With prices averaging above $5,000, hot tubs are obviously not cheap additions to the home. Okay, they may not be as costly as a kitchen remodel or the installation of a brand new swimming pool, but they're pretty big purchases. Because of that, people often wonder how much hot tubs increase the value of their homes. Are they going to get their money back when they sell the home? Or is a hot tub a physical pleasure and good for nothing more?

Well, it's a bit of both to be honest. There's no hard fast rule for how much a hot tub will improve a home's value or if it will at all. But generally speaking (and as with most home improvements) a hot tub can't be expected to gain you back the full cost of buying and installing it when it's time to sell your home. If you decide to buy a hot tub, it should be for your family to enjoy, and you shouldn't be too worried about whether or not it will increase the value of your home.

With that said, a hot tub can certainly improve the desirability of your house to potential buyers. Unlike a swimming pool, it's not likely to pose a threat to wandering children (the covers are pretty heavy, and most come with locks for securing them). Also the cleaning and maintenance isn't as much of a chore as it is with a swimming pool. So there's really no potential downside to home buyers.

However there is a potential upside. A hot tub could increase the desirability of your house, thus encouraging a buyer to offer more for the property. So in that way, hot tubs do have the potential to increase the value of your home.

It should be noted that this depends a bit on the area you live in. Study your neighborhood and see how desirable hot tubs are in the area. If everybody seems to have one, maybe you should to. If no one has one, it might not be the best choice (sort of like putting stainless steel appliances in an old house in a ghetto neighborhood--it just doesn't match). However, it's true that no matter where people live, the promise of soothing jets on tired and achy muscles is usually a selling point (how not?). And, of course, for households that like to entertain, a hot tub can be very appealing because it gives people a reason to come over and visit (AKA Par-tay).

So, the answer to the question that started this all (whether hot tubs increase the value of your home) is basically that installing one will probably increase the value of your home, and yes it's possible to recoup your financial investment fully.

TC Thorn is the webmaster for http://www.hot-tub-reviews.com/ and writes many articles on hot tubs. This article may be reprinted so long as these links are included and made active.