How to move a hot tub
Researched and written by Ashley Davis · Reviewed by Emily Johnson · Last reviewed August 2026
A hot tub moves in three stages and the first two are not lifting. It has to be drained completely including the pipework, and it has to be electrically disconnected by someone qualified to do it. Only then does access decide the job: a tub that came in before a fence, a deck or a conservatory existed may have no route out that does not involve a crane.
How do you drain it properly?
Drain the shell, then clear the plumbing, because water left in the lines is both weight and a freeze risk in transit. Most tubs have a drain valve and a low point, and the manufacturer's manual states the sequence. Residual water in the pump and heater is the part people miss, and a tub moved with water in the lines arrives heavier than quoted and sometimes cracked.
Who disconnects the power?
Someone qualified. A hot tub is a permanently wired appliance on a dedicated circuit, and both the disconnection and the reconnection at the new address are electrical work rather than unplugging something. Requirements differ by state and by local code, so confirm with a licensed electrician what applies where you are rather than assuming the mover handles it.
Why does access decide everything?
Because a hot tub is wide, rigid and cannot be tilted much without stressing the shell. The route out has to be wide enough at every point, and the common problem is that the tub predates something now in the way: a fence panel, a deck, a narrowed side return, a mature tree. Measure the narrowest point on the route before booking anything, because that measurement is what the quote depends on.
What equipment does the job need?
At minimum a set of hot tub dollies and four people. For anything with a step, a level change or a fence in the way, a crane or a spider lift, which is booked separately and needs its own access for the vehicle. A tub that came in by crane goes out by crane, and if that is the situation the cost is set by the lift rather than by the move.
What about the cover and the cabinet?
The cover travels separately and flat, because a folded cover left under tension for a journey holds the fold. The cabinet panels usually come off and should, since they are the part that gets scuffed and they give the crew somewhere to grip. Photograph the plumbing connections before anything is disconnected, which saves an hour at the other end.