The Basics of what Log Cabin to Buy

There are many possible reasons that will dictate the cost of your Log Cabin. I am going to go through the most important factors so you have the knowledge when you talk to the sales person you know if they are playing fair with you.

But the important thing to remember is that you should buy the biggest cabin you can afford (this means space as well as cost). You will never say that you wish you had bought a smaller Log Cabin. Only that you had bought a bigger Cabin. I’m not being all salesy here and trying to get you to spend more money. No, I want you to be happy with the final building as well as the cost of the project.

All stated costs here are approximate and only for rough indications as each manufacturer and seller use their own system of pricing.

Does a Bespoke Cabin cost more than a standard Cabin?

This is an interesting question. The answer is yes, but we normally so no - why?

The answer is simple, in the grand scheme the cost of drawing the plan and preparing the plan for production is insucnifficant compared to the cost of material and production.

Does the cost of a Log Cabin depend on the Size?

Yes. Well that was easy. The basic is that as you get bigger you will get, the more logs are needed and so more expensive. This does not mean that a very small Log Cabin will cost almost nothing. As you get to the smallest possible size, material cost is overtaken by production costs.

As you increase the Log Cabin size there is a limit to the length of span before internal roof support is needed, this limit is approximetly 5.7m. So over 5.7m it is usual for a roof supporting archway to be needed. This will add to the cost.

How does the Thickness of the Log Cabin effect the cost?

Again, as above, as you increase the amount of material you will increase the cost of the Log Cabin.

But again, its not a linear increase. 

Buying extra windows and doors for a Log Cabin

If you wish to have additional extra windows and doors added to a standard cabin, the cheapest way to do this is just to buy the extra window and cut the unwanted logs out and add the window in! This will just add the the cost of the window or door onto the price of the cabin.

If you are buying a bespoke log cabin then each additional window or door you add at the planning stage will add a cost to the cabin, there will be a small reduction as you remove logs, but this saving as you reduce the amount of logs is insucnifficant compared to the cost of the window.

Why does Double Glazing add so much more the cost of the Log Cabin?

Its interesting that with glazing, most manufacturers will assign a quality standard each each type of glazing. So a double glazed will usually come with a better tilt and turn mechanism, draft proof seals and metal drip sill.

Usually a double glazed log cabin will have thicker wall logs. Additional extras might include more purlins.

Why does a insulated roof cost so much more than floor insulation?

When purchasing floor insulation, your in usually be sold rigid insinuation boards, depending on the thickness of your base frame the insulation will be 25mm or 50mm thick. Vapour barrier and batons may also be included in the price.

With roof insulation, unless your are applying metal cladding to the roof, there is a need to clad both sides of the insulation. So in effect you will have two tounge and groove wooden roofs. This will in cause the contaty of wood to double, and increase the cost considerably. 

Does a higher ridge roof add much extra cost to the price of a Log Cabin?

Yes, higher roof will increase the amount of logs and in turn increase the price. A higher cabin will also make the build more complicated and as such will most likely increase the cost of the install. Scaffolding may be needed, so this will have to be costed into the price.

Does having a steeper roof make the cost of the log cabin increase?

Increasing the roof pitch will incrase the roof size, and this will increase the price of the log cabin. Again, as above, the build will be more complicated and scafolding may be needed. So this will be reflected in the costs.

How much extra does it cost to have extra internal walls in a Log Cabin?

This really depends on the hight of the roof and thickness of the walls.

For a standard height log cabin you could be £150 to £250 per m.

Does an extra storey make a log cabin more expensive?

Very similar to having a higher roof ridge, there are more wall logs. But you will also have internal floor bearers for the additional storey and required floor boards. The build is also more complicated with the need of scaffolding.

All of which will add more expensive to the cost of the build.

I hope this has helped you understand the costing of a log cabin a little.

If there is anything that I have missed please contact me.