What do I need to know before buying a log cabin?

If you’re thinking of buying a log cabin, there are a number of questions you need to consider and get answers to before you proceed. That’s why we thought it would eb useful for you if we drew up a complete list of all the things to consider whenwhen buying your log cabin.

Location, location, Log Cabin location

Before you build your log cabin, you’re going to need somewhere to put it! So, where are you planning to build your log cabin? Is your site big enough to fit your log cabin? Remember that you will need a reasonable amount of space between the log cabin and any adjoing walls/hedges in order to get in to treat the log cabin walls. This treatment is required every three or four years, and needs to be done well. If you’re unsure about the space you have, take measurements of the site, and PLENTY of photos, and come visit us at one of our showrooms. We can give you a good idea of what is feasible once we hae the information.

Water and Power Connections

What about water and electrical connections? Are there sources nearby? Often, when people are building near an existing house, (like building a granny flat in the back garden) the existing water connection for the house is easily tapped into. It is usually very straightforward to connect up to the electriccal power for the house too. But there are some cases where you might want a seperate electrical meter. obvoiusly, ythere’s the billing issue. Oftentimes, people want their own independence, and are reluctant to share bills, which is very understandable. It is very straightforward to get a second connection and meter from the ESB, and you do not need planning in order to have one installed.

Another reason for a seperate electrical connection is if you pan to use an electrical power shower and undersink water heater in your log cabin. In this case, if there are alreay a number of electric showers in the existing house, there might me the possibility of your power being tripped, since these power showers use a large amount of power while they’re running. This is not an issue in all houses, so its best to ask your electrician to recommend a solution. And also ask the inportant question – “What are the connection fees going to be?”

You also have to think of the septic tank, or the sewerage connection. Make sure that your cabin is at the right height to connect to these services! There are solutions to this – storage tanks and pumps, but you will need to talk to an expert in this area.

Letting the sunshine into your log home

Orientation is a very important factor for any home, because sunshine brings light, but more importantly, free heat. (Did you know that south-facing houses get a better BER than others, purely because of the fact that they gain a lot of free energy as a result of the solar gain of their south-facing aspect?!) So, when you are choosing your log cabin, always keep in mind the south facing orientation, and don’t forget to consider the hadows from any adjoining buildings. Of course, a log cabin interior cabin be brightened up a lot by painting the interior a bright colour, so all is not lost if you are in shadow.

A Quality Log Cabin will Last a Lifetime

Whatever you do, buy a log cabin that is built to last. Visit our showhouse and you will istantly experience the sturdiness, strength and security of our log cabins. We use the finest of Siberian-grown Norway Spruce (Read aour blog post about log cabin timber here: https://timberliving.ie/post/what-timber-should-a-log-cabin-be-built-with

We also use high-grade double glased, tilt and turn windows and doors. Read more here: https://timberliving.ie/post/which-windows-for-your-log-cabin

Double or single wall log cabin?

Unless your log cabin wall is over 6 inches thick (150mm) you will need a double wall construction, with insulation in the cavity. Our walls are at least seven inches (175mm) thick, which includes a four inch cavity. If you wish, you can increase the cavity size, or put more insulation on the interior or exterior walls. Talk to us about all of the options.

Financing your Log Cabin

A log cabin is a great investment! Most people have their log cabin paid for with five years rent or less – it’s a no-brainer. But you might not have five years rent saved up under the matress, so you’ll need finance. Your Credit Union is probaby the cheapest place to get finance for your log home, or you could apply to Flexifi (Just click on the image above to get to the application form.)

Is a Log Cabin Cheaper to Build?

Of course, the answer to this question is a resounding “YES!” Log cabins are a lot cheaper to build than conventional block built structures – up to 50% fifty per cent cheaper, by many accounts. The costs are kept down on log cabins by a couple of major factors – labour costs are lower on a build that takes a matter of weeks rather than months – that’s self explanatory. But what’s not so obvious is the fact that the cost of the raw materials is so much lower. A double wall of cement blocks costs a huge amount to produce, because so much energy goes into making the concrete, and energy is expensive these days. Per square metre, a double timber wall, well insulated, is a lot cheaper than the equivalent block wall.

Log cabins are built very quickly

 

But that’s not the only good reason to buy and build a log cabin. The next main practical reason to build a log cabin is the speed of building. From the date that you first order ypour log cabin to the completion date is on average three months (faster if we have the model you are looking for in stock). Doesn’t three months sound a lot better than twelve months?

Then there’s the extra site damage that comes hand in hand with block building – all that storing of materials on site for months, causing mayhem in your garden! Who wants that?!!

Buying a Log Cabin

So, if you’re buying a log cabin in Ireland, there are lots of questions you need to answer. But the most important question is who to buy from. And we at Timber Living have been supplying log cabins in Ireland for over twenty years. We have sourced the highest quality cabins available in Europe, and we offer them to you, delivered, built and well insulated.

Talk to you soon!