What is the Cheapest Hot Tub to Build?

Everyone wants to know  what the cheapest hot tub to build is. I’ve been asked this question many times, and here’s an answer that paints a complete picture. 

 

Before proceeding, let me clarify what a hot tub is. I’m not talking about those holes in the ground heated with fire. That’s not what I’m about. My definition of a hot tub is one that has a pump, a filtration system, jets, and the other things that come with a hot tub. 

 

Before moving onto what the cheapest hot tub is, let’s look at which ones are far from cheap. 

Plastic shell tubs, block or concrete builds, and in-ground hot tubs are far from cheap. They require significant work and time to build and require custom plumbing and so much more. 

 

Cedar, timber, or other lumber has also become a costly option due to the high cost of wood over the past few years.

 

The cheapest hot tub is also my second favourite, right behind the in-ground block or concrete hot tub. This is a stock tank hot tub. It is also known as a hillbilly or cowboy hot tub. These hot tubs rely on an animal feeder as their central basin, making for a very cool and simple setup. 

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A recent example is this one from an Airbnb of a customer named Ben. You can check the build video at the link here.

It’s a great hot tub, is nicely built into the surroundings, looks great, and doesn’t cost a lot. Now the question arises: how much can you build your own stock tank hot tub for? To answer this question, there are three things that we need to take a look at:

 

The Stock Tank 

 

A stock tank costs between $500 and $1,000. Tractor Supply and other farming equipment stores sell them. 

 

The Plumbing

 

The plumbing is the most crucial part of converting your stock tank into a hot tub. This can be complicated if you don’t know what you’re doing, but lucky for you, I’ve created pre-built kits for stock tank hot tubs available on my website here. 

Each of these kits has an inline electric heater in the spar pack and a different number of jets depending on your requirements. 

 

When installing a kit, you need to take into account your setup. If a portion of the tank is exposed, it’s best to go with a lower number of jets, e.g., half the number of jets, so that the exposed side does not show any plumbing. 

 

If you’re making something in the ground, you can have more jets, as many as 16 jets per stock tank hot tub. 

 

Electrics

 

The last thing left is the electric for your system. Since you’re using a 4kw heater, a big pump, and jets, you’ll need the 230V system to ensure your hot tub functions correctly. 

 

In a Nutshell…

 

Using a stock tank and a hot tub kit can significantly reduce the final price of your hot tub. You can make them for around USD 2000-2500. It’s an easy and straightforward process that will give you a quirky and fully functional hot tub. 

 

If you need any help making your own DIY stock tank or any other type of hot tub, feel free to reach out to me at any step of the process. I can guide you to make sure you’re on the right path!

Can I Help You?

If I can help you in any way I would love to hear from you. You can get in touch using the form below.

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.

Today, I've helped over 1000 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