How Much Does a Swim Spa Cost in Canada in 2023? 

 

If you are considering buying a swim spa, one of the first questions that must go through your mind is, “how much will this swim spa cost?”

It’s a natural question. Swim spas are relatively new products being sold, having only been developed in the mid-1980s. Many companies don’t make their pricing public. As well, a swim spa is the kind of product that you know will require extra costs here and there. 

Complicating things further is the range of options available. While swim spas were originally sold and marketed to high-performance athletes, we know that today buyers are increasingly using them as in-ground pool replacements. While once you were limited to high-performance swim machines, today’s swim spas provide a range of features and options, from large tubs without seats up to luxury spas that feature both a hot tub and a swim spa in one unit.  

 

As one of the very first companies in the world to manufacture swim spas with an acrylic liner, we at Hydropool can very much appreciate the question, "How much does a swim spa cost?.” We want you to know exactly what to expect as you start to budget this type of project for your home.

 

Swim spas combine the best elements of pools and hot tubs into one unit. 

• They offer the ability to swim in place. They generate a current, and the current is designed to be strong enough for you to swim into so you don’t reach the other side. With many models, you can attach a tether line to yourself, and swim in place that way. 
• They also typically offer seating and jets, in either bench or chair form. 
• They also have sufficient space for children to play or use the swim spa as a recreational area.

How much does a swim spa cost in Canada? 

At Hydropool, most customers spend between $30,000 and $70,000. That price includes everything you need to get up and running: the swim spa, the concrete pad, the electrical work, plus delivery (which can vary across the country). 

You may want to spend more to build a deck around the unit or add other elements to incorporate it into your backyard. Many people do that. But we haven’t included those costs here because they can change so much depending on what you want to do.

What we want to do with this article is break down those swim spa costs. There are multiple factors in the cost and why the cost can vary. Let’s start with what to look for in any swim spa, so you know what you’re paying for (or should be!).

 

What Should You Look for in a Good Swim Spa? 

 

There are four main factors we generally suggest that people consider when shopping for swim spas. You don’t have to have all of these elements if you don’t want them, but it’s important to understand that all four of these are possible. What you’re ultimately paying for is often how much you want from each aspect. 

 

 

You can pay less for a swim spa, if you choose. But generally, in lower-priced spas you:

• Will not get three of the four features listed above, and in some cases just one or two. 
• Will usually sacrifice insulation capabilities or pump capabilities (or both), which means your swim spa will cost you more to operate on a daily basis, as it will be less efficient.

 

Your Complete Buying Guide: What Determines the Cost of a Swim Spa?

 

Swim spas have a price range, but that range has a floor. The reason why they start at around $30,000, all in, is because swim spas must be big enough to hold an adult swimmer. Our smallest model is 13 feet long so that even a 6-foot-plus swimmer has enough to stretch out. 

 

With that size comes certain guaranteed elements: You will need a cement pad underneath the swim spa, and you will need a hardwired 220V current for your swim spa. Because they are bigger, swim spas are also harder to get in place, and that sometimes involves a crane. 

 

All of this affects your costs. Let’s break them down, one by one:

 

 

1. Our Play line of swim spas begins with the AquaPlay 13FFP at $25,395 (Cdn).  
2. Our Aquatic line starts with the AquaSport 14AX and costs $35,995 (Cdn), running up to the AquaTrainer 19DTAX at $59,295 (Cdn).
3. Our Executive line begins at $40,795 (Cdn) for the Executive Sport 16EX and goes up to $57,295 (Cdn) for the Executive Trainer 19EX.  

 

• Features/Usage: Whether you’re going to use it as a big hot tub, a place to swim, or as a pool replacement, or all of the above matters a great deal when you’re purchasing a swim spa.

1. Our Play line is primarily aimed at someone looking for a small pool and a place for children to play (or adults!). 
2. Our Aquatic line offers the most range of options for anyone who wants to make the most of their swim spa. You can play, you can swim, you can have a massage and it comes with our self-cleaning feature, so it is easy to maintain. 
3. Our Executive line is our top model for swimmers who want to use it to train or for vigorous workouts. It comes with our strongest current while offering premium luxury seating and features and our self-cleaning filtration system. 

 

 

Whether you require a crane or not depends on the access to your backyard. Many swim spas can be delivered without one, provided there is ample space to guide the swim spa into your yard on a trolley. If you need a crane, it generally costs about $2,500 in rental fees although this will vary province to province. 

 

 

 

 

How Does a Swim Spa Work?  

 

Just as you would with any hot tub and a pool, you’re paying for a good filtration system when you buy a swim spa. You may also want to factor in insulation and the swim system. 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Jets push water back at you as you swim, allowing you to swim against their pressure. There are two problems with most jet systems: 

 

• They create a great deal of turbulence in the water with force, so you’re essentially swimming into a rapid. 
• They can’t create a strong enough current and then require a swimmer to use a tether to remain in place.  

 

Hydropool’s engineers fixed both problems by using a patented jet system that creates a strong, spa-wide current, but without creating turbulence at the same time. Here’s how it does it:

 

• Water enters the spa’s jet system by a piece called the Current Collector. 
• The water is then compressed through the first V, so it’s pressurized, just like water is when you press your thumb on it like you would with a garden hose. 
• The water is then shot through the point of the second V in the system, and then into the wider part of the V, which funnels it out into the body of the spa. 

 

Visually, if you can picture water flowing through this >< you have the right idea. 

 

That process creates a flat, steady and strong current in the swim spa (and if you don’t believe it here, we encourage you to try swimming in one of our spas yourselves).  

 

It’s probably easier if you watch this in action: Have a look at the video here.  

 

How Much is a Swim Spa Worth in 2023? 

 

Most of our swim spa customers pay between $30,000 and $70,000 all-in, to get up and running. 

 

Increasingly, swim spas are used as pool replacements as opposed to swimming machines designed for training. You can still buy both options, of course, as well as many variables in between. That has expanded the price range so that you can select a model closer to what you want as opposed to one that includes elements you don’t need or want.

 

But certain costs are fixed with any swim spa: The spa itself, the concrete pad it sits on, the power that runs to it and the price of delivery. Those prices set the floor for any swim spa you buy, as they are required to get you up and running. 

 

You can spend more on lights, decking or other elements to improve your backyard and incorporate your swim spa into it, but what we wanted to do with this article is explain the costs that would get you swimming, splashing and playing in your new swim spa.