How to open a sauna - a business for those who like it hot

The main stages of opening a sauna

To open the sauna you need:

1. Officially register a business: choose a legal form (individual entrepreneur or LLC), determine the appropriate OKVED and taxation system.
2. Find a premises with a convenient location or buy a plot for construction.
3. Finish the purchased or rented building.
4. Comply with the requirements of the SES and fire service.
5. Purchase equipment and furniture.
6. Hire staff.
7. Run advertising online and offline.

Each stage requires detailed consideration.

Sauna on Wheels (San Francisco, California)

Nick Klein and his friends built a mobile sauna on wheels, Left Coast Sauna. They had seen such saunas many times in Northern Europe and wanted to bring this idea to their homeland. So they built a cedar barrel sauna for six people and put it on wheels. At first they planned to rent it out for special events, and the rest of the time the sauna would be idle.

But seeing a lot of interest in their mobile sauna, the team decided to ride around the area near San Francisco. They drove everywhere from the grassy fields of Marin County to the residential neighborhoods of San Francisco's Noe Valley, simply parking next to public spaces. They did not charge money for the first session, but for subsequent sessions they asked for payment. By the way, clients almost always lingered in such an unusual sauna.

After searching the Internet, we found many more photos of bathhouses and saunas on wheels. There are especially many of them in the vast expanses of the former Soviet Union.

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Business registration: taxation and OKVED

The optimal legal form for a sauna is an individual entrepreneur. To register an individual entrepreneur, you need to contact the tax service and pay a state fee of 800 rubles.

You also need to make a stamp and open a current account if you plan to pay non-cash.

OKVED for sauna - 96.04 “Physical and recreational activities.”

For such a business, the UTII taxation form is beneficial. It will reduce the amount of tax and simplify reporting for the Federal Tax Service. But the legislation also provides for a simplified taxation system (STS):

• 6% of income excluding expenses;
• 15% of income minus expenses.

The entrepreneur decides which taxation system to choose.

Choosing a room: location and renovation

Room

The sauna room can be of three types:

• rented;
• purchased;
• built from scratch.

The most profitable option is to order the construction of prefabricated wooden structures. Many construction companies provide such a service with construction periods ranging from 3 weeks to 2 months.

Renting or buying a building with subsequent repairs will cost more. But if you have a small budget, renting with the option to buy will be the best option.

When renting premises, you should remember that if the agreement is terminated, the landlord will not return the money spent on repairs.

“For a sauna you need a room with a minimum area of ​​100-150 m2. It will have a locker room, a swimming pool, a steam room and a relaxation area. The remaining premises are at the discretion of the entrepreneur, depending on the list of services.

At the stage of drawing up a business plan, you need to take into account all additional services. Otherwise, it may later turn out that there is no free space to provide a specific service.”

Sauna location

Unlike cafes or other recreational facilities, a sauna does not require a high-traffic area. The target audience of the sauna is people who go there intentionally and prefer a country holiday.

It is better to place the sauna in a suburban area. This could be a village or a holiday village. But you need to understand that the work of the establishment should not disturb local residents, because the sauna is most often visited by noisy groups who like to hang out until the morning. Therefore, problems with law enforcement agencies may arise.

The option with a country sauna is suitable when you plan to purchase a plot of land and build a building from scratch. In other cases, such as renting, it is worth looking at a building on the outskirts of the city, far from a residential area.

Decoration of sauna premises

For finishing you should choose natural materials. You can consider African oak, linden croaker, alder or pine paneling.

You will also need:

• tools: screwdriver, drill, hammers (regular, rubber), spatulas, etc.;
• lining, beams and slats for sheathing;
• insulation and vapor barrier film;
• tile adhesive and tiles;
• fireproof materials for interior decoration.

You won't be able to do the finishing work yourself cheaply and quickly. For these purposes, you will have to hire finishers with their own tools.

It is beneficial to buy materials yourself, since if you entrust the purchase to a contractor, he may unreasonably inflate the price.

Bathhouse design development at ITS® company

When developing the design of a bathhouse, ITS® company specialists take into account the standards regarding the location of the stove and its distance from the walls, and select lighting fixtures that can withstand high humidity, high temperatures and splashes. We know what materials can be used to finish the shelves and the area behind the stove. Despite all the restrictions, we can design a modern or traditional interior for a couple's room. You can see examples of our work in the corresponding section. And also pay attention to the design of the facades of ITS® prefabricated saunas.

To order the development and implementation of a bathhouse or sauna design from the ITS® company, use the telephone numbers listed in the “Contacts” section. You can use them to clarify the conditions and procedure for payment and work. We will be happy to help you create the ideal design of a bathhouse or sauna, get your own place to relax, where you can relax after a difficult work or relax in the company of loved ones.

Fire and sanitary requirements for saunas

Fire requirements

Fire departments have the following requirements for public saunas:

• For the construction and decoration of premises, fire-resistant partitions of the 1st type and type 3 floors, as well as materials with a fire resistance index of EI-45 and EI-60, must be used.
• Heated surfaces of walls, floors, ceilings and chimneys must be protected with fireproof mineral wool insulation.
• Availability of emergency exits and an approved evacuation plan.
• Mandatory availability of fire extinguishing equipment and notification systems (alarms, fire detectors, etc.).
• Where stoves are installed, there should be metal sheets on the walls with an air gap that does not allow heating of wooden coverings.
• Steam rooms should not be less than 8 m3 and more than 24 m3 with a ceiling height of 1.9 m.

These are the main requirements for saunas. You should contact your local fire department for detailed information and advice.

Sanitary requirements

Sanitary requirements are regulated by SanPiN 2.1.2.3150-13. Their main provisions:

• The sauna cannot be located in multi-apartment residential buildings.
• The sauna is allowed to provide additional services in the field of beauty and health, catering and trade.
• The building must be equipped with a cold and hot water supply system, sewerage, heating and air conditioning.
• Finishing materials for premises must be resistant to moisture, temperature changes, detergents and disinfectants.
• The sauna must have a wardrobe, dressing room, soap and steam room, organized according to the hygienic principle of flow.
• All premises must be equipped with natural, artificial and combined lighting.

Sauna equipment and furniture

Equipment and furniture should be selected based on the services that the sauna will provide. The traditional set includes:

• Wooden furniture (shelves, benches, tables, chairs, cabinets, lockers, hangers, etc.).
• Stove-heater or sauna + heater set.
• Swimming pool and filtering equipment for it.
• Showers.
• Decorative elements for the interior.
• Plumbing equipment: faucets, washbasins, toilets, bidets, etc.
• For additional services: racks, massage tables, equipment for a hairdresser, cosmetologist, etc.

"It is important to know:

All sauna furniture must have a smooth surface, accessible for wet cleaning and treatment with disinfectants.

Separate seats and hangers should be placed in the locker rooms for each client.

According to SanPiN 2.1.2.3150-13"

Project content

Before moving on to the construction stage, you need to really rack your brains about what your sauna should be like. Of course, it must be of high quality, complying with SES standards, equipped with good equipment and ventilation.

All these and many other points should be decided at the design stage. Because there is nothing worse and more expensive than constant rework during the execution of work.

Sketch of the future building

It is important to find out what type of sauna project we are talking about. There is a so-called individual version of project documentation. It looks like a kind of instruction indicating what and how to do.

Such projects often contain only the following information:

• Construction work plan;
• Bills of Materials;
• Floor plan or building sketch.

Sauna projects prepared by specialized organizations are often entire volumes of documents containing:

• Construction plans and sections;
• Sketches of premises;
• 3D models;
• Payslips;
• Specifications of materials and equipment;
• Drawings for related sections.

Note! If the sauna requires some decorative elements and structures, the construction project development company may offer to develop a design project for your sauna.

A sauna with a swimming pool is a dream!

Sauna staff: who to hire

As with equipment, personnel are directly dependent on the services provided. But you will definitely need to hire:

• Administrator for communicating with clients, taking calls, orders and booking places.
• A cleaner who will monitor the cleanliness of the premises and compliance with sanitary requirements.
• A security guard to resolve conflict situations between clients and maintain order in the establishment.
• Stoker for collecting firewood and lighting stoves.

You don’t have to hire an accountant, but outsource your accounting.

The entrepreneur acts independently as director. But if you lack time or for other reasons, you can hire a deputy who can quickly resolve important organizational issues.

For additional services you may need: bartenders, waiters, hairdressers, massage therapists, cosmetologists, etc.

Marketing

When developing a sauna business plan, it is necessary to take into account that the profit from the activity depends on many factors. It is also important to advertise the sauna, its reputation, and the quality of service. As practice shows, it is often word of mouth that produces real results in attracting customers. Currently, it is relevant to carry out various promotions (for example, 2 hours for the price of 1), develop a system of discounts for regular customers, etc.

How to advertise and promote sauna services

You can start advertising your sauna before it opens. Then, already on the first day, the first clients will use its services, some of whom will become regulars.

A website and a group on social networks should also be launched 1-2 weeks before the opening.

Advertising channels may be different.

• Local media: television, radio, print media.
• Posters, booklets and leaflets can be distributed in any available way: from distributing leaflets on the street to posting brochures in private medical centers.
• Advertising campaigns on the Internet - website, contextual advertising in search engines, targeted advertising on social networks.

In order for advertising to bring maximum results, it is worth using all available channels and registering in online catalogues.

Sauna in a gondola (Ylläs, Finland)

The Finnish ski resort boasts not only beautiful views and proximity to the Arctic Circle, but also a very unusual sauna on the ski lift. While you are making your way up, you can use the gondola sauna. Imagine that you are at a height, there are skiers, mountains and snow below, and you are enjoying the park in a comfortable sauna for four.

The ascent lasts about 20 minutes. This will be enough to get you into a good sweat. This sauna-gondola is part of a whole range of services, including massages and spa treatments at the foot of the ski hill. There is also a sauna on the ground at the other end of the climb. All this pleasure costs 1350 euros for 2 hours. During this time, 12 people can “ride” in the hanging sauna. Compared to prices in Finland for regular private saunas, this is not a bad option at all.

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