or redneck hot tubs.

They’re popular because they’re affordable, tough and quick to build. Round tanks are typically about 2ft (60cm) tall and 6–10ft (1.8–3m) across, so they suit most backyards or a spot on a patio. Put one on a level, well-prepared base, and remember a full tank is heavy, so think twice before putting one on an existing deck.

Without a pump, filter and heater, though, a stock tank is just standing water. That means slime, algae, lots of chemicals and a long wait for the water to warm up. The plumbing is what turns it into a proper hot tub, and it’s why I put together complete stock tank plumbing kits: you just add the tank and the pipe. They come as heating and filtration only, or with 4, 8 or 16 jets, and they’re priced from $1,399 to $1,799.

Galvanised steel does rust eventually, because warm, sanitised water attacks the zinc coating. Treat every cut edge, keep the water balanced and avoid salt systems. There’s a full build guide in How to build the ultimate DIY stock tank hot tub, real costs in What is the cheapest hot tub to build?, and a customer’s kit build in Stock tank hot tub kit: a case study.

Alternative 2: repurpose a horse trough

In the UK, what Americans call a stock tank is usually sold as a water trough or a horse trough by agricultural suppliers. Same idea, same approach: take the trough, cut holes for the jets and suctions, and add the pipework, a pump, a filter and a heater.

The difference is size. UK troughs come in all sorts of shapes and depths, and the smaller ones are only really big enough for one or two people. That makes them a cosy, cheap option, and they add a lovely rustic feel to a garden. If you want room for friends, look for a bigger, deeper trough or go for a proper stock tank.

Check the depth before you buy. A shallow trough won’t get the water up to your shoulders, and you’ll be sitting half out of it. Everything in the stock tank guide above applies, including rust protection, a cover and a safe electrical supply.

Alternative 3: build a wooden hot tub

A wooden hot tub is a genuine alternative to buying one, but it needs some woodworking skill as well as an understanding of the plumbing and electrics. Here’s the overview from 1,000 feet:

1. Choose the location. Somewhere level, on a proper base, within reach of a power supply.
2. Decide the design and timber. Clear, knot-free western red cedar is the classic. Larch and thermally modified timber are good alternatives.
3. Choose the construction. A round stave tub seals itself as the wood swells, but needs precise joinery. A square tub with a moulded insert or liner is far easier for most DIYers.
4. Build the tub, and fit the jets, suctions and skimmer as you go.
5. Plumb in the pump, filter and heater.
6. Get the electrical supply fitted by a qualified electrician.
7. Fill it and be patient. A stave tub will leak for a few days on the first fill while the wood swells. Never leave it empty to dry out.

Building a wooden hot tub is a challenging but rewarding project. I have a case study from Brandon in the USA, who did exactly this. For the full guide, read How to build the ultimate DIY wooden hot tub. If you’d rather not design the plumbing yourself, there are complete cedar and wood hot tub plumbing kits too. If you want to heat it with fire rather than electricity, see Off-grid wood-fired hot tub.

Alternative 4: an IBC or “pallet” hot tub

The name’s a bit misleading. A “pallet hot tub” usually isn’t made of pallets at all. It’s a plastic water tank, most often a cut-down 1,000-litre (264-gallon) IBC, with pallet boards fixed around it for support and looks. I worked on one of these with a customer in Israel, and we turned a water tank into a fully functioning hot tub.

It’s cheap and it can look great, but go in with your eyes open:

• Only use a food-grade IBC with a known history. You don’t want to soak in whatever it held before.
• Check the heat rating. IBC tanks are typically rated for about 49°C (120°F) continuous use, and they degrade in sunlight.
• Choose the pallets carefully. Never use pallets stamped “MB” (methyl bromide), and expect the wood to rot if it stays wet.
• It still needs proper kit. Many are heated with an inflatable hot tub’s pump unit, which means you end up paying for most of an inflatable anyway.

All the details are in Pallet hot tub: is it worth building? Read this first.

Alternative 5: build a concrete, block or ICF hot tub

This is, of course, my favourite and preferred way to build a hot tub, and it’s how I built mine. There’s plenty of information about it on this site and my YouTube channel, so I won’t go into the build itself here. Instead, here’s why it’s such a good alternative to buying:

• Value: it isn’t the cheapest option, but for the money you usually get a bigger, better-specified tub than a shop-bought one. My own build came in at around £5,000.
• Customisation: you choose the size, shape, seats, finish and features, and you can fit it into spaces a shop-bought tub can’t reach.
• Durability: concrete, block and ICF walls on a reinforced slab will outlast any plastic shell.
• Efficiency: you choose the heating, such as an air source heat pump, and you can insulate it properly. ICF has the insulation built in.
• Looks: tiles, stone and coping that match your house and garden.

It’s a big undertaking, though. It takes a real investment of time, money and effort, so think carefully about the materials, tools and skills involved before you start. Of course, it goes without saying that I’m here to help. Start with I want to build a hot tub: where do I start?, then DIY hot tub construction: block, ICF or poured concrete? and the DIY in-ground hot tub build guide. If you’re weighing up building against buying, read What are the pros and cons of building a hot tub? and my own story in Why build a hot tub when I can buy one?

What about just buying an inflatable?

If you just want to find out whether you’ll actually use a hot tub, an inflatable is the cheapest way in. In the UK they’re around £300–800. The catch is the running cost. Checkatrade puts an inflatable at roughly £150 a month to run in the UK, against £30–60 for a hard shell, because they’re so poorly insulated. They’re fine as a trial, but not as a long-term answer.

Things every alternative needs

• Circulation, filtration and heating. Without them it’s a cold bath that turns green.
• Sanitiser and regular testing. Keep free chlorine at 3–5ppm (or bromine at 4–6ppm) and pH at 7.2–7.6. See Hot tub chemical levels.
• A safe electrical supply: a dedicated circuit with RCD or GFCI protection, fitted by a qualified electrician. See A guide to hot tub electrics.
• A good cover. It’s the single biggest saving on running costs, and it keeps children and debris out.
• A level, solid base that can take the weight of the water.

Ready to build yours?

For a stock tank or horse trough, the complete stock tank hot tub plumbing kit gives you everything bar the tank and the pipe. For a cedar or wooden tub, there’s the complete cedar/wood hot tub plumbing kit.

For a permanent tub, my DIY hot tub plans give you CAD drawings with every dimension, the plumbing layout, a full parts list and the video course.

If you want something truly custom, design it in the free Tub & Pool Designer Pro software, and I can turn it into architectural CAD and a 3D plumbing design.

FAQs

What is the cheapest alternative to buying a hot tub?

An inflatable is the cheapest to buy but expensive to run. The cheapest proper hot tub to build is a stock tank with a plumbing kit, at roughly $2,000–2,700 for the tank and kit before the electrics.

Is a stock tank hot tub worth it?

Yes, if it’s plumbed properly with a pump, filter and heater. Treat any cut edges against rust, keep the water balanced, avoid salt systems and use a good cover.

Can I use an IBC tank as a hot tub?

You can, but only use a food-grade tank with a known history, check its temperature rating (typically about 49°C / 120°F continuous) and keep it out of direct sun.

Is it cheaper to build a hot tub than to buy one?

A stock tank build is cheaper than most hard shells. A block or ICF in-ground tub costs more than a budget hard shell, but usually gets you a bigger, higher-spec tub for the money.

Do DIY hot tubs need a special electrical supply?

Yes. Any hot tub with a heater and pump needs a dedicated, RCD- or GFCI-protected circuit installed by a qualified electrician.

Which alternative are you thinking about? Let me know in the comments below. I read them all.

Happy “don’t buy, build” hot tubbin’!

Cheers,
Andi

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Thanks - Andi

 

Hi, Andi here. I own Buildahottub.com and also write all of the articles and info pages on the site. Some years back now, I built my own hot tub but struggled to find the information I needed. So, once my tub was complete, I started this website to help others in their own pursuit of hot tub and plunge pools DIY building information.

Fast forward to 2025, I've helped over 1400+ DIY customers just like you all over the world build hot tubs and pools. Have a good look around the site, there are lots of resources here. Please do get in touch if I can help you. - Cheers, Andi