Mobile home/log cabin out parent's back garden

rawn

My fiance and I are in desperate need of accommodation, and we're toying with the idea of lifting a small mobile home or building a small cabin out my dad's back garden. There's a spare box room in my dad's house that we can keep our clothes and stuff in, we can use his bathroom/kitchen etc. All we need is a bed to sleep in and space for our 2 computers. Is this feasible? Or would it be crazy expensive or a general headache to organize (electricity/hiring a crane to lift a mobile/theft). We worked out it might cost 3k-4k to get a cabin built, which is essentially the cost of 3-4 months rent anywhere in Dublin so it would pay off in the long run. Am I missing anything?

P.S not sure if this is the correct forum for this, mods feel free to move it if there is a more suitable one.

moleyv

Your real stumbling block would be planning permission.

rawn

Would that be required for a mobile home? Or if what we're essentially building is a shed? (Albeit we'd be sleeping in it though :pac: )

moleyv

Sleeping being the issue.

Gumbo

rawn wrote: »

Would that be required for a mobile home? Or if what we're essentially building is a shed? (Albeit we'd be sleeping in it though :pac: )

Yes. Planning is required for a habitable unit in the rear garden and 99.9999% of the time it will be refused, so much so that I don't know of any that have been granted here in Dublin.

Planning Enforcemnet are very active in this cases in foot of a complaint.

rawn

Hmmm okay that's fair enough. Is there anything against having a small mobile home in the back garden?

fussyonion

I know a couple who did exactly what you're proposing; they lifted a mobile home into her parents' back garden and threy live in it with their kids. They asked the council for permission who told them they can only live in it for 9 months, then they have to leave.
18 months later, they're still there.

Aside from this, life for them is not good; in the winter months, they moved themselves and their kids into the house as it was too cold in the mobile home.
They're all still in the house and the parents get no respite as the couple and their kids treat the house as their home now.

What about your father's right to enjoy his home/garden in his twilight years?
Is it not a bit selfish to assume he'll be happy with this setup?

rawn

It's quite presumptuous for you to assume my dad would not be happy with the situation. He is the one who suggested it FYI. He is in bad health and he needs me there to help him cook/clean/pay bills, but there is no room for us inside the house as the box room barely fits a single bed.

We're considering keeping our computers in the box room and simply sleeping in the mobile home. We have a really good oil heater if we could somehow get electricity to it. This would be the biggest headache, besides lifting it there in the first place.

fussyonion

rawn wrote: »

It's quite presumptuous for you to assume my dad would not be happy with the situation. He is the one who suggested it FYI. He is in bad health and he needs me there to help him cook/clean/pay bills, but there is no room for us inside the house as the box room barely fits a single bed.

We're considering keeping our computers in the box room and simply sleeping in the mobile home. We have a really good oil heater if we could somehow get electricity to it. This would be the biggest headache, besides lifting it there in the first place.

Ok well I do apologise to you then. I just keep thinking of the woman I know and she's always saying how cold it is. I guess also with kids it's not ideal...I suppose it will be different if its just a couple.

Gumbo

rawn wrote: »

Hmmm okay that's fair enough. Is there anything against having a small mobile home in the back garden?

It's treated like a domestic shed. Must be used in ancillary to the main dwelling but illegal for it to be used as habitable accommodation.

rawn

kceire wrote: »

It's treated like a domestic shed. Must be used in ancillary to the main dwelling but illegal for it to be used as habitable accommodation.

Really? I'm talking about a caravan type thing just to be clear, I would have thought keeping one on your property was ok? My parents used to live in a caravan out my uncle's back garden, many years ago, he had it on the property already so we don't know if he had to apply for anything or anything like that... damn

Gumbo

rawn wrote: »

Really? I'm talking about a caravan type thing just to be clear, I would have thought keeping one on your property was ok? My parents used to live in a caravan out my uncle's back garden, many years ago, he had it on the property already so we don't know if he had to apply for anything or anything like that... damn

Most likely no planning obtained.
But yes, you need planning for a habitable structure. Can you not look at "granny flat" options?

moleyv

Your situation is becoming more common. Granny flat is becoming more common but for the children rather than the grandparents. Some people refer to them as family flats now.

To be defined as a granny flat, it must be attached to the main dwelling, and be capable of becoming a sole dwelling in the future, in other words, still be functionally linked.

I have only ever seen a 'detatched' granny flat once and I'm not sure if that was the policy of the LA or a once off.

But such a solution would obviously be quite costly relative to what you have proposed.

You could ask for a temporary permission for mobile/log cabin, but it is still quite unlikely it would be allowed.

Might be worth giving a phone call or requesting a pre planning meeting with your LA for clarity.

TheDriver

I thought u can store a caravan/motor home at your house but only for certain number of months a year and cant be lived in?

rawn

Damn, sounds like it's a non-solution then. It's a terraced house so no option of a granny flat or anything like that. Thanks for the info everyone.

Millem

What about a "sheomra" that is literally only big enough for a bed and a desk? I think you should find out the definition habitable dwelling. If it doesn't have a bathroom then is it "unhabitable" and exempt?

What about a camper van?

Gumbo

Millem wrote: »

What about a "sheomra" that is literally only big enough for a bed and a desk? I think you should find out the definition habitable dwelling. If it doesn't have a bathroom then is it "unhabitable" and exempt?

What about a camper van?

Sleeping is habitable.
The whole problem is not the bathroom, you are allowed a bathroom, shower etc in a domestic shed, it's the habitation of the structure that breaches the Planning and Development Regulations, and also the Building Regulations.