Log Cabins in Ireland

evans76 · 08-01-2019 2:24pm #1

My husband and I are looking at buying a house this year and one of our ideas was to buy a plot of land somewhere and use one of the log cabin companies to build a log cabin. i'm looking for people that have actually done this and we're just doing research at the moment and I would love to hear from people that are living in a self built log cabin and get any tips and advice you would have. We absolutely love the idea of doing this but anything I've read seems to flag items like planning permission being difficult & also house insurance plus the fact there are a handful of companies that build log cabins and we'd want to make sure we use a reputable company and also get a handle on all the extra costs that will come with building a log cabin.
Any advice anyone can give (whether or not you have done this) would be much appreciated.
Thanks

Caranica · 08-01-2019 2:25pm

Do a search on this forum. You'll find plenty of others who've dreamt of this but the hurdles were almost universally insurmountable.

LotharIngum · 08-01-2019 2:41pm

I have a friend who built one about 15 years ago in Wicklow.
I think its lovely and I would live in it myself.
I wasn't cheap though. And I stayed in it one night about 6 months after it was built and I heard the loudest crack I have ever heard in my life. I was ready to run out and he started laughing at me.

He said that happens every few nights for the first year or so while the wood settles.

Nowadays there are a lot of cracks in the logs. I think it looks nice but my wife deosnt like the look of them. And im told the cracking did indeed stop before the year was out.

So go for it, they are lovely, but expect things to go bump in the night for a while.

awec · 08-01-2019 4:03pm

evans76 wrote: »

My husband and I are looking at buying a house this year and one of our ideas was to buy a plot of land somewhere and use one of the log cabin companies to build a log cabin. i'm looking for people that have actually done this and we're just doing research at the moment and I would love to hear from people that are living in a self built log cabin and get any tips and advice you would have. We absolutely love the idea of doing this but anything I've read seems to flag items like planning permission being difficult & also house insurance plus the fact there are a handful of companies that build log cabins and we'd want to make sure we use a reputable company and also get a handle on all the extra costs that will come with building a log cabin.
Any advice anyone can give (whether or not you have done this) would be much appreciated.
Thanks

Planning permission to use a log cabin as somewhere to live is not difficult, it is impossible.

Tacitus Kilgore · 08-01-2019 4:06pm

You won't get advice on boards as they are generally not kosher,

However, you would need to be blind to not notice the hundreds of them dotted around the country with folk living in them.

Maybe try and have a chat with someone who's in one, and see how they got it there.

Cape Clear · 08-01-2019 4:13pm

evans76 wrote: »

My husband and I are looking at buying a house this year and one of our ideas was to buy a plot of land somewhere and use one of the log cabin companies to build a log cabin. i'm looking for people that have actually done this and we're just doing research at the moment and I would love to hear from people that are living in a self built log cabin and get any tips and advice you would have. We absolutely love the idea of doing this but anything I've read seems to flag items like planning permission being difficult & also house insurance plus the fact there are a handful of companies that build log cabins and we'd want to make sure we use a reputable company and also get a handle on all the extra costs that will come with building a log cabin.
Any advice anyone can give (whether or not you have done this) would be much appreciated.
Thanks

I wish you luck with this. It may be a long road.

Pivot Eoin · 08-01-2019 5:11pm

I've looked into this a lot.

It's classed as a temporary dwelling in the long and short of it legally.

If you own land, you can place on on this land for 9 months and live in it without a worry til that time passes. After 9 Months then you have all the bull**** that people on this thread have already mentioned.

notharrypotter · 08-01-2019 5:30pm

Pivot Eoin wrote: »

I've looked into this a lot.

It's classed as a temporary dwelling in the long and short of it legally.

If you own land, you can place on on this land for 9 months and live in it without a worry til that time passes. After 9 Months then you have all the bull**** that people on this thread have already mentioned.

Fascinating to see that you consider the laws of the land bull****.

Pivot Eoin · 08-01-2019 6:29pm

notharrypotter wrote: »

Fascinating to see that you consider the laws of the land bull****.

Well for someone who wants to do this, in Ireland long term you really just can't. However you can in US, UK, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Netherlands, Belgium among others... so yes I would consider it bull**** and don't think that's too drastic. You would view it otherwise? Varadkar fan by any chance?

LirW · 08-01-2019 6:40pm

I recently met a woman that's planning to lash one up later this year on a plot of family land in a really remote part of the South-east. I told her that this is quite a ballsy move and if she gets caught she'll have to remove it.
She didn't seem to care too much and happily takes the gamble.

awec · 08-01-2019 7:09pm

Pivot Eoin wrote: »

Well for someone who wants to do this, in Ireland long term you really just can't. However you can in US, UK, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Netherlands, Belgium among others... so yes I would consider it bull**** and don't think that's too drastic. You would view it otherwise? Varadkar fan by any chance?

In fairness the climate in Ireland compared to most of those places is very different.

notharrypotter · 08-01-2019 7:18pm

Pivot Eoin wrote: »

Well for someone who wants to do this, in Ireland long term you really just can't. However you can in US, UK, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Netherlands, Belgium among others... so yes I would consider it bull**** and don't think that's too drastic. You would view it otherwise? Varadkar fan by any chance?

I have had the dubious benefit of experiencing your kind of lip service to building regulations.
So sorry but I would prefer if people adhered to the correct regulation's and standard's in this country for a change.
Far too many people seem to think the rules apply to other people and they can simply do what they want.

Any wonder why this country is heading for another's crash.

Idbatterim · 08-01-2019 7:23pm

I can see why people on here would be reluctant to give out advice 'against the law' but just remember, you are living in a total banana republic, where most people just do as they like and suit themselves and enforcement in most areas is pathetic.

What are people meant to do, live in misery or take on masses of debt? they talk about issues facing rural ireland, maybe allowing these would help. Environmentally friendly, rapid construction, relatively low cost...

No doubt the difficulty or near impossibility in obtaining planning for them is to help out their mates in the building industry...

Idbatterim · 08-01-2019 7:24pm

awec wrote: »

In fairness the climate in Ireland compared to most of those places is very different.

log cabins here will last a life time if cared for properly :rolleyes: or do people think maintenance is just for log cabins and not a brick built house?

koheim · 08-01-2019 7:24pm

awec wrote: »

In fairness the climate in Ireland compared to most of those places is very different.

Climate in Ireland is very mild compared to these countries, if you think it is wet and humid here, travel to west of Norway (where 100% of houses and cabins are constructed and cladded with wood).

Timber buildings last hundreds of years if they are maintained properly, no matter the climate...

An_Toirpin · 08-01-2019 7:57pm

koheim wrote: »

Climate in Ireland is very mild compared to these countries, if you think it is wet and humid here, travel to west of Norway (where 100% of houses and cabins are constructed and cladded with wood).

Timber buildings last hundreds of years if they are maintained properly, no matter the climate...

Wood is a fine building material damp climates but if you want a quality of life matching a house there has to be a lot of attention to details and this means the price is not so cheap.

rosmoke · 08-01-2019 8:09pm

What quality of life you have when you pay 350k and in 7 years it costs 80k ?
When my neighbour closes his car door, my bedroom door handle vibrates every single time.

I have the window closed and I can still hear the wind like, it's a joke.
If I sleep in a tent at least I pay the right price for a tent, so that's why most of us are looking at alternative solutions.

Sleeper12 · 08-01-2019 8:10pm

You won't get planning permission as they don't meet Irish building regulations. You will get planning permission for use as a play room or office but not living accommodation.

A friend has one for around 10 years now. He rents it out. All tenants rave about it & find it comfortable to live in. It's very easy to heat in the winter. & holds the heat well.

You won't get insurance on it for a dwelling & if you did you'd find they won't pay out as it doesn't meet building regulations. Annoying if you had a leak or something but what if someone is injured or it goes on fire. Anyone thinking of going down this route really needs to do a lot of research as you will be operating below the law so to speak.

runawaybishop · 08-01-2019 8:41pm

Pivot Eoin wrote: »

Well for someone who wants to do this, in Ireland long term you really just can't. However you can in US, UK, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Netherlands, Belgium among others... so yes I would consider it bull**** and don't think that's too drastic. You would view it otherwise? Varadkar fan by any chance?

We have stringent building regulations, the US, for example, build sh1tboxes.

You can build a log cabin if it meets building regs, but it won't be cheap. Similarly you can build a block house for peanuts but it will not meet regs

What has varadkar got to do with log cabins?

gctest50 · 08-01-2019 8:45pm

Sleeper12 wrote: »

You won't get planning permission as they don't meet Irish building regulations.

You will get planning permission for use as a play room or office but not living accommodation. ....,...

False .

http://www.eplanning.ie/WicklowCC/AppFileRefDetails/138528/0

(from below )

gctest50 · 08-01-2019 8:48pm

Lumen found this with planning :

Lumen wrote: »

I've found a case study, with actual planning.

https://www.loghouse.ie/loghouse-sunday-independent
https://www.loghouse.ie/portfolio-items/super-insulated-thee-bedroom-log-house-oct-2016/

Planning files
http://www.eplanning.ie/WicklowCC/AppFileRefDetails/138528/0

............

awec · 08-01-2019 9:13pm

Are you sure that is the correct planning link? One of the conditions of that planning is cement rendered external walls, which the photos clearly do not have. Either it's the wrong planning or the house isn't compliant.

Either way, the point still stands. You are not the first person to think about a log house, you won't be the last, and there is a reason they aren't popping up all over the place.

Daena11 · 10-03-2019 8:12pm

Hi All, does anyone know if you can get a mortgage on a log cabin house? We are currently thinking of buying a site and putting a log cabin on it.

Idbatterim · 10-03-2019 8:19pm

Many of the companies selling them, offer finance on them. Not sure about the mortgage question ...

the_syco · 10-03-2019 9:20pm

Daena11 wrote: »

Hi All, does anyone know if you can get a mortgage on a log cabin house? We are currently thinking of buying a site and putting a log cabin on it.

Have you checked if you can get planning permission for it?

El Tarangu · 10-03-2019 9:32pm

Daena11 wrote: »

Hi All, does anyone know if you can get a mortgage on a log cabin house? We are currently thinking of buying a site and putting a log cabin on it.

I'd doubt it - aside from the planning issues mentioned above, a log cabin decreases in value from the moment it is put up, so banks are unwilling to apply the same type of financing rules to it as they would to a house (which tends to increase in value over time).

People in the U.S. borrowing to purchase trailers face the same issues (as these also depreciate in value rather quickly).

Gumbo · 10-03-2019 11:17pm

Daena11 wrote: »

Hi All, does anyone know if you can get a mortgage on a log cabin house? We are currently thinking of buying a site and putting a log cabin on it.

Most likely not.
Your first hurdle will be planning before you even start the mortgage application process.

Ultimate Seduction · 10-03-2019 11:21pm

awec wrote: »

In fairness the climate in Ireland compared to most of those places is very different.

Yes, those places get much, much colder winters than us

the_syco · 10-03-2019 11:54pm

Ultimate Seduction wrote: »

Yes, those places get much, much colder winters than us

I'm pretty sure it's wetter in Ireland, for longer. Don't think it's that humid in those cold places.

Riar_ · 11-03-2019 12:11am

the_syco wrote: »

I'm pretty sure it's wetter in Ireland, for longer. Don't think it's that humid in those cold places.

Norway can be far wetter than Ireland and they have plenty of 800 year old log churches still standing.

If you want to see what kind of log dwelling is possible, here is a good example in Meath
https://passivehouseplus.ie/articles/retrofit/log-house-renovation

Graham · 11-03-2019 1:37am

From the example in Meath:

The homeowners had various reasons to upgrade: for a start, driving rain was rotting part of the house's south west corner. Sinnott says that while solid log walls might be fine for the cold Scandinavian climate, they’re perhaps not the best option in rainy Ireland.

Franz Von Peppercorn · 11-03-2019 10:42am

the_syco wrote: »

I'm pretty sure it's wetter in Ireland, for longer. Don't think it's that humid in those cold places.

The east of Ireland isn’t that wet as it happens. The west is very wet and windy. Maybe these things should be regulated at county level.

the_syco · 11-03-2019 11:00am

Riar_ wrote: »

Norway can be far wetter than Ireland and they have plenty of 800 year old log churches still standing.

Norway can be wetter, but Ireland can be wet longer.

Riar_ · 11-03-2019 12:22pm

There is a perception that Ireland is very wet, but it is actually mostly a myth. Outside of the uplands west of the Shannon, Ireland is only a bit wetter than average and countries such as Scotland, Norway, Switzerland, Montenegro, Slovenia are generally wetter. Even Munich is wetter than Dublin.

For the record, in Norway it rains all the time, not just in summer and wet areas are not so much below freezing so it is not a case that rain is so seasonal that rot is very slow like you might have in somewhere like Whitehorse in Canada.

For the vast majority of Ireland's past most people lived in entirely organic structures.

Also Ireland does have very old wooden buildings, like Malahide Castle roof or the ceiling of the medieval church of Fethard. The reason we have so few is due to war and social upheaval.

Ray Palmer · 11-03-2019 6:21pm

Wood used in these modern log cabins is not the same oak used in old buildings in Ireland.
They are not selling solid log cabins but highly chemically treated wood that are really chalets. It is most likely illegal to rent these out for those that do.

the_syco · 12-03-2019 12:13am

Riar_ wrote: »

Also Ireland does have very old wooden buildings, like Malahide Castle roof or the ceiling of the medieval church of Fethard.

Although the ceiling of the medieval church of Fethard is wood, the roof which is open to the elements is slated. Malahide Castle has a slated roof.

bono_v · 18-03-2019 3:21pm

How does it work if a Neighbour reports a log cabin ? I live in a private house in Dublin. I have a log cabin out my back garden that my elderly mother in law has lived in for two years. Most of my nieghnours know about this. If one of them complained about us and a planning enforcement officer comes knocking at the door how are they to prove my mother in law is living in a log cabin out our back garden?

zell12 · 18-03-2019 3:47pm

bono_v wrote: »

How does it work if a Neighbour reports a log cabin ? I live in a private house in Dublin. I have a log cabin out my back garden that my elderly mother in law has lived in for two years. Most of my nieghnours know about this. If one of them complained about us and a planning enforcement officer comes knocking at the door how are they to prove my mother in law is living in a log cabin out our back garden?

They will read your post on boards.
They also have the power to inspect.

Plumbthedepths · 18-03-2019 3:50pm

bono_v wrote:

How does it work if a Neighbour reports a log cabin ? I live in a private house in Dublin. I have a log cabin out my back garden that my elderly mother in law has lived in for two years. Most of my nieghnours know about this. If one of them complained about us and a planning enforcement officer comes knocking at the door how are they to prove my mother in law is living in a log cabin out our back garden?

I think you would need to prove she is not living there full time.

sydthebeat · 18-03-2019 3:55pm

bono_v wrote: »

How does it work if a Neighbour reports a log cabin ? I live in a private house in Dublin. I have a log cabin out my back garden that my elderly mother in law has lived in for two years. Most of my nieghnours know about this. If one of them complained about us and a planning enforcement officer comes knocking at the door how are they to prove my mother in law is living in a log cabin out our back garden?

It will be up to you to prove she isn't.

They can come and inspect at any time... And if has a bedroom, toilet facility, cooking facility and living facility... Then it's obviously for independent living and the first though of the inspector will be "sub standard rental accommodation / air b n b"....

Graces7 · 18-03-2019 3:58pm

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/log-cabin-housing-would-set-a-dangerous-precedent-1.3713304

bono_v · 18-03-2019 4:06pm

sydthebeat wrote: »

It will be up to you to prove she isn't.

They can come and inspect at any time... And if has a bedroom, toilet facility, cooking facility and living facility... Then it's obviously for independent living and the first though of the inspector will be "sub standard rental accommodation / air b n b"....

thanks for the reply. But can they just walk into your house and out your back garden?

BarryD2 · 18-03-2019 4:18pm

Graces7 wrote: »

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/log-cabin-housing-would-set-a-dangerous-precedent-1.3713304

I suppose the Irish Planning Institute might say that though.

Had to double read one para “Everything we do has to be sustainable. One off temporary dwellings, ad hoc backland infill and shed/log cabin dwellings in back gardens are not the answer to the housing shortage,”

Surely what are argued as temporary structures made of timber are a darn sight more sustainable than permanent dwellings with large amounts of concrete poured into the ground and block built upwards?

Main objection I'd have to 'log cabins' is the appearance, no tradition of structures like that in rural Ireland anyway. Can't see the problem in urban areas but no convinced that they'd fit in in rural sites.

As regards rain and damp etc., a lot comes down to design. You need a good overhang on the roof to protect the walls as much as possible. And plenty of ventilation all round i.e. not stuck up against some party wall.

We have timber windows in our house by choice, a little annual maintenance but the thing with timber is that it can be repaired and maintained. Unlike your aluminium and PVC stuff which is just thrown out.

sydthebeat · 18-03-2019 4:37pm

bono_v wrote: »

thanks for the reply. But can they just walk into your house and out your back garden?

Yes they can

bur · 18-03-2019 4:40pm

Fascinating to see this thread after listening to a Guardian podcast about concrete. The most corrupt of all industries apparently so it's not hard to connect the dots as to why there would be such hassle in building with wood in this country.

Cavan has lots of wooden cabins as holiday accommodation fwiw. maybe a local politician pulled a few strings?

Plumbthedepths · 18-03-2019 4:51pm

bur wrote:

Cavan has lots of wooden cabins as holiday accommodation fwiw. maybe a local politician pulled a few strings?

Do you understand the difference between holiday accommodation and permanent dwelling?

Gumbo · 18-03-2019 4:53pm

bono_v wrote: »

thanks for the reply. But can they just walk into your house and out your back garden?

Yes. And with Garda escort if the home owner doesn’t agree to it.

Who2 · 18-03-2019 6:49pm

The issue with Ireland is the changeable weather. Would soaks up moisture and swells, then it could get a quick shot of heat and dry out too fast the surface could get a shot of frost that night will expand remaining moisture and start causing more cracks. After this happens a couple of times it’s only worse it will get, we could have 15 degree heat rain, snow sleet and frost all on the one day. It’s a far more consistent weather in the Scandinavian countries that’s why they last out there.

koheim · 18-03-2019 9:42pm

Who2 wrote: »

The issue with Ireland is the changeable weather. Would soaks up moisture and swells, then it could get a quick shot of heat and dry out too fast the surface could get a shot of frost that night will expand remaining moisture and start causing more cracks. After this happens a couple of times it’s only worse it will get, we could have 15 degree heat rain, snow sleet and frost all on the one day. It’s a far more consistent weather in the Scandinavian countries that’s why they last out there.

This is a myth!! Weather in Ireland is mild and dry compared to Norway, were all houses are all wood. In Norway it rains more, it gets much colder at winter and it gets warmer at summer. Wood is a superior material, specially in cold and wet climate, but you need to treat and maintain it.

Metric Tensor · 18-03-2019 9:51pm

No rules whatsoever in Ireland to prevent anyone building a house with wood.

It still has to meet the building regulations though. Most log cabins don't and the ones that do cost the same or more than any other way of building a house that meets the building regulations. If it could be done cheaper every developer would already be doing it that way!

This is a completely separate issue than building a second house in a unsuitable back yard. That would be refused planning permission regardless of whether it is proposed to be built out of timber, concrete, steel, stone, clay, straw or any other material you can think of.

Two sets of INDEPENDENT rules to meet:
1. Planning Regulations
2. Building Regulations

Marcusm · 18-03-2019 10:04pm

kceire wrote: »

Yes. And with Garda escort if the home owner doesn’t agree to it.

The Garda doesn’t have the power to enter property without a warrant unless he has reasonable suspicion that an offence is being committed. I assume that the planning &development control acts may grant rights of access but in those cases the Garda would be along for the ride as opposed to providing the means of access. Revenue/Customs (for example) have broader powers of entry than the gardai.

Log Cabins in Ireland

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