Many people think they want their hot tub to look like it is a part of the pool and want it to be flush with the patio surface. This is not recommended by us for a few reasons. Firstly, your hot tub should have an insulative cover on it when not in use so that the water stays hot while not breaking the bank in energy costs. Hot tub covers are not designed to be walked on and when the hot tub is at ground level, many people don’t notice it and could walk over it. This can break the cover and could possibly cause people to easily fall into the hot tub. It is also less likely that a cover lifter device will work with this installation, which will mean that opening and closing the hot tub is much more difficult. Another reason that we do not recommend having your hot tub sunken into the ground is because the equipment is built into the cabinet of the hot tub. Your hot tub is basically an appliance. Over time, it is likely that some components will need repairs. In order for these repairs to be done, you will need to design an access hatch to get to the equipment. You will need to build a vault for the hot tub to be lowered into and the vault will need to be much larger than the hot tub itself for access to the equipment. This vault should also have a drainage system installed so that the vault can not fill with water and possibly flood the equipment. This option can add exorbitant expense to the installation of your hot tub that in the end we find causes a much less enjoyable experience for the hot tubber. Fortunately for you, our hot tubs have been designed to be beautiful sitting up on the pool deck and actually can add to the look and design of your backyard environment. If desired, you can also build a deck around your hot tub that is up on the patio.