Home Sauna Buyer Readiness Checklist
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A pre-deposit checklist that walks through the seven decisions behind a home sauna purchase, from heat type to the written quote, so nothing is discovered on delivery day.

[ ] Choose between infrared and traditional heat after sitting in both at a spa or showroom, not from photographs or spec sheets.
[ ] Be honest about how many sessions a week the household will really take, because that number drives the cabin size, the heater and whether the purchase pays back.
[ ] Pick the room or outdoor site and confirm the cabin, its door swing and a place to cool down all fit with room to move.
[ ] Measure every doorway, hallway, stair and turn the packed panels must pass through on delivery day.
[ ] Run the Home Sauna Size and Power Planner at /tools/sauna-size-power-planner/ to get an interior footprint and a minimum circuit for the people who will use it together.
[ ] Have a licensed electrician confirm the panel has capacity for a dedicated circuit if the cabin needs one, and get the price of that work in writing.
[ ] Check that the floor is level, tolerates moisture and can carry the cabin weight plus occupants; for outdoor units, plan a prepared base.
[ ] Plan ventilation: an air inlet, an outlet and a route for warm moist air to leave the room without soaking into drywall.
[ ] Identify the wood species and grade used inside and out, and ask whether the stock is clear or knotty and how thick the panels are.
[ ] Inspect joinery, bench supports and how the walls lock together on a display model or in close-up photographs supplied by the seller.
[ ] Confirm the glass is tempered, ask for its thickness, and check how the door seals, latches and can be opened from inside.
[ ] For an infrared cabin, ask what emitter type is used, where the panels sit relative to the benches and what the maker claims about EMF, in writing.
[ ] For a traditional cabin, note the stove rating, the stone capacity and whether the maker permits water on the stones.
[ ] Ask how long the cabin takes to reach your preferred temperature from a cold room, not from a heated showroom.
[ ] Estimate the running cost with the Home Sauna Electricity Cost Calculator at /tools/sauna-electricity-cost/ using the rate on your own utility bill.
[ ] Work out the cost per session and the break-even against your spa or gym at a realistic number of sessions with the calculator at /tools/sauna-cost-per-session/.
[ ] Read the warranty for separate terms on the cabin, heater and electronics, and find out who actually performs service in your area.
[ ] Get a written quote that separates the cabin, delivery, assembly, electrical work and any permit, and ask what is excluded.
[ ] Confirm what the seller means by delivery: curbside drop, room of choice, or full assembly and a test heat.
[ ] Check the return policy, the restocking fee and who pays return freight before paying a deposit.
[ ] Ask your home insurer whether a permanently installed heat appliance or an outdoor structure needs to be declared on the policy.
[ ] Book the electrician for a date before delivery so the circuit is live and inspected when the cabin arrives.
[ ] Set a care routine for the first month: towels on the benches, a wipe down after each session, and a note of when the wood will next need attention.