How much does a home sauna or steam room cost?

A home sauna is common in countries like Finland but also available, mainly prebuilt in kit form, in the UK. They give you the opportunity to have a spa experience from the comfort of your property. In the UK, most saunas are installed outside, but if you have the space there's no reason why you can't install a home sauna indoors. A home sauna could cost anywhere between £1,000-£17,000, but what factors make up this cost?

How much does a home sauna cost?

Home sauna costs vary so widely as you can buy in-home electric sauna kits that are easier to install, or you can get plans drawn up and get your own custom home sauna built.

Either way, electric saunas need an electrician to install a dedicated circuit to run back to your consumer unit, including an isolation switch in emergencies. Electicity to supply the lighting is also required.

For electric sauna kits an experienced fitter will make sure you have adaquate ventilation to avoid potential CO2 build up. Wood burning saunas are only recommended for outside use.

Traditional saunas heat rocks to create a dry heat to which water can be added to increase humidity, they work up to 100oC. Infrared saunas are an alternative but work at a lower heat and are dry only.

If you need a qualified electrician, hourly costs vary across the country so take a look at HaMuch's electrician rates to get an idea of how much the electrical part of the job will cost you in your area.

Image	Name	Cost
	Vidalux Solara 2 Person Full Spectrum Infrared Sauna	£1795.00
	Oceanic Sauna + Steam 1020 Finnish Sauna	£1969.00
	CenturaHeat Traditional Steam 3 Person Indoor Sauna	£2275.00
	Fonteyn Sauna Luxor 200 in White Stone	£4750.00
	Tylosand T-820 2 Person Infrared Sauna	£4958.00
	Harvia Variant View Medium 3-4 Person Traditional Home Sauna	£6197.00
	Harvia Sirius Square 2 Person Bathroom Sauna	£9193.00

What is the cost of installing a steam room at home?

Some people don’t like the dry heat of a sauna, but prefer steam rooms instead – you can install these at home, too. While saunas use heat from hot rocks or a stove, steam rooms use a generator that’s filled with boiling water.

You’ll still need a fitter to help you install a steam room. Steam rooms require a qualified plumber and electrician to connect the mains water supply, provide adequate drainage and provide electricity for the steam generator with a dedicated ciruit on the consumer unit. Here are the average costs for installing a steam room at home:

Image	Name	Cost
	Insignia 1450mm x 900mm Steam Shower and Sauna	£3500.00
	wedi Steam & Shower Room Complete Kit	£6295.00
	Oceanic Saunas + Steam Model 2 Home Turkish Steam Room	£7081.00

Where can I install a sauna?

While home saunas generally refer to saunas installed within the house, lots of UK properties don't have the space. Therefore, it's common for home saunas to be installed in a garage, specially-designed outbuilding or shed.

If you do have room inside, you can add one to your bathroom or any other room. Lots of people choose to build a sauna in their basement, if they have one.

Do you need planning permission to build a sauna in the UK?

Generally, you won't need planning permission to build a sauna in the UK. An outbuilding to house a sauna is considered to be permitted development, so unless you live in a conservation area or are planning a particularly big home sauna, you shouldn't need planning permission.

However, there may be other building regulations that you need to adhere to, so it’s always worth getting in touch with your local Building Control if you’re unsure.

Does a sauna add value to your home in the UK?

A well-installed sauna that complements your home’s style and space will add value to your home – they’re a luxurious addition to a house, and if a prospective buyer doesn’t have to shell out the cash to install one themselves, that can only be a benefit.

It’s worth looking through a potential buyer’s eyes when you install a home sauna or steam room. If you’re building it outdoors, does it still leave enough space for your garden to be enjoyed? Most buyers would be put off if the only thing in the garden is a shed for a sauna.

If you’re installing your home sauna inside, does it work with the rest of the rooms? Is it in or close to the bathroom, so everything flows nicely? If your home sauna feels like it’s been ‘shoe-horned’ in, it might not add as much value as you’d hoped.

How much electricity does a sauna use?

Saunas use a moderate amount of electricity. It depends on the output of your sauna’s heater, but an average sauna heater is 4.5kW.

Assuming you use your sauna for 90 minutes twice a week on average settings, the power consumption would be around 8kWh. For electricity prices of around 34p per kWh, your sauna would cost you around £2.72 per week.

Does a sauna require plumbing?

No, a sauna doesn’t require plumbing, since a sauna produces dry heat. This makes them easy to install in a variety of places, which is why home saunas are more popular than steam rooms.

Steam rooms do require plumbing, and therefore drainage as well, so there’s more to think about – and it makes them easier to install in existing bathrooms.

Are saunas a lot of maintenance?

Saunas don’t require a lot of maintenance, but it's still important to keep them clean. You should clean it at least once a month using a chemical-free, mild detergent. It goes without saying that household cleaners might react with high temperatures, so never clean your sauna while it's running. Also, keep the door open while you're cleaning to keep air circulating.

Make sure you always use a towel in your home sauna to help keep it free from stains from sweat and dirt. If you do find that you have some stains, you can use a mild washing up liquid with warm water to clean them off.

You should also take a look at your sauna’s heater or stones once a year to check that you’ve got good air flow and heat distribution.

If you want a more accurate idea of home sauna cost, post your job on HaMuch. We’ll put you in touch with qualified electricians that can help connect your sauna or steam room.

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