A family sauna builder in Bemidji
Metch's Custom Saunas is the sauna-building business of Metch's LLC, the family company Darren Matetich founded in Bemidji, Minnesota in 2022. Darren came to saunas through wood, and that lumber-first mindset shows in every build. Each sauna is constructed from cedar tongue-and-groove inside and out, wrapped in cedar lap siding, insulated and foil-lined, and fitted with a Harvia wood stove as standard equipment. Nothing is a kit. The shop builds 5 to 10 saunas a year, one at a time, and the build list fills every season. Customers choose the size, the layout, the heater, the window placement and the finish, and the sauna arrives on their property as a finished piece of woodwork, ready to use the same day.
Rooted in northern Minnesota sauna culture
Saunas are not a trend in northern Minnesota. They came with the Finnish and Scandinavian families who settled the lake country around Bemidji more than a century ago, and a wood-fired sauna at the lake is still how many families end a winter day. Metch's builds for that tradition. The shop is in Bemidji, and saunas are delivered free within 30 miles, to cabins, lake homes and backyards across the surrounding lake country. The business is family owned and operated, which in practice means the person who quotes the sauna is the person who builds it.
Sizes, options and upgrades
- Six standard models in 6.5 ft and 8 ft widths, from 9 to 16 ft long
- Cedar tongue-and-groove construction inside and out, with cedar lap siding outside
- Harvia wood stove standard; upgraded wood stoves and water jackets available; electric heaters on the two smallest models
- Insulated, foil-lined walls and one window included, placed where the customer wants it
- Front porches, enclosed change rooms and decks in several configurations
- Towel shelves, hooks, storage benches, lighting, siding style, exterior stain, roof color and attached woodsheds
- Free delivery within 30 miles of Bemidji, with statewide delivery quoted by distance
| Model (ft) | Standard layout | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 6.5 × 9 | 2 ft front porch | $12,900 |
| 6.5 × 12 | 4 ft front porch | $15,000 |
| 6.5 × 16 | 5–6 ft change room + 2–3 ft deck | $19,500 |
| 8 × 12 | 4 ft front porch | $16,500 |
| 8 × 14 | 4 ft change room + 2 ft deck | $21,000 |
| 8 × 16 | 4–5 ft change room + 2–3 ft deck | $22,500 |
Common questions
How much does a custom sauna cost?
Metch's publishes its prices: from $12,900 plus tax for a 6.5 × 9 ft sauna with a 2 ft porch to $22,500 plus tax for an 8 × 16 ft sauna with a change room and deck. Every price includes an installed Harvia wood stove and free delivery within 30 miles of Bemidji.
How long is the wait?
The shop builds only a few saunas a year and the list fills each season, so early inquiry matters. Ask Darren for the next open build slot.
Is the sauna ready to use when it arrives?
Yes. Every sauna is delivered fully assembled with its heat source installed and can be fired the day it lands on your property.
Wood-fired or electric?
A Harvia wood stove is standard and is what most northern Minnesota customers want. Electric heaters are available on the 6.5 × 9 and 6.5 × 12, and upgraded wood stoves are available on any model.
Do you deliver outside Bemidji?
Yes. Delivery is free within 30 miles and available across Minnesota for a distance-based fee.
Can I customize the layout?
Yes. Every sauna is built to order: size, porch or change room, window placement, siding, stain and roof color, and interior extras like shelving, hooks and lighting.
Hand-selected cedar and a stove that's ready to fire
What sets a Metch's sauna apart is the lumber. Darren chooses the cedar for each build by hand rather than taking whatever a supplier ships. The cedar goes on inside and out, so the sauna smells and weathers the way a sauna should. Walls are insulated and foil-lined for fast heat-up and efficient wood use, which matters when it is well below zero. The standard Harvia stove is a proven wood-fired unit, and buyers who want more can upgrade. The result is handcrafted woodwork rather than a prefabricated box, with the layout, porch, change room and window placed exactly where the customer asked.
How customers work with Metch's
The process starts with the quote form or a call to 218-308-4836. Darren follows up with questions about size, site, heater preference and delivery location, then works with the customer on the floor plan and options: porch or change room, window placement, siding and roof colors, shelving and lighting. Once the configuration and price are agreed, the sauna goes on the build schedule. The customer prepares a level base at the site, and Metch's delivers the finished sauna, free within 30 miles of Bemidji, and sets it in place. The stove is installed and the sauna is ready to heat on delivery day.
Why a locally built sauna matters up north
A sauna in Bemidji lives outdoors through winters that reach 30 or 40 below, spring thaw, and humid summers. Mass-produced kits shipped from warmer climates are not built for that swing. A sauna built in Bemidji is different: the cedar is chosen for this climate, the walls are insulated because a stove has to work hard in deep cold, and the wood-fired stove is the kind local families have trusted for generations. Buying local also means the builder is a phone call away if a door needs adjusting or a customer wants a bench added later.
Ready for a custom sauna? Get on the build list for this season.
Contact
Metch's Custom Saunas (Metch's LLC)
Bemidji, Minnesota
Phone: 218-308-4836
Email: Darren@MetchsCustomSaunas.com
See sizes and pricing on the Saunas page, read what a sauna costs, check the delivery area, browse finished builds in the Gallery, or read about the family on About Us.