ᐅ Garden Sauna in Bavaria – Distance to Neighboring Property

Hello everyone,

My wife would like to have a small sauna on our property. The land is currently undeveloped, but construction is planned to start in the middle of the year. Now more and more questions and ideas are coming up, including the realization of the sauna 🙂 The sauna should be sized for a maximum of 3 people.

My question is, can/is it allowed to place a small sauna building at the edge of the property near the neighbor? Normally, a 3-meter (10 feet) distance is required between a house and the neighbor’s property line. However, for example, our garage is located directly on the property boundary with the neighbor. Also, is it allowed for the sauna to be built beyond the building limit line according to the local development plan / zoning plan?

I can also share a photo of the property layout if needed.

Good luck

This will definitely be interesting, as I am planning something similar for the future 🙂 Please take lots of pictures. Good luck!!

I wrote something similar about an hour ago in this forum: within the building area, perimeter development up to x meters (see state building regulations) is allowed in total. Outside the building boundary, a distance of 3 meters (10 feet) must be maintained, to the best of my knowledge. Small wooden sheds for garden tools are usually tolerated, but a sauna with a heating unit is not. When it comes to neighboring properties, consideration is expected. However, this cannot be assumed if a socializing and gossip area is created directly next to the neighbor’s fence.

When boundary construction is allowed
To standardize the varying building regulations from state to state, there is the nationwide “Model Building Code” (MBO). This does not contain mandatory rules but serves only as a guideline for the individual states.

Regarding boundary construction, almost all states (except Rhineland-Palatinate) have adopted these guidelines. However, caution is advised! In some cases, the building regulations have been supplemented with additional rules.

Under these conditions, your garden shed may be built directly on the property line according to the MBO:

• It contains no habitable rooms or heating appliances (Definition of heating appliance: structural and fixed — made from building materials or components — installations in which heat is generated by the combustion of solid, liquid, or gaseous substances).
• The average wall height is a maximum of 3 meters (10 feet).
• The total length along each property boundary is a maximum of 9 meters (30 feet).

If your garden shed does not meet these requirements, a minimum distance of 3 meters (10 feet) from the boundary must usually be maintained.

According to the above definition, an electrically powered sauna stove does not count as a heating appliance.
Note: this should also apply to the corrugated metal shed in the relevant thread.

Schimi1791 schrieb:
According to the above definition, an electrically operated sauna stove is not considered a fireplace. Note: then this should also apply to the corrugated metal shed in the relevant thread

That already sounds quite good. Our sauna is planned to be electrically operated 🙂

I recommend a heat cabin in the bathroom; then you might not even need the sauna in the garden. A heat cabin has only advantages compared to a traditional sauna and is much better 🙂.