| Garden
Cabins |
| Q |
Do
you need planning permission for Timberville Garden
Houses? |
| A |
Generally
no, although if you live in a conservation area it might
be advisable to contact your local authority. |
| Q |
What
is required prior to building a cabin? |
| A |
The
customer needs to supply a solid level base. NB. We
can make the necessary arrangements for you if you require
our help. |
| Q |
Can
we have alternative roofing materials & which ones
come supplied with the kit? |
| A |
Cabins
come complete with sheet roofing felt, however felt
shingles or tiles can be supplied at an extra cost.
£POA. |
| Q |
Can
extra windows be purchased? |
| A |
Yes. |
| Q |
What
treatment is necessary to maintain the quality of and
condition of the cabins? |
| A |
All
ground contact timbers and veranda deckboards are pressure
treated. A microporous (water repellant) stain of the
customer's choice should be applied once the cabin has
been built.
NB. Timberville are distributors for the Osmo range
of stains and preservatives. |
|
|
| Log
Houses |
| Q |
How
much do they cost? Can I get a mortgage? |
| A |
Like
all construction jobs, this is impossible to say - each
job must be considered as an individual project. However,
as a rough guide, your log house should cost between
10% and 25% less than the equivalent, 'traditional'
UK housebuild.
There should be no problem getting a mortgage, subject
to normal status requirements. |
| Q |
What
about planning permission? |
| A |
Log
houses are subject to the same planning laws as with
brick & block houses and, as with block houses,
appropriate design will ensure that your home gets planning
permission. |
| Q |
Can
I get normal house insurance? |
| A |
There
are a number of insurance companies that offer full
cover for log homes. At the moment, there is a small
additional weighting on the insurance premium (+ 5%
to 20% depending on the cover).
We expect this to be reduced as insurance companies
recognise the strengths and lower risk associated with
log homes. |
| Q |
Is
there a higher risk of fires in a wooden home? |
| A |
Fire
regulations specify the exact standards required in
building materials with regard to fire safety. In tests
carried out on log homes at the Finnish Technical Research
Centre, a log wall withstood a fire with a temperature
of up to 1100°C for 113 minutes - far in excess
of legal requirements. Internal walls can include an
applicationm of class 'O' spread of flame retardent
woodstain. |
| Q |
Is
my log house going to last as long as a normal house? |
| A |
There
are log buildings throughout the world that are over
three hundred years old and Sweden’s oldest surviving
log building was built in 1285. You can look forward
to your children's children's children enjoying the
beauty of your home. |
| Q |
How
much maintenance is required? |
| A |
Like
all buildings, log homes require periodic maintenance
to stay in best condition. The external walls are painted
with preservative during construction and, due to the
absorption qualities of the wood, they are painted again
the first year. Thereafter they should be painted every
four to five years. |
