Key Things to Consider When Building A Log Cabin in Ireland

Nothing screams ‘Irish’ quite like a pair of green-coloured wellies and shamrock-printed cardigan you would comfortably sit around in during, well, St. Patrick’s Day. Nothing, quite indubitably, gets more Irish than that.

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Geographically, the island of Ireland is divided into two major jurisdictions, independent of each other: the Republic of Ireland, which takes the whole Southern part of the island, and Northern Ireland, which also happens to be part of United Kingdom.

If you champion the rich culture of Ireland aka the ‘The Emerald Isle’, you might want to zero in on its home design schemes to see how detail-specific and intricate its architecture is.

Irish log home plans are closely similar to popular UK home design layouts—floors, walls, and all. If you happen to have a piece of land in Ireland and plan of putting up a log extension to your dwelling place, there a certain set of laws you are expected to abide by or secure legal documents for before erecting the building.

Although there are some restrictions regarding their uses, log structures are regarded as traditional European buildings erected for a number of functions—retreat, office, DIY area, summer house, or a simple games and entertainment room. These buildings are usually built as an extension to the actual residential building normally constructed in the garden area where there is enough space. Some are used as commercial buildings such as log cabin holidays and lodges. Most of these recreational centres offer a wide array of log home weekend break activities anyone can enjoy.

Planning permission in Ireland

In Ireland, as in the case of UK laws, planning permissions and regulations are strictly followed before one could even erect a building no matter the purpose.

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If you plan to use your log building as an additional dwelling area—and most of these are intended for a lot of uses other than residential spaces such as Garden Buildings Direct log cabins—see to it that a planning permission is secured.

As per the regulations, house extensions that do not expand the floor area of the actual dwelling space by 40 square metres, are not higher than the house, and have walls not more than 2 cm in height, do not need to have planning permissions.

For the complete list of building extensions and other structures that do not need planning permissions, you may visit your local planning permission authority.

Almost all log buildings sold in the market today conform to these building regulations, so it’s really no chore to choose a pre-assembled pack if stick-built buildings—those that are built on-site piece by piece with little to no pre-assembly—are not an option.

However, it is important to contact your local authority to discuss the planning permissions before putting up the building as the failure to do so will subject you to penalties that may go from as manageable as paying fines to as serious as being imprisoned.

Log cabin types: Design & Materials

Traditional log buildings in Ireland particularly focusing on the construction, design, and materials, are akin to most UK wooden structures. The most common material type is timber or wood that’s been processed and formed into beams or planks.

If you plan to have your log retreat, consider deciding what type of assembly structure to have: stick built or kit. Both have advantages and disadvantages.

If you are the type who’s comfortable with following and reading blueprints and not afraid to build from ground up, you might want to go for the stick built. Otherwise, a kit or the type where the panels are pre-assembled in a manufacturing site and delivered to the building site would be the best option for you. More importantly, you need to choose the type that will allow you to do building makeovers from time to time.

To help you save money you would normally spend on hiring someone to build for you, there are manufacturers that offer ranges with the panels pre-assembled. This also helps you cut down on build time, allowing you to enjoy your new retreat or lounge right away. To save even more money, you can enhance the look of your building with easy to follow design ideas all by your lonesome.

Costings

Before deciding which structure to build or which manufacturer to get the products from, it is ideal to check price comparisons to land on the best possible option and get the best value for money.

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Building prices, as well as other additional expenses vary depending on the size and material.

A standard log cabin in Ireland may cost you around €2,000 and up (if you wish to have extra features added). You’re off to a good start as the sheds on this range would normally have a considerable height (2m), T&G floor and roof boards, and single or double glazed windows and doors based on your needs and preferences.

If you opt for a bigger building or plan to have one to replace your dwelling area with or a more spacious extension to your actual house, there are the more expensive variants that start at €25,000.

Before deciding which one to have, it always makes sense to spend some time weighing the price ranges and taking into account the material and build more than anything else. At the end of the day, a properly-built log structure with all your desired features and functionalities put in place is tantamount to getting your money’s worth.

Interestingly, log homes are chosen over conventional homes because the former are cheaper to put up.

Building Maintenance

Log cabins are getting more and more exposure in Ireland as they prove to be eco-friendly and easy to maintain.

Ireland’s weather is greatly affected by the Atlantic Ocean. This means that it doesn’t have extreme weather conditions places others at the same latitude have. Ireland’s climate is mild and humid—15°C to 20°C in summer and with a short winter season.

While this may mean that your log home may not be exposed to too much harsh weather conditions, a standard-size building is still recommended to be re-treated annually, or for extreme cases, bi-annually.

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A standard wood preservative is usually used to coat the outer layer of the building followed by an ample application of natural linseed oil and other treatments to maintain its golden appearance and protect the building from external elements.

It goes without saying that it’s practical to maintain the overall upkeep of the building to protect its materials and keep it looking good as new.