Saving For a Space Ship Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 (edited) Just heard this anecdote from a friend here in the NW. I'm wondering if this is becoming more common? The Boomer was a low paid ex-council employee with pension. Apparently, they spent a few £000 on this building, but I don't have a figure. I think its 6 x 8m, assume something like this that will still need to be insulated £7.5K. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-6m-x-8m-18ft-x-26ft-44mm-Thick-Log-Cabin-Garden-Room-Home-Office-Oxford-/361129068169?hash=item5414f84689:g:k84AAOSwAL9UdLSR Edited November 30, 2015 by Saving For a Space Ship Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snugglybear Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 Family I knew when I was in school (so, er, nearly 50 years ago) moved the one grandmother into a very similar shed. It was illegal then, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saving For a Space Ship Posted November 30, 2015 Author Share Posted November 30, 2015 (edited) Family I knew when I was in school (so, er, nearly 50 years ago) moved the one grandmother into a very similar shed. It was illegal then, too. I'm wondering if there's some fiddle, where they sleep on the sofa bed in the main house front room every 3rd night or so.. 1 b flat is £6k+ a yr, so + deposit / moving cost , they will have nearly paid off the £7.5k cost in a yr Edited November 30, 2015 by Saving For a Space Ship Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si1 Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 Family I knew when I was in school (so, er, nearly 50 years ago) moved the one grandmother into a very similar shed. It was illegal then, too. Yeah but they tend to stfu about it if you give them some Werther's originals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snugglybear Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 I'm wondering if there's some fiddle, where they sleep on the sofa bed in the main house front room every 3rd night or so.. 1 b flat is £6k+ a yr, so + deposit / moving cost , they will have nearly paid off the £7.5k cost in a yr In the case I mention, the grandmother ate with the family and used the bathroom in the house. I never asked about the arrangements at night - I imagine it didn't occur to me or I was too polite. I now presume the back door was left unlocked (this was in the country, 50 years ago) or a gazunder. I seem to recall their cover story was that it was a place for the grandmother to get some peace and quiet during the day. What they would have said about sleeping arrangements if the Council had asked, I don't know, as there obviously wasn't a bedroom for her, which is why she was in the shed in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeryMeanReversion Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 I'll be doing this for my kids. A proper brick built outbuilding to latest regs. Construct well before they need it under PD, class E, get it all signed off legally. Then they can move in when they want, add kitchen, bathroom etc. Even if reported and enforcement starts, it takes at least 5 years before anything actually happens. By that time, they would have saved a fortune in rent. With more council cuts, planning enforcement simply wont have the budget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saving For a Space Ship Posted December 1, 2015 Author Share Posted December 1, 2015 I'll be doing this for my kids. A proper brick built outbuilding to latest regs. Construct well before they need it under PD, class E, get it all signed off legally. Then they can move in when they want, add kitchen, bathroom etc. Even if reported and enforcement starts, it takes at least 5 years before anything actually happens. By that time, they would have saved a fortune in rent. With more council cuts, planning enforcement simply wont have the budget. Don't blame you, good luck with it. I would presume it's best to keep its' size within PD (30 sq. m - 5 x 6m) unlike the case I above mention, which is 8 x 6m (PD guide for those interested) I should probably declare a slight interest, as over a year ago, I started a small not-for-profit community group called Cabinz ( blog www.cabinz.net ) aiming to supply insulated panels from re-usable materials at low cost to insulate PD out buildings. We've had success re-using over 30 tonnes of off cuts, mainly from a composite door factory and refrigerated warehouse panels . We have produced various prototypes. If anyone is interested PM me . I've just done my first related Instructable combining dry wall lining steel with grp / upvc composite off-cuts http://www.instructables.com/id/Clad-Composite-Beam-From-Waste/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GinAndPlatonic Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 Just heard this anecdote from a friend here in the NW. I'm wondering if this is becoming more common? The Boomer was a low paid ex-council employee with pension. Apparently, they spent a few £000 on this building, but I don't have a figure. I think its 6 x 8m, assume something like this that will still need to be insulated £7.5K. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-6m-x-8m-18ft-x-26ft-44mm-Thick-Log-Cabin-Garden-Room-Home-Office-Oxford-/361129068169?hash=item5414f84689:g:k84AAOSwAL9UdLSR cheap log cabin.PNG That appears to be a really fine cabin. The thing that I am curious about is how to waterproof something like that and rely on it for (say) twenty years? I have seen so called pressure treated wood and sometimes it is just in name and looks very poor waterproofing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longtomsilver Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 That appears to be a really fine cabin. The thing that I am curious about is how to waterproof something like that and rely on it for (say) twenty years? I have seen so called pressure treated wood and sometimes it is just in name and looks very poor waterproofing. I've had a log cabin in my back garden for a few years now and giving it a coat or two of decking oil with UV protection once a year seems to do the trick. The water beads off nicely. There's always some left over and i use that on the fence panels with not quite enough to coat the last one and the difference with that panel compared to the rest is very obvious with warping, cracking and ageing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saving For a Space Ship Posted December 1, 2015 Author Share Posted December 1, 2015 (edited) That appears to be a really fine cabin. The thing that I am curious about is how to waterproof something like that and rely on it for (say) twenty years? I have seen so called pressure treated wood and sometimes it is just in name and looks very poor waterproofing. From the bottom of the ad... edit: Best build it out of SIPS, ready insulated, then clad in treated timber or corrugated, plastic coated steel. Personally. I'm a big fan of metal clad kingspan etc that meets regs. but you will need a wood / steel supporting frame as its not load bearing . cheap supplier here for slight seconds http://www.actionclad.co.uk All fittings, screws, nails and brackets are supplied with all Grant Log Cabins. The only thing that we don't supply with our cabins is roofing felt because there is quite a range of roof coverings available, and you can choose whichever material you prefer from your local DIY supplier or roofing specialist, from mineral felt to rubberised membranes. Please note that the cabin is untreated and will require treating with Wood Preserver and then topcoat/s of Paint or Preservative within a couple of weeks. Edited December 1, 2015 by Saving For a Space Ship Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeryMeanReversion Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 Don't blame you, good luck with it. I would presume it's best to keep its' size within PD (30 sq. m - 5 x 6m) unlike the case I above mention, which is 8 x 6m (PD guide for those interested) I should probably declare a slight interest, as over a year ago, I started a small not-for-profit community group called Cabinz ( blog www.cabinz.net ) aiming to supply insulated panels from re-usable materials at low cost to insulate PD out buildings. We've had success re-using over 30 tonnes of off cuts, mainly from a composite door factory and refrigerated warehouse panels . We have produced various prototypes. If anyone is interested PM me . I've just done my first related Instructable combining dry wall lining steel with grp / upvc composite off-cuts http://www.instructables.com/id/Clad-Composite-Beam-From-Waste/ PD size is not limited to 5x6m. I've already done one class E, 8m x 6.5m. All legal and signed off. Another existing outbuilding is 10m x 6m, will double that to 20m x 6m. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saving For a Space Ship Posted December 1, 2015 Author Share Posted December 1, 2015 (edited) PD size is not limited to 5x6m. I've already done one class E, 8m x 6.5m. All legal and signed off. Another existing outbuilding is 10m x 6m, will double that to 20m x 6m. Sorry for the confusion, I concentrate on low cost projects avoiding building regs & PP, (as often the materials don't meet building regs) for which I think the limit is 30 sq m. So I meant if you wanted to stay under radar, limit is 30 sq m I believe the other limits are 2.5m to the eaves, 3m total roof height, unless its a dual pitch roof, which allows 4m total height. Sometimes if you have a raised floor & they're feeling helpful, they will take measurement from top of floor to the eaves, not the ground. I read something recently on hpc or elsewhere, about some councils now saying they have to be contacted to have PD "activated". Have you heard of this? Edited December 1, 2015 by Saving For a Space Ship Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeryMeanReversion Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 Sorry for the confusion, I concentrate on low cost projects avoiding building regs & PP, (as often the materials don't meet building regs) for which I think the limit is 30 sq m. So I meant if you wanted to stay under radar, limit is 30 sq m I believe the other limits are 2.5m to the eaves, 3m total roof height, unless its a dual pitch roof, which allows 4m total height. Sometimes if you have a raised floor & they're feeling helpful, they will take measurement from top of floor to the eaves, not the ground. I read something recently on hpc or elsewhere, about some councils now saying they have to be contacted to have PD "activated". Have you heard of this? I went for the dual-pitch 4m and kept the distance to boundary to exactly 2m. When on a slope, you can measure off the highest-side. so I have 4m on the neighbours side but ~4.5m on my side. The only "PD activation" type rule I know of is related to the class MB/Q where you do need to notify the council that you will be making use of PD to turn an agricultural building into a dwelling. My neighbour just did this but the council did not respond with the 54(?) days so he can now go ahead anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 Choices, either move the business or the kids to the log cabin in the garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nome Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 This is obviously a particularly feckless boomer if they've ended up living in a shed, as I know a few of them who had 'low paid' council jobs with pensions and they're now living in 4-5 detached houses with all the usual trappings of a typical boomer (early) retirement.. motorhomes, boats, 3 holidays abroad per year etc etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saving For a Space Ship Posted December 1, 2015 Author Share Posted December 1, 2015 (edited) I went for the dual-pitch 4m and kept the distance to boundary to exactly 2m. When on a slope, you can measure off the highest-side. so I have 4m on the neighbours side but ~4.5m on my side. The only "PD activation" type rule I know of is related to the class MB/Q where you do need to notify the council that you will be making use of PD to turn an agricultural building into a dwelling. My neighbour just did this but the council did not respond with the 54(?) days so he can now go ahead anyway. Have you ever come across a reason why they give an extra 1m for a a dual pitch (DP) roof ? Is there a strict definition of the DP roof type, I assumed it just means that the lengths of sloped roof should be of different lengths, but thought they may want something more slanted to one side . I would want to have the peak in the middle as much as possible to maximise usable storage space / height. It needs to be open in the middle as per attic truss, so there is a crawl space, like below.. If I have a light weight metal skinned kingspan roof ( not heavy tiles) . I suspect I may be able to lose the upright to the right of middle giving more usable space. The slope info is worth knowing, Ta Edited December 1, 2015 by Saving For a Space Ship Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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