Log Cabin

Gumbo · 01-08-2020 4:46pm

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

https://grannyflats.ie/

Shirley one of these would be better than a log cabin . IF it can be done without planning.

Borderline illegal advertising there.
If I was buying from them I’d screen shot their websites and promises of what is and is not allowed.

From their site :

Planning permission is generally not required for a stand alone unit of 25m2. We can also help you apply for a Section 5 Declaration form. This notifies the relevant Council of your plans. Confirmation from Council normally takes less then 4 weeks.

Then the next paragraph states that it’s a home office. So exploiting the shed exemptions. The bold text is key here. The next paragraph clarified what they class as a “stand alone” unit. Home office / studio. These are indeed exempt under the shed exemptions.

Remember the onus is on the home owner to comply with the regulations. The second these are planted in your rear garden, the council can come in and initiate enforcement proceedings against you, the home owner while this company are tidying up and walking out your front door. The council will chase you, not them.

I would call them and grill them on the certification with every building regulation as I can can 100% confirm to you now, they can’t and won’t, unless they are certifying them as a shed which does not need to meet the said regulations

In order for these Granny flats to be planning exempt we build these, as home extensions, with a few other conditions. We build them in a clever way and each build has its own separate door for access. If at any stage in the long-term future you need to reconfigure this space as part of the property, perhaps for resale you have now the space to do so, potentially increasing your homes value. Note: All sizes are external sizes quoted unless otherwise stated.

Some more key info here.
They quote €48k plus vat for a 25 Sq. M extension which is about €2,200 per square meter. Exactly the same price or more than a standard build extension.

BorneTobyWilde · 01-08-2020 5:21pm

But can one build a granny flat without planning, I've seen so many on the side of house. Does the location matter?

If I was extending a house it would go on the side
From this...
?width=630&version=4004980

To this...

Can you build a granny flat on side ?

BorneTobyWilde · 01-08-2020 5:25pm

0c059c2fea67b9b5981651fb2e7c81f8--l-shaped-house-old-irish.jpg

Better example of what I mean, Match up the both sides with an extension

runawaybishop · 01-08-2020 6:18pm

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

But can one build a granny flat without planning, I've seen so many on the side of house. Does the location matter?

Can you build a granny flat on side ?

You can build a 40sqm extension without planning, there are some restrictions on aspect, distance from boundaries, reducing garden space etc.

Gumbo · 01-08-2020 6:32pm

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

But can one build a granny flat without planning, I've seen so many on the side of house. Does the location matter?

If I was extending a house it would go on the side
From this...

To this...

Can you build a granny flat on side ?

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Better example of what I mean, Match up the both sides with an extension

Both of those examples, no. Because they are 2 storey extensions to the side.

The exemptions are to the rear.

BorneTobyWilde · 01-08-2020 8:28pm

Gumbo wrote: »

Both of those examples, no. Because they are 2 storey extensions to the side.

The exemptions are to the rear.

So to match up a house on both side ones would need planning. Even a single storey ?

alie · 01-08-2020 10:30pm

pearcider wrote: »

Two of my friends have done it in normal estates in Dublin. No issues at all. No planning necessary. Check with your neighbours if overlooked but chances are they won’t care. One of the log cabins my mate lives in is there for 12 years.

Never mind the boot lickers on boards. They will insist you ask the “government” for permission to fart.

Best of luck with it.

Thank you so much, my neighbour has a concrete one in his garden with electricity, he uses it as a music studio. my other neighbour has a massive metal shed with a sliding door that would wake the dead, neither had planning permission.

alie · 01-08-2020 10:34pm

runawaybishop wrote: »

You need planning for them as soon as you connect them to services, 6 month exemption otherwise.

So if no sevices then no planning, so i could build one and just have it as extra space per say

Graham · 01-08-2020 10:34pm

alie wrote: »

Thank you so much, my neighbour has a concrete one in his garden with electricity, he uses it as a music studio. my other neighbour has a massive metal shed with a sliding door that would wake the dead, neither had planning permission.

You can build a shed/music room, usually without planning.

You can't build a habitable dwelling.

endacl · 01-08-2020 10:37pm

alie wrote: »

So if no sevices then no planning, so i could build one and just have it as extra space per say

And if one of your neighbours complains to the council that you have somebody living in your ‘extra space’, can you afford to have it removed and the plot restored as was?

runawaybishop · 01-08-2020 11:02pm

alie wrote: »

So if no sevices then no planning, so i could build one and just have it as extra space per say

You can build a shed yes. If you live in it needs planning.

Eric Cartman · 02-08-2020 12:21pm

All of these are illegal for habitation.
I completely understand that it is illegal , but what I dont completely understand is why in some cases

Cabin out the back garden - completely get why thats illegal , extra pressure on services , overcrowding etc..

What i dont understand is why we cant have a development of high quality static homes on plots of land.

I know people are going to shriek ‘aghh trailer park’ but there are a lot of high quality developments and high quality residential standard static caravans available.

This idea that somebody isn’t allowed choose where to live based on what the government decides is best for us is madness.

https://www.willerby.com/park-homes/our-range/delamere This is approx 80k , if you could get a 4 acre plot of land and park 20 of those on it you could build nice low density low cost housing for people very easily

Thierry12 · 04-08-2020 6:49pm

Eric Cartman wrote: »

All of these are illegal for habitation.
I completely understand that it is illegal , but what I dont completely understand is why in some cases

Cabin out the back garden - completely get why thats illegal , extra pressure on services , overcrowding etc..

What i dont understand is why we cant have a development of high quality static homes on plots of land.

I know people are going to shriek ‘aghh trailer park’ but there are a lot of high quality developments and high quality residential standard static caravans available.

This idea that somebody isn’t allowed choose where to live based on what the government decides is best for us is madness.

https://www.willerby.com/park-homes/our-range/delamere This is approx 80k , if you could get a 4 acre plot of land and park 20 of those on it you could build nice low density low cost housing for people very easily

Regulations man, regulations

We need the compliance, the certification, the permissions, the insulation, the planning, what about the septic tanks, the percolations, how are we gonna sort that.

Joking aside

I don't understand it either

Why does it cost €100,000 for a 40m2 extension here and quarter of a million for a small 110m2 bungalow?

Why the **** can I not build make an extension to the side of my house or infront of my house, why does it have to be lower than the height and directly behind, stupid stuff

Why do we have to comply and build concrete houses with that tick a box BER crap.

Gumbo · 04-08-2020 9:38pm

Thierry12 wrote: »

Regulations man, regulations

We need the compliance, the certification, the permissions, the insulation, the planning, what about the septic tanks, the percolations, how are we gonna sort that.

Joking aside

I don't understand it either

Why does it cost €100,000 for a 40m2 extension here and quarter of a million for a small 110m2 bungalow?

Why the **** can I not build make an extension to the side of my house or infront of my house, why does it have to be lower than the height and directly behind, stupid stuff

Why do we have to comply and build concrete houses with that tick a box BER crap.

You don’t have to.
Just apply for planning and you can build higher, to the front, to the side, on top of etc etc

There has to be limits to the exemptions as people (as proved on these boards) will take the pi55.

Darc19 · 04-08-2020 9:44pm

Thierry12 wrote: »

Regulations man, regulations

We need the compliance, the certification, the permissions, the insulation, the planning, what about the septic tanks, the percolations, how are we gonna sort that.

Joking aside

I don't understand it either

Why does it cost €100,000 for a 40m2 extension here and quarter of a million for a small 110m2 bungalow?

Why the **** can I not build make an extension to the side of my house or infront of my house, why does it have to be lower than the height and directly behind, stupid stuff

Why do we have to comply and build concrete houses with that tick a box BER crap.

The 250k bungalow cost probably includes land and new connections to services.

An extension plugs into existing services and normally will be using one side of the already built house.

I know someone who has a site in a Kildare Town and expects to build two detached houses of 160sqm for about €400-€450k max. He's reckoning under 400k, but is allowing 50k for unforseen issues. Obviously zero cost for the land and services are right at the front of the site.

Thierry12 · 05-08-2020 2:33pm

Darc19 wrote: »

The 250k bungalow cost probably includes land and new connections to services.

An extension plugs into existing services and normally will be using one side of the already built house.

I know someone who has a site in a Kildare Town and expects to build two detached houses of 160sqm for about €400-€450k max. He's reckoning under 400k, but is allowing 50k for unforseen issues. Obviously zero cost for the land and services are right at the front of the site.

160sqm house for under 200k in Kildare

Who's his builder?

JimmyVik · 06-08-2020 12:15pm

alie wrote: »

So if no sevices then no planning, so i could build one and just have it as extra space per say

I posted this in another thread, but i think it sits in here nicely

A guy I work with put one of these (well something like it) up with the door facing his back patio doors about 6 feet away.

https://www.gardenrooms.ie/gallery/#

He then built a walkway, insulated and all joined from the house to the cabin.
From the pictures he showed me its just like a short 6 foot wide hall from the living room into the garden room. Looks lovely. And he has a new patio door to the garden coming off this "hall".
He did that because it cost him about €8K for tha garden room and €2K to get the "hall built", and he got no planning permission.

I have a fascination with these kind of building projects. I love hearing about them. Great threads on boards where guys have documented their entire build.

Gumbo · 06-08-2020 4:23pm

JimmyVik wrote: »

I posted this in another thread, but i think it sits in here nicely

A guy I work with put one of these (well something like it) up with the door facing his back patio doors about 6 feet away.

https://www.gardenrooms.ie/gallery/#

He then built a walkway, insulated and all joined from the house to the cabin.
From the pictures he showed me its just like a short 6 foot wide hall from the living room into the garden room. Looks lovely. And he has a new patio door to the garden coming off this "hall".
He did that because it cost him about €8K for tha garden room and €2K to get the "hall built", and he got no planning permission.

I have a fascination with these kind of building projects. I love hearing about them. Great threads on boards where guys have documented their entire build.

That’s all well and good but what he has is a shed extension (and a pretty nice shed at that).
He will have to certify it as a shed when selling or remove it as the cabin itself won’t meet building regulations for an extension.

Technically he done nothing wrong once he didn’t effect the thermal envelope of the original house.

Same way you see all these make shift conservatives added to the back of houses that were popular so years ago.

They are a way to extend without having to meet the regs once you keep the patio doors in place.

JimmyVik · 07-08-2020 9:21am

Gumbo wrote: »

That’s all well and good but what he has is a shed extension (and a pretty nice shed at that).
He will have to certify it as a shed when selling or remove it as the cabin itself won’t meet building regulations for an extension.

Technically he done nothing wrong once he didn’t effect the thermal envelope of the original house.

Same way you see all these make shift conservatives added to the back of houses that were popular so years ago.

They are a way to extend without having to meet the regs once you keep the patio doors in place.

I think he probably has no intention of selling it as a room.
Worst case scenario, if they ever move they just knock the hallway.
The new owners can build a new one or just leave it. Or they could knock the whole lot. Loads of choices I guess.

My dad sold house years ago where he build a huge shed without planning.
It had been there about 10 years when he sold it.
The buyers solicitor spotted it and asked for planning.
The two solicitors had a chat and said take the roof off it for the sale (the roof wasnt really taken off).
Sale went through. That shed is still standing now about 20 years later.

duffman13 · 07-08-2020 9:31am

JimmyVik wrote: »

I think he probably has no intention of selling it as a room.
Worst case scenario, if they ever move they just knock the hallway.
The new owners can build a new one or just leave it. Or they could knock the whole lot. Loads of choices I guess.

My dad sold house years ago where he build a huge shed without planning.
It had been there about 10 years when he sold it.
The buyers solicitor spotted it and asked for planning.
The two solicitors had a chat and said take the roof off it for the sale (the roof wasnt really taken off).
Sale went through. That shed is still standing now about 20 years later.

Not sure if that would still happen now, id a house delayed a week while a certificate was issued on a tiny shed built on to the back of a house. I had planned to knock it down once in anyway so told the solicitor to leave it, but both solicitors wanted the cert/report from an engineer. Its a disservice to call it a shed, its literally a metre by a metre and a half.

ACCAman · 29-09-2020 9:29pm

Hi, I have some questions on building a log cabin that I hope someone can help with. I have been reading online but have struggled to get the exact information I need.
The cabin I am looking at is under 25m squared building footprint and I am not planning on using it for residential purposes.
There is a mezzanine floor that sits above the ground floor area ( not the whole floorspace) and my question relates to that. Does the mezzanine area count towards the 25 metre allowance for the building to be built without planning? The eaves height and highest point of the roof both come under the limit for building without planning as far as I am aware.

I also have a question in relation to base and positioning of the cabin. Does the base have any bearing on the requirement for building the cabin without planning? We are looking at putting in a concrete base ourselves.

Last question, is there a set distance that it needs to be from the boundary?

Gumbo · 29-09-2020 10:24pm

ACCAman wrote: »

Hi, I have some questions on building a log cabin that I hope someone can help with. I have been reading online but have struggled to get the exact information I need.
The cabin I am looking at is under 25m squared building footprint and I am not planning on using it for residential purposes.
There is a mezzanine floor that sits above the ground floor area ( not the whole floorspace) and my question relates to that. Does the mezzanine area count towards the 25 metre allowance for the building to be built without planning? The eaves height and highest point of the roof both come under the limit for building without planning as far as I am aware.

I also have a question in relation to base and positioning of the cabin. Does the base have any bearing on the requirement for building the cabin without planning? We are looking at putting in a concrete base ourselves.

Last question, is there a set distance that it needs to be from the boundary?

1. Mezzanine
This area is added in my opinion. It’s similar to a single storey rear extension, mezzanine added and it becomes 2 storey.

2. Base.
This is irrelevant but the total height of the structure is the cabin plus the base so just factor that into your limits.

3. Distance from boundary.
No set distance. And also, as it’s a shed and non habitable there are no restrictions on windows facing the boundary from memory.

*these are my interpretations of the P&D Act but get others and a local opinion, just don’t get the opinion from the shed company.

bobbyy gee · 29-09-2020 10:31pm

as its separate structure you probably need planning some places will not allow log cabins where do you live

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/judge-gives-hermit-nun-more-time-to-find-new-accommodation-1.4361573?mode=amp

ACCAman · 29-09-2020 10:54pm

Thanks for both of your inputs. I live in Dublin.

I didn't mention that there is another normal sized wooden shed. This plus the log cabin would bring it over the limit of 25m. I figured if there was ever a problem, i could take the smaller (less expensive) shed down to bring it back under the limit, or apply for planning.

If the mezzanine is counted as floorspace, none of this would be possible without planning so I'll have to look into further on whether it counts towards the limit.

Gumbo · 29-09-2020 10:54pm

bobbyy gee wrote: »

as its separate structure you probably need planning some places will not allow log cabins where do you live

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/judge-gives-hermit-nun-more-time-to-find-new-accommodation-1.4361573?mode=amp

The op has already stated it’s under the foot print of 25 Sq. M so planning not required (mezzanine excluded).

Yellow_Fern · 30-09-2020 12:23am

I forsee the carbon 'costs' of construction to taken into account in future planning law. This would indicate we will see a massive increase in timber construction in the future.

Gumbo · 30-09-2020 9:40am

Yellow_Fern wrote: »

I forsee the carbon 'costs' of construction to taken into account in future planning law. This would indicate we will see a massive increase in timber construction in the future.

Possibly.
TRADA have highlighted some massive structures in the UK using timber frame. Think 9, 10 stories etc

The problem is the timber shortages about to hit the industry in the next month or two.

Log Cabin

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