Although many people are fascinated by this idea, there is still a belief that many of the conveniences that are important for the comfort of everyday life must be abandoned when making this decision.
However, according to experts, insulated log cabins for sale can surpass many homes in terms of comfort and design, so there is no need to worry about amenities. To make the evaluating of the possibility to change your home easier, we had decided to discuss the main advantages of the log houses in this article.
Insulated log cabins – not only for summer holidays
Before discussing the advantages of replacing large brick houses in detail, it is important to emphasize that well-known log cabins are not only intended for summer vacation. Professionals who have been specializing in the production of wooden houses for many years emphasize – the log cabin could be perfectly adapted to both – summer and winter seasons. There are also many examples of these buildings being turned into modern and cozy homes for permanent living.
Individually designed wooden houses can be characterized by a very modern interior, an original, not necessarily wooden exterior, large panoramic windows, a terrace of various shapes and sizes, and similar solutions that are completely uncharacteristic of a country cottage style. Therefore, what your log cabin will look like depends solely on your imagination and financial possibilities.
Great possibilities of design
Many brick houses owners are still considering wooden houses as primitive, quadrangular cabins, able to satisfy only the most necessities of life. However, the truth is opposite. If you think that a brick or block house could offer all the possible benefits probably you have never felt a natural atmosphere in a wooden house built for permanent living.
The thing is, you can create insulated log cabins by adapting them to your personal needs fully. Wooden cabins can also be multi-story, with large windows, a modern, home-expanding terrace, with or without a garage. Such a cottage can also be designed as a building consisting of much smaller spaces, which is usually typical of a brick-type or the older design houses. However, if you like larger spaces and prefer more light – a loft-type log cabin can become a comfortable choice, allowing you to create an ultra-modern interior closer to nature.
For those who want a unique housing option that meets their personal needs, but do not have the time for longer design and adjustment works, a prepared, individually adjusted mobile home project can be a great solution. Firstly, in this way, you will be able to purchase your dream home, not someone else's, and the design process itself will not take long. It is worth emphasizing that our partners, who have been specializing in the production of wooden houses for many years, offer the adaptation of insulated log cabins for sale completely free of charge.
Construction without a permit
The question that is still often discussed in construction forums is - is it true that log cabins can be built without permission? However, it should be emphasized here that the construction requirements for such houses are practically no different from those that apply for any other type of building.
A building permit will be required if the area of the house exceeds 80 m2 or the building is higher than 8.5 m. It is important to note that the attic area is not included in the total counting if it is not equipped. The basement and terrace areas are also not included in the total area calculations. When considering the construction of insulated log cabins, the planned construction site is also important. The requirements for a house without a permit mentioned above are only valid if it is not built on a plot that belongs to the protected area.
Keep in mind that even if the building meets the requirements of the regulations defining construction without a permit, it must still meet the requirements of the community to maintain a regulated distance of 3 meters to the plot boundary, and to be built under fire and sanitary safety requirements.
Short construction time
If the construction of brick and block residential houses can take from several months to several years, a wooden mobile home of the same square can be assembled in just a few days. According to experts, probably the main reasons for such a short construction time of log houses are extremely simple, prefabricated, easy to assemble constructions, and the possibility to carry out construction work in any weather.
If, in the case of brick or blockhouse, the building requires extremely massive foundations and heavy floors, the wooden house, due to its relatively lightweight, can be built on a simple, quick-to-install foundation. The installation of this type of building could also be completed much faster and during it, in contrast to the construction of a brick house, a lot of wet construction work is not carried out – for example, there is no need to wait for the masonry mixture to get dry.
A simple decoration
In the case of brick or blockhouse, it is necessary to provide a suitable layer of wall decoration which requires considerable additional costs. When it comes to log cabins – they can simply be covered with protective materials. Given the fact that the walls of the cottage are constantly exposed to various weather conditions and external factors, such as precipitation or UV rays, and wood is a natural material, special attention must be paid to the quality of these protection measures.
From a technical point of view, the main advantages of insulated log cabins facades are particularly good self-insulation and air circulation, as well as low operating costs. However, it is worth noting that wooden buildings are affected not only by the type of wood chosen but also by the appropriate, constantly maintained protection of the facade, which is also not a very cheap solution.
In the case of brick houses, the question of finishing layer is a bit simpler - a wet facade or clinker tile finish is usually used. However, compared to the cost of finishing a wooden house – a wet facade or clinker tile will be way more expensive.
When installing a wet facade, it is common to use only one main material that provides thermal insulation to protect the home from the negative effects of the environment, so this choice can slightly reduce the cost of insulation itself. Although houses with this type of facade do not have good air ventilation, due to the extremely high level of insulation properties, they allow to significantly reduce the heating costs of the house, and their price is one of the most affordable on the market.
A flexible price
Continuing the topic of construction, it is important to emphasize that the much faster construction process of insulated log cabins for sale has a direct impact on the construction cost. The lower complexity of the work does not require the use of expensive equipment, building materials can be delivered by easier transport even to hard-to-reach places. Mobile homes also have greater advantages in the case of reconstruction, when, for example, if an additional wall in the construction is needed, it is enough to simply put it in. In the case of a brick house, the implementation of such changes will require additional concreting of the wall, which is more reminiscent of another construction process than a simple reconstruction.
It is not difficult to understand that wooden houses also differ in price from brick or blockhouses due to building materials. Given that fact, the construction of such a building is in all cases is much lighter than the construction of a brick house. This also affects the wider choice of foundations for the house. For the construction of the wooden house, it is possible to use simpler and cheaper – pile foundations, which are usually drilled or plug-in types. In the case of brick or blockhouse, much stronger foundations will be required, such as planar ones, It will cost more to install than a pile foundation - with a plinth finish and good insulation, it will range from an average of € 60 to € 70 per m2.
Another factor that has a significant impact on the construction costs of brick and wooden housing – is insulation works. It is worth noting that when comparing brick and wooden house, which is not insulated, a wooden building made of brick far exceeds its natural heat wall resistance. This means that if you want to get the same thermal saving that a non-insulated wooden house has, you will have to spend a lot of money to insulate a brick house.
It is true that although various sources of information often refer to wood as a material that provides excellent heat and sound insulation, good insulation of a mobile wooden home requires special attention to detail. This is because a log cabin built from individual parts, unlike a brick house, is not made of a solid material, which ensures tightness itself. It is worth noting that the thermal insulation of log cabins, just like a brick or blockhouse, depends not only on the insulated walls - according to general calculations, as much as 25% of heat loss causes poor quality windows and doors, and 10-15% – ceiling.
For those who want to understand how much could insulated log cabins cost, it is worth knowing that there are plenty of offers available on the market for every budget. However, you can buy a simple cottage with an area of about 30 m2, which does not have modern solutions, for about 5,000 euros, not counting the additional insulation and interior installation work. If you think the log house should be a little bigger, you can choose from the second category of buildings, which cost between 5000 and 7000 euros. Those who are looking for alternatives closer to the living space should check for higher ceilings, perhaps even two-floor log cabins (which prices currently start at around € 10,000 on the market). Such buildings can be equipped with a high-quality heating system, and the living space won't be limited.
Environmentally-friendly solutions
When creating the house of our dreams we usually give priority to different things. For some, the strength and durability of the log house are important, which is often even visually expressed through the array of buildings. There are also others, pleased with the space and lightness of lightweight but no less durable insulated log cabins for sale. However, while in most areas wooden and brick houses may meet the same needs of the population, the exceptional ecological and natural features of log cabins cannot be ignored.
At a time when naturalness and friendliness to nature are gaining importance in our lives, wooden homes that create an atmosphere of living close to nature are gaining in popularity. In short, wooden walls create an atmosphere that cannot be created by brick walls. While from a technical perspective it may not seem like an important factor, studies show that the naturalness, and lightness that wood emits have an impact on the overall quality of life.
If you give priority to naturalness and plan to build a wooden cabin, you may preserve the natural wooden walls. It will not only decorate your living space but will also go well with other modern interior details. It is also important to mention that wood is characterized by natural breathing and constant air circulation. Therefore, a large amount of natural wood will not create a high demand for a conditioning system in the home either. No less valuable is the natural sound insulation properties of wooden log cabins, which allow you to remove most of the noise from the outside.
