Sauna Cost Calculator

Every estimate call starts with the same question: what is this going to cost me? For a fully custom, professionally installed traditional sauna in metro Atlanta, the honest range is $8,000 to $25,000+. I have priced everything from closet conversions at the low end to backyard cabins and glass-front showpieces at the high end, and the number always comes down to four things: size, wood, heater, and glass. The calculator above prices those four choices for your room — here is how each one moves the number, with the same figures I publish in my full guide to what a custom sauna costs.

Size is the base everything else multiplies. More room means more cedar, more bench, more framing, and a bigger heater. A 4×6 two-person room and a 6×8 family sauna are different jobs before you pick a single upgrade, which is why the calculator starts with length. Bigger is not automatically better — an oversized room wastes energy heating dead air — but it is the first driver of the price.

Wood is the biggest materials choice. Clear Western Red Cedar is the gold standard — aromatic, moisture-resistant, and cool to the touch at temperature — and it prices like it. Hemlock and basswood are more budget-friendly alternatives that still hold up under heat. On a full room, the wood selection alone can move the total by thousands.

The heater is the heart of the sauna. A quality electric heater from a brand like Harvia or HUUM runs $1,000 to $3,500, with stone capacity and Wi-Fi controls pushing toward the top of that range. It is also the one part with wear components, so it is the wrong place to save money. If you already know your room size, run it through the heater size calculator — roughly 1 kW for every 45 to 50 cubic feet — before you pick a unit.

Glass is the modern-sauna line item. A tempered glass door is standard; a full glass front is the upgrade that changes both the look and the bill, and custom glass takes two to three weeks to fabricate once measurements are final. It is worth it if the sauna is a showpiece. It is optional if the room is a basement corner you use at 6 AM.

What the calculator can't see is your site. Electrical work — a dedicated 220V/240V circuit — typically adds $500 to $2,000+ depending on the distance from your panel, and a full panel may need an upgrade or subpanel on top of that. Permits and site prep sit outside the estimate too. That is why the final number comes from a free site visit: I measure the space, look at your panel, and give you a straight price with those lines in the open, before you commit to anything.