Wooden house design

[Bo Diddley]

probably just the inside skin ain’t it?

Maybe ,
I'd like something like feather edge straight over the face of the main frame, but the Americans & Canadians certainly know how to build log cabins, I'd love to do what Finch is considering, buy 10 or 20 acres and put a cabin up, but it's not really that easy in the UK. @Finch if you read this, just try and go as off-grid as possible, the renewable technology is coming on in giant leaps, easily capable of being self-sufficient in energy if you are not an energy-hungry household.

 

[Mossypaw]

If there is an existing dwelling then planning shouldn’t be needed as you are simply replacing it.
Gun cabinet to timber won’t be a problem either, quite normal in Scotland. Mine is fixed through the roof truss with coach bolts, not a problem. (It was 14 years in a caravan before that)

 

[Mossypaw]

Handy site for floor plans.

https://honka.com/en/our-log-homes/all-models/ahto-130-1a-en

 

[Moray]

I was walking behind a couple of guns at a really posh shoot about 25 years ago when I heard one say. "Anybody would be mad to buy land in Scotland now".

Wish nobody did . would make it easier for the locals to purchase and get on the property ladder. Which in some areas is impossible due to holiday homes which are empty 10 months of the year .

 

[User00047]

Wish nobody did . would make it easier for the locals to purchase and get on the property ladder. Which in some areas is impossible due to holiday homes which are empty 10 months of the year .

Same problem here in Cornwall.
Same problem lots of places.

 

[User00032]

I'm looking at buying a plot of land in Scotland that has a dilapidated wooden cabin on it that is no longer fit for habitation but was once a residential dwelling. It has all service to the plot including mains drainage and a phone line.

I want to build my own sustainable. low-energy wooden house. I'm a bricklayer by trade and an experienced small builder and competent carpenter. Technically, I can build the whole thing myself with ease. But I'm looking for structural pointers for building control and fire regs compliance, and some design ideas. I don't want to employ an architect if I can avoid it because it shouldn't be necessary to obtain planning permission under permitted development rules. It will only be a small single story structure and I can produce my own drawings for building control.

I'm looking at single story, two bedroom cabin, with kitchen, bathroom, living room and utility. I will want a log burner. Hot water and central heating I'm undecided upon. Tempted just to stick an LPG tank in the grounds. But the more energy efficient and off-grid I can be, the better.

I've built many a timber outbuilding but not a dwelling. Pointers and advise gratefully received.

Copper wood homes/log cabins. You will find what you want there. I have built exactly what you have described. It came from Estonia in 2014. Built it myself except the electrics. I needed no special tools just a load of common sense and experience in building. I have guns stored in it too. No issues from the plods/plodettes. Pm me if you want specific info. I’ll help if I can.

 

[shakey jake]

we made our house airtight and use an mvhr, no draughts, no condensation, no mould. if your making a new build it would be very easy to install. doesnt use much electric and moves the heat around.
id advise any one to consider it

 

[angusb1]

I'm sure there's a workaround. I need to consult the FEO beforehand I guess.

I'd like not to build a full concrete foundation, because it's expensive. I'd rather have the building on steel stilts. But I could incorporate a steel frame into the structure where the cabinets would go. I can't see how that is any less secure than bolting to a masonry wall.

You might want to have a look at using ground screws. I'm planning a garden building at the moment and I'll be using them rather than conventional footings. Here are some links I've been looking at:

Amazon product ASIN B07L34F3FHAmazon product ASIN B0893992FP 100mm

750mm Self Install Ground Screw
Ground Screws
Ground Screw Foundations for Garden Rooms, Offices and Studios • No More Digging
Shop - The Ground Screw Shop

 

[Norfolk Horn]

we made our house airtight and use an mvhr, no draughts, no condensation, no mould. if your making a new build it would be very easy to install. doesnt use much electric and moves the heat around.
id advise any one to consider it

Cab you turn yours off completely if you want to?

 

[reiver]

erm......forgive my ignorance, but having just a bit of trouble with this. - Can't use Google Translate without knowing which language

It’s Tradesman’s English/Scottish
It takes years to learn

 

[shakey jake]

Cab you turn yours off completely if you want to?

its on a switch supply so i guess, but we have run it all year.

 

[User00035]

Wish nobody did . would make it easier for the locals to purchase and get on the property ladder. Which in some areas is impossible due to holiday homes which are empty 10 months of the year .

That's part of the reason why I'm looking at Scotland. Sorry to impose on you. If I could get out of this country I would, but it's too late. At least I'm a working person and I'm buying a property to live in full time until I'm carried out feet first. I know how you feel though. The west country was ruined for ordinary locals like me thirty years ago. Then I moved to the north east and found Covid migrants from London and the south east and Air bnb investors had beaten me to it.
My heart sinks up here when I hear a middle class home counties accent.

 

[Norfolk Horn]

its on a switch supply so i guess, but we have run it all year.

It's just if it's extremely cold the difference between the temperature of the dirty air and the clean air is so great it will blow cold air in.
So if its forecasting a very cold night or when temperatures are bitter I would turn it off.

 

[shakey jake]

It's just if it's extremely cold the difference between the temperature of the dirty air and the clean air is so great it will blow cold air in.
So if its forecasting a very cold night or when temperatures are bitter I would turn it off.

valid point, not had it that cold yet.

 

[Sampo]

Possibly worth a watch Traditional Finnish Log House Building Process

 

[Rake Aboot]

I looked into doing the same thing last year as I retired this week at 54 and wanted somewhere rural.

All I'll say is good luck. Whatever council you are dealing with I can assure you of two things. There will be no one with building based qualifications on the plannig comittee and that it will be fully staffed with halfwitted hitler wannabees who just want to make you're plans undoable.

Sorry for sounding negative, but I gave up and am looking to buy a place as I had no appetite for living in a caravan onsite for 3 yrs waiting to complete.

 

[User00035]

I have it on good authority that where the plot involves rebuilding and reoccupying a derelict dwelling, the Scottish government can't get it done fast enough because they're desperate for the council tax.

 

[User00035]

Maybe ,
I'd like something like feather edge straight over the face of the main frame, but the Americans & Canadians certainly know how to build log cabins, I'd love to do what Finch is considering, buy 10 or 20 acres and put a cabin up, but it's not really that easy in the UK. @Finch if you read this, just try and go as off-grid as possible, the renewable technology is coming on in giant leaps, easily capable of being self-sufficient in energy if you are not an energy-hungry household.

Every service is readily available to the plot, but yes, I want to be as off-grid as I can be. At least with everything there I could at least get up and running quickly and wean myself off the grid over time.

 

[bobt]

Im a Bco
but in england, the jock regs are different by some large measure,

as to fixing a gun cabinet, are you planning a fireplace/chimney?

 

[User00035]

Im a Bco
but in england, the jock regs are different by some large measure,

as to fixing a gun cabinet, are you planning a fireplace/chimney?

Yes. Well, a log burner anyway. I would like either a central spine wall or two gable walls of masonry incorporating chimney and fireplace, with the rest of the building timber. But full timber construction with an external flue pipe would be cheaper.