Who We Are

The Sandhill Saunaworks is a Michigan based design + build + saunaworks company founded in 2016. We focus on building custom, Finnish style saunas. 

The Sandhill Saunaworks takes its name from the glacial erratics deposited throughout Southeast Michigan 12,000 years ago. As the glaciers retreated, they left behind immense repositories of sand, gravel, and rocks carried from vast distances. These sandhills represent a gathering point and an elevated viewing space to take in adjoining marshes, fens, and hardwood forests. We think of our saunas in the same way: as places of retreat, gathering, and perspective. 

Our comprehensive design approach, high quality craftsmanship, and superior material selection helps our clients find wellness and relaxation in their saunas. We focus on creating sauna spaces that, like the land around us, will leave a lasting impact.

Places of permanence in a world of constant flux

Why Choose The Sandhill?

Experience

We have been building custom Finnish-style saunas for over a dozen years. Over this time we have honed our system and craft and understand how and what makes a sauna work. We are licensed contractors, allowing us to work with local municipalities to make sure your sauna complies with local building and safety regulations. It also means we can build outdoor saunas over 200 sf, and which incorporate other features such as bathrooms, studios, plumbing and electrical services.

Craft

In a world of mass production, we believe in the timeless value of craftsmanship. Each custom sauna we build is a testament to this principle, meticulously constructed by skilled carpenters who pour their expertise into every detail. From the hand-selected, sustainably sourced wood to the precision-fit benches and doors, our saunas aren't just structures; they're handcrafted sanctuaries built to last for generations.

Quality

From using the best in thermally modified woods, to the best performing stoves and heaters, to state of the art lighting, we understand and know what products work in a sauna, and we know how to install them for peak performance. As licensed builders, we also have a strong working knowledge of the best building-science principles, meaning we bring a level of performance to your sauna you would expect from any high-efficiency house.

Data-Driven

We pull from a long and proven history of Nordic sauna design to build our saunas, We also use modern technology to make sure tradition and performance intersect. We collect data on temperature, humidity, and CO2 in our saunas to maximize your experience. 

Trust

Like any project in your house, you need to trust the craftsmanship and quality of the work performed. We have a long and solid history of exceeding client’s expectations. We prioritize communication and transparency, so you understand every detail from budget to design to process.

Design-Forward

Our background in design heavily informs our builds. We understand the importance good design has on experience. We don’t build you a hot box, we curate an experience, a place where you can rejuvenate and relax.

our process

The first step is meeting you and exploring your space. We want to know what you are looking for in a sauna space and how you plan on using it.. We also take this opportunity to locate your sauna, finding a space which fits your needs and budget. The initial consultation is completely free, and focuses on starting a conversation about what we do and how we can help build your vision.

1. Consultation

The first step in the build process is the most exciting. We will schedule several meetings to explore your future sauna space as well as create a layout and review materials. We focus on making a space that will work for you and your family. During this phase we will also create a detailed budget for the project.

2. DESIGN

Our entire process is done in-house, and that means the construction of the sauna too. We are on-site shaping and crafting the design into reality. Our build process is derived from the best and most innovative industry standards, which is a fancy way of saying we pay attention to the details. We focus on crafting your sauna like we would any house, focusing on waterproofing details and ventilation performance. But above all, we dedicate ourselves to excellent craftsmanship.

3. Construction

Just because the sauna is done, doesn’t mean our work is. We visit your sauna several times once it is complete to collect data about its performance, such as temperature stratification, humidity levels, and CO2 monitoring. We want to make sure your sauna is performing to its best and we believe a data-driven approach makes for the best experience.

4. Performance

Benjamin

PRINCIPAL, LICENSED CONTRACTOR, MASTER CARPENTER

Benjamin has been working on houses for over 20 years. His passion lies in working with good materials and implementing best building practices. He founded The Sandhill Saunaworks in 2016, with the goal of building custom saunas and other spaces we turn to for escape, relaxation, and rejuvenation.. He is the Lead Carpenter, onsite for the majority of a project making sure the vision becomes a reality. 

He was born and raised in Michigan, but has lived in California, Colorado, Maine, and Sweden where he cultivated a deep reverence for Scandinavian design and Bastu (Swedish for sauna, a shortening of the word Baststuga, or bath house). His background in the arts heavily informs his design process and his approach to building, believing good design speaks in narrative, that spaces and structures aren’t static. He holds a Bachelors and Masters of Fine Arts in Writing and has published a novel—which somewhere in the world—may still be in print.

vince

Designer, project manager

Vince brings a combination of design and technical expertise to every project. He holds Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Industrial Design and Sculpture, as well as having completed Washtenaw Community College’s residential HVAC program. He has worked as a footwear designer for Adidas in Portland, OR and spent time as a graphic designer at Pewabic Pottery in Detroit which fostered an appreciation for high quality hand-craftsmanship. Vince strives to create work that is simple, functional, and blends seamlessly with its environment.

Since joining the trades, Vince has worked as an HVAC technician and installer in Southeast Michigan. He focuses on mechanical performance and efficiency, making sure our saunas work as they should. .

Outside of work, Vince devotes as much time as possible to the mountains. This love informs and inspires his design, drawing him to natural material, simple palettes, and purposeful forms.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • For the Finns, a sauna is both a place and an activity. According to the International Sauna Association (ISA), a Finnish sauna is a “hot room with walls preferably made of wood. It is heated by a sauna heater powered by firewood, electricity, gas, or other energy sources and equipped with a sufficient amount of sauna stones. Heating can be continuous or single time. The temperature measured at the level of one meter above the highest bench is between 70*C and 105*C. The Humidity is variable and controlled by throwing water onto stones.”

    While the ISA’s definition is detailed, at its core a Finnish sauna is a wood lined room, heated by rocks, which, once water is thrown on them, produces steam (löyly).

  • We believe a sauna is as important as any other room in your house, and as such, it should be treated, and built, with similar care. Just look to Finland for this. In a country of 5 million people, they have over 3 million saunas! It’s not uncommon to find a sauna in even the simplest apartments. Pulling from this tradition, we too believe a custom sauna should be part of the whole house, and part of our collective living experience. 

    Our custom saunas spare no detail. They are built with the craftsmanship and quality of any other room in your house. Our custom saunas, whether located outside or inside, comply with all local and regional building codes and use industry standard best practices, the same as you would expect from any high-end home build. A custom sauna is a serious investment, and we treat it as such. Custom saunas also often perform better than a kit sauna. Because our custom saunas are air sealed and insulated, and because we custom design a ventilation system for each sauna based on its overall design and performance needs, they operate better than kit saunas. Part of our built process includes a performance evaluation, in which we monitor the performance of your sauna once it is built, gathering data to help you get the most out of your space.

  • Cost varies by the type of sauna you are interested in and by the details of the design. Since every sauna is custom built there is no fixed price for our sauna builds. On the very low end, interior sauna prices usually start at 15k while exterior sauna builds start at about 30k.

  • Kit saunas are a prefabricated sauna which is built on site. We usually don’t recommend kit saunas for several reasons. We find most kit’s underperform for the client, leaving them with an unsatisfactory experience, and eventually abandonment. Most kit saunas have ceilings too low which doesn’t allow the bather to have their feet above the stones. They also usually lack thorough insulation, which can lead to greater and more drastic heating times and temperature swings during the heating cycle. While they may not perform to the standards our saunas do, they can have their place. A kit sauna is best for those who are working with a limited budget and those exploring the idea of personal sauna and aren’t ready for the financial commitment of a custom built sauna. 


    A custom built sauna is designed and built to fit the client’s design wants and needs using high-performance home building materials and techniques.. We build our custom saunas to the client’s specs, whether they are inside or outside. Unlike a kit sauna, every detail and material is chosen based on the clients wants. A custom sauna is unique, and built with the intention of seamlessly melding with your home. A custom sauna is best for those who demand an elevated sauna experience, and who prioritize daily sauna sessions, and who want their sauna built as an integral part of their home.

  • This can vary depending on the type of sauna you are building. While a kit sauna can be built on site in 1-3 days, our custom saunas take much longer. Interior saunas usually take us about 2-3 weeks, and exterior saunas can take up to 6 weeks. It all depends on the level of detail and overall design.

  • Our custom saunas are a full service build. We work with you to understand your wants and needs, create a detailed plan and, if needed, construction documents. We also handle all required built services, including acquiring permits, as well as providing electrical, plumbing, and landscaping subcontracting using our trusted network of local trades people.

A simple sauna manifesto

My first sauna was a rustic affair. It took place in Northern Wisconsin, several miles from the Brule River in flat, scrubby pine country where the earth is iron red. It’s the type of place you count deer by the dozen. Remote, quiet, brilliant. The winter was only beginning to wear off, snow clung to the shadows. At the edge of an old horse pasture a chimney puffed from a log cabin— old, weathered white, and capped by a sloped metal roof. The night was clear as glass.

Inside the sauna warmed. The cedar benches, worn smooth from years of use, rose against the walls in rings.. The whole thing was new to me—the ritual, the etiquette—but most of all the heat. Within minutes it had penetrated my core and everything I had ever stewed on or clung to vanished. There was nothing but the sweat, the howl of the wind, and the crackle of logs heating river rock. I paused for a break, stepping out into the night. Steam rolled off my body, the cold winter air meant nothing. The world vanished. 

I set to build my first sauna weeks later. I had been in the trades for well over a decade, but I hadn’t built a sauna before. It was as foreign as the place—Finland—of its origin. But I gathered cedar tongue and groove, insulation, and chimney pipe. My wife and I drove on our honeymoon to northern Wisconsin to buy a Finnish sauna stove. Then I set about squaring and sawing and nailing the thing together. That first iteration is long gone, having been built and rebuilt many times as we worked to refine the structure, but the practice remains. Since then there has hardly been a week I haven’t sat in a sauna. 

And then I had the idea, why not build these for other people? I had framed houses and remodeled homes and done work in many trades, but there seemed few builders who specialized (at least in our area) in saunas. So I gave it a go. That was nearly a decade ago. Today, I’ve been fortunate enough to have built many saunas, from the rustic to the luxurious. 

All these years later I have come to see the value of the sauna like those who have it embedded in their culture. It’s a place to relax, unwind, and rejuvenate. But it’s also a place of conversation and intimacy, a place impervious to the technical world which saturates our lives. It’s organic and human and quiet. 

I think of saunas as more than a hot room. A cookie cutter box tucked in some remote corner of a yard or corner of a basement. We see saunas as an integral part of your home, as valuable as any bathroom or kitchen or bedroom. Whether they are built within your house or adjacent to, their value is the same. Our saunas are custom made, and built as your house was—with intention, precision, and dedication. We tailor them to your design preferences, we build them not to stand apart from your home, but to seamlessly integrate into them. 

After years of experience, we understand how to build a great sauna. Our custom saunas are built to withstand the elements. We use thermally modified woods and Finnish designed lighting. We source our heaters, and most importantly their stones, from Northern Europe. We integrate technology only to aid in the experience, using mechanical ventilation when needed. We monitor the air quality of your sauna after its construction to make sure it’s performing at its peak. But above all we design our saunas as a place of quiet.

And though it has been years since that first sauna in the northern woods of Wisconsin, I can still see a memory of fogged breath, the night sky flickering with each new heating. My skin still cools and pricks when I step into winter air. Behind me the sauna still smokes, as it has done for decades. Waiting to gift itself anew. 

—Benjamin