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Built-in spa and dining patio on a hillside Palos Verdes backyard at dusk

Residential

Hot Tubs, Saunas and Cold Plunges, Installed Right

A backyard recovery corner, fully installed: the pad, the dedicated circuit, the spa disconnect, GFCI protection, the permit, and a tub that's ready to fill.

Why hot tubs, saunas & cold plunges

The tub is the easy part

Buying a hot tub, sauna, or cold plunge takes an afternoon. Installing one properly is an electrical and structural job: a dedicated circuit sized to the equipment, GFCI protection, a code-required disconnect within sight of the tub, a pad that can carry thousands of pounds of water, and a permit that has to pass inspection.

On a recent Torrance job, the tub went under a covered patio on the far side of the house from the main panel. We installed new breakers in the main panel and a spa disconnect subpanel with GFCI breakers. Inside the house, the cable ran through the walls and under the floor. Outside, it ran in conduit bent to follow the house wall to the tub's junction box. Then we pulled the wire, landed every conductor, and wired the tub ready for water. The photos below follow that job from start to finish.

Placement decides whether you use it

A spa at the far end of the yard gets used in summer and forgotten in winter. We place hot tubs, saunas, and plunges close to the house, and close to each other if you're doing hot-cold cycles, as part of the overall backyard plan. See how this fits a full backyard on our outdoor living page, or read about a panel upgrade if your service is already maxed out.

What you get

Everything we deliver.

  • 01

    Hot tub electrical, start to finish

    New breakers in the main panel, a subpanel with GFCI protection, a spa disconnect within sight of the tub, and the tub wired and ready for water.

  • 02

    Pads & placement

    A filled hot tub weighs thousands of pounds. We pour or prepare a level pad that can carry it and place the tub where it's easy to walk to from the house.

  • 03

    Saunas

    Indoor or outdoor saunas, barrel or custom-built, with the dedicated 240-volt circuit most electric sauna heaters need, plus ventilation and a dry, level base.

  • 04

    Cold plunges & ice baths

    Dedicated circuits for chillers, a drained pad, and placement next to the sauna or spa so the hot-cold cycle is a few steps, not a walk across the yard.

  • 05

    Panel capacity checks

    Before anything is ordered, we check whether your panel can carry the new load. If it can't, a subpanel or a panel upgrade comes first, not after the tub is delivered.

  • 06

    Built-in spas

    Gunite spas built with a new pool or on their own, with the plumbing, heater, and automation that go with them.

From the field

A Torrance hot tub, wired from panel to tub.

Recent photos from current DECOMA jobs — in progress and finished, not stock.

  • Covered flagstone patio with the hot tub in place and a new spa disconnect on the wall
    The finished spot: hot tub under the covered patio, disconnect within sight.
  • Main electrical panel beside a new outdoor spa disconnect subpanel on a stucco wall
    New breakers in the main panel, feeding the new spa subpanel.
  • Open spa disconnect subpanel with two GFCI breakers and neatly landed conductors
    Spa disconnect with GFCI breakers, every conductor landed and torqued.
  • Metal conduit bent to follow the base of the house wall to a junction box by the hot tub
    Conduit bent to follow the house perimeter to the tub, with no exposed cable.
  • Main panel interior with new breakers installed and labeled circuits
    Main panel: new breakers installed and every circuit labeled.
  • Weatherproof junction box with conductors joined by lever connectors
    Weatherproof junction box at the tub.
  • Hot tub control board wired with supply conductors landed on its terminal block
    Tub control pack wired and ready for water.
  • Sealed cable penetration through a stucco wall into an outdoor electrical box
    Wall penetration sealed against weather.

How we run it

Scope to sign-off.

  1. 01

    Load & location

    We check the panel's capacity, the tub or heater's electrical spec, and where it will sit, close enough to the house that you'll actually use it.

  2. 02

    Permit

    Electrical permit for the new circuit and disconnect, plus a building permit where a pad, enclosure, or structure is involved.

  3. 03

    Pad & power

    Pad poured or prepared, breakers and subpanel installed, wiring run through the walls and conduit outside, all inspected before the cover goes on.

  4. 04

    Wire, fill & test

    We wire the equipment, check the GFCI trips, fill the tub, and run it before handing it over.

Why DECOMA

One license, three disciplines, forty years.

Family-run South Bay general contractor since 1978. We design, build, and manage — under one license — so the team you start with is the team that hands you keys and the team that answers the phone when something needs fixing in year ten.

Years building
48+
Projects delivered
3,000+
Repeat clients
300+
CSLB Class
A/B

FAQ

Common questions.

What electrical does a hot tub need?
Most hardwired hot tubs need a dedicated 240-volt circuit, often 40 to 60 amps (the manufacturer's spec sets the number). California code also requires GFCI protection and a disconnect within sight of the tub, at least five feet away from it. Plug-in tubs exist, but most full-size tubs are hardwired.
Do I need a permit to install a hot tub?
Yes, for the electrical. A new spa circuit and disconnect need an electrical permit and inspection in every South Bay city we work in. A poured pad, deck, or enclosure may need a building permit too.
My panel is full. Can I still add a hot tub or sauna?
Usually. Adding a subpanel, as on our Torrance job, often solves it. If the house's service is too small for the new load, a panel or service upgrade comes first. We find this out before you order equipment.
What does a sauna or cold plunge need?
Most electric sauna heaters need a dedicated 240-volt circuit and a dry, level base with ventilation. Cold plunges vary: some run from a GFCI-protected 120-volt outlet, while larger chillers need their own circuit. We wire to the equipment you choose.
Can you install a hot tub on a deck?
Only if the deck is built for it. A filled tub weighs thousands of pounds, so the structure has to be engineered for that load. On existing decks, we check the framing first, and often a ground-level pad is the better answer.
How long does a hot tub install take?
The electrical usually takes a few days once permitted, depending on the run and whether a subpanel is needed. A new pad needs time to cure before the tub is set.

Service areas

Hot tubs, saunas & cold plunges across the South Bay.

Born in Harbor City, working across LA County since 1978. Same crew, same license number, same shop at 25941 Frampton Ave, Harbor City.

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