Buying a Garden Sauna: Checklist of Questions to Ask

Offers look alike exactly until the moment you ask these questions. After that the differences become very clear, and the cheapest offer is often not the cheapest at all.

On price: four questions that change everything

Does the price include VAT or not? On a mid-sized barrel sauna that is a difference of hundreds. With us: Prices exclude UK VAT; import VAT and any customs charges are paid by the buyer on delivery.

Is the stove in the price, and exactly which model? “Stove included” with no name is not enough.

Is delivery to my exact address included? With us delivery is included in the kit price.

Is assembly included, or is it a self-assembly kit? If assembly is offered, what does it cover: the structure only, or stove and flue as well?

On construction

How thick is the wall? Under 40 mm the sauna loses heat noticeably faster in winter.

What are the benches made of? Alder or aspen are the most pleasant; spruce should be knot-free and sanded smooth.

What is the roof covered with, and what warranty applies to the covering?

Is there ventilation: air in at the stove, air out opposite?

Does the door have a seal, does it open outwards and does it have no lock on the inside? Those are safety requirements.

On dates

Do not ask “how long does it usually take”. Ask “when exactly can you deliver”.

Does the lead time count from the order or from the deposit?

On warranty

How long, and covering what exactly? Usually these are separate warranties: the structure, the stove (from the stove manufacturer) and the roof covering. Ours is 12 months on the structure.

Who pays call-out costs for a warranty repair?

Are natural cracks in the wood excluded? Usually yes, and that is honest, because it is a property of the material. You should simply know it beforehand.

What is often missing from an offer

Does the sauna arrive in one piece or in parts? That decides how wide the access has to be. Our kit arrives on a pallet of about 240 × 120 × 120 cm, around 800 kg, with the elements carried to the site by hand.

How much does it weigh?

Are stones and accessories included? Without stones the stove is useless.