Our Log Home

[Brusher]

Thanks for explaining, sorry if my question sounded daft, so your new log cabin is mobile? How does that work? I hope you don't mind me asking, it's just all new to me.

Yes, it's theoretically mobile...in practise, well, that's a different matter entirely. It's the equivilent of a double unit mobile home joined down the middle. Case law is very much your friend when dealing with planners. Basically, you have to know more about planning then them, which actually is not hard! They tried all sorts of dirty tricks after I got my certificate, and I was able to deflect them all due to the amout of research I'd done on the subject. For more info on planning matters pertaining to living on your own land I can recommend this chap on youtube:

I agree with everything the says and our paths were very similar!

 

[Mike313]

Thanks for that

 

[crosslandkelly]

Can't see the images here.

 

[Brusher]

Can't see the images here.

Fixed.

 

[crosslandkelly]

That looks idylic.

 

[petrochemicals]

Very pleasant, I hope it's nice and cool in summer too? And if you don't mind have you got a link to the company you got it off, not that I'm in a position to get one, I just want to be nosy.

 

[Brusher]

Very pleasant, I hope it's nice and cool in summer too? And if you don't mind have you got a link to the company you got it off, not that I'm in a position to get one, I just want to be nosy.

The company in question was RPM Log Homes of Estonia. Their UK agent is New Forest Log Cabins. I can't actually find any trace of RPM online anymore, but these people seem to have taken up the reins: http://www.estonianlogcabins.com/

 

[Janne]

I think your new home looks fantastic! And it is situated in a beautiful 'plot', so your quality of living is high!

a thought about your beds: The positive about the shape is that you can easily access the whole area, from all around. Convenient!
The height makes tending them easy on the back. You will appreciate that in the ears to come!

There is one plant I would move though. The rhubarb. It can grow on the ground, somewhere else, it is a very hardy and maintenance free plant. And grows BIG.
You would free up space for something else.

With the log construction, be prepared for shrinkage. Gaps between the logs can develop. Seal with wool, then a putty based on linseed or pitch. Whatever goes with the treatment of the logs.

I used to have a traditional half log house, and tried to seal the cracks with daub, it worked, but as the timbers 'breathe' and move in the seasons, the daub started moving away from the wood.
I used linseed oil putty, the same stuff they used to set windowpanes with.


And congrats of being able to 'win' over the building rules!

 

[Leshy]

Lovely set up there! Beautiful cabin and surroundings.

Very cool that not only are you off grid but also intend to have forest school and teach sustainability to like-minded people.

Having bees as well is just the icing on the cake .

But the coolest thing about it all is that through research, hard work and perseverance , you managed to stick the finger to "the man" and used civil disobedience to achieve something beautiful.

Ben Law did something similar a few years ago and his homestead is without a doubt one of the most beautiful homesteads in great Britain.

Congratulations and please do keep us updated on all the progress , and perhaps even list course dates etc.

I hope some permaculture design and development , as well as education , will perhaps be part of your plans .

Thank you for sharing

 

[gonzo_the_great]

Busher,
There is a local guy who sells (well used to, I've not called him in a while) solar panels. These are either used ones from solar farms, or just new ones that are spare after a job. And they are pretty cheap.
The last lot we had were new 280watt, for £75 each. I was told that they were a batch that had not need stored in the approved way (stored outdorors... erm, what?!) and their inspector rejected the lot. We brought a whole van full and they were all fine.

Let me know if you interested, are and I'll send you his phone number.

Jules

 

[Brusher]

Busher,
There is a local guy who sells (well used to, I've not called him in a while) solar panels. These are either used ones from solar farms, or just new ones that are spare after a job. And they are pretty cheap.
The last lot we had were new 280watt, for £75 each. I was told that they were a batch that had not need stored in the approved way (stored outdorors... erm, what?!) and their inspector rejected the lot. We brought a whole van full and they were all fine.

Let me know if you interested, are and I'll send you his phone number.

Jules

Hi Jules, That sounds great! If you could dig out his number and PM me I'd be very appreciative.

 

[Brusher]

Lovely set up there! Beautiful cabin and surroundings.

Very cool that not only are you off grid but also intend to have forest school and teach sustainability to like-minded people.

Having bees as well is just the icing on the cake .

But the coolest thing about it all is that through research, hard work and perseverance , you managed to stick the finger to "the man" and used civil disobedience to achieve something beautiful.

Ben Law did something similar a few years ago and his homestead is without a doubt one of the most beautiful homesteads in great Britain.

Congratulations and please do keep us updated on all the progress , and perhaps even list course dates etc.

I hope some permaculture design and development , as well as education , will perhaps be part of your plans .

Thank you for sharing

Thank you. I'll work towards another post sometime soon. Permaculture is very much on the cards and I'm considering attending some courses and gaining suitable accreditation. So much to do so little time!

 

[slowworm]

But the coolest thing about it all is that through research, hard work and perseverance , you managed to stick the finger to "the man" and used civil disobedience to achieve something beautiful.

That's a bit sexist.

Your sentiment puzzles me though, do you want to allow anyone to build over the countryside? If so you do realise the prices would rise thus preventing most people with a genuine need to buy land and build a home to be able to do so?

 

[Brusher]

That's a bit sexist.

Your sentiment puzzles me though, do you want to allow anyone to build over the countryside? If so you do realise the prices would rise thus preventing most people with a genuine need to buy land and build a home to be able to do so?

I completely get where Leshy is coming from. I don't think he (or myself) is advocating a complete lack of building controls! People are already prevented from buying non-residential land and building on it. It's basically impossible outside of perhaps Wales with their One Planet scheme. Of course, it's a different story if you're a Developer. The system as it stands is designed to maintain the status quo as it is. I.E: 0.6 percent of the population (the aristocracy) owning more than half of all rural land. How much of the UK is offically rural land? 93%. The vast majority of us live on just 7% of the land. The various UK enclosure acts , read land grabs, forced people into the cities; and that, according to the powers that be, is where they belong. Thre is no "shortage" of land. it's just being sat on and drip fed into the market to keep prices high. Let's have an accessible, fair system to allow small scale low impact development. It's achievable, but this country is run for the benefit of capital, not people.

 

[slowworm]

I think it's always easy to blame someone/thing else, but at the end of the day if it was easier to build what you want / where you want then the land prices would price many people out and there would be far more building on green field sites. You may well be in a worse position than you are know.

 

[Brusher]

I don't follow your logic. Firstly, recognising how the system works and understanding how it has come about is hardly apportioning blame. What a bizzare conclusion. Secondly, The price of all land is based on supply and demand. More supply of potential building plots due to realistic and fair planning laws: in time leads to less demand: and in time cheaper prices. The market always corrects itself.
Like now, there's more farmland for sale than in recent years and this results in lower prices. Less than £10,000 an acre for the first time in 6 - 7 years.