Have you ever thought about buying a log cabin, shed, or wooden garden outbuilding for your home? They can be a great addition to provide extra space or make more use of your garden! Read on for how to choose the right cabin for you.

Let’s start with one of the most burning questions – do log cabins increase the value of your home?

If you’re going to create more living space outdoors and do this with thought and style that complements your home – absolutely!

Where should I put it?

There’s a lot to think about within this question alone, so we’ve broken it down below:

• You’ll need to get around the outside to clean and treat the sides.
• There’s no point paying for windows if there is no view or you can’t open them.
• It would be thoughtful not to place the cabin too close to your neighbour’s property so that rain water pours off the roof onto their patio and into their garden. No one wants to become an episode of Nightmare Neighbours.
• Try to place the cabin in a position that doesn’t block any natural light into yours or your neighbour’s home
• Situate your cabin to better use your garden. If you have enough space, place it in an area that you don’t use as much, rather than taking up space where you play with the kids, tend to a vegetable patch or sit and look out at the views. Think of a cabin as an extension of your living space!

PHOTO COPYRIGHT MIKE BIRDY

Do you need planning permission?

Generally, no – but there are exceptions! It is always best to check with your local council. As long as your cabin:

• Is no higher than 2.5 metres.
• Is at least 1 metre away from your boundary.
• Doesn’t take up over 30% of your garden.
• Is not placed in a conservation area.

Pro Tip: You can build a cabin up to 4 metres high, if it is 2 metres away from your boundary line!

Should you pressure treat your log cabin?

Pressure treatment comes at a price, but cabins which come pre-treated are better than those that are not. So, if your budget allows, go ahead and buy a pre-treated cabin. If the floor has a damp-proof membrane between the joists and the floorboards and the floorboards are stained, then the wood will generally last longer, getting more value from your cabin purchase.

It is worth considering that eventually the cabin will fade, weather and discolour over time. The only way to retain the cabin’s natural beauty and longevity, regardless of any pre-treatment, is to coat and treat the wood. There are so many wood stains and paints in gorgeous colours – ranging from a natural wood finish to a bright, shocking pink! Any of these applied correctly are more effective than any other type of treatment.

Are they suitable for use all year-round?

(should you insulate them?) Chosen and built purposefully, any log cabin can be used all year round. Naturally, if you want to use your log cabin as a comfortable area in the darkest depths of a UK Winter, it’s probably a good idea to get the cabin insulated.

Insulating a cabin costs approximately around 15% of the actual cabin purchase price. If there is insulation material fixed to the underside of the roof boards and then disguised by ceiling panelling, there are 2 major benefits:

• It keeps the cabin warmer in the winter (the cold cannot penetrate the cabin so easily and any internal heating can’t escape).
• It keeps the cabin significantly cooler in the summer by restricting the heat from the sun penetrating through the roof.

In short, if you want to use your cabin all year round, it’s a good idea to consider insulation to keep the space as comfortable as possible, regardless of the weather.

What will the cabin be used for?

This consideration is very important, but as you’re thinking about buying a log cabin, you probably already have an idea of what you want to use it for! But that isn’t the end of it…

Are you buying a cabin for a children’s playhouse? That’s awesome, some of my happiest childhood memories were from playing in my playhouse. What happens when they grow up and no longer use it? To avoid the playhouse being neglected (or in our case, becoming a second house for our cat – seriously, he had a bed in there and everything), have you considered buying a larger cabin that can be repurposed once the kids no longer use it?

Pro Tip: Log Cabins are so versatile, they literally are a low-cost extension on your home! We’ve included some ideas below for what you can use a log cabin for:

• A home office
• A covered garden seating area
• A party bar area
• A changing room for your sauna or hot tub
• A private covered retreat for your sauna or hot tub
• A gymnasium
• A hobby and craft room
• A children’s play area
• Simply storage
• A garage
• A Pinterest-worthy garden design project
• Just because you can – if you have the space, do you really need to justify it?!

We’ve scratched the surface of what to consider when investing in a log cabin, but it should definitely be enough to make a great start on your journey to a perfect log cabin for your home. Got any questions? We would be surprised if you didn’t! Get in touch with us at Award Leisure for all the information you could possibly want, and get your Free copies of our Log Cabin Brochures and Buyers Guides!