Skip to content
Dreaming of a lakeside sauna? You're not alone, as many of us are thinking how lovely it would be to have a proper sauna session and relax next summer in our own lakeside sauna.
To make your dream a reality, we've compiled everything you need to know about acquiring a lakeside sauna in this article. Below you will find a comprehensive package covering the following topics:
- What are the different options for acquiring a beach sauna?
- Modern or traditional beach sauna?
- How much does a lakeside sauna cost?
- Does a beach sauna require a building permit?
- What does a turnkey beach sauna include?
- What kind of foundations does a beach sauna require?
Getting a lakeside sauna – a weighing up of different options
The purchase of a beach sauna is greatly influenced by how much you are willing to do the work yourself.
The easiest way to get a beachfront sauna It is possible to order it ready for use. In this case, you will receive the sauna as a turnkey service, and your only responsibility will be to obtain the building permit and construct the foundations.
At Ehtalla, we specialise in ready-to-use lakeside saunas, so you can have time to enjoy the sauna's soft and steamy heat.
You'll get to the second easiest, if you order a self-assembly sauna kit. In this case, the building materials and construction instructions for the sauna kit will be delivered to your plot. Self-assembly sauna kits often do not include absolutely everything you need, but for example, a heater that almost always needs to be purchased separately, and often also the external roof material.
The third way to acquire a beach sauna It is the most self-reliant and demanding. You can take care of sourcing all the building materials yourself to build everything with your own hands. This option requires not only time but also expertise, so it's good to have experience with construction projects.
Modern or traditional beach sauna?
Rantasaunas are offered in a wide variety of models by different suppliers. However, the models are mainly divided into two categories: modern and traditional rantasaunas.
Externally, these often differ in that a traditional beach sauna usually has a traditional gable roof, whereas a modern beach sauna typically features a sloping mono-pitch roof. Modern saunas also often favour large panoramic windows, for example.
The choice of sauna is primarily influenced by personal preferences. The fact is, whether you choose an Ehta sauna cabin or a garden sauna, you are sure to enjoy good, moist steam.
Lakeside sauna price – or what does a lakeside sauna cost?
The price of a lakeside sauna is influenced by the following factors, among others:
- How ready are you to get a beach sauna?
- keys in hand - delivered ready beach sauna
- self-assembly sauna kit
- A beach sauna built by hand using self-sourced materials
- Lakeside sauna configuration level
- sauna size
As always, there is no upper limit to the price. So, money will be spent if you want to realise even your wildest sauna dreams. However, most buyers of lakeside saunas end up with fairly basic solutions with minor customisations.
The most important thing is that the beach sauna has a stove, benches, and soft steam. Customisations can be made regarding, for example, the sauna's colour, the size and fittings of the changing room, the material of the benches, or a possible terrace.
We've put together a few examples of what different beach sauna options might cost:
1. Ready-made beach sauna, price approx. €15,000 – €20,000
- Size: 10-20 m²
- Work required: The completed beach sauna requires no work from the buyer. It is the buyer's responsibility to arrange for the building permit and foundations.
- Equipment: The ready-to-go beach sauna is delivered fully equipped, including a heater and benches. For this price, you get a modern sauna cabin with a spacious sauna, a changing room of approximately 10 m², and a comfortably sized terrace.
- To: For those who value personal time and quality sauna experiences
2. Self-assembly beach sauna package, price approx. €10,000 – €15,000
- Size: Approximately 15 m2
- Workload: The buyer will be responsible for assembling the sauna, as well as obtaining the building permit and preparing the foundations.
- Equipment: A self-assembly sauna package usually includes, in addition to the walls, for example: benches, a false ceiling, windows, doors, fittings, locks, a floor, and water gutters. For instance, acquiring a sauna stove is the buyer's own responsibility. Exterior roofing material is also not always included in the package.
- To the hardworking builder, who has a hammer in hand, and plenty of their own time.
3. Small barrel sauna, price approx. €3,000 – €10,000
- Size: 4–8 m²
- Workload: A barrel sauna is usually delivered in parts, with assembly being the responsibility of the buyer.
- Equipment: A barrel sauna package usually includes building materials, doors and windows, roofing felt, benches, flooring etc. A sauna stove is generally not included in the price.
- To: Someone with some building skills who doesn't need a lot of space or grand features from their sauna.
4. Beach sauna built from logs, price ???
- Completely down to personal choice.
- Workload: Building from long timber traditionally means building a log-built outdoor sauna, meaning the builder procures the building materials to the site themselves, as well as processing, working, and installing them.
- Equipment: The equipment can be completely customised.
- To: A professional in the construction industry or at least a very experienced hobbyist. A lot of time and effort will be needed, so it's good to have skilled helpers among your close circle.
Building a lakeside sauna – do you need a permit?
For the time being, a beach sauna will always require a building permit until at least the end of 2023.
However, there will be changes to the building permit for lakeside saunas, as the government approved a legislative proposal on 15.9.2022, according to which lakeside saunas of less than 30 square metres can be built without a building permit in the future. The laws are intended to come into force at the beginning of 2024.
If you can't wait for the building permit requirement to be removed, then good news: building a lakeside sauna before then is unlikely to be held back by money. Currently, the building permit for a small sauna cabin costs only around €200-€800, depending on the municipality.
Read more about the building permit in our article: Building permit for a backyard sauna – does a backyard sauna require a building permit?
What does a turnkey beach sauna include?
A turnkey beach sauna means you'll receive your sauna, ready for use, on your plot. A ready-made beach sauna therefore includes not only the structure but also everything needed for sauna bathing, such as benches and a stove.
The only things a ready-made turnkey beach sauna doesn't include are:
- Building permit
- foundations
However, we at Ehtalla, like other beachfront sauna suppliers, also help with matters related to building permits and foundations.
However, obtaining a ready-made beach sauna will also make the project easier by providing you with the building's drawings and measurements from us, which will make it easier for you with building permits and foundation matters.
These ready-to-sauna beach saunas include these products and features:
- Walls of solid laminated timber, at least 90 mm thick
- Modern Harvia 16 sauna heater with glass door and round 25 l water tank
- Simplified and stylish six-plank sauna benches
- Comprehensive drawings for a building permit
- 100 mm Finnfoam insulation on the bathroom floor.
- Exterior door with a window and lock
- Harvia protective wall behind the sauna heater
- Insulated and safe Jeremias chimney
- Fixed double-glazed thermally broken windows
- At least one openable window in every room
- Insulated top floor (100 mm)
- Black felt roofing and flashings
- In the sauna, a water gutter for draining washing-up water
- Sauna glass partition door
- Durable and robust 28×95 tongue and groove floorboards
- The sauna floor has been treated with oil to make it very resistant to moisture
What kind of foundations does a beach sauna need?
The foundations of a beach sauna are an important part of acquiring one. The right kind of foundation ensures that the sauna will stand the test of time and not sink, for example.
The location of the sauna and the soil conditions of the area fundamentally influence the choice of foundation method.
- A screw pile foundation is well-suited for soft clay soil.
- A traditional pile foundation is usually chosen for rock and moraine soil, and
- A sauna can be very easily built on unpaved ground
The dimensions of the lakeside sauna's foundations must be carefully considered so that the sauna can be lifted into place as planned.
Foundations can be made either yourself or sourced from a specialist company. When purchased ready-made, the foundations cost around €1000-€3000.
Read more in our article: Foundations for a garden sauna – a guide to choosing foundations for your garden sauna
Are you interested?
Would you like to know more about Ehtas' beach saunas? We build and deliver ready-to-use beach saunas to all of Finland with over 1300 saunas' worth of experience.
Ask more, we are happy to help and tVisit our collection here!
