American Builds a DIY Pool and Hot Tub Combo in Mexico (Case Study)

Last updated: September 2026

I recently had the pleasure of working with a customer on a unique hot tub build at his vacation home in Mexico, and it was an absolute blast. Jeff had been dreaming of building a swimming pool and hot tub combo for years, and he was finally ready to bring his vision to life.

When he got in touch, he already had a clear idea of what he wanted, down to the smallest details. That always makes my job so much easier.

Building a hot tub in Mexico

Jeff came to me specifically for help with the plumbing design and parts for his hot tub. Local contractors in Mexico are skilled at building pools, but hot tubs need a different level of expertise, and Jeff realised he’d need help with that side of it.

So I took on the hot tub and pool plumbing, designed the systems and supplied the parts for his dream setup. Jeff planned to tackle the plumbing himself, making sure every detail was spot on before the contractors took over to finish the build.

If you’re planning something similar, have a look at my hot tub and pool combo design guide and why pool and hot tub plumbing should stay separate.

The design phase

When Jeff first got in touch, he shared some beautifully detailed sketches he’d drawn himself. There’s something special about working with customers who know exactly what they want. It makes the whole process so much easier.

Jeff’s vision included sleek curves and slender surfaces that would make his pool and hot tub really stand out. Designing those took time and careful planning, but the result is a unique, custom design that brings his vision to life.

Jeff said that if he was going to take on a project like this, he wanted it to be more than a boxy layout with square seats. As you can see, it certainly is. If you want to see how a design like this comes together, I’ve walked through it in the custom hot tub design process.

Plumbing

Once the design was finalised, I got stuck into a plumbing system tailored to Jeff’s requirements. This hot tub needed to be as customisable as possible, so Jeff could choose which jets he was using at any time.

That kind of feature is commonplace on a plastic shell hot tub, but it’s a whole new challenge when you’re using the much larger fixings and fittings that go into concrete and block-built hot tubs.

To achieve it, we built in a diverter system, which lets him control specific jets from a single pump. It gives him the flexibility of a high-end shell hot tub, but with a fully custom, built-to-last design. For the basics of how the jets, pumps and pipework fit together, see how hot tub plumbing works and how many pumps you need for a DIY hot tub.

Get building

Armed with designs, plans and parts, Jeff headed off to Mexico and started his build. His progress has been impressive, and the location is breathtaking. During the early stages of the plumbing he gave me a call and said, “What have I gotten myself into?” That’s a familiar feeling in the world of DIY builds.

I reassured him that every DIY project has its challenges and gave him some guidance to get him through the first phase. With a little encouragement he was back on track, and the build started coming together beautifully. If you’re about to start your own plumbing, my guide to making the perfect PVC solvent weld joint is a good place to begin.

Next steps

Jeff’s next steps were the 2.5-inch pipes, getting them in place and capped off, followed by the formwork to create those smooth, curved surfaces he’d envisioned. If you’re curious about building curves without gunite, see alternatives to gunite and shotcrete. This build was already shaping up to be something extraordinary.

You can follow how Jeff got on in Any progress? Updates from the UK and Mexico and Mexican Masterpiece.

Planning your own pool and hot tub?

Jeff knew exactly what he wanted to build. What he needed was the plumbing design and the right parts. If that sounds like you, my hot tub and pool combo plumbing consultancy covers exactly that. If you’d like the whole thing designed, there’s the custom hot tub and pool combo design consultancy, or you can sketch your own idea in the free Tub & Pool Designer Pro software and I’ll turn it into architectural CAD and a 3D plumbing design.

What do you think of Jeff’s build? Let me know in the comments below. I read them all.

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