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Do you dream of having a garden sauna at your house? In a garden sauna, with the wood crackling in the heater's firebox, the löyly feels quite different from, say, a small electric sauna.
A garden sauna for your house is a fairly easy and affordable project, but there are a few things to keep in mind. In this article we have put together a list of things to remember, to make getting your sauna easier.
We are also happy to help if you have more questions.
In this article:
Does a sauna built in the garden of a house need a permit?
For a garden sauna to be possible at your house at all, your plot must still have the required amount of unused building rights. The building authorities in your municipality can help you with this.
You no longer need to apply for a building permit for a garden sauna. Under a law that came into force at the beginning of 2025, a garden sauna or leisure building of under 30 square metres can now be built without a building permit.
Read more about the details of the change and building permits for garden saunas (needed, for example, for buildings larger than 30 square metres or with a fixed stove) in our article:
>> Does a garden sauna need a building permit?
Where should a garden sauna be sited?
There are a few things to consider when siting a garden sauna at your house:
- Look into the plot's local detailed plan and find out what you need from the municipal building control office. Are there restrictions on the location, colour or building materials of the garden sauna? Are there building rights left, and how much?
- The more central the location or the smaller the plot, the stricter the requirements for siting and design are. On a larger and more remote plot, the requirements for siting a garden sauna are also less strict. Bring in a good designer or ask the sauna manufacturer for advice – we're happy to help.
- Take into account the points of the compass and the neighbours. Will any deck face the morning or the evening sun? Where will the smoke from the sauna drift – avoid smoke drifting straight in through the neighbours' windows or your own.
- Where will any water and firewood be carried to the sauna from? Do you need to allow for a place to store firewood when siting it?
- If your house is in an area covered by a local detailed plan, the plan often specifies the siting of buildings and their minimum distance from the plot boundary. This minimum distance is often 5 metres.
- When siting it, take into account fire safety. So don't build too close to other buildings, for example.
- Remember to take into account the surroundings. The local plan or building guidelines for the area may specify things such as the building's colour, material and roof type. If the plan doesn't address aesthetic matters, it's worth assessing for yourself what kind of garden sauna suits your house and the neighbourhood.
- How water will be arranged in the sauna. The easiest solution for a garden sauna is carried water.This makes waste water easy to deal with, and no separate drainage solutions are needed. If the sauna is connected to the water supply or equipped with, for example, a water heater or a WC, it's advisable to route the garden sauna's waste water into the sewer system.
What kind of foundations does a garden sauna at a house need?
When you're getting a garden sauna for your house, it's important to find out what kind of soil there is on the plot. This also determines what kind of foundations the garden sauna needs.
The right kind of foundation ensures that the sauna will last and won't, for example, sink.
- A screw pile foundation is well suited to soft clay ground.
- For bedrock and moraine ground, a traditional pier foundation is usually chosen.
- On ground that isn't prone to frost heave, a sauna can have a very light foundation.
The foundations for a garden sauna or sauna cabin are often ordered ready-made, which is an easy and reliable choice. Someone with a bit of building experience can also manage them on their own after a little research.
Bought ready-made, the foundations cost around 1000-3000 €.
Read more about foundations: >> Guide to choosing foundations for a garden sauna.
How much does a garden sauna for a house cost?
The final price of a garden sauna for your house is between 10,000 and 20,000 euros. For example:
- A small garden sauna (6-7 m2) costs 10 000-12 000€
- A garden sauna with a sauna lounge (12-16 m2) costs 15 000-25 000 €.
You can save on costs by building it yourself, either entirely or partly (from ready-cut materials). But don't jump at the first ready-made package without looking more closely at what's included in the delivery and the quality of the product. Often, for example, the delivery doesn't include the roof, the sauna heater or the benches at all.
Factors affecting the price of a garden sauna:
- How complete a garden sauna solution you buy:
- a ready-made sauna delivered turnkey
- self-assembly sauna kit
- a sauna built with your own hands from materials you source yourself
- the equipment level of the garden sauna
- the size of the sauna.
When it comes to price – as always – the sky's the limit. Still, most people getting a garden sauna for their house end up with fairly basic solutions with a few customisations. The most important thing is that the garden sauna has a heater, benches and soft löyly.
Examples of what a garden sauna for your house might cost:
1. Ready-made garden sauna, price depending on size approx. €12,000 – €20,000
- Size: 7-20 sq m
- Amount of work: A ready-made lakeside sauna requires no work from the buyer. The buyer is only responsible for getting the foundations ready (and, where necessary, for building permit matters).
- Equipment: The ready-made lakeside sauna is delivered ready for bathing, including the heater and benches. For this price you get a modern sauna cabin with a spacious sauna, a changing room of about 10 m2 and a nicely sized deck.
- Who it suits: For those who value time to themselves and good löyly.
2. Self-assembly garden sauna kit, price approx. €9,000 – €15,000
- Size: Approximately 15 m2
- Amount of work: The buyer is left to assemble the sauna and to obtain the building permit and prepare the foundations.
- Equipment: In addition to the walls, a self-assembly sauna kit usually includes, for example: sauna benches, the ceiling, windows, doors, fittings, locks, the floor and gutters. Buying the sauna heater, for example, is the buyer's own responsibility. Exterior roofing material is not always included in the kit either.
- Who it suits: For a hard-working builder who knows how to handle a hammer and has plenty of free time.
3. Small barrel sauna, price approx. €3000 – €10,000
- Size: 4-8 m²
- Amount of work: A barrel sauna is usually delivered in parts, leaving the assembly to the buyer.
- Equipment: A barrel sauna kit most often includes the building materials, doors and windows, roofing felt, sauna benches, the floor and so on. The sauna heater is usually not included in the price.
- Who it suits: For someone with some building skills who wants a small sauna and may be prepared to compromise on the löyly experience too (barrel saunas have a smaller air volume).
4. Garden sauna built from sawn timber, price 6,000 – 10,000€.
- Size: approx. 10 m2
- Amount of work: Building from sawn timber means a traditionally built garden sauna: the builder gets the building materials to the site and treats, works and installs them themselves. Some of the building material also goes to waste, and you have to deal with all the construction waste yourself.
- Equipment: The equipment is entirely up to you. The example includes the basic equipment, i.e. surface treatments, benches and the sauna heater.
- Who it suits: For a construction professional or at least a very experienced DIY enthusiast. It takes a lot of time and effort, so it helps to have skilled helpers among family and friends.
Interested?
Would you like to know more about Ehta's garden saunas? We build and deliver garden saunas ready for bathing all over Finland, with experience of over 1,600 log buildings.
Book a free online meeting with our experienced designers to make it easier to move towards making your dream come true.
