About SaunaPlans.co

I'm David - an engineer who built a garden sauna and documented every step so you can do the same.

Why I Built a Sauna

I'd used saunas while travelling abroad and always loved them - the heat, the ritual, the way you feel afterwards. When we started planning a garden renovation, I thought: why not build a proper sauna as part of a bigger spa project?

I looked at pre-built options. The quotes came back at £35,000-45,000. For a garden shed with a heater in it. That felt insane.

So I decided to build one myself.

My Background

I have an engineering degree and spent years working in modular housing manufacturing in the UK. I understand how buildings go together - framing, insulation, vapour barriers, the lot.

But I'm not a carpenter. I'm not a builder by trade. I'm someone who can read drawings, follow a logical process, and isn't afraid of hard work.

If you're comfortable with basic DIY - hanging a door, using a drill, following instructions - you can build a sauna. It's not complicated. It just needs doing properly.

The Build

I built my sauna over several months, working weekends and evenings. The total materials cost was just over £4,000 - about a tenth of what the pre-built companies were quoting.

Along the way I made mistakes. I bought the wrong vapour barrier. I underestimated how much interior panelling I needed. I didn't fully understand the heater wiring until I was halfway through.

I documented everything - what worked, what didn't, what I'd do differently. That documentation became these plans.

Why UK-Specific Plans Matter

Most sauna plans online are American or Scandinavian. They assume different materials, different suppliers, different building regulations, different weather.

I built in the UK. My plans reference UK suppliers, UK building regulations, UK weather conditions. When I say "buy this from Screwfix" or "order thermo-aspen from SaunaShop.co.uk" - I've actually done it. These aren't theoretical recommendations.

Why I'm Selling Plans

Honestly? Because people kept asking.

Friends saw the sauna. Neighbours asked questions. Someone at work wanted to know how I did the foundation. I found myself explaining the same things over and over.

I figured: if I'm going to document all this anyway, I might as well do it properly and make it available to anyone who wants to build their own.

At £97, these plans cost less than a single sheet of thermo-aspen. If they save you one mistake, they've paid for themselves.

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