Minnesota is home to some of the most genuinely nice people you’ll find in the country. Since the early 1800s, Finnish culture, especially sauna, has become a staple of the state’s identity. It’s no surprise that MN has become known as the Sauna capital of the country, boasting dozens of companies all around the state making custom home saunas and mobile saunas. But how do you decide which company is the best fit for your next sauna?
Finding Genuine Passion
One of the most critical factors to consider when choosing which company to build your next home sauna. Is finding a company that truly puts in care and ownership into their product.
It’s no joke, over the past few years we’ve seen countless sauna companies rise up out of the growing demand and this is awesome to see the industry grow. But, much like the craft beer explosion in Minnesota seeing an 83% barrel production increase over 10 years. In the beginning, not all companies had the quality to survive seeing only the best quality rise to the top.
With Sauna, we see similar trends with some companies usually coming from other industries entirely take a stab at making custom saunas. Sometimes this works out, sometimes this leads to beginner mistakes. This is why we stress reputation and lasting results over social media and branding hype.
Understanding Industry Pricing
One huge question asked is, “How much does a custom sauna cost?”
Some companies out there will kindly ask for 60-100k for a full custom sauna. Like many investments we make, it’s important to clearly understand how that cost breaks down on the customer’s side and on the business side. Some saunas built may have an entire sales staff, employees, waitlists, reputation, and significant business assets all contributing to that premium cost.
It’s fascinating to see the variety in the sauna industry. Some companies may only have 1-3 people working on one sauna at a time, showcasing the artisanal approach to sauna construction.
In summary, it’s always important to understand that cost does not always equate to value and quality.
Proven Process
A good quality company that will leave you with a positive experience. They should be able to clearly communicate the full custom sauna process with you right from the start.
Here are some common things to keep in mind with each stage:
- Discovery: This stage is all about you. It should focus on learning if the company is the right fit and what sauna design works best with your lifestyle, needs and budget. It’s a fine line between educating customers on the benefits of some features, and just upselling. In the end, this is YOUR sauna we are talking about. It should always feel like you are in control to get what YOU want.
- Design: Custom often means starting from a base model layout and selecting options. Other times it might require starting from an entirely new design. This section may include a design package, 3D renders and other ways to communicate the end result. When comparing quotes remember that branding and modeling design will not affect the actual craftsmanship require to build it.
- Build: This phase might seem pretty simple. Some things to keep in mind is built time and shop discipline.
- Delivery: A company with experience will be able to deliver on time, with proper pre-site visits to assess how the sauna will sit, what is needed to ensure it stays level, and all the details.
Questions You Can Ask
- What is your reputation in the industry? Do you have any reviews we can look at?
- Is there a particular sauna style you specialize in?
- What all goes into your pricing?
- What do you do to separate yourselves from the growing industry?
- Tell me about the last few saunas you built.
Summary
Minnesota sauna builders are some of the best people you’ll come to know. We’re a tight community. We hope this short blog will be helpful in your journey to finding the right fit for your next custom sauna project.
We’re always here to be of service. Feel free to reach out to us by phone or by the discovery form below.
