Log cabin home

[Dean Lofthouse]

I,m going to be perfectly honest and open with planning and going to see them beforehand and im not going for approval via some loophole.

 

Eventually I want three cabins on site, but will only apply for two to start, all heated from a single boiler run from arb arisings from the business next door, ie, my woodchip and logs, each building will also have solar panels and an electric heater backup and will be as near carbon neutral as they can possibly be.

 

I also intend to apply for a 10kw turbine on site, being that the buildings will be virtually carbon neutral, 90% of the energy produced will be pumped into the national grid and hopefully the purchase cost will be paid back in as little as two year.

 

In effect the buildings will have a huge minus carbon rating, I don't see how I can tick any more boxes for planning approval

Edited May 13, 2012 by Dean Lofthouse

[Peter]

Wish you the best of luck Dean, and I believe that if you own a piece of land you should have the right to build a house on it and live in it. Sadly the planning system is in place to prevent the countryside becoming littered with common peoples houses, and keep everyone penned up in suburbia.

[PhilBeech]

Guy I work with - http://www.wildfurniture.co.uk

 

Very talented!

[Peter]

linky no worky

[Dean Lofthouse]

I am only looking into basic stuff at the moment J . I am going to employ an architect and throw all my ideas at them and let them work out what is good and what is bad. One thing I really want to incorporate is that heat recovery ventilation stuff and the central boiler using arb waste idea.

I had a look at the passive stuff at the grand designs show last week but that is really hard to get your head round, they said even the heat from a laptop can add to the temperature ??

[RobArb]

how was the grand designs expo/show thingy dean?

 

As good as the programs, and did you get to talk to kev:biggrin:?

[Justme]

I am going to employ an architect and throw all my ideas at them and let them work out what is good and what is bad.

 

Have you never watched Grand Designs? The architects get it wrong all the time. Make sure you check what is really good & what is bling.

[toprotter]

One tip I was told was keep all crime numbers of damage/theft from property etc as this can be another feather in your cap to help towards gaining consent if you are combining with business

[Dean Lofthouse]

Cheers for that J. Will do

 

The grand designs expo was really good, it was vast and you needed a full day to walk round it properly. The only thing that spoiled it was salesmen jumping out in front of you all the time and wasting the time you need to see everything.

 

From dog sponsoring to double glazing salesmen it was an absolute pain in the backside, if I,m interested in a product I will ask, I don't need pestering. It ended up in the end with me having to be rude to them otherwise I wouldn't have got round the show

[teepeeat]

Yep - agree with bigJ, watch out for the eco-bling.

Also, very valid point re reducing demand for heating with insulation & airtightness - this will pay off long term. We are heating approx 200m2 with a high-efficiency stove, total 8kw - 70% to boiler which feeds a thermal store for hot water and heating and 30% to the open-plan upstairs. During the last few winters it has been way to hot upstairs necesitating opening a window to bring it down to a habitable temp Our efforts worked better than expected.

most UK builders have no clue about airtightness - we did it ourselves although there does seem to be a growing awareness, but not much interest in doing it properly.

Regarding damp - the general principle with any building is to give it a good pair of boots and a good hat.

Other comments re log cabins - our neighbours imported one from the states and self errected - very impressive system, but not sure of manufacturer. They dont have any issues with cold getting in, but they are hardy folk mind. In their case the joints were buttered with some sort of mastic to seal it.

Everything arrived on two artics and was packed such that the first bits needed were on top. They were sent full instructions well in advance, but did have somebody in for a couple of days who had imported and built a few before.

They build under and agricultural tie - the cabin qualifies as a temporary structure

Re planners - dont underestimate their abilities to defy reason !!!! I would generally regard myself as a pacifist, but could happily shoot our planning department - b........ds

 

Anyway, late now so go go go - will be worth it.

 

PS research & plan well before jumping in!!!!!!!