By Aimee Kemble
Do you want a second home but you think you can’t afford it? Think again, because a log cabin could be the answer.
Gone are the days when log cabins had dirt floors and no utilities. Today’s log cabins can be as comfortable as your own home; with insulated walls, tiled roof, full central heating, and double glazed windows.
A Log cabin as a second home can enable you to have a holiday in a favourite location at any time. They are becoming a popular choice because a log cabin tends to have a lower asking price than a traditional brick building of the same size, and low mortgage rates are still on the market. A log cabin as a second home can be bought used, brand new, or built as a DIY project, and there are companies that specialize in each of these areas.
If you’ve never experienced life in a log cabin, you could ‘test the water’ before buying, by renting a holiday log cabin. There are holiday log cabins within the United Kingdom or as far a field as Lapland.
When buying a new log cabin for a second home, you have the option of working with a design team to alter the floor plans to suit your individual requirements, and you can chose your own décor. They are often located in parks with other log cabins and they have the convenience of local amenities nearby such as: shops, a swimming pool, and a golf course. On top of your monthly mortgage, (if you need one) there is the monthly park fee to consider before you buy.
Building your own log cabin as a second home gives you the option to erect your log cabin wherever you want (subject to planning permission). However, suitable building sites in isolated parts of the country may be cheaper to buy, but they can be filled with added or hidden costs such as: sand, clay or rocky soils that may need additional engineering. There may be steep hills and mountains that can affect the transportation of necessary equipment, and extra utilities may need to be fitted, such as a septic tank, etc.
Before you take the plunge into buying a plot of land to build your own log cabin as a second home, do some research into your costs, so you know exactly what you can or cannot afford. There are also some questions you should ask: do you intend to retire to your log cabin one day? How often will you visit your log cabin? Will you rent it out to other people when you aren’t using it? Will you need to build guest rooms for visitors, or will you avoid having visitors stay overnight? Will you build the log cabin yourself or hire builders? How big do you want your log cabin? The bigger the log cabin the more maintenance work will be needed. Will you do your own maintenance work or hire somebody? What about security? Building your own log cabin as a second home can be rewarding, but do plan ahead.
If you want to escape the dreary British weather, there are plenty of log cabins as second homes in the sun to choose from. Using a solicitor is not a legal requirement in order to buy a property aboard in some countries, but it would give you peace of mind knowing that an expert has covered the legal side of your purchase.
A log cabin as a second home, whether in the United Kingdom or overseas, can be a wonderful addition to a family’s life and create many happy family memories for everyone to treasure.
The Author, Aimee Kemble, wrote this article on ‘Log Cabins as a Second Home’ and recommends you visit http://www.gardeningthoughts.co.uk for more information on log cabins
