Delivery day: access, preparation and what actually happens

Most deliveries are straightforward. The ones that are not almost always come down to something that could have been spotted with a tape measure a fortnight earlier. Here is what to check, and what the day itself looks like.

Measure the tightest point, not the garden

A spa usually travels on its side on a trolley, which makes its height in transit roughly equal to its width in place. What matters is the narrowest point on the route from the road to the final position.

Measure the gate — the opening itself, not the gap between the posts. Measure side returns and alleyways at their tightest, including anything projecting into them like meter boxes, drainpipes or window sills. Check for low branches, washing lines and cables overhead. Note any steps, slopes or changes of level, and how tight any corner is, since a long spa needs swing room to turn.

Send us the numbers and a couple of photographs before booking. We would far rather have that conversation early than have a crew arrive and find the spa will not go through.

When access will not work

It happens, and it is not the end of the plan. Where a spa cannot be walked in, it can usually be lifted over — a crane will place it into a garden that is otherwise sealed off by buildings or fencing. It needs arranging in advance because it requires the right vehicle, space to set up and sometimes permission to park it. Talk to us as soon as you suspect access is tight and we will tell you what your options are and what is involved.

What to have ready

**The base**, finished, cured and level. Concrete needs time to cure before it takes load, so do not schedule delivery for the day after it is poured.

**The electrical supply**, installed by a qualified electrician and ready at the spa's position. We connect the spa to the supply you have had installed; we do not install the supply itself. It needs to be complete and signed off before we arrive, or we cannot commission the spa.

**A hosepipe** that reaches, and a tap that works. Filling takes a while and there is no way to speed it up.

**A clear route.** Bins, planters, bikes and garden furniture moved out of the way, and any pets shut safely indoors.

What happens on the day

The crew will walk the route first and confirm the plan with you. The spa comes off the vehicle, goes down the route on its trolley, and is manoeuvred into position and lowered onto the base.

Then it is connected to your supply, filled, and brought up to temperature — which takes some hours, so it will not be ready to use the moment the van leaves. The controls, pumps, jets and heater are all tested.

Before leaving, you get a handover: how to run it, how to set temperature and filtration cycles, how to look after the water, and what to do if something looks wrong. Ask everything you can think of at this point. It is much easier with somebody standing next to the spa than over the phone a week later.

Afterwards

Water chemistry wants attention in the first few days while a new fill settles down — our water care guide covers the routine. Beyond that, the first thing worth doing is finding out how long your spa takes to reach temperature from cold, so you know what to expect.

If anything is not right, tell us early. Almost everything is simpler to sort in the first week than the first month.