Planning the hot tub for the backyard. Originally I thought in-ground like the Lord intended, but these days all the energy seems to be in the one-piece aboveground units.

Which, I can see the appeal. No need for skilled contractors to do it right (or chance for unskilled ones to do it wrong), easier to deal with if the next property owner’s not interested. But my issues are:

• The interiors look like crap. Even if you don’t get one all 1997 3D polygoned-out to create furniture for one person to sit in one position, fiberglass just looks and feels chintzier than textured concrete walls or tile
• The EXTERIORS look like crap. I was going for a Japanese look, and outdoor onsen derive from natural hot springs so they’re in-ground. There is a Japanese above-ground soaking though, the cedar ofuro tub! Do they have ones that look like that? Well, there are wood styles! No, I asked… No. “Hot tub” is a pretty pornstache concept already, and crossing them with aboveground pools does not make them any classier.