How Much Does an Outdoor Sauna Cost in the UK? (2026 Price Guide)
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An outdoor sauna in the UK typically costs between £4,500 and £25,000 including VAT for the sauna itself. A compact two person cabin or barrel starts at around £4,500 to £6,000, most family size cabins sit between £6,000 and £15,000, and premium or bespoke saunas run from £15,000 to £25,000 and beyond. On top of the sauna, budget for delivery on pre-assembled models, a level base, the electrical connection and running costs.
The prices below are real 2026 prices from our own range, so you can see exactly what each budget buys and which extra costs to plan for.
Last updated November 2026. Prices include VAT and were correct at the time of writing; check each product page for the current price and options.
Outdoor sauna prices at a glance
| Price band (inc VAT) | What you get | Example saunas |
|---|---|---|
| £4,500 to £6,000 | Compact 2 person cabins and small barrels, mostly flat pack |
Insignia 2 Person Outdoor Infrared £4,595 Holl's Cocoon £4,995 Insignia Hybrid Outdoor 2 Person £5,595 Atlas 2m Barrel Sauna from £5,995 |
| £6,000 to £10,000 | 4 person cabins, hybrids and larger barrels |
Insignia V2 Hybrid 4 Person £6,995 2m Box Sauna £7,999 Insignia Hybrid Barrel with Porch £9,795 The Outpost £9,999 |
| £10,000 to £15,000 | Larger insulated cabins, many with a changing room or porch |
Vox Barrel Sauna 3m £10,999 M-Sanctuary 4 to 6 Person £12,499 Heatwave 4 Person £13,495 The Sanctuary £14,995 |
| £15,000 to £25,000+ | Premium, large and bespoke saunas, showers, terraces and 6 to 8 person rooms |
ODIN with Shower £16,500 Fort Soleil 5 Person £17,499 The Hideout 5m £19,995 Insignia V2 Ultimate 6 to 8 Person £21,000 |
| £16,000 to £22,000+ | Mobile and trailer saunas |
Trailer Sauna from £16,000 The Nomad Mobile Sauna £21,295 |
What sets the price of an outdoor sauna
Size and layout
Size is the biggest single driver. A 2 person cabin around 1.5m wide uses a fraction of the timber, glass and heater of a 5m sauna with a separate changing room. A changing room or covered porch adds cost but makes a real difference in a British winter, because you are not stepping straight from the hot room into the rain. Our guide to what size sauna you need helps you avoid paying for space you will not use.
Shape: barrel, cabin or pod
Barrel saunas are usually the most efficient shape to heat and build, which is why they start at the lower end, from £5,995 for the Atlas 2m. Square and rectangular cabins cost more per square metre but give you more headroom, more bench layout options and bigger glazing. Pods and statement designs sit at the top of the range.
Timber, insulation and glazing
Thermowood, cedar and hemlock cost more than standard spruce, and fully insulated walls cost more than solid log walls, but both pay back in heat up time and running costs. Panoramic glass fronts look superb and add to the price.
Heater choice
Electric heaters such as the Harvia Cilindro PC90 9kW are the convenient choice. Wood burning stoves such as the Harvia Legend 150 or HUUM models give the full ritual but need a flue and a supply of dry logs. Check whether the heater is included. On some cabins it is a separate option: on The Nordic Escape, for example, a Harvia Cilindro PC90 electric heater is £600 extra and a Harvia M3 wood burning stove is £1,500 extra.
Hybrid saunas combine a Finnish stove with infrared panels, so you can run a traditional session at around 80 to 90°C or a gentler infrared session at up to 60°C. They start from £5,595 for the Insignia Hybrid Outdoor 2 Person. If you are deciding between heat types, read our comparison of hybrid, Finnish and infrared saunas.
Flat pack or pre-assembled
Flat pack saunas arrive as panels and are built on site, by you or by an installation team. They are cheaper to deliver and need only gate width access. Pre-assembled saunas arrive finished and are lifted into place, which is faster on the day but needs room for a lorry and a lift.
Delivery costs
Flat pack saunas include UK mainland delivery in the price. If you want our team to build it for you, assembly is quoted separately for your address.
Pre-assembled saunas are delivered by HIAB, a lorry with its own crane arm, and this is quoted separately by postcode. It typically costs £850 to £1,300 plus VAT depending on distance, and around £1,100 plus VAT in the South East. Offloading is not included in the price of a pre-assembled sauna, which is why the HIAB quote matters. If the HIAB arm cannot reach your chosen spot, a mobile crane is extra and arranged with you once we have seen the site. Our sauna delivery guide explains access, lift distances and what to prepare.
Base and groundwork
Every outdoor sauna needs a level, load bearing base: a concrete pad, paving slabs on a compacted sub-base, or a properly rated deck or ground screw frame. If you already have a level patio in the right spot, the cost may be close to nothing. A new pad laid by a contractor can run from several hundred pounds to well over £1,000 depending on size, access and how much digging is needed. Our sauna base and pad requirements page sets out exactly what each type of sauna needs.
Electrical installation
An outdoor electric sauna usually needs a dedicated supply from your consumer unit, installed and certified by a qualified electrician. As a rough guide this typically costs from a few hundred pounds to over £1,000, depending mainly on the length of the cable run from the house, whether it is buried in armoured cable, and whether your consumer unit needs upgrading. Prices vary by region and installer, so get a quote once you know the heater rating. Our outdoor sauna electrical requirements guide explains supply sizes and what to ask your electrician.
A wood burning sauna avoids most of the heater wiring, though you may still want a lighting circuit, and you will need a flue kit and safe clearances.
Running costs
Electricity is the main ongoing cost of an electric sauna. Under the Ofgem price cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026, the average electricity unit rate for a Direct Debit customer is 26.32p per kWh. Your own tariff may be higher or lower.
The worst case calculation is heater power multiplied by time multiplied by the unit rate:
- 6kW heater, 1.5 hours including warm up: 6 × 1.5 = 9kWh. 9 × 26.32p = about £2.37 per session.
- 9kW heater, 1.5 hours including warm up: 9 × 1.5 = 13.5kWh. 13.5 × 26.32p = about £3.55 per session.
In practice the real figure is usually lower, because the thermostat switches the heater on and off once the room is up to temperature, and a well insulated cabin holds its heat. Three sessions a week on a 6kW heater works out at around £7 a week at most. Try your own numbers with our sauna running cost calculator, or read our full guide to garden sauna running costs.
For a wood burning sauna, the running cost is your logs. Use kiln dried hardwood and buy in bulk for the best price.
Planning permission
Most garden saunas do not need planning permission, so there is usually no cost here. If you want written confirmation, an optional Lawful Development Certificate costs half the normal planning fee in England. Our guide to planning permission for a garden sauna explains the height and boundary rules.
Hidden costs checklist
Before you commit, run through this list so the final bill has no surprises:
- HIAB delivery for pre-assembled saunas, quoted by postcode.
- Mobile crane if the HIAB cannot reach, arranged with you.
- Assembly for flat pack saunas, if you do not want to build it yourself.
- The base: concrete, slabs, decking or ground screws.
- Electrical supply and certification by a qualified electrician.
- Heater, if it is an option rather than included, plus any app control upgrade.
- Flue and chimney kit for wood burning heaters.
- Timber treatment for the exterior, which some warranties require.
- Extras such as steps, a path, outdoor lighting, a shower or a cold plunge.
- Running costs for electricity or logs.
- Home insurance: tell your insurer about the new outbuilding.
Our best saunas UK buyer's guide brings all of this together if you are still comparing models.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a sauna in the UK?
An outdoor sauna typically costs £4,500 to £25,000 including VAT. Compact 2 person cabins and barrels start around £4,500 to £6,000, family size cabins are usually £6,000 to £15,000, and premium or bespoke saunas run from £15,000 to £25,000 and above.
What is the cheapest type of outdoor sauna?
A compact flat pack cabin or a small barrel sauna is usually the cheapest way in. Flat pack saunas also include UK mainland delivery, which keeps the total cost down compared with a pre-assembled cabin that needs a HIAB lift.
How much does sauna delivery cost?
Flat pack saunas include UK mainland delivery. Pre-assembled saunas are delivered by HIAB and quoted by postcode, typically £850 to £1,300 plus VAT, around £1,100 plus VAT in the South East. A crane, if needed, is extra.
How much does it cost to wire in an outdoor sauna?
A dedicated supply installed by a qualified electrician typically costs from a few hundred pounds to over £1,000. The main factors are the length of the cable run from the house and whether your consumer unit needs work. Get a quote once you know the heater rating.
How much does a sauna cost to run per session?
At the Ofgem price cap average of 26.32p per kWh, a 6kW heater running for 1.5 hours including warm up costs about £2.37 at most, and a 9kW heater about £3.55. The thermostat cycling usually brings the real figure lower.
Is a hybrid sauna more expensive than a traditional sauna?
Not necessarily. Our outdoor hybrid saunas start from £5,595, comparable with many traditional cabins. They let you run a Finnish session at around 80 to 90°C or an infrared session at up to 60°C in the same cabin.
Want an exact figure for your garden, including delivery to your postcode? Call our UK team on 0330 133 6617 or request a quote and we will price the sauna, delivery and any lifting so you know the full cost before you order. You can also browse all our outdoor saunas.