Why preparation timing matters

A made-to-order outdoor sauna typically has a 10–12 week lead time from order to delivery. Concrete needs 7–14 days to cure. Electrical work needs 2–4 weeks from quote to certified install. Builder availability needs 1–3 weeks of notice. Add it up and the work needs to start in the first two to three weeks of your order — not the last two.

People who start prep in week 1 have buffer for the inevitable small delays. People who start in week 8 are calling electricians in delivery week and panicking when the base hasn't cured enough.

Step 1: Choose the final position

This is more important than people expect, because once it's craned in, moving the sauna is expensive. Things to weigh up:

• Sun and shade: Morning sun helps the sauna dry out after rain. Afternoon shade prevents the cabin getting hot before you've even heated it. Most owners prefer east-facing positions.
• Privacy: Will you see the sauna from neighbouring gardens, or be seen using it? Glass doors are aesthetic but transparent.
• Distance from the house: The closer to the house, the easier to use spontaneously. The further away, the more the sauna feels like a destination. Most owners settle somewhere between 5 and 20 metres from the back door.
• View from inside: Where you'll be looking when sitting inside. A glass-fronted sauna pointed at a fence is a waste — angle it toward a tree, lawn, or distant feature.
• Adjacent plants and trees: Trees overhead drop leaves and sap; trees right next to the sauna trap moisture against the timber. Allow at least 1m clearance around the cabin.
• Distance from property boundary: UK permitted development typically requires outbuildings to be set back from boundaries; check our planning notes below.
• Cooling space: Where will you stand or sit during cool-down between sessions? A patio area or small lawn next to the sauna improves the experience enormously.

Step 2: Plan the base

Once you've fixed the position, plan the base. The full specifications (concrete thickness, sub-base, mesh reinforcement, alternatives like paving or ground screws) are in our dedicated Outdoor Base Requirements guide. Key points for garden prep:

Step 3: Sort the electrics

If you've ordered an electric-heater sauna (or want lights / sound system in a wood-burning sauna), the electrical work needs to be planned and completed before delivery. The full requirements are in our Electrical Requirements guide. Key garden-prep actions:

• Get an electrician quoting within the first 1–2 weeks of your order
• Confirm with them what your consumer unit can support and whether any upgrade is needed
• Plan the cable route from consumer unit to sauna position — buried, in conduit, or clipped
• Site the external isolator within sight of the sauna
• Coordinate the trench dig with your base prep so the cable is laid in the same window
• Schedule certified completion at least one week before delivery

Step 4: Plan the access for delivery

This is the question that derails more sauna installs than anything else. Even with a beautiful base and a certified supply, if the delivery lorry can't get the sauna to the base, delivery day fails. Walk the access route now, with a critical eye:

• Road width: 3m minimum for a HIAB lorry
• Lorry parking: 12m of straight space to extend outriggers
• Overhead clearance: 4.5m for the lorry; consider tree branches, telephone wires, signs
• Gate widths: 2.5m comfortable; 2m tight but workable
• Crane reach: A HIAB usually reaches over a single-storey extension or fence; a two-storey house needs a mobile crane (separate hire)
• Ground for crane outriggers: Tarmac and concrete are ideal; lawn and gravel may need spreader pads
• Tight access alternative: If a crane cannot reach the spot, consider a spider crane or telehandler — see our delivery guide

Send us photos and ideally a phone video walkthrough — we'll plan the right equipment for your site and quote any lifting separately. Don't assume; ask.

Step 5: Confirm planning permission

Most domestic outdoor saunas in the UK fall under permitted development — you usually don't need planning permission if:

• The structure is for incidental enjoyment of the dwelling
• It's not in front of the principal elevation
• It doesn't exceed 2.5m in height if within 2m of a boundary, or 4m elsewhere
• The total area of outbuildings doesn't exceed 50% of the curtilage

Exceptions worth checking with your local planning authority before you order:

• Conservation areas, AONBs, National Parks, World Heritage sites
• Listed buildings (the curtilage is also listed)
• Flats and apartments (different rules apply)
• Sites with previous planning conditions limiting outbuildings

Step 6: Drainage & landscape finishing

The base itself sheds water away from the sauna, but the wider area matters too. Things to think about during base prep, not after:

• Where does rainwater run after it leaves the base? Not toward the house, ideally not toward neighbouring property
• Is there a French drain or soakaway needed if the site is low-lying or compacted clay?
• Path from house to sauna: Step or two? Slippery when wet? Lit at night? Make the journey pleasant
• Cooling area: A small patio or paved area beside the sauna for sitting between sessions
• Outdoor shower (optional but loved): A cold shower beside the sauna transforms the experience. Plumb it during base prep, not afterwards
• Planting around the sauna: Light evergreens for year-round screening; deciduous for summer shade and winter light. Avoid anything that drops sap, berries, or heavy leaf litter

Step 7: The week before delivery

By now everything should be in place. Final checks:

Step 8: Delivery day itself

The crew arrives, sets up outriggers, hooks up to the sauna, lifts it into position, levels it, removes packaging, and walks you through the handover. Total time from lorry arrival to handshake is typically 2–3 hours. Your job is to be available to confirm positioning, sign off the lift, and accept the unit. Detailed steps are in our delivery guide.

Frequently asked questions