Yes, you can have a sauna in a London flat. We have built them in a spare WC in Notting Hill, a compact washroom, a converted bathroom in Hampstead and the living room of a Thames-view flat in Wapping. Check five things first: your lease, power supply, access, ventilation and floor.
London homes are short on space, and many of them are flats. The good news is that a sauna doesn't need a garden or a basement: we have built them in a spare WC in Notting Hill, a compact washroom, a converted bathroom in Hampstead and the living room of a Thames-side flat. What a flat does change is the checklist. Before you fall for a design, there are five things to confirm. For the wider picture of owning a sauna in the capital, see our London home sauna guide.
Key takeaways
- Check your lease early: many require the freeholder's consent for alterations.
- Infrared saunas can often run from a standard 13A socket; traditional heaters need a dedicated circuit.
- Ready-made cabins rarely fit flats or their access routes; a sauna built on site arrives as individual boards.
- Plan where fresh air comes from and where the extract goes before choosing a spot.
- A sauna can be compact: a spare WC can hold a two-person sauna.
1. Does your lease allow it?
If your flat is leasehold, read the alterations clause before anything else. Many leases need the freeholder's or managing agent's written consent for internal alterations and new electrical circuits, and some buildings have their own rules on contractors and working hours. Getting consent early avoids delays later, and we can supply drawings and a specification to support your request.
2. What power supply do you have?
This decides, more than anything, which type of sauna you can have. Many infrared saunas run from a standard 13A socket, which makes them the simplest option in a flat. A traditional or hybrid sauna needs a dedicated circuit from your consumer unit; our Thames-view flat sauna runs a 6kW single-phase heater. The new circuit must be installed by a qualified electrician, so ask yours to check the supply and consumer unit early. Our infrared vs traditional comparison explains the trade-offs.
3. Can the sauna get into the flat?
Prefabricated cabins arrive as large panels, and London flats have narrow stairs, small lifts and tight corners. Our Wapping client first wanted a ready-made sauna on his balcony, but the panels couldn't be brought in and no standard size fitted. Because we build on site from individual boards, the sauna can go wherever the timber can be carried.
4. How will it be ventilated?
A sauna needs fresh air in low near the heater and extract on the opposite side. In a flat, that means working out where the air comes from, often the room the sauna sits in, and where it goes: an existing extract, an external wall or a ventilation system. A well-ventilated sauna dries out after use, so it doesn't push moisture into the rest of the flat. Our post on sauna ventilation explains more.
5. Is the floor suitable?
A sauna is a light timber structure, but the floor beneath it should be level and finished in tiles or another non-timber surface. Bathrooms and WCs usually have this already, which is one reason they make good conversions. Tell us how the floor is built and what is under it, such as underfloor heating pipes.
Where does a sauna fit in a flat?
- A spare WC or shower room: already tiled, ventilated and close to water.
- Part of a large bathroom, behind a frameless glass front.
- A corner of the living room or bedroom, glazed so it doesn't close the room in.
- A box room or large storage cupboard, with the benches drawn around the space.
Which London homes have we built in?
Wapping: a sauna with a Thames view
In a two-bedroom flat we built a slim-profile sauna glazed on three sides, five panes with the door on the long side, so it sits lightly in the living room and still seats two. The lower bench slides under the upper one when not in use to keep the river view clear. The interior is Thermo Aspen with 1+1 floating benches, heated by a HUUM CLIFF 6kW single-phase heater with UKU Glass Wi-Fi control. See the Thames-view project.
Notting Hill: a spare WC turned into a two-person sauna
A disused WC became a compact two-person sauna clad in Thermo Aspen, with a custom ventilation strategy and a wall-mounted Harvia heater with built-in controls. See the Notting Hill project.
Winnington Road: a sauna inside a private washroom
Within a compact washroom we built a sauna with 2+1 floating benches, a full glass door, concealed LED lighting and a HUUM CLIFF 9kW single-phase heater with Wi-Fi control. See the washroom project.
Hampstead: a bathroom replaced with a sauna
A large bathroom was converted into a sauna with a frameless glass door and fixed panel, 1+1 benches, concealed LED lighting and a HUUM CLIFF 9kW heater with UKU Glass control. See the Hampstead project.
FAQs
Do I need permission for a sauna in a leasehold flat?
Check your lease. Many require the freeholder's consent for internal alterations and new electrical circuits. We can supply drawings to support your request.
Can I have a sauna in a rented flat?
Only with your landlord's written permission, because a built-in sauna is a permanent alteration. In most rented flats it isn't practical.
What is the smallest sauna you can build?
We have built two-person saunas in a former WC. A one-person sauna can fit in around 1m x 1m, but a little more space makes it far more comfortable.
Will a sauna make my flat damp?
Not if it is ventilated properly. Fresh air in low and extract out on the opposite side lets the room dry after each session.
Is an infrared sauna better for a flat?
It is often the simplest option because it can usually run from a 13A socket. If your supply can take a dedicated circuit, a traditional or hybrid sauna gives you real löyly.
Plan a sauna for your flat
Send photos, a rough floor plan and a note of your power supply to info@saunacompany.co.uk or call 020 8058 0871. Explore our bespoke saunas in London, or book a free design consultation and we'll tell you honestly what will fit.