Have you been dreaming of installing a sauna in your home? Do you hesitate because of the high price of a good contractor? Do you know you can save more than half of the price by installing your own prebuilt or sauna kit?
It's much easier than you think to install a prebuilt sauna or to build one from a kit. With just some basic knowledge of tools, you can do this without too much trouble. A prebuilt sauna is even easier than a kit - you can put them together in a matter of minutes using nothing more than an Allen wrench.
What's the Difference?
A sauna kit is an all inclusive package that contains all the necessary precut pieces to build your sauna. You can assemble you kit with just a few tools with its easy to follow directions. Since a prebuilt sauna is already assembled into about 2 or 3 large sections you merely need to connect them together.
Since a prebuilt sauna has already had most of the assembly work done, it is usually more expensive than a comparable sized sauna kit. The additional cost may be worth it if you have limited time - prebuilt saunas can be up and operating in half an hour.
Sauna Kits
A sauna kit takes a little more work, but is a lot easier than building a sauna from scratch. All of the wood you need is precut, so all you have to do is follow the instructions.
You can also install a sauna kit in a prebuilt space such as a small room or a closet. Prebuilt saunas, on the other hand are generally too large to move into a small space and are generally used as freestanding saunas.
You can find sauna kits in just about any shape or size you could possibly need. If you have a unique space where you'd like to install a sauna, you can even have a custom sauna kit made.
Most sauna kits require you to provide the framework and wiring necessary for the sauna. If you are converting a small room into a sauna, for example, you could begin by stripping the existing wallboards off the frames.then put a plastic vapour barrier over the insulation.
You may also need to call an electrician to provide wiring for the sauna heater. Once this preparation work has been done, the sauna kit is simply attached to the existing framework and the heater is hooked up to the power supply. Depending on the size of the sauna and your inclination, this could be a day's work.
Prebuilt Saunas
Prebuilt (or modular) saunas are very easy to set up. They consist of two or three sections which attach together. They are freestanding units and can be placed anywhere. The wiring and lighting are already installed, and some companies even include the heater and all the accessories needed for your sauna.
When buying a prebuilt sauna, make sure that the individual pieces will fit through your doorways. Most companies selling prebuilt saunas specify the minimum size of doorway required.
One of the big advantages of prebuilt saunas is their portability. You probably won't want to take it with you on your weekend outing, but if you ever sell your house you can take your sauna along with you.
Of course, you could also permanently install a sauna - this will increase the value of your home; the extra money could pay for a sauna in your new home!