Log cabin recommendations

You could sell the outhouse to one of the Northerners on here? Bit of a toilet refurbishment?

 

You can use a waterproof membrane such as tyvek and wrap the existing structure then clad with whatever look you desire. For the wall that is not accessible you can also tyvek inside of structure and then insulate and plasterboard.

 

Thanks for all the advice folks.
Now the days are starting to get a little warmer/longer a bit of time spent fixing what I've already got does sound a bit more appealing.

 

Dunster House make good cabins.
I have one. 10’ x 8’.
Once you have a decent base down, it can be put up in around a day.
Another day to put the roof covering on wether it’s felt or shingles. Needs painting, too, but they supply enough. I just went for the basic model, but you can buy insulation, etc, from them, if you want.
My mate Dave helped me with my erection, as my wife was busy….

 

Obvs..
best friend Dave..

 

I’ve known him since I was 15.

 

Did you errect together then..

 

"Erections a Speciality. Ask for a free quote".

 

The first garage I had was brick built and when it rained hard the windward wall would be running with water on the inside.

I painted it on the outside with one of the clear water repellent brick sealer products and that stopped the water coming through. That's something you could do if the wall is accessible with permission..
Theres also a chemical damp proof course .. drilling holes and pumping in similar chemicals to make a waterproof seal .. was a thing that could be done.

 

No. It was just one erection, that he gave me a hand with. My erection was far too big just for one person, as I didn’t have a lot of time, and wanted to get it up in one day…

 

A bit of destructive progress over the last few weekends.
I’ve ripped up all the rotten decking that sat alongside the cabin, pulled up the tiles in the cabin and removed the doors and windows.

I was expecting there to be a concrete slab underneath the tiles but instead there just appears to be a thick layer of sand. Digging down a little it feels like I’m hitting earth so I don’t think there is a concrete slab at all!

Does this go part way to explaining the general dampness? The sand felt damp to the touch so I’m wondering if it’s just acting like a big sponge and holding water under there that can then wick up the breeze blocks.

I’m currently tempted to go back to my original plan of getting rid of it all and starting from scratch.








Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Your foundations, or lack of proper one's is definitely not helping the damp problems. Whatever kind of timber building you go for (or any other kind of structure) ,you will need proper foundations or a solid raft to build on. It looks like you are well on the way to demolition, it's probably best to start again, clear the site and decide on what new building to go for.

 

lay down a membrane (builders plastic sheet) over the sand then concrete over that or just put the flooring back

 

Yeah it doesn't fill me with confidence trying to repair what's there to be honest.
I'm in no mad rush to get it done, so might just aim to clear the site and get a concrete slab done this year before working out what I want to do sometime next year. I could then put something in a little larger.

 

I think the idea to build on boundary could well be wrong dependant on where you live and materials used .
Theres a strong facebook group regarding self build garden "workshops" and the matter raises its head regularly ,basically its a fire hazzard dependant on material s used and most have to be 2.5m from a boundary dependant on size . https://www.facebook.com/groups/3043587272414632/?ref=share. This is the group and he has a great series of videos on youtube , i know its a self build site ,it may persuaded you to build your own , i did .

 

I remember siting my own bottom of the garden office/summerhouse like this. Building regs? Nobody ever looked as it scraped past all requirement by design but it's like MOT - you can escape the inspection, but not the rules.

 

A nice old airstream would look good and can be moved
Gut the inside and make it your own

 

If you don’t want to put a slab of concrete down and want something that in the future can be removed you can dig out an area line it with weed fabric and fill with 2 foot deep crushed stone and build a platform base on that with ground treated sleepers - this way you have a stable base and good drainage. See pic attached of a base for a bike store I built for a community garden

 

Sod that. Build a proper reinforced concrete raft on crushed hardcore (not old bricks) with a damp-proof membrane.