Model Saunas

In Finland, the sauna is not a luxury amenity of the affluent, it is a tradition for everyone. Nearly every home has one: kitchen, bathroom, sauna. We love that about the tradition and have experience in every price range, but as a general rule of thumb they can cost about as much as a bathroom/kitchen remodel, or buying a common car (a wide potential range). If your budget is <$25,000 your best bet is likely a DIY or pre-fabricated (off the shelf) sauna. If this is you, we're happy to help find you a solution and even manage your site prep & install. Our specialty is the custom sauna, which begin at around $25k & beyond (we love crazy projects). Reach out, give us a call and lets see what we can dream up.

A wood heater is upheld by the Finns as the ideal for the quality of the löyly (steam), the ambiance of the firelight, the sounds and smells and traditional ritual of sauna. That said, it is best suited for ritual use and not nearly as convenient as modern electrical heaters. Many Finns have both an electric sauna for everyday convenience and a wood-fired off grid sauna for a more traditional ritual experience of sauna. For most uses, a quality electric heater makes the most sense. There is a wide quality spectrum of electric heaters available for each budget, but generally you'll want to select for largest rock mass, quality, reputation & warranty. Electric heaters can also be controlled remotely by app, so the sauna can be hot by the time you get home. We'll help you select the best heater for your situation as part of our process. Also check out our Suomi Heater Guide here.

If your sauna is outside, a good foundation is key to the longevity of your investment. You may consider a concrete pad (with a drain), concrete piles, pavers, a gravel pad, poolside concrete, a spot of pavement- all depending on your site needs. If warranted we may do a site evaluation as a part of our bid process. Give us a call and we'll help you decide the best solution for your needs.

Saunas require woods that remain stable and resilient in the face of large temperature fluctuations and moisture. They're also typically softwoods so that they remain cool to the touch while exposed to hot room temperatures. Lastly is the aesthetic consideration, as the beauty of your space contributes to the physical & mental sanctuary nature of your sauna. As a general rule of thumb, sauna woods vary in cost from $5-$20/sq ft, with rustic/knotty woods being at the lower end and clear/clean woods (particularly cedar) at the upper end. In the big picture, you may be able to save a few grand by going with a more rustic look, but that savings is probably a small portion of your total cost so be sure to pick a wood aesthetic you love. Our favorite types of wood are ThermoAspen, Cedar, Aspen, & Alder. Checkout our Suomi Wood Guide to see some examples of qualified sauna wood options and give us a call with any questions.

Proper ventilation of your sauna is a key part of the quality of your sauna experience. Poorly ventilated saunas can leave you feeling uncomfortable while in the sauna & drained when you leave. A well ventilated sauna will provide sufficient air exchange to be comfortable while steaming and you'll have much more endurance for longer sessions. We are familiar with the many schools of thought around the art of sauna ventilation and will customize the best solution to your particular needs as part of our design process.

The beauty of a well built custom sauna is that it is largely a one-time investment to build for decades of reward. Once your sauna is built there is little required besides regular cleaning and some minimal maintenance. Many of the saunas in the Finnish community are decades old and going strong, finely aged with some 'spiritual patina' as they say. Our saunas are built to last, and we guarantee our work with free service for any issues that arise for the first year and are available thereafter at an hourly service rate. Most of our heaters come with a 2-5 year warranty.

After we've arrived at a suitable sauna design that excites you enough to move forward, we'll send you a contract for e-signature and an invoice with a payment schedule as follows: 50% materials deposit due upfront

25% due upon commencement of construction

25% due upon completion Payments can be made by credit card, check, wire or ACH deposit. Once the materials deposit is received your 'build week' will be scheduled on our build calendar, securing your place in line.

Our sauna materials for custom builds (heaters, woods, doors, even rocks) come from Finland or Estonia with lead times of 6-8 weeks. You should expect similar for Pre-fab saunas. We generally plan our build schedule 2-12 months out. Getting your contract & materials deposit in place is the path to securing the soonest available build spot. For current lead times give us a call.