No, it's not enough room unless your serviceman is a midget. It will also be likely to flood in a heavy rain. The motors don't like being submerged, even partially. The foam insulation will get wet and mold/mildew will form in places you can't get at. I don't like saying it but I have to. IMHO, sinking it into the ground, surrounded by concrete is not a good idea. There are a number of custom skinning products that can be used if you don't like the look of the side panels on the spa and want something that better matches the decor and color schemes you like for your backyard paradise. Happy Easter! Scott

kgolby- Can't comment on the cost of Rico Rock vs sheer descents for your part of the country. I'm in Louisiana and knew I wanted Rico Rock for the natural look I was after. After working closely with Rico Rock on the selection of boulders/waterfalls for my design, they provided a list of local builders that have experience with their products. Rico Rock only sells to distributors/PB's and the price of their products are region specific. What I like about Rico Rock is their natural look and exact dimensions so you can design the "look" of your poolscape on paper and know exactly what you are going to get. Also, their waterfalls work great and are designed to sheet perfectly at specified gpm's and drain down when off so there is no standing water. It all depends on the look you want. Personally, I think sheer descents look to contrived for a natural poolscape and they go better with symmetric roman style designs but to each his own. My experience was the Rico Rock product was about twice as much as natural boulders or other type of water features such as sheer descents. The PB told me that they double the price of the waterfall kit to account for installation, labor and materials for a structural kit. I did not have any modular kits, because I didn't like the look of them as much as the structural, but I would expect the labor to be less because they are easier to install than the structural kits. The structural kits require more concrete, rebar, shaping and custom mortar work. It took 3 guys plus me an entire month to finish all the Rico Rock waterfalls and boulder placement around the pool! They commented if the waterfalls were modular, it would have taken them 1 week tops to complete everything and move on to the next job. Hope this helps!

Please refer to original post :-) This picture shows a close-up of the left pillar Image link:

Please refer to original post :-) This picture shows a close-up of the right pillar Image link: