Seasonal workers dwelling - twin mobile home....

[richy_B]

Took me nearly 14yrs to win the right to live in the woods, that's just to stay not to build and I'm not sure if I'd go through it all again!😔 Nearly everything in planning law seems to be down to your LPA's own interpretation of the national planning guidance which can vary wildly!

 

Do you think the woodland aspect was a big factor here? Ie if it was a 30 acres (traditional) small holding it might have been easier?

[john p]

Nice idea....thats a possibility too. cheers, steve

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Excellent! How wide is yours and how are the two halves held together?.... chunky bolts or something else?

 

cheers, steve

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a residence I think you'd be looking at Permitted Development rights.... but I think that might limit using it for a residence at 28 days per year.

 

 

 

Apart from that I think you'd be looking at a full planning application (for residence).

 

 

 

I believe you can have one as a storage/ garden shed/ office type room for the whole year for non-residential purposes (under Permitted development).

 

You may need to apply for a Certificate of Lawfulness?

 

 

 

I'm not totally clued up on all of that though so best to look at the legislation or chat with the planners.

 

 

 

Cheers, steve

 

 

It's joined with four bolts at the base, get them right and then use jack legs on the outside edges to push the top together, I was suprised how simple it was

[timbernut]

No I have 40 acres plus freedom to work adjacent 70acres. They put every possible hurdle in my way, we had two of the wettest summers on record (****** charcoal sales and there was little sympathy), arguments over living wage/self sufficiency, and when I finally had the council on board someone popped up with a load of bollocks about bats being killed by charcoal smoke (nonsense and their evidence was based on kids setting fires in old chalk mines in Norwich and bats suffocating trapped in the workings no connection with charcoal production)

This ensured it dragged on for another 3 yrs, fortunately I had a good, honest ecologist.

There's other issues as well but it's water under the bridge now

[clv101]

SteveA, being in Pembrokeshire, I presume you're aware of the One Planet Development policy? See One Planet Council | Supporting One Planet Developments

[RichieR]

I've not got that far yet. Here's a few thoughts on pricing:

 

- We have all the oak we need and can hire in a mobile saw mill at about £350 per day. I reckon on two days of milling should produce enough timber.

- I can do the groundworks myself using high density concrete blocks.

- Insulation can be very expensive from the builders merchants or free via Freecycle, or cheap via used/ reclaimed sheets.

- It won't be a zinc roof! Maybe a green roof, or steel sheets, or hand cleft shingles, or rubber tiles???

- I love recycling stuff so that will definitely happen.

- Would like to have a good quality log burner and maybe a wood fired Rayburn?

 

Thoughts on purchasing a ready made unit:

 

I've looked at the twin statics as seen on a lot of caravan park sites but they are flimsy and not particularly well insulated.... easy enough to pick one up for below £10k

 

Used timber twin units are less common and tend to go for more money.

 

Buying a new high quality twin unit could range from £40k for a small one to £180k for a big one (20m length X 6.8m width).

 

Cheers, steve

 

If the planning regs stipulate it has to be a twin unit ready assembled then let me know even though I not in the caravan industry anymore I know a few useful contacts

[SteveA]

It is something I have been thinking about but I think you need to have your 'ducks in a row' before you go down that route. When you mention trading history, what do you consider young? I am hoping 5 years of accounts would see you well in this scenario.

 

We're in our third year.... year one was all input (setting up), year two we started marketing (with a bit of income) and now in the early part of year three with a reasonable financial income and less costs.

 

In terms of farming.... income is a slow build compared with other types of business.... unless you sell your site out for Fracking, wind or solar farm, etc!

cheers, steve

 

It's joined with four bolts at the base, get them right and then use jack legs on the outside edges to push the top together, I was suprised how simple it was

 

That sounds very simple (and useful to know). Do the jacking legs remain in place as part of the foundation structure? Also, is the roof truss bolted together as well?

cheers, Steve

 

SteveA, being in Pembrokeshire, I presume you're aware of the One Planet Development policy? See One Planet Council | Supporting One Planet Developments

 

Yep. Very aware of One Planet aka the council 'Live your life as I say, not as I do' development policy. It's very Big Brother and verges on signing away your human rights for "the right to a private life" (I reckon).

 

I have friends that have applied and failed the One Planet criteria; despite putting in a very detailed & worthy application.

cheers, steve

 

If the planning regs stipulate it has to be a twin unit ready assembled then let me know even though I not in the caravan industry anymore I know a few useful contacts

 

They can be completely assembled on site, piece by piece and I haven't seen any info on a maximum time-frame for the build either.

 

There is no requirement to actually move the unit once built.... you just need to show that it has been designed/ and is capable of being moved off site in no more than two halves (hence the bolting together as others have shown above).

 

cheers, steve

[richy_B]

Quite a bit of inspiration on this website.... Photos Mobile Home, Park Home, Static Caravan and Log Cabin

Although none of them tick my oak truss box enough for my liking; am looking to do something a little more rustic feeling.

cheers, steve

 

Fantastically useful site. Thanks for the post.

[SteveA]

Fantastically useful site. Thanks for the post.

 

Yeah there's tons of info on their website. Looks like they have built a lot of units.... and from what I've seen in the photos the build quality looks excellent; probably better than a lot of houses.

cheers, steve

[Justme]

- We have all the oak we need and can hire in a mobile saw mill at about £350 per day. I reckon on two days of milling should produce enough timber.

- I can do the groundworks myself using high density concrete blocks.

 

 

Our 6x16 took 3 lorry loads & 14 active days of milling inc making the shingles.

 

Each milling day was followed by a day moving & stickering all the timbers (1x1 1x2 2x2 2x3 2x4 2x6 2x8 1x5 1x6,bandsaw cut shingles & loads of bits for trims), processing the waste & getting the logs ready for the next day.

 

Yes that could have been done during the milling day but as I was paying per day I wanted the operator to stay on the controls non stop.

 

If your going for temporary watch out for perm/fixed foundations.

[SteveA]

Our 6x16 took 3 lorry loads & 14 active days of milling inc making the shingles.

 

Each milling day was followed by a day moving & stickering all the timbers (1x1 1x2 2x2 2x3 2x4 2x6 2x8 1x5 1x6,bandsaw cut shingles & loads of bits for trims), processing the waste & getting the logs ready for the next day.

 

Yes that could have been done during the milling day but as I was paying per day I wanted the operator to stay on the controls non stop.

 

If your going for temporary watch out for perm/fixed foundations.

 

I'll need to weigh up the time/cost factor for milling smaller bits of timber compared with buying in from local timber merchants. I reckon on two days milling may be enough for the the main frame (oak) and cladding (larch or cedar).

 

Shingles look amazing but the pitch might be too shallow for them, especially considering our horizontal weather patterns!

 

Permanent/ fixed foundations seems a bit of a grey area. hmmm, need to look into that.

Did they give you hassle for your foundations? (assuming they are permanent).

cheers, steve