Even in the south of Spain there are several months a year, we would say October – May, when evenings are a bit chilly and taking a sauna is as enjoyable as it is in its motherland in Finland. The more north you live the more months you have for using your sauna.
Whether you would like to relax your muscles after a workout, rest after a day in the office or spend time relaxing with friends and family – taking a sauna is always great fun and good for your health.
The size and type of sauna you build depends on several factors. In the following paragraphs, we will outline the most important aspects of what you should keep in mind to build the sauna cabin most suitable for you.
Do I need a building permission for my sauna cabin?
Avoiding any problems with your local city council and for your peace of mind, it is always best to find out what you are allowed to build in your garden before you start. Usually, garden buildings above 10 m² require permission from the local city council, although this varies a lot depending on the local building regulations and planning rules in your area.
On the other hand, garden buildings under 10 m² usually do not require any planning permission and especially if you build it on blocks, pillars, or ground screws, because then the cabin is not considered a permanent building.
All in all, before you start looking for your future sauna cabin, it is reasonable to find out local planning rules or contact your local city council and ask.
How big should my sauna steam room be?
A standard family size sauna steam room is usually 1.5 x 2 m or 2 x 2 m, they will comfortably accommodate 3 and 5 people at the same time. One side of the sauna is good to have around 2 meters, this allows you to lay on the bench. When deciding on the size of your sauna room, the main consideration is the bigger sauna room, the more powerful your sauna heater will need to be. A more powerful sauna heater will use more energy, which will result in higher electricity bills.
Which functions and uses do I need in my sauna cabin?
This all depends on your budget and the way you want to use the sauna. If you would like to achieve more with the building, the sauna cabin can have its own shower room, dressing room, relaxing room, or lounge area as well as a terrace and even a kitchenette and spare sleeping places for guests.
For example, if you have a sauna in your mind but at the same time you also need extra space for something else like a home office, guest bedroom, TV room, dining room, or anything else, then combining two or more things in one multifunctional cabin helps you to save money and space in your garden.
A traditional sauna cabin consists of a sauna room, shower room and a dressing room with a sitting area to rest and socialize between sauna baths. It is usually 10-15 m².
On the other hand, you may wish to build a small 1.5 x 2 or 2 x 2m sauna steam room in your garden and use the shower and other facilities in your house.
Which sauna heater should I buy?
When choosing your sauna heater, the first and the most important thing is the correct power output of the heater in kilowatts. Correct power output depends on the volume of the sauna room, which is calculated using the following equation: sauna room height x sauna room width x sauna room depth.
For example, a 2 x 2 m sauna room which is 2.2 m high = 2 x 2 x 2.2 = 8.8 m3. Now by knowing how much the sauna room volume is, you can choose a heater with the proper output. Most heater models are available with different outputs, so you can choose the one with the appropriate output for your sauna cabin.
The other features that you should keep in mind are the number of sauna stones, control units and finally the design of the sauna heater.
Different sauna heaters may have from 19 to 80 kg of sauna stones. A larger amount of sauna stones gives a longer and slightly smoother sauna steam. For garden sauna cabins we recommend heaters standing on the floor instead of models that are fixed to walls. The heaters that are standing on the floor usually have more sauna stones, around 50-80 kg.
Sauna heaters can be controlled from the buttons on the heater, separate control unit installed on the wall or from a mobile phone app. All these options allow you to switch on/off, set a time when and how long the heater is on for, and what temperature you’d like to set. Some people prefer a mobile phone app, which allows you to switch on the sauna wherever you are so that by the time you are back home the sauna is ready and you don’t have to wait 45-50 minutes, which is usual heating time of a sauna room.
Prices on different sauna heaters vary between 450-1500 euros and can be even more. A basic fully functional and quality heater made in Finland can be bought for under 500 euros.
How much does it cost to build a sauna cabin?
DIY sauna kits can be bought starting from 5000-6000 euros and can go easily over 20 000 euros. This is depending on the size and materials. Then you need to count on extra costs, such as a base, assembly, and sauna heater.
For example, a small 2 x 2m sauna room assembled, with heater and other small extra works and materials is usually around 7500-9000 euros, while a traditional sauna cabin with shower room and dressing room would cost 15 000-20 000 euros.
At Casetas de Jardin 24, we probably have the best choice of sauna cabins in all of Spain. Our garden sauna cabins range from tiny 2 x 2m sauna cabins to nearly 30 m² sauna cottages with shower rooms, dressing rooms, sitting, and relaxing areas as well as terraces and even sleeping places for guests.
Get in touch with us for more information or for a free and non-binding quote.
