From first call to first fire.
One local team from start to finish, usually five to seven weeks in all. Here's exactly what happens, and what we'll need from you.
Site visit
We come to you, free of charge, usually within a week of your call.
Together we'll walk the yard and choose a spot: somewhere level-ish, with a path to the house and a view worth sitting with. We check the delivery route, talk through wood versus electric, look at foundation options and note anything your municipality will want to know. You'll get a firm, written quote within two days. It's not an estimate, and nothing changes later.
Reserve your build
A refundable $500 deposit reserves a build slot. We schedule in the order deposits arrive.
We'll confirm your configuration and installation window, and check permit requirements with your municipality. If a permit is needed, we prepare the drawings and submit the application. Half the balance is due when we start building, and the rest on installation day.
Build
Your sauna is cut, fitted and finished to order.
Staves are milled, end walls assembled, benches sanded and fitted, and the whole barrel dry-assembled and banded. We send photos along the way. If you've ordered a gravel pad, we prepare it during this window so it's settled and ready.
Delivery & installation
One trailer, one crew, usually one day.
We set the barrel on its cradles, level it to within an eighth of an inch, fit the stove and chimney (or the electric heater, ready for your electrician's final connection), hang the door and install any add-ons. We test everything, clean up, and leave nothing behind but the sauna.
First Fire
On a cold evening of your choosing, we come back to light the first fire with you.
We'll show you how to lay and draw the stove, how much water to throw, how to vent the room and how to look after the wood through the seasons. Then we'll leave you to it. It's our favorite part of the job.
What we'll need from you.
Not much. We'll confirm all of this on the site visit, but it helps to know what to expect.
A firm, level base
A compacted gravel pad is ideal: it drains well and costs little. We can prepare one for you. A level patio, pavers or a sturdy deck work too, if it's rated for roughly 2,500–4,000 lbs.
An 8-foot path
Saunas arrive assembled, so we need a clear route about eight feet wide from the street. If a fence or slope is in the way, we can build on site instead. It adds a day.
Electric models only
A dedicated 240V circuit, sized to your heater, run by a licensed electrician. We coordinate with trusted local electricians and quote it separately. Wood-fired saunas need no power at all.
Included within 30 miles.
Delivery and installation are included anywhere within 30 miles of the Capitol Square. Beyond that, we're happy to travel and charge only what it costs us to get there.
Middleton, Verona, Fitchburg, Monona, McFarland, Sun Prairie, Waunakee, DeForest, Cottage Grove, Oregon, Stoughton, Mount Horeb, Cross Plains, Belleville, New Glarus, Lodi, Sauk City, Mazomanie, Columbus, Waterloo, Lake Mills, Fort Atkinson, Edgerton, Evansville, and everywhere in between.
Built to last. Backed locally.
We live here too. If something isn't right, you'll be talking to the people who built it.
5-year workmanship warranty
On joinery, banding, doors and benches. Stoves and heaters carry their manufacturer's warranty, and we handle the claim.
First-year check-in
After your first winter we come back to re-tension the bands, check the door and chimney, and answer questions.
Fair, fixed pricing
Your written quote is what you pay. No freight surcharges, fuel fees or surprise "site conditions."
Good questions, plain answers.
Do I need a permit?
Often not. Many municipalities treat a small, freestanding sauna on cradles like a garden shed. But rules vary from town to town, especially on setbacks from property lines, accessory structure size and electrical work. We check your municipality's requirements before you order. If a permit is needed, we prepare the drawings and handle the application.
Where should it go?
Somewhere you'll actually walk to in January. A short, lit path from the back door matters more than a perfect view. Keep wood-fired saunas a sensible distance from the house, fences and overhanging branches. We'll suggest clearances on the site visit.
Wood-fired or electric?
Wood is the traditional choice: softer steam, the crackle and smell of the fire, and no electrician. It takes a little tending. Electric is the easy choice: it heats on a schedule from your phone, needs no chimney, and suits quick weeknight sessions. Both make a wonderful sauna. Many people decide based on how often they'll use it and how much they enjoy a fire.
How long does it all take?
Typically five to seven weeks from deposit to First Fire: four to six weeks to build, then one day to install. Lead times stretch in late fall when everyone wants theirs by the first snow, so earlier is better.
Will it fit through my gate?
We need roughly eight feet of clear width. If that's not possible, we deliver the sauna in pieces and assemble it in place. It adds a day, and we'll quote it on the site visit.
How hot does it get, and how fast?
Comfortably 160–190°F. Wood-fired saunas reach temperature in roughly 40–55 minutes depending on size and how cold it is outside. Electric heaters are similar, and you can schedule them to be ready when you get home.
Can I use it in sub-zero weather?
Yes, and you should. The stove has no trouble with a Wisconsin January, and the snow makes the best cold plunge there is. Warm-up takes a little longer on the coldest nights.
How much firewood does it use?
An armload: typically six to ten split logs for an evening of two or three rounds. Seasoned hardwood like oak, ash or maple burns best. A cord lasts most households through a winter of regular use.
What does electric cost to run?
Electric sauna heaters draw their full rating while heating, then cycle on and off to hold temperature. For a typical session on a 6–9 kW heater, expect somewhere in the range of $1–$3 at Madison-area residential rates. Your actual cost depends on your rate, the weather and how long you stay.
How do I look after it?
Very little. Leave the door and vent open after a session so it dries out. Wipe the benches occasionally and give them a light sanding once a year. Re-tighten the bands after the first season as the wood settles. We do this at your first-year check-in.
Does the outside need sealing?
Thermo-spruce can be left to weather naturally to a soft silver-grey, or treated every few years with a breathable exterior oil to keep its warm color. Never seal or varnish the interior.
How long will it last?
With a dry base, good airflow underneath and occasional care, decades. A shingle roof cap extends that further for saunas under dripping trees.
What's included in the price?
The sauna, a wood-fired stove with stones and chimney, a tempered glass door, aspen benches, delivery and installation within 30 miles of the Capitol, and the First Fire visit. Foundation work, electrical work and sales tax are separate.
How does payment work?
A refundable $500 deposit reserves your build slot. Half of the balance is due when we begin building, and the rest on installation day. We accept checks, ACH and cards.
Do you offer financing?
Ask us on the site visit. We're working with a local lender to offer simple monthly payment options.
Can I visit a sauna before I buy?
Yes. Get in touch and we'll arrange a time to see, and sit in, a finished sauna near Madison.
Start with a walk around the yard.
The site visit is free and takes about an hour. You'll come away with a plan and a firm price.