There was a particularly good feeling about finishing this project in Caversham, Reading, this week.
Last week I wrote about starting the electrical installation for a garden sauna and hot tub. What followed involved rather more rain, mud and working around the weather than I would have liked.
But the installation is now complete, everything is up and running, and the customer can start enjoying the space.
It’s satisfying to see a project reach that point, especially when you remember standing in the same garden a few days earlier, trying to organise tools while water dripped from the trees.
Keeping the electrical equipment out of sight
We decided to position most of the electrical equipment at the back of the log cabin. That included the small fuse board, junction boxes and isolators for the hot tub equipment and sauna heater.
The alternative would have meant several electrical boxes on the walls inside the changing and relaxation area. The customer had created a space to unwind, so keeping that equipment out of the main room made sense visually.
Of course, putting it behind the cabin made my part of the job a little more awkward. There’s a confined gap between the building and the fence, with limited room to move or put tools down.
It meant working through each part carefully and keeping only what I needed close to hand. You couldn’t spread everything around and work your way along a clear wall.
The earth rod was also installed behind the building, keeping the arrangement together and away from the main view of the garden.
A little shelter and plenty of patience
The rainy and stormy weather slowed things down throughout the work. Even when the rain eased, the trees continued dripping into the area behind the cabin.
We ended up making a temporary umbrella style shelter around the supply connection area to help keep the weather off while organising the work. It wasn’t glamorous, but garden electrical installations don’t always come with a comfortable place to stand.
Working in a narrow, muddy space takes longer. You have to keep repositioning yourself, fetching the next tool and checking what you’re doing.
I’d much rather work slowly and methodically than rush a connection because I’m fed up with being outside. These are the parts of the installation that will remain tucked behind the building, so getting them right matters just as much as making the visible fittings look neat.
If you’re planning a garden sauna or hot tub, get in touch while the building layout is being decided. We can plan where the electrical equipment will go, keeping it discreet while allowing suitable access for installation and future maintenance.
Bringing the sauna controls together
The HUUM sauna system has a heater, control unit and three sensors: one above the heater, one above the bench and one at the door.
There’s quite a contrast between installing the substantial garden supply cable and connecting the smaller control wiring. Both need care, but the sensor connections involve a different kind of patient work.
The door sensor forms part of the sauna’s control and safety arrangement. The system also has Wi-Fi capability, allowing the customer to manage the sauna through a phone app.
The hot tub has its own separate circuit from the same distribution board behind the cabin, and it also offers Wi-Fi connectivity. Once the equipment is installed, those controls make managing the space much more convenient for the customer.
Lighting the changing room and garden corner
As the project progressed, the customer requested a few additions, including a light in the changing room and outside lighting.
That corner of the garden has plenty of trees and previously had no lighting, so it becomes quite dark. Adding lights makes the area more practical when walking between the house and the new building after sunset.
It’s something worth considering when planning any garden retreat. The lighting inside might be carefully chosen, but you still need to think about getting to and from the building.
The sauna also has LED lighting beneath the benches, adding another detail to the finished interior.
Even the heater stones needed preparation
One of the last tasks was preparing and placing the stones in the sauna heater. That took longer than you might expect, because each stone needed washing to remove the dust before being arranged in the heater.
After days of cables, enclosures and small terminals, washing stones was certainly a change of pace.
Seeing the completed sauna, lighting and hot tub installation made the muddy days worthwhile. It’s now a space the customer can use and enjoy, and I was pleased to leave everything neatly finished.
If you’re creating a sauna, hot tub area or garden retreat in Caversham, Reading or the surrounding area, feel free to get in touch. I’m happy to discuss the electrical supply, equipment connections and lighting for your project.
