KOTO ELEMENTS RANGE - FAQ
ELEMENTS SAUNA - 蒸気 (JOKI)
How ours saunas are delivered
Our workshops enable us to fully prefabricate all of our saunas, this allows us to work to high standards efficiently and in controlled conditions. Your finished sauna will then be loaded onto a flatbed trailer and delivered to site, we’ll then lift your sauna into place using either a telehandler, HIAB or crane. With the right lifting equipment we can hoist over hedges and houses.
What access is required
Ideally we like to be able to drive close to the sauna site to unload, if this isn't possible we can deliver the sauna to site flat pack and assemble, however this will incur extra costs. We will ask for photos of the sauna site and an address from which we can carry out a desktop study, in some cases we’ll arrange to visit in person. We will keep you informed of any extra costs associated with installing your sauna.
Foundations & Services
Prior to delivering your sauna the foundations need to be in place, we will send you detailed drawings and these works can be carried out by a local contractor. We can use screw piles for minimal ground disturbance, or concrete strip foundations. This would also be the time to run in electricity and water if required.
Wood Fired or Electrically heater
If the sauna is going to be positioned far from any utilities in an offgrid location a wood fired heater is going to be the best choice. For electric heaters power can be placed in a trench, a local electrician can check your supply and arrange these works. Electric heaters are easy to regulate and can even be controlled from your phone, meaning the sauna can be up to temperature when you get home. Wood heaters do take a little longer to heat up, but once up and running create a lovely constant heat and add to the atmosphere with their flickering flames.
Heaters and Materials
We work with a range of sauna heater suppliers from Scandinavia, the final choice will come down to budget and design preference, we like to use Huum, Narvia and Iki’s. The sauna panelling and benches are the only other imported items, these come from Finland and are specifically selected for their quality, scent and colour. Some options are Alder, Thermo Alder, Aspen, Thermo Aspen, Hemlock and Cedar, we can send samples and advise on the best choice.
Ventilation
Just as important as the heater is air ventilation, our mechanical ventilation systems allow for six air turns per hour, this ensures a supply of fresh air. We also position our vents to encourage hot air movement over the user, reducing the stratification of heat and creating the optimum sauna experience.
The cost of running your sauna
We bring over a decade of experience building high performance cabins to our range of saunas, they are highly insulated using natural and breathable materials and detailed with high performance membranes, meaning they heat up faster and maintain it, reducing running costs. The cost to run the heaters depends on their size, a 9KW electric heater will use 9KW of power per hour, this currently costs £0.32 per KW so an hour of heat would be £2.88. Once the room is up to temperature a thermostat will turn the heater on and off as required, so that hourly rate could be halved. The cost of running a wood fired heater will depend on what you pay for your seasoned logs, a sauna session would require a small basket of logs and kindling. By bringing all the logs into the sauna they will heat up prior to being put in the stove, increasing heat output and efficiency.
Barrel Saunas vs our saunas
Barrel saunas are made from a single layer of pine and are uninsulated, meaning they are more expensive to run and are harder to maintain temperatures, they are also susceptible to timber movement, which can lead to leaks and longevity issues. They seem cheap on paper but not in the long run. Our Saunas have a build-up of over 10 different materials, we hand select the best materials for the purpose they need to serve. Our wall and roof section consists of external cladding, a weather-tight membrane, structure, insulation, a racking layer, a moisture ventilation void, heat reflective foil and finally the sauna panelling.
Delivery to the USA and Europe
We can ship our saunas throughout Europe, please get in touch to find out about shipping costs. We have production partners in the USA to fabricate our saunas, we can deliver from the East to West Coast.
Customisation and Bespoke work
Our range of saunas can be customised, we can change various details so it best fits your space and needs. From cladding to glazing details, as we learn more about the project we can help suggest the best approach. We also design and build one off saunas, this could be the option for you if you have a location that warrants a custom design, we can also work with any existing architectural concepts and plans.
Lifespan
Our saunas, like our cabins, are built to last and this comes down to the quality of the materials we select, the craftsmanship and the weather details. There's a saying that as long as a timber building has a dry head and feet it will last for generations, that's why many of our designs have overhanging roofs to shed rainwater. Our saunas are also elevated off the ground on a galvanised steel chassis to keep their ‘feet’ dry.
Warranty
We pass on all our manufacturer warranties for heaters and controllers, depending on the brand these range from 2 - 4 years. Our manufacturing warranty is for 2 years.
Harsh Environments
Our saunas are built to withstand the toughest of environments, whether it be the wind and rain of Northern Scotland or the dry heat of the Calafornian coastline they will fare well.
Ordering and Payment plan
Once your sauna has been fully specified and quoted for we will ask for a construction deposit of 10%, this books your slot in our build schedule and allows us to order in early materials. Prior to full fabrication we will request a further 60%, the remaining will be due prior to delivery.
Lead Times
Our production schedule varies depending on the workload running through the workshop, we will be able to let you know the schedule when you get in touch.
Mobility
Many of our saunas can be moved in the same manner they are delivered, meaning that they can travel with you if you ever decide to move house.
Other Questions?
Please get in touch if you have any other specific questions, we’d be delighted to help.