...any advice on what to and not to do before i start that might save me some grief later???

if your putting it in a deck make sure you have the tub sanded in good and level. make sure it want wash out underneath. make sure deck is good and stout.

very small desk surrounding it...not a huge one. thanks!

make sure you have easy access to everything underneath the deck, for future maint...

In ground or one you buy from a hot tub place? I am a tub repairman and I can answer all questions, just need some details.

above ground. i'll get some pics up on here eventually. i'm going to keep in simple as can be. need to re-wood the sides and i was able to salvage the ceder decking and frame. going to cut that down to make a very small deck around it. it's a "morgan" brand i think and got it from a friend and she wanted it gone but works great but i think the fuse is blown.

thanks yam.

That fuse blew for a reason. Expect to replace a pump, blower, or a heater. Yam is right, leave room for it to be worked on. If it's a low deck, take all the bottom screws out of the panels before the deck is built.

and break, then grind off any nails/scres that stick out underneath the deck. you'll thank me in the long run.

that is so not what i wanted to hear.

how do i find out which one when things get hooked up and runnin???

If it is a fuse that is blown it's easy. On a Morgan, unplug both pumps, blower, and heater, also ozonator if equipped. Put in a new fuse and plug things in one at a time until it blows. Remember that is 240vac so it is best to plug in 1 component at a time and then turn on the breaker at the fuse box. That is the cheap way without paying someone to check it. I am the repair guy so I only see the broke ones, not the others that have been running 10yrs or so trouble free.

Don't install it in your bedroom on the 2nd floor.

Install a salt system in it and ditch the chlorine. Mama will like the baby soft skin feel and it might get you lucky in the tub.

How are you gonna move it?