How Much Is a Used Hot Tub Worth? Selling vs. Hauling It Off

The answer to how much is a used hot tub worth depends on its age, whether it still gets hot, and the shape of the shell and cover. A newer spa that runs well can sell at a fair price. An older one that won't hold water or heat is often worth nothing to a buyer, and removal is the honest answer.

So if you can't decide between selling your old spa and paying to have it hauled off, here's a straight look at when a sale is realistic and when you're just putting it off.

Yes, we'd happily take the job. But if your tub can actually sell, you should sell it.

How much is a used hot tub worth?

Sometimes a fair amount. Used hot tubs do sell in the Treasure Valley, just not the way most people expect.

The ones that go fast usually have a few things in common. They're fairly new, they get hot and stay hot, nothing leaks, and the cover isn't a soaked sponge. A name brand like Hot Spring, Jacuzzi or Sundance helps too, since buyers know they can still get parts.

Past that point, the value falls off quickly. The pump has been running for years, the heater's on borrowed time, and the foam insulation inside the cabinet has probably soaked up water and started to rot.

A new cover isn't cheap either. Buyers do that math before they ever message you.

Here's roughly how it shakes out:

Keep in mind the buyer's cost doesn't stop at your asking price. They need a trailer, a few strong friends, and a free Saturday, or they pay a spa mover on top.

That's why a fairly priced tub can sit for weeks.

Season can matter too. A hot soak sounds a lot better to buyers in October than in a hot August, so the same spa may draw more interest once the weather cools.

What moves the price up or down? A few things matter more than the rest:

• Does it get hot? A spa that gets the water hot and keeps it there overnight is the first thing a buyer checks.
• Leaks and freeze damage. A dry tub can hide split lines until it's filled.
• The cover. A heavy, soggy cover tells buyers the insulation under it may be wet too.
• Size and type. Portable hot tubs, the plug-in and inflatable kind, are easy to move but don't hold much value. Swim spas are the opposite, since lots of people like the idea but few can haul one.
• Age of the heater. Keeping older spas hot through a Boise winter takes more power as the insulation breaks down, and buyers know it.

Tip: If you're going to list it, fill it and run it hot for a few days first, then shoot a short video with the jets on and steam coming off the water. Anybody can type "works great." Buyers scroll past cold, covered photos and stop on spas hot and steaming with the jets going.

The trouble with "free, you haul"

A free listing sounds like the easy way out. Sometimes it is, but a lot of the time it gets messy.

You'll hear from plenty of people who never show up. Then somebody does show up with a pickup and two buddies, and they find out a full-size spa doesn't lift like a couch.

Now there's a half-tipped hot tub wedged against your fence, and nobody's sure who's paying for the bent gate.

That's not a knock on those guys. Moving a hot tub is hard.

It has to go up on its side, onto a dolly, around corners, and through a gate that's often a few inches too narrow. Swim spas are tougher still, and many won't make it through a side yard without coming apart.

Before you let strangers into your backyard to wrestle with it, think about:

• Who's on the hook if someone gets hurt lifting it on your property
• What happens to your lawn, sprinkler heads, or pavers when it gets dragged
• Whether the power has been shut off and disconnected safely first
• Whether all the water is out, since a full tub is far too heavy to tip
• How long you're willing to wait before you give up

If none of that bothers you, go for it. Plenty of people get a working tub hauled off for free this way.

Are used hot tubs worth it, or is removal the better call?

If your tub won't get hot, leaks, has a cracked shell, or has sat empty through a few Boise winters, you're not really selling a hot tub anymore. You're getting rid of junk, even if it cost a small fortune when it was new.

Freeze damage is a big one around here. If there was still water in the lines during a cold snap, the spa can look fine and still have split plumbing inside the cabinet.

You won't know until you fill it. Experienced buyers know that too, and they'll ask to see the hot tub full and running.

A few common mistakes cost sellers time:

• Setting the price by what the spa cost new instead of what it's worth now
• Listing the tub cold with no water in it, so nobody can see it get hot
• Waiting until the yard is needed before having a plan B

Timing matters as well. Maybe you're selling the house, or a contractor needs that corner of the yard for a new patio.

In that case, a month of Marketplace back-and-forth can cost you more than just getting it gone. Removal cost depends on the tub's size, how easy it is to reach, whether it has to be cut apart, and how much of it can be recycled.

A lot of folks split the difference. List it for a few weeks at a fair price, and if nobody bites, book the removal and move on.

You gave it a real shot, and it isn't still sitting there in November.

What actually happens during hot tub removal

It's a fair question, especially when the tub still sort of works.

Often it gets taken apart, sometimes right there in the backyard if it won't fit through the gate in one piece. The pump, motor, heater, and wiring can go to a scrap metal recycler.

The acrylic shell and foam insulation don't have much of a recycling market around here. Those usually end up at the landfill. Portable hot tubs with soft sides mostly go the same way, with less metal to pull out.

Can you just donate it instead? Not really. Most thrift stores and donation centers won't take a hot tub, working or not, so check before you count on it.

And don't count on the scrap metal paying for the job. A pump motor, a heater, and some copper wire don't come close to covering it.

A hot tub that's still wired in needs the breaker flipped off first. Whichever way you go, do that and drain the water before anyone shows up to move it. That goes for a buyer or a removal crew.

Bottom line: If your hot tub is fairly new, runs hot, and you've got some patience, try selling it. If it's old, broken, or you need the space back soon, removal is often the better deal once you count your time.

Not sure which one you've got? Top Shelf Junk Removal and Demolition can take a look during a free estimate. If it's not worth listing, give us a call at (208) 593-2877 for a free estimate on hot tub removal anywhere in Boise, Meridian, Nampa, and the rest of the Treasure Valley.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a used Jacuzzi sell for?

There's no set price. A newer Jacuzzi or other name-brand spa that gets hot, holds water and has a solid cover sells best. An older spa with a dead pump or soggy insulation often goes free, or not at all.

Does a spa add value to a home?

Not reliably. Some home buyers love a spa and others see one more thing to remove, so treat it as a nice extra, not something that raises the sale price.

Why do people put a tennis ball in the water?

A clean tennis ball floating in the hot spa soaks up some of the oils from skin and lotion, so the water stays a little clearer. It helps, but it doesn't replace cleaning the filter.

Are used swim spas worth it?

Related reading: Junk Removal in Boise: Old Lawn Mowers, Grills and Yard Tools and Junk Removal Estimate in Boise: What the Walkthrough Covers.

Only if you have a way to move one and a plan for the heavy parts. Look for swim spas hot and running at the seller's place, since a cold, drained one can hide leaks and a dead heater.