Log cabin on own land

FreeBear

TBagpuss said:

I think your husband would need to do a lot of research, but I suspect his idea would not be tenable - you'd need to be able to pay for the land and the build costs, you'd need planning permission (and would probably need to get permission for change of use, if you were building on agricultural or forest land) You would need to be able to afford to pay for somewhere to live while you did all the work.

One possibility worth looking in to - https://selfbuild.wales/

As for living arrangements whilst building - A caravan on the site appears to be quite a common solution. I wouldn't be at all surprised if there is a mobile home out there that is being sold to a series of self builders...

But buying a small forest somewhere and expecting to erect a log cabin is just a pie in the sky wishful thinking.

Dustyevsky

A few people  in my rural area buy a secluded plot that's no use for farming. They put up a temporary structure, caravan, or WHY and rough it for a few years. (compost toilet, own treated water, wood burner, generator/solar etc) Eventually,  the council get them out and they re-sell the land, but never at a loss. Meanwhile, no rent, no council tax, so we subsidise them to the extent they use public services. It can't be much fun in winter and it's not a lifestyle that goes well with some sorts of employment. However, it must enable a considerable amount to be saved.

MEM62

Have you already spoken with Kevin McCloud?  

ProDave

gwynlas said:

There are a number of self build options besides log cabins including repurposed shipping containers examples of which are on line. The problem you will face is planning permission, you need a building plot.  and then building control. Finding a plot in the area that you wish to be might be the stumbling block. There are still arreas of the country where you could easily be mortgage free but that might mean moving to facilitate this.

You will need a building plot, which on some places are still available for about £50K but that may not be where you want to live.

you can legally avoid building regs if you build your house / cabin as a "caravan" which is exempt from building regulations.  you can build a single storey building up to about 100 square metres within the definition of a "caravan" and it does not even need to be on wheels.  There was one such building on Grand Designs a few years ago.

diggingdude

There's a YouTube channel camp out west which is doing this. But it's taken them years just to get to the stage they are at. They are doing it on an old caravan park