Building your
dream
You will doubtless have many questions about your project for a new family or holiday home, here we offer some insight into the most Frequently Asked Questions..
We start with Planning and the advantages of buying a log home....
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Is Planning Permission required?
For buildings intended for use as family homes, holiday lets or used as offices - then the answer is yes, your project will require Planning Permission and Approval. Other restrictions may apply, roof height for example - checkout our useful guide on Planning and Building Regulations
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Are Building Regulations applicable?
Yes, as a new Family or Holiday Home or let, it will need to be compliant with current Building Regulations.
But don't worry, most Building Regulations are taken care of in the Planning and Construction phases - such as ensuring the correct use of safety glass in windows and doors, electrics, plumbing, etc. and of compliance with U Values.
If your building is below 30 m2 in size then Building Regulations do not normally apply.
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Site access
When looking at your site, you need to consider vehicular access for the various deliveries that will attend your site?
This will include concrete deliveries, delivery of your timber log building and cranes required to lift logs and roofing into position (amongst others).
Take account of access from the highway, trees, bridges, inclines, streams - anything that could possibly prevent easy access?
There may be more than one delivery and delivery is by articulated vehicle.
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What are the advantages of a log building?
Many!
Warm in winter - cooler in summer.
Log homes have a healthy internal atmosphere.
Use natural materials.
Tried and tested building method.
Longevity - 100 years plus.
Timber is hygroscopic and both absorbs and releases moisture - making your home a healthier place in which to live and work.
Lower embodied CO2 and with captured CO2 for the life of the building - it's better for the environment, better for you.
Easily recycled at the end of a very long life.
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Are your log buildings cheaper to build compared with traditional building methods?
The short answer is yes, though it is difficult to make direct comparisons.
A log building is a lighter structure and so requires less digging out for the foundations and therefore less material and less waste.
Most buildings are weathertight in around 14 days or less.
Reduced architects fees - we are your designer and engineer.
You do not need the services of plasterers, carpenters, plumbing and electrical works take less time as plumbing and cabling routes can be prepared in the factory.
Worth noting also that, as a factory built home, you have much greater control of your budget!
All said, the final price is always relative to the size and complexity of your build and some costs are the same - services for example, whatever the nature of your build.
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Are timber log homes more dangerous in a fire?
First, yes, timber burns but, the thickness of logs used in our homes means that the surface carbonises or chars and this helps prevent the spread of fire.
A log home will be safer in fire than a timber frame home for example as we use "massive" timber that should ensure the building structure remains standing, giving your family time to safely exit. Even steel framed homes will require the steel frame to have additional protection to protect the structure from the effects of fire - steel begins to lose its structural integrity in temperatures as low as 500 degrees C.
Second, where required by Building Regulations treatments exist to coat the exposed timber surfaces in a fire retardant treatment that gives the structure a Class 0 Fire Rating - surface Spread of Flame. This is a once in a lifetime treatment and delivers permanent protection.
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Can I reclaim the VAT
Yes, if this is your main dwelling or a holiday home for you and your family - holiday lets are excluded but there are certain caveats that your project must meet to comply, your home, including any building attached to it at the time of the build allow the VAT to be recovered. Likewise a garage whether it is attached or separate, and built at the same time.
Unfortunately, other buildings, such as pool houses, summer houses, gyms, etc. even if built at the same time are excluded.
Call us for further information and guidance.
Building your
dream
Site preparation - you'll find some commonly asked questions here....
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Services
Your new family or holiday home is going to need water and waste, an electricity supply, and telecoms (add a gas connection if required).
You will need to contact the Network Operators in your region to arrange for your favoured operator to connect you and don't forget, this will start with a temporary supply whilst works are underway on site.
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Foundations
This will be determined by the Planning Process - specifically soil type, trees, drains and then building size.
Foundations for your home - a log home is a much lighter structure than more traditional building types and can save you money but it is important that you use the right foundations for your build - a geotechnical study is a good way to assess your type of foundation.
Contact us for further information.
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What kind of foundation is required?
Contact us for further information and guidance on the key options available to you.
For smaller log buildings (those less than 40 m2) other types include Pad Foundations, positioned at load bearing points.
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Incoming services
Once you have finalised your design then you can share the plans we provide you with to allow your favoured services companies to bring their services into position in readiness for your foundations to be laid.
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Building your Family or Holiday Home
The build process takes around two weeks to reach to a weathertight condition, depending on the build size and complexity. Our vehicles are usually equipped with cranes to off-load and our installation team(s) will arrange for suitable crane hire to move the log beams into place, the price of which is included in our Supply and Install package.
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Second fix
In traditional builds Second Fix commences after final plastering of a house - your log home has no need for plaster - logs outside, logs inside, it's probably why you are buying a log home.
Second Fix items then include connecting electrics and plumbing to the relevant fittings, fitting internal doors, fitting kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, etc.
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Electrics & plumbing
We will normally agree the number, type and location of all plumbing and electrical services with you.
Provision can then be made during the manufacturing process for channelling these into walls, making installation simpler and cheaper on site.
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Drawings
Drawings are included as a part of the overall design process and available to you once we have entered into agreement with you.
Drawings can be made available to you prior to agreement but this is undertaken on a chargeable basis, the minimum cost for which is €1600 (excl VAT) - this for a basic set of plans and elevations.
Contact us for further information.
Building your
dream
You're off, your ideas are turning into plans, what other questions might you have?
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How Long?
Always a difficult question as much depends on how clearly defined your project is in your own mind? Are you buying an - "Off the Shelf" Design or building Bespoke? In essence, all buildings are bespoke and designed to your requirements.
It gets somewhat easier once you have finalised your plans, from date of order to delivery to site is usually effected in 12-16 weeks but this can vary thoughout the year and can only be determined once your order completes final design drawings.
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Prices?
We can provide you with an approximate budget price but this might be affected by any changes you make and don't forget, your new log home is only a part of the overall package.
If opting for Bespoke Design it's always worth noting that your log home should be more cost-effective than conventional build and is usually a much faster process than most building methods!
Remember also, costs will be fixed once the drawings are signed off, so no last minute financial surprises, common to most other building solutions and even the weather.
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Are Mortgages available?
Unfortunately, in the UK Timber Log Homes are classed as "Non-Standard Construction" so High Street Mortgage Lenders are less likely to be interested -they may require structural warranty insurance to be in place?
Crazy really as a log home is factory produced under controlled conditions and our log homes will probably outlast both traditional and modern methods of construction.
We can provide you with details of lenders who may be able to offer suitable mortgages, but lenders can be readily found online and this is no different from most bespoke build projects. Refer to our page on Mortgages.
There are an increasing number of lenders and brokers aiming their products at builds that are more environmentally friendly and log homes certainly fit that bill.
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Household Insurance
Unlike a mortgage, household insurance should be widely available and not subject to non-standard clauses but it's always worth checking as early as possible to ensure more accurate budgetting occurs?
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Contracts & Payments
We work within the conditions as applied by our supplier and these terms will be discussed with you once you are ready to commit.
It is worth remembering that if your project is for a holiday let then your home could be ready for letting in less than 3 months - this versus typical build times of 6-9 months.
We are effectively your architect, an architect will charge from 5% to 12% of the overall value, but we are also your engineer, designer and often, planning consultant not to mention the costs incurred in the sales stage.
Building your log home also requires less input from traditional and often scarce skilled trades - plasterers for one, and electrical and pumbing works should be both faster and less disruptive.
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Turn Key
For certain projects we are able to offer Turn-Key solutions where we can undertake works such as kitchen and bathroom installation, lighting, flooring, internal doors, etc.
Turn-Key installation must be booked at the time of your order as this determines the Contract Type we enter into with you for these works?
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Maintenance
As a timber product, your log home will require external treatment on a regular basis to ensure optimum lengevity of your log building.
Your building will experience extruding of the natural resins over time, this is an entirely natural process and will normally cease after the first year or so
Please visit our Maintenance Page on our website, we will be populating this section with further details shortly.
NOTE that under no circumstances should you paint your timber log building, this prevents the timber from breathing and will void any warranty from us.
We can advise on a range of suppliers producing natural and coloured wood treatments, including fire treatments.
