Log Cabin - Massive Help Needed!!!!

Gemma Deeble

Gemma Deeble

Gemma Deeble

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8 Jan 2018
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5
So, we have the need for an additional bedroom and so the plan is to move our teenage son out to a log cabin in the garden.
We have started to do some pricing for the project and it is of course more costly than we would hope.
We are looking for a 3m by 3m min and of course the main point is it needs to be warm in the winter with any form of insulation/heating.

We are more than like going to get it professionally built. But what do we need to ensure, eg Roof/Floor insulation, ventilation? Can we get the cheaper cabin of the 19mm/28mm thickness wood and then insulate or should we stretch to the 44mm - will it still need insulation?

Any experiences or advice would be very very welcomed!!

Thanks.
 
I believe you need planning permission if you are to use it as a bedroom. You can take your chances on that, of course
 
eh? You need another bedroom and your suggesting moving your son to the bottom of your garden in a log cabin?? Without sounding harsh - that sounds dreadful.....Most people won't put a dog outside let alone their own flesh and blood!!

This has to be a joke thread surely?
 
Not to bottom of garden it will be next to house as can be within the regulations, and we have a covered walk way already and he will always have option to come back into house to sleep just all his kit and stuff out there. We are looking to build a functioning room cabin, not a shed and he wants it...it wasn't our first option but one that seems the best option for all.

Not a joke thread at all. Just someone trying to get the best ideas and experiences for things like insulation and warmth, to get some ideas and options.
 
Gemma Deeble said:
Not to bottom of garden it will be next to house as can be within the regulations, and we have a covered walk way already and he will always have option to come back into house to sleep just all his kit and stuff out there. We are looking to build a functioning room cabin, not a shed and he wants it...it wasn't our first option but one that seems the best option for all.

Not a joke thread at all. Just someone trying to get the best ideas and experiences for things like insulation and warmth, to get some ideas and options.
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OK - still think this is a ludicrous idea. Putting a child effectively outside his home. He probably thinks it's "cool" but I bet after one winter outside he'll be begging to come back in.

What about a proper extension to your house??, moving house to find more space etc? Surely that is a better option than moving one of your kids to live in a log cabin.

Out of interest - who's getting his bedroom?
 
What sort of material are you looking at for the walls?

For reference we have a 20ft x 10ft in our garden and it has the following;
70mm Celotex for the walls
150mm for the floor + ceilings.

It just has an electric heater on about 1/4 of the way - 700W power for around 12 hours a day and maintains its warmth no problem in winter. During the summer no heating is needed and it maintains warmth 24/7 and is colder inside than out.

Humidistat or timed extraction fan for sure.

If you are using it as a bedroom it will need planning permission and you'll have a council tax increase due to it being an extra bedroom, but honestly it's worth it for peace of mind knowing you'll not have to tear it down when you're caught ;)

All electrical will need to be up to regulations - 30 minute proof cables etc should it be inspected.

Height should be no more than 2.5m and you should slant this to have rain flow off easily - no less than 2 meters from the edge of the garden - though this may vary depending on local council guidelines.
 
Seems like a great idea! A great place for him to chill out. With mates too.

As long as it's cosy and warm and heated and insulated I don't see the problem. Most teens or older love independence.

This would be just that but within reach of mum and dad.
 
booyaka said:
OK - still think this is a ludicrous idea. Putting a child effectively outside his home. He probably thinks it's "cool" but I bet after one winter outside he'll be begging to come back in.

What about a proper extension to your house??, moving house to find more space etc? Surely that is a better option than moving one of your kids to live in a log cabin.

Out of interest - who's getting his bedroom?
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You seem to be overreacting somewhat. I am not sure what image you have in mind but I am thinking something like this: https://dunsterhouse.co.uk/rhine-warmalog-cabin-w3-8m-x-d3-0m

From what I gather from the OP they want to build a properly insulated log cabin with connected power which would be more then adequate in terms of temperature (through insulation and electric heater as required) and space for her son to have a sense of his own space and in even sleep!.

The cabin doesn't need to have functioning W/C facilities, to be fair how many of us have en-suite's in every room. No one crys out about a 3 bed semi with only 1 main bathroom.

OP in terms of planning permission you would have to confirm the definition of self contained living. If this just means "can be used as a bedroom" then you would need planning permission. However if this means has the facilities to wash and cook etc then you should be fine. You need to contact your local authority for guidance here.
 
44mm would absolutely require insulation. I have a 44mm log cabin shed with double glazing, and it was freezing in there today!

I agree with the sentiment that this needs to be properly funded if it's going to be realistic as a living space during all seasons.
 
Hello OP.

As a Planning Enforcement Officer I can answer the planning question.

If you build your cabin with the intention of using it as a bedroom it will require express planning permission from your local authority.

The Town and County Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended) [GPDO for short] allows (amongst other things) home owners to erect buildings in their gardens subject to size limitations and that the building is used for an incidental purpose. A bedroom is not an incidental purpose. One way to "get round" this would be to use it for an incidental purpose for a period of time, say a games room for six months, take loads of photos of the room in case your local planning enforcement officer contacts you, then at a later date convert the building internally to change it to a bedroom.

Alternatively contact your local authority to see whether there is any in principle reason why they would refuse an application for a garden bedroom.

Hope this helps

P.S.

It will almost certainly also require Building Regulations approval, however I'm afraid I'm not qualified to answer that.
 
Syla5 said:
You seem to be overreacting somewhat.
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maybe I am - but I think putting one child outside in a "log cabin bedroom" whilst I'm guessing another child gets that inside bedroom just seems very odd choice to make.

Also in terms of money to build something, water tight, electrics, insulated, planning permission, increase in council tax etc etc - surely it would be more sensible to consider a proper extension/moving house? Have they been looked at?

Also in light of the planning details above etc - it seems a very "difficult" way to deal with the need for an additional bedroom.
 
as a teenager if my parents had suggested this i would have dropped to my knees and begged for it to happen.

well hello Gemma...
 
Gredawarha said:
Hello OP.

As a Planning Enforcement Officer I can answer the planning question.

If you build your cabin with the intention of using it as a bedroom it will require express planning permission from your local authority.

The Town and County Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended) [GPDO for short] allows (amongst other things) home owners to erect buildings in their gardens subject to size limitations and that the building is used for an incidental purpose. A bedroom is not an incidental purpose. One way to "get round" this would be to use it for an incidental purpose for a period of time, say a games room for six months, take loads of photos of the room in case your local planning enforcement officer contacts you, then at a later date convert the building internally to change it to a bedroom.

Alternatively contact your local authority to see whether there is any in principle reason why they would refuse an application for a garden bedroom.

Hope this helps

P.S.

It will almost certainly also require Building Regulations approval, however I'm afraid I'm not qualified to answer that.
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Hello there,

As an interesting point that the OP should certainly consider at this point in time before construction or final build, are you able to shed any light on what sort of punishment or fine the homeowner should expect if a building is found to be used as another bedroom without express permission? i.e. Would it be a case of having the building deconstructed if unapproved, council tax backdated, potential fine amounts?

I must admit, not announcing ours as a bedroom was definitely a temptation in fairness because who wants to pay extra money, but we can't trust the pesky neighbours :p

booyaka said:
maybe I am - but I think putting one child outside in a "log cabin bedroom" whilst I'm guessing another child gets that inside bedroom just seems very odd choice to make.

Also in terms of money to build something, water tight, electrics, insulated, planning permission, increase in council tax etc etc - surely it would be more sensible to consider a proper extension/moving house? Have they been looked at?

Also in light of the planning details above etc - it seems a very "difficult" way to deal with the need for an additional bedroom.
Click to expand...

In terms of build money, 20x10ft was around £7000 from start to finish so it is was incredibly cost effective and the idea is becoming more common according to our officer. A garage conversion would've probably been cheaper but we need the garage space so wasn't an option unfortunately.
 
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Plenty O'Toole said:
Hello there,

As an interesting point that the OP should certainly consider at this point in time before construction or final build, are you able to shed any light on what sort of punishment or fine the homeowner should expect if a building is found to be used as another bedroom without express permission? i.e. Would it be a case of having the building deconstructed if unapproved, council tax backdated, potential fine amounts?

I must admit, not announcing ours as a bedroom was definitely a temptation in fairness because who wants to pay extra money, but we can't trust the pesky neighbours :p
Click to expand...

If an outbuilding built to provide ancillary accommodation is contrary to the OP's local planning authority development plan, if identified by that LPA they would give the OP the opportunity to regularise the breach (so either cease using it as ancillary accommodation or demolish it). If the OP didn't voluntarily regularise the breach one would expect the LPA to serve an enforcement notice requiring the same.

Non compliance with an enforcement notice is an offence.
 
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