Author: admin

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Do I need planning permission for a log cabin in Ireland?

Planning permission for a log cabin

Do I need planning permission for a log cabin in Ireland?

Your first step when considering going for planning permission for a log cabin is to go to the planners and ask the big question:

“Can I build a Scandinavian-style cabin on my site?”

What are the planners looking for?

There are two major issues your local planner will have with your chosen log cabin:

  1. It has timber on the exterior.

  2. It does not have enough insulation.

So, show them the page with your chosen log cabin (e.g., our current favourite three-bed, the ADARE.) Suggest to them that you will put 150mm of external insulation on this cabin, and see if they will pass it then.

There are three other points you can expect your planner to bring up when looking for planning permission for a log cabin:

  1. All window sills may need to align. (In effect, this might mean you will need to enlarge the bathroom window)
  2. An extra entrance might be required, depending on the size and layout of your log cabin.
  3. The verandah/overhang might not fit in with the style of housing in the area.

Any other tips when applying for planning permission for a log cabin?

Do not say it is a LOG CABIN. Say you want to build a timber frame home in the  Scandinavian style. Planners baulk when people ask about “planning permission for a log cabin“, and for good reason. Many inferior-quality log cabins have been built in Ireland, with only single walls, without weather-boards on the corners, and on poor foundations.

It’s frustrating when a “contemporary” building gets planning permission, but when someone applies for planning permission for a log cabin, they’re often told that the Scandinavian look doesn’t match “with the vernacular”…

Timber Living Timber Frame Buildings

If you’re going for planning permission, we can build you a timber frame home, with the same footprint as any of our log cabins.

Take a look at our page on Timber Frame houses, which features three models:

  • The Connacht, which is modelled on the Limerick Log Cabin
  • The Leinster, which is modelled on the Tullow log cabin
  • The Barrow, which is a new design, three bed timber-frame home.

What’s the difference between a log cabin and a timber frame?

The difference between log cabins and timber frames is all in the walls, floor and roof. The two key factors are insulation level and exterior finish. There’s a lot more insulation in a timber frame building (although we never get any complaints about the insulation levels in our log cabins – seems 100mm of insulation and 75mm of timber is sufficient for most people’s needs).

The other major difference is that you’ll struggle to get an engineer to pass the construction for your mortgage application. So, if you’re going for a mortgage, you need to talk to your engineer first about the design of our timber frame walls.

We asked ChatGPT about applying for planning permission for a log cabin…

As expected, some of it was quite generic:

In Ireland, the need for planning permission for a log cabin depends on various factors such as the size of the cabin, its location, and the local planning regulations. I should note that as an AI, I don’t have real-time information on the latest updates to planning laws and regulations in specific areas, so it’s important to consult with the relevant local authorities or a qualified professional to get accurate and up-to-date information.

But there was some useful information:

In general, planning permission is typically required for any new construction or substantial modifications to existing structures, including log cabins. However, there are some exemptions and allowances that may apply in certain cases. For example, if the log cabin falls within certain size limits (such as under 25 square meters) and is not intended for permanent habitation, it may be exempt from planning permission.

This next point was very good, and appertains to what we wrote at the start of this article:

It’s crucial to check with your local planning department or the appropriate local authority, such as the county council, to determine the specific requirements and regulations for log cabins in your area. They can provide you with the most accurate information based on your location, as planning rules can vary across different regions in Ireland.

Additionally, if you are part of a housing development or a specific neighbourhood, there may be additional rules or guidelines that you need to adhere to. It’s always best to consult with the relevant authorities to ensure compliance with all regulations before proceeding with any construction project.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Are log cabins sustainable in today’s climate

Two Bedroom Log Cabin in snow

Are log cabins sustainable?

Log cabins can be considered a sustainable way of building under certain circumstances. Here are some of the reasons:

  1. Renewable resource: Wood used for log cabins is a renewable resource, which means that it can be regrown and harvested again and again.
  2. Low carbon footprint: The carbon footprint of a log cabin is generally lower than that of a conventional house.
  3. Energy-efficient: Log cabins have excellent insulation properties, meaning they retain heat in cold weather and stay cool in hot weather. This reduces the need for fossil fuels to heat or cool the home.
  4. Durability: Log cabins can last over a hundred years, which means that they require less reconstruction or replacement as long as they are properly maintained. (We have a video of this on our videos page: https://timberliving.ie/videos
  5. Local sourcing: Building a log cabin often involves sourcing materials locally, reducing transportation costs and minimizing the carbon footprint.
  6. Concrete is a hugely unsustainable product – the energy used in creating cement for concrete and concrete blocks is enormous and creates a huge carbon footprint.

However, some concerns can also be raised regarding the sustainability of log cabins, so you need to be sure the company you deal with have responsible environmental policies in place. Appropriate harvesting of timber is essential, preventing deforestation and land degradation. Our cabin suppliers only purchase their lumber from providers with sustainable re-planting policies.

Also, precise cutting and fitting of log cabins can result in significant waste of lumber. At Timber Living, the latest and best timber fabrication technology is used in production, keeping waste to a minimum, and therefore reducing costs to the consumer.

Our timber is kiln-dried to European standards, ensuring that there is no threat of pest infestation, and also meaning there is no need for chemical treatments, which are not entirely environmentally friendly.

Therefore, ensuring responsible harvesting of lumber and sourcing materials should be taken into account when considering the sustainability of a log cabin.

Are log cabins sustainable? We use the same timber from the same source in all of our cabin buildings, including our saunas and garden offices.

Deloitte suggests in their article  that “The higher upfront cost of sustainable buildings can be offset by a lower long-term life cycle cost.” But we would contend that a more sustainable building does NOT have to cost more!

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Log Cabin Garden Room – the perfect solution

Quality Saunas Ireland

A log cabin garden room from Timber Living is a great solution to so many issues surrounding modern living. Whether you’re looking for a garden office, office pod, gym, therapy room or evening getaway, our garden rooms are an excellent solution.

Our garden log cabins are affordable, sustainable, long-lasting, easy to heat and stylish. Take a look at the wide range available on our Log Cabin Garden Rooms page and you can see for yourself!

Why buy a log cabin garden room?

  1. Extra space: Our log cabin garden offices provide additional living space without the need for expensive home renovations or moving to a larger house.
  2. Versatility: Our garden office pods are incredibly versatile, and they can be used for a variety of purposes, including a home office, a gym, a guest room, or even a workshop.
  3. Eco-friendly: Log cabins are constructed using renewable resources and are naturally energy-efficient, which makes them eco-friendly.

More Advantages of a Timber Living Log Cabin Garden Room:

Our best-selling garden room

Our Nila Log Cabin Garden Room is our best-selling Garden Office. It is immediately appealing, with its long windows and full-height, double-glazed French doors offering plenty of light to the interior of this class-looking cabin.

It can be viewed at all of our locations, in Tullow, Boyle, Cork, Galway and Limerick.

Optional extras include roof and floor insulation, and extra windows (fixed and tilting.)

Download our Garden Log Cabin Catalogue here!

Whether you’re looking for

  • a garden office,
  • a gym,
  • a yoga room,
  • therapy room,
  • hairdressing salon, or
  • just somewhere to get away from it all

our garden log cabins are ideal!

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Bases for garden cabins and saunas

Joy One Outdoor Sauna

Building a base for your garden cabin

Whatever you’re building –  garden office, a playroom, a meditation room or a sauna – you’re going to need a good base or foundation.

By good foundations, we mean foundations/bases that are both SQUARE and LEVEL. Square so that the building we supply sits directly down on the base, and overhangs evenly all around. (One thing is for sure – our building will be square! If there is a problem, it’s going to be with your base :-))

Slab foundation or decking base?

There are a few differences between a slab foundation and a decking base, but let me firstly explain what I mean by the two different types.

Slab Foundation:  A slab foundation is a solid piece of poured concrete, generally four or five inches thick, and usually with a steel re-bar included. (Some people say you won’t need the re-bar. That might be true, depending on the weight of the building you’re putting on the slab, but as some other people say “it’s better looking AT it than looking FOR it”. Re-bar really strengthens your slab and is relatively cheap when considering the overall cost of the slab, so stick it in!

Decking Base: A decking base is a timber frame sitting on top of a set of blocks, usually set on the flat, and best sitting on a bed of hardcore or gravel. It’s important that there are no gaps in your block ring where rodents can get in. The timber frame is made of four by three treated timbers, at 400mm centres. It is important to talk to us about the direction of those timbers. On top of this frame sits a 50mm marine ply, which operates as a support for the floor insulation in your cabin, if specified for the build.

Here’s a interesting video for you on how to build a decking base, although we’d recommend you get a full-time builder to do this for you if you need to watch a video in order to build bases for garden cabins.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Furnishing your log cabin – on a budget

Cozy log cabin interior

Furnishing your log cabin on a budget

Furnishing your log cabin is definitely the fun part of getting a log cabin. And it can really be done for not a lot of money. See below how we found so many bargains online:

  • Kitchen: €1200
  • Sofa: €120
  • Bathroom suite: €300
  • Bedrooms: 250
  • Stove: €650
  • Total: €2,520

While a log cabin is a great buy – setting yourself up mortgage-free is something a lot of people can only dream of – its still going to cost a lot of money. Cutting corners on the log cabin itself is a mistake – you need a quality cabin that will last, be easy to heat, comfortable and DRY.

So, once your cabin is built, you will need to set about furnishing your log cabin to make the cabin your own. Or converting a log cabin into your dream home!

Adverts.ie and DoneDeal.ie are great sources of quality furnishings at great prices. Once you get browsing, they’re also a source of log cabin interior design ideas. A lot of people, once they get themselves a new couch (say) just want to get rid of their old one as quickly as possible. Sometimes you might even get a couch for free. (The couch in the featured image of this post was free! Worth over €3000 new, from Adverts!)

Lets look for log cabin furniture!

I thought it would be interesting to go through Donedeal and see how much it would cost to furnish a standard two bed limerick log cabin from Donedeal. I’ll spend the next hour browsing and see what’s available in my region now. Once you get going, you’ll get great ideas for decorating your log cabin.

Your cabin kitchen

kitchen bargain

The secret when looking for a QUALITY kitchen in Donedeal is to search for “granite” in the kitchen section. Anyone who can afford a granite counter-top will have spent money on quality timber for the doors and presses too , appliances, the drawer fillers and handles.

Here’s the best I found after ten minutes looking:

Ivory shaker kitchen for sale included granite tops, double oven and microwave, ceramic hob, sink and taps, extractor fan, dishwasher

Only €1,200!

Lets find a nice sofa!

contemporary sofa

Of course we’re going to need leather to make our cabin evenings extra special. There are all sorts of styles and conditions available on Donedeal. And everyone has their own taste when it comes to furnishings.

I found this large white sofa for only €120! I think it looks great, but it’s white! So if you have pets or kids it might not be an option. Anyway, when it comes to log cabin furnishing, there’s a lot of choice out there!

Sofa price: €120

 

Bathroom fittings can run to a tidy sum, depending on what you’re buying, but once bought, bathroom fittings don’t really go out of fashion. So what you buy should be still with you for the duration. What we need for the cabin is a shower enclosure and electric shower, sink and loo. Shouldn’t be too hard to find!

pedestal sink for furnishing a log cabin

After ten minutes I found a fascinating suite, including a loo, very modern circular sink with under-sink unit, and a Jacuzzi bath! And all for only €300!

OK, not everybody’s cup of tea, but it illustrates the point again that you can get some excellent deals online when furnishing your log cabin.

Bathroom suite: €300

Furnishing your bedroom

Wardrobes and beds next. Lets look for a double bed, a single bed, a wardrobe and chest of drawers. .

Wow! The first ad I see is a double bed for €60. I’ll take it!  And a single bed for free! There’s a nice large wardrobe for €30. Throw in a lamp or two and a chest of drawers. Shall we say €250 in total?

Bedrooms: €250

stove

Heating your log cabin

There’s a gas stove for €50 on Donedeal! including a necessary flues etc. It’ll cost you €250 to get that fitted if you’re not up to doing it yourself.  It’s a Tiger gas stove, which cost about €1,000, and you’re not doing too badly with this one!

You’ll have to get someone to put the flue out through the wall or roof, and make sure it’s fireproofed. You’ll also need tiling on the wall behind in order to protect the wall from the heat. Your plumber should be able to set up the gas connection and ensure its safe. If we add on the €250 for fitting, and let’s say €300 for a hearth and tiling, you’re on fire for a total of €600.

Stove: €600

Keep hunting! There are loads of bargains out there!

 

 

Posted on by — 2 Comments

Flat pack garden room

Best Garden log Cabins Ireland has on sale

Flat-pack garden room benefits

TimberLiving log cabins are excited with our new flat pack garden room range. Originally sourced and fabricated in Germany, these high-end garden log cabins are available as flat packs or delivered and built.

NILA flat pack garden room
Quality Garden House Log Cabin

 

Garden room flat pack vs. Log cabin

Our German flat pack garden rooms are built using only the best Arctic-grown Norway Spruce, sourced mainly in Scandinavia. The main difference between these flat-pack cabins and our residential log cabins is the insulation levels in the walls, floors and roof. If you’re only using your garden room for a couple of hours at a time, or mainly in the Summer months, there is no need to spend the extra money on insulation. Because, along with the insulation are a double wall construction, and you are increasing the amount of timber in your cabin, putting up both material and building costs.

Garden office solutions

Our garden rooms are ideally suited for a lot of uses, including:

  • garden office
  • gym
  • playroom
  • music room
  • getaway space (my favourite!)
Green NILA Garden Cabin
Poolside Garden Cabin

Building a flat-pack garden office kit

Building flat-pack garden room kits will keep you busy, but busy is good! Our flat-pack cabins come with clear instructions on how to build, but if you think it’s too much for you, we can build it for you, or you could get help from a friend or local handyman.

Any questions about our flat pack cabins?

Of course there are lots of questions about our products, including:

  • What is the cheapest way to build a garden room?
  • What is the cheapest garden room?
  • Is it worth getting a garden room?
  • Does a garden cabin add value?

Just call our offices or visit our showrooms and we’d be glad to let you know of all of the benefits.

Posted on by — 1 Comment

How much log cabin deposit should you pay? NOT 50%!

Timberliving logo

What size log cabin deposit should you pay?

Your log cabin is a major investment for you, so you will need to sort out your finances before you buy. As they say in business, cash flow is critical. And the first payment you make, your log cabin deposit, can really restrict your cash flow if the deposit is too high.

Don’t pay more than €4,000 log cabin deposit

Some log cabin companies in Irland regularly charge up to 50% deposit for their log cabins. We were really shocked to hear about this. Fifty per cent. WOW!

At Timberliving log cabins, we don’t charge more than €4,000 log cabin deposit for most of our log cabins. We believe it is a matter of trust with our customers. We want them to feel assured that we are a trustworthy business, for whom log cabin quality is paramount. Of course, we are in business and want to turn a profit, but we don’t believe it is right to charge someone 50% or more log cabin deposit, at the first stage of a project, when a customer might have to wait a number of weeks before seeing anything built for them.

Be careful who you give your log cabin deposit to.

Here is a very sorry tale…

Just want to get it out there if your thinking of getting a cabin . I can’t think of a better way to warn people who are looking. Than to use a competitor site as at wits end. This comment is in no way related to Timber Living Ltd.
There’s a company called LogCabins4Less based in Kilkenny. Absolute scam artists. Ordered our cabin May 2020 it’s paid in full but still not up over a year later. The website looks great but it’s all to draw you in. Once they have your money they don’t want to know. Don’t even answer the phone and blocked me from their Facebook page. So can’t give this feedback there to tell of the terrible experience with them.
What a sorry tale of woe! Someone posted it on the Timberliving Facebook page. Imagine how they must feel! More than twelve months after paying the FULL AMOUNT for their log cabin (that’s a 100% log cabin deposit!) and still nothing built! And to add insult to injury, they won’t even take their calls and offer an explanation. Nobody wants to go down a legal route, but I wonder what other options these people have at this stage?
 

Why should a log cabin deposit be high?

There is no reason for a company to look for a very large log cabin deposit, unless they are in a difficult position financially. Generally, these log cabins are produced by factories in Scandanavia. Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. These log cabin companies offer credit to the agent companies in Ireland. The Irish-based companies normally don’t have to pay the factories until the customers pay them, so why the need for a fifty per cent deposit. It makes no sense.
I would advise that if a company is looking for such a large log cabin deposit, be very, very wary.

At Timber Living, we have been building log cabins for over 25 years, and we never needed to look for large log cabin deposits. We were always able to manage our clients’ projects and provide them with high quality, cost effective, easily heated and long lasting log cabins, without extracting large deposits at the start of their log cabin project. And that is the way that it should be.

Be sure to contact us if you have any queries, financial or otherwise, and make an appointment at any of our showhouses around the country.

Take care:-)

Posted on by — 7 Comments

Some interesting Log Cabin options

wooden cabin blueprint

With the widest range of log cabins in Ireland, you would expect us to offer a wide range of log cabin options too. And we do!

We have the widest range of log cabins available in Ireland, and THOUSANDS of satisfied customers around Ireland. After all, we’ve been in business for over twenty years and we’re still here. We have refined our log cabins so that they are ideal for long-term use in the Irish climate. (And don’t forget that the Irish climate is a lot milder than the Acandanavian climate that these cabins are designed for!)

Our Best-selling Log Cabins

Our two best-selling cabins, the Limerick Two Bed Log Cabin and the Tullow Three Bedroom Log Cabin are usually the PERFECT fit for our customers. But we may not have the perfect cabin for you! But usually, a simple change or two to our existing designs hit the nail on the head for most customers who cannot find exactly what they want on the Timber Living Log Cabins website.

Extend your log cabin

The first and most significant of the log cabin options for a lot of customers is to extend the log cabin they are interested in. This is often the perfect solution for our most popular models, the two-bedroom Limerick Log Cabin, and the three-bedroom Tullow log cabin. You can see all of our Two Bedroom Log Cabins and Three Bedroom Log Cabins on our website. And usually, because our living areas are already wonderfully spacious and bright,  adding an extra metre or two to the bedroom end of the building is the perfect solution, making the bedrooms bigger, giving plenty of wardrobe space, and solving any potential storage problems.

It is straightforward to have either of these log cabins elongated by one or two metres, giving much larger second and third bedrooms. Ask us about the cost of this. You’ll be very surprised at how very affordable it is to add an extra metre or two to your log cabin. In effect, because all we are doing is adding the extra timber, roofing and insulation for the extra metre (say), but there is no real increase in labour costs, then the overall increased cost is not prohibitive.

Extending – the most popular log cabin options

You can, of course, go further if you decide to extend this log cabin. For instance, if you extend by two metres, you could easily put in an ensuite between the main bedroom and the back bedroom. Of course, the inclusion of the ensuite will entail a further increase, due to the extra internal wall and door. But don’t let this stop you from asking about the cost. You will be pleasantly surprised at the cost. And that’s just one more reason to shop with TimberLiving – our Quality is Complimented by our Versatility!

A Verandah  – more stylish log cabin options

Verandahs are a very popular optional extra on our log cabins. We all know how well they look, but not everyone realises that they can be included in your build, no matter which log cabin you choose. And you can go for the overhang by itself, or overhang decking and railings. Just give us a call to discuss this very popular option. It really adds a lot of character to your log cabin, and for many it is, in effect, the icing on the cake for them.

Changing Windows & other Log Cabin Options

Window choice is very important for your log cabin. Windows serve a number of functions, of course. They let in light, but also keep in the heat, and give a certain character to your log cabin from the outside. And of course, if you have a special view from your cabin, you might want to change the windows to bring that view inside, so to speak.

We have an excellent blog about window choice here: https://timberliving.ie/which-windows-for-your-log-cabin

There are three main changes you can make to the windows in your log cabin:

  • Window size
  • Window location
  • Window material (Timber or PVC).

Window Size:

You can see from the image of our Sligo three Bedroom Log Cabin above that we can supply full glass doors for your log cabin if that’s what you wish. (You can see more photos of the Sligo Three Bedroom Log Cabin here.) The full glass doors are double glazed and are available in PVC or timber. All of our PVC windows are supplied by either Munster Joinery or Weatherglaze Ireland.

We only deal with highly reputable Irish companies when sourcing uPVC windows for your log cabins, because we want every element of our log cabins to be high quality, long-lasting products. Customer satisfaction is our key target in everything we do – that’s our policy and it has stood us in good stead for over two decades, so why change!

If you’re considering using the longer windows, as shown in the image above, be sure to remember that you will be losing wall space if you lower the cill by installing those longer windows. With a standard window, there’s room below the cill for a table, or even a radiator. Don’t forget to check out this important detail when planning your windows.

uPVC Windows for your Log Cabin

Our timber windows are very high quality, double-glazed tilt and turn windows, which have not let us down over the years, so we are very happy to recommend them. However, many people are keen on uPVC windows because they are lower maintenance. We are happy to supply you with whichever type you choose. While uPVC windows are lower maintenance, there is the restriction on colour – once you choose a colour, you have to stick with it.

For most people, this is not a problem, but we should still mention it. White PVC goes with most colours, but we do offer different colours of uPVC windows. Our range varies depending on the supplier, so its best to ask your TimberLiving representative about the current choices.

Give us a call or come visit us to learn more, and experience one of our best quality log cabins first hand.

Tullow: 05991 81039

Boyle: 086 817 0429

Cork: 087 6464 280

Posted on by — 6 Comments

Planning Permission for Log Cabins – YES!

log cabin - building

Planning Permission for log cabins – it’s a bit of a chore. And you’re going to hear lots of opinions about it, so the best thing to do is to talk to a planning expert in your local area.

YES! You CAN get planning permission for log cabins!

Planning permission for log cabins

Let’s be clear – YOU CAN GET PLANNING PERMISSION FOR LOG CABINS!

Here is an interesting article from the Irish Times about planning.

Log cabins and planning permission

Do I need planning permission for a log cabin on my land?

Lots of people come to us at Timber Living to buy log cabins – and one of the main questions we are asked is about planning permission for log cabins. You need planning for anything over 25 square metres that you intend to live in – even a mobile home! But don’t worry – A lot of people have been given planning permission for our log cabins.

  • How long does planning permission take for a log cabin?
  • Can I build a log cabin on my land in Ireland?
  • What size can you build without planning?
  • Planning permission for a log cabin on agricultural land?

A lot of people have built on their own land without planning. It depends on the area you’re in sometimes. Some people have argued that they’re a flat-pack build, and not fixed to the ground so they’re a temporary structure, although this statement might not be an accurate reflection of the current planning regulations.

Can you get planning permission for log cabins?

Yes, you can get planning permission for log cabins.

If you do go for planning permission for a log cabin, best to apply for a “timber frame” construction rather than a “log cabin”. Anecdotal evidence suggests that planners, in general, are averse to the term “log cabin“. But there’s a strong environmental argument for building log cabins. The fact that the carbon footprint of one of our cabins is minuscule compared to a block-built house is a strong argument.

You will need to contact an engineer to work on your log cabin build if you go for planning. The engineer will need to certify the construction method for the building – how the walls, floors and roof are constructed. This certification is required in order to demonstrate that your building complies with the latest building regulations.

Timber Frame Houses from Timber Living

  • We have developed a range of timber frame buildings at Timber Living, to cater for people who want to build an affordable, stylish, comfortable home, and who are going for planning permission. The main differences between our log cabins and our timber frame houses are as follows:
  • higher insulation levels in walls and roof
  • Cement board finish on the exterior
  • PVC windows and doors
  • The steeper slope on the roof
planning permission for log cabins
timberframe building will get planning permission
log cabin planning permission not needed on timber frame
Connacht timber frame residential log cabin
8d8ae4 5e716b047d2a47dbae020e73f
8d8ae4 0a73066c4a2d4d84bdbedfd3a

Log Cabins and Building Regulations

With the new NZEB regulations, (that’s Nearly Zero Energy Building Regulations), the insulation levels in our timber frame buildings are a lot higher than in our log cabins. Our timber frame buildings have 300mm of wall insulation:

  • 100mm Ext Insulation (EPS),
  • 150mm Metac Insulation
  • 52.5mm Insulated Board
    compared with 100mm of METAC insulation in our log cabins.
Log cabin wall types for planning permission

Because of the required higher level of insulation, the overall cost of your build will be higher than that quoted on our website, unfortunately. That’s due to the requirement for more insulation in the build, improved air tightness and “greener” heating systems.

Can I build without planning permission for log cabins?

Lots of our customers have built their log cabins at the back of an existing house, or in a farmyard, without planning permission. There are some restrictions in relation to maximum log cabin sizes, which are addressed in the next paragraph.

The beauty of building close to an existing structure is that there are generally connections to water, sewerage and electricity, which means your log cabin can be built a lot quicker and cheaper than otherwise.

Many of our customers have told us that getting an ESB connection is not a problem – of course, it is not free, but you do not need to have planning permission to get a new ESB connection for your cabin.

What is the maximum size I can build without planning permission?

There are some restrictions when it comes to building a log cabin without planning permission. You can build a cabin up to twenty-five square meters in area if it is not connected to your house. But a better option might be to build an extension to the house. With an extension, you can build up to forty square metres without planning permission, as long as the house has not been extended previously. Our Roscommon Log Cabin (click here) is a good example of a cabin that fits under the 40-square-metre limit for house extensions. It is also an ideal fit for many extensions. One minor change would be required in order for this cabin to work as an extension – moving the windows from the front to the side of the cabin. As long as the existing building was suitable – wall length, position of door and windows etc. – this might be a perfect fit for your extension!

Of course, if this cabin did not suit, there might be another cabin in our collection that is ideal, or we could build you a bespoke model.

Appealing a Planning Decision

While the planning process in Ireland does seem to be overly cumbersome, at least we have an appeals system through An Bórd Pleanála. (Click here to visit their website.) It is important to appeal a planning decision if you are refused by your local council. We have heard of a few examples where log cabin planning refusals have been overturned.

The environmental argument is always a very strong one with An Bórd Pleanála. Although we cannot say this about all county councils, there seems to be a bias against timber construction, and in particular, timber exteriors on buildings. If you make the argument that the carbon footprint of a timber construction is minuscule compared to a conventionally built block house, this can help your case immensely. As already stated, the sustainability/eco-friendly/environmental argument has won quite a few cases for log cabin owners.

Please remember that planning regulations vary over time and between regions. What we state here is just general information. You need to check the finer details with your local council.

If you are thinking of going for planning permission, we would be glad to chat with you about all of the different options – type and quantity of insulation, internal and external wall coverings, and heating systems. Make sure you bring your plans with you when you come to our showrooms.

Contact us or visit our showrooms in Tullow, Boyle and Cork for more information.