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Ehta delivered a 20-square-metre sauna cabin to Marketta Tiira and Ari Nyman as a turnkey delivery:
“Your value for money versus the competitors', and the delivery – what it covers – was absolutely unbeatable, really”, Ari sums up the reasons for their purchase decision.
According to the couple, it was also important that Sauna Cabin 20 is a show sauna in Marketanpuisto, Espoo. Even though the structure and details of Marketta and Ari's sauna cabin were modified quite a lot from the finished model, it was important to see a real-sized building other than just in photographs.
Other things that influenced the purchase decision were the adaptability of the building and the scope of delivery, but also design and the company's background:
“One point was this adaptability. There was the option to move a wall, move the door, so that was a big thing. We got it to look like us – to suit our needs.”
“We didn't necessarily want [a building] from some huge operator. We liked the idea that this is Finnish and a family business at that. And then we wanted something modern-looking… and you had that kind of thing.”
Now Marketta and Ari are sitting on the sofa in the cosy sauna cabin, looking content. The picture window opens onto a beautiful view of the Finnish lake landscape in Mäntyharju. The birches are an almost dazzlingly bright green, as is typical of early summer. Marketta has just been for a morning swim.
“The water was terribly cold, outrageously cold,” Marketta laughs.
A separate sauna cabin on the shore improved the sauna experience and added extra space
Marketta and Ari ordered a sauna cabin for the shore of their cottage plot because they wanted a separate building for sauna bathing. In the old cottage the sauna had been built indoors, and they wanted it out.
“This has given us a much better sauna experience. In summer, sauna and swimming are the big thing at the cottage for guests too. All in all, this has made our time here much more pleasant,” Marketta says.
With a separate sauna building there is now more space, and the whole set-up better serves the different needs of cottage life.
Ari points towards the old cottage and enthusiastically describes the change:
“We've managed to separate things, so that now we have more space over there [in the old cottage] for cooking and other stuff. And then you can still potter about here. It's a space of its own to be in – to enjoy the sauna and heating the sauna.”
“Sauna bathing has become more of a thing in its own right – starting from heating the sauna and fetching the firewood. It's really nice to be here in peace doing that, sometimes even on your own,” Marketta continues.
A picture window was swapped into the standard scope of delivery, bringing nature close at every stage of sauna bathing:
“I think it's really nice… when you light the fire and wait there for it to heat up and put in another load of wood… and in between you enjoy that view. It didn't even occur to us at first. Then Marketta asked about it, about a picture window like that there, and it turned out you had one. It was important to get this view into the sauna, because we didn't have it before.”
“If there hadn't been a big window, we wouldn't have bought it,” Marketta quips. The comment makes everyone laugh.
There's a big grain of truth in Marketta's comment. As a cabin is a big investment, it's worth getting it right first time, so that you have nothing to regret afterwards.
Buying a sauna cabin is an important investment – listen to your own needs
Making your dream cabin a reality takes vision and flexibility from the building supplier. Marketta and Ari praise Ehta for exactly that:
“Planning and customisation was easy with Ehta.”
“We got it to look like us, or to suit our needs.”
Marketta uses examples to describe the joint design process:
“For example, there would have been a window here as standard. And we thought that we don't even want to be able to see from over there to here, or from here to the main cottage… so take that out. And the answer to everything was just: sure! And the picture window… and we got that mirrored window there. I thought it was really straightforward.”
“In the Marketanpuisto building the rooms were in completely the opposite order… we put the sauna at the other end.
Big differences in what cabin packages include
Marketta and Ari are delighted with how comprehensive Ehta's scope of delivery is, and with the price:
“The overall package was what decided it. When we compared for the same price as this package was… we even went to K-Rauta and negotiated there in person: for the same price we'd have got roughly that package, but it was just the frame delivery.”
I thought, this can't be real. How can that be?
”There were no floors, no insulation, nothing, nothing in the ceiling. I thought, this can't be real. How can that be?
You have to put quite a lot of money into something like this, so there really was quite a big difference between them. For the same money you get a finished product”, Ari stresses.
“Your value for money versus the competitors', and the delivery – what it covers – was absolutely unbeatable, really.”
As well as being comprehensive, the service package was clear for the buyer:
“I thought everything was really clear. Also when it came to the building permit – all the pictures and drawings and so on were easy to pass on.”
Ehta's customer service impressed us and the delivery process was smooth
Ari Nyman has nothing but praise for Ehta's customer service:
“The customer service is just brilliant. [Hanna] replied really quickly. And all the options were very clear. What goes with what and how things move forward. And everything held true. Really excellent.”
“Friendly, quick, and when they promised a delivery week, they kept to it,” Marketta recalls. The winter delivery made them a little nervous beforehand, but everything went well.
Not only were their questions answered, but Ehta also kept in touch actively:
“We had quite a lot of questions about the customisation options and many other things, and we always got an individual answer quickly. I think we were kept pretty well in the loop during the build time too – that it's at this stage now, and so on.”
Ehta has kept answering our questions and helping us even after the cabin was paid for:
“It was only during the first summer that we realised we'd need a mosquito net here. So we got in touch to ask if there were any tips on how best to do it, as this is a tilt window – and you had a solution, and it wasn't even expensive.
I could just drop it straight into place. And we've asked about other things afterwards too… so I've kept getting that service even after the deal was done.”
Ehta's sauna cabin has brought well-being and peace of mind
Ari and Marketta radiate contentment as they describe how the sauna cabin has changed their time at the cottage.
“This has really added to our enjoyment, as we can be right here next to the sauna … we can go straight out to enjoy that view, sit there and take in the nature. It has definitely added to our wellbeing and peace of mind.”
“The perfect sauna moment comes from having time, peace and a good feeling. We start heating the sauna in good time. The sauna session already starts when we fetch the firewood, get everything ready, light the fire and sit about in between, looking at the view.”
What is the sauna steam like in an Ehta sauna?
“Soft, lovely steam – and plenty of oxygen,” Marketta answers without hesitation.
For Ari, the reason for the good ventilation is also clear:
“It's down to the structure: because it's an open floating floor, there's plenty of oxygen.”
Marketta and Ari's tips for buying a sauna cabin
“My tip would be to think about your own resources – what you have time for and what you have the skills for. Do you want to build it yourself, or do you want everything ready-made? And of course, that the cabin and sauna suit your own eye and your needs.”
Ari wants to explain in more detail why it's worth thinking about your resources:
“For us, at least, it suits us really well that this came ready-made, turnkey. We did think about it when we started planning this – whether we'd take it as a kit, stacked on pallets. But then we decided that we'd rather pay the difference to have it arrive in one go, –
– and we didn't have to do a single thing: the cabin was set in place, the driver took care of everything, fitted the chimney, and all that was left was to light the fire!
This was a carefully considered investment and a really important thing for us. And as long as we look after it well, it will be part of the rest of our lives.”
