All of us are attracted to bargains! But sometimes, our impulsive buying could result in frustration and regrets. I couldn’t guide you in buying a stove or fridge, but I can certainly can guide you through how to buy a pedicure spa chair from your local marketplace. Please follow these guidelines to prevent any headache or backache.
There are a few sources for local listings where sellers list pre-owned pedicure spa chairs, such as craigslist.com, FaceBook marketplace, LetGo mobile app, OfferUp, eBay.com, etc. It is a good practice to schedule a public meeting place (or bring a friend) where electrical power and water are readily accessible.
- Inspect the overall physical appearance. Most pre-owned pedicure spa chairs have normal wear and tear, check to make sure they are acceptable to your standard.
- Inspect for discoloration and wear/tear of the leather. If they are not acceptable, you could easily order a replacement online at websites like ghecu.com, ebay.com, etc. They usually run from $180 to $280, depending on quality, style, acetone-resistant or not, and padded/non-padded. For more details on how to install or where to buy leather replacement.
- Inspect and feel the spa bowl for any chip or crack inside and outside of the glass bowl. Resin bowl is not likely to crack, but check for paint to make sure it isn’t peeled off. Pour 4 gallons of water in the bowl and look for any leakage. If the spa bowl is in a bad condition and you need to replace it, it will cost around $250 to $400 for a resin bowl and $350 to $750 for a glass bowl. Read more details on how to install a pedicure spa bowl or where to purchase one >> click here.
- Inspect the armrests for scratch and paint condition. Make sure the manicure/drink trays are strong and operable. Some sellers may repaint the armrests to make them look new, but be caution they may not be professional and paint could easily peel off within a few weeks of usage. Read more details on how DIY repaint armrests of pedicure spa chairs >> click here.
- Check the remote control to make sure they are not worn out and functioning. Most pedicure spa chair remote controls have plastic buttons or sticker-on buttons. In any case, they are easily worn out. Replacing a remote control is easy but costly, ranging from $75 to $175. In some cases, they aren’t available — so make sure you could find a replacement before buying the chair.
- Test the massage system to make sure it is operating smoothly. Sit on the pedicure spa chair and check the massage system, since it is the most expensive part if you need to replace it. Check all the options of the massage system to make sure all commands work. Listen to it as it moves up and down. Over years of operating and lack of maintenance, the massage system could wear out, and regular buyers could not foresee. I recommend you to take the leather upholstery off and look inside the massage system as it moves.
- Inspect the drain/discharge pipe and pump. To know if you need a spa chair with a drain/discharge pump simply check your outgoing water. If the drain pipes under the floor or on contact with the floor then you don’t need to install a discharge/drain pump. If the water pipes above and do not contact the floor then you will need a discharge/drain pump. A drain pump is not difficult to install and it costs from $90 to $180.
- If you are installing the pedicure chair yourself, I recommend you to replace all discharge pipes. Most pipes and fixtures could be found at local home improvement stores.
- Check for leakages from pipes or knobs.
- Read more on how to install a drain/discharge pump to an existing pedicure spa chair, how to replace pipes and joints of an existing pedicure spa chair, how to check for leakage.
- Inspect the whirlpool jet system by putting 4 gallons of water in and turn on the jet. Most spa bowl sizes range from 4.5 to 5.5 gallons. Check for cleanliness and if it operates smoothly. There are two main types of whirlpool jet system:
- Pipe whirlpool jet is a traditional and obsolete jet system which circulates water inside the spa bowl through a pipe fanning system. They are difficult to clean and stay clean.
- Pipe-less jet system is newer and seen on newer models of spa chairs because they are easier to clean and could be used with disposable liners. The most popular pipe less jet system is pipe less magnet jet system. The has 2 components, the dry side motor located outside of the spa bowl and the removable wet side magnet located inside to provide the spa. Other less popular pipe less jet systems are Airpad WaterDance System by Gulfstreams and Disposable JetLiner by Contego Spa. Read more about comparison of different pipe less spa jet systems in the market.
- If you need to replace a pipe less magnet jet system, they could range from $120 to $220.
- More topics: How to install pipe less magnet jet system, Reviews of Different Pipeless Jet System.
Please please please use these guidelines to ensure you get a bargain without any headache later. An extra 10 minutes could save you days of labor and headaches. To see if the spa chairs are worth the investment, add up all the parts and labor cost and it’ll give you an idea of the total cost. If you don’t have much experience or time, or just for peace of mind, you could check out www.ghecu.com — they have the largest renew pedicure spa chair inventory in stock with a 6 month warranty.
