FAQ
Here are some answers to Frequently Asked Questions.
Do I require planning permission?
Short answer is Yes. You are spending a considerable amount of money so we would always recommend that you apply for a Lawfulness Development Certificate, if you meet all of the set out criteria for the caravan act and the use of the caravan (twin cabin) is incidental to the main dwelling then it should not be a problem. We will provide all the evidence that our Twin cabins meet the criteria, we have even gone so far as that when we constructed our display twin cabin in 2 separate halves we filmed it being lifted in the air with a crane.
We use an independent planning consultant – Andrew White Planning and would highly recommend him aw@andrewwhiteplanning.co.uk
What do you mean incidental to the main dwelling?
This means that whoever plans on living in the caravan must have a connection to the main house/dwelling for example your Mum/Dad or Son/Daughter and depending on the circumstances Brother/Sister
Can I site the twin cabin anywhere?
No, the twin cabin must be sited with in the curtilage of the garden of the main dwelling, if it is in a paddock next to the house then this will require full planning permission.
Can I stick build my Granny Annex/Caravan in my garden?
There is legislation in place that yes you can stick build your cabin on site in your garden if it is a twin unit cabin, I have seen no evidence to prove that a single unit can be installed in your garden so make sure that you do your research if you choose the single unit option!
Can I build this my self and how long will it take?
Think of this as building a 1 or 2 bed house so you will need to have some basic knowledge of timber work, for the most part the cabin is all pre-cut and then bolted together a log at a time, but for the internals you will need to make all the cuts yourself. Take into consideration the extra trades that you will also need i.e. Plumber, electrician, kitchen fitter and ground workers for the services, co-ordinating these is the key factor. As an estimation and depending on the size of the twin cabin and weather conditions you will be looking at 8 to 10 weeks build time for a 2-man crew.
Do you offer an installation service?
We are based on the Isle of Wight and can offer the full service here, for the rest of the UK we offer a flat pack delivery only service for self builds only.
We can give you contact details of independent installers to engage directly.
We have designed and installed every twin cabin that is for sale on our web site and we are always at the end of the phone/email for any questions and queries for the duration of your self-build
Why do you recommend Ground Screws?
Firstly for a twin cabin/granny annexe to be considered a caravan under the caravan act it has to be classed a not permanent. So when the twin cabin comes to the end of its life span the ground screws can simply be unscrewed out of the ground and then re-used or recycled, thus leaving the ground/garden as it was before hand with very little damage.
Does it matter if the property is listed, SSSI or ANOB?
Providing that you do indeed meet all of the correct criteria for the caravan act and the use of the caravan then this should not be a problem because the caravan is not classed as a permanent structure.
We have supplied and installed our twin cabin in these cases with a Lawful development Certificate on the Isle of wight.
Can i have a concrete base?
Firstly, you will need to check that your local Council will accept you using a concrete base for your LDC as this could be deemed to be a permanent structure, if this is all ok then you will need to make allowances in your design so that you can prove that the twin cabin/granny annexe can be easily lifted (ie dwarf walls for example)
We have supplied and installed our twin cabin in these cases with a Lawful development Certificate on the Isle of wight.
Can i use timber posts concreted in to the ground?
Like all things this is a question that lots of peoples opinion will differ, it is something that I personally am not a big fan of but many people and other garden building companies do use this system. The best way is to look at the pros and cons of this system
Pro’s
This is a very easy and simple method that almost anyone can do, dig a hole put a post in the hole, fill it with concrete/postcrete, little accuracy is require with the heights as they can be cut off in situ afterwards. Like ground screws they will help you prove that the cabin can be moved quickly and easily. As long as the structural timber base can be disconnected quickly. Again, like ground screws these can overcome sloping ground easily.
Con’s
The life span is considerably less than ground screws as timber rots, you need to take into consideration that once the timber posts start to rot it affects the structural integrity of the entire cabin sat on top of them. The joists are usually just bolted into the posts with no mortise or lap joints meaning that the weight of the whole cabin is hanging on some 10mm or 12mm bolts.
Posts are usually sat in a hole around 2ft deep then filled with postcrete, the weight load then is all on the post on to soft virgin ground, this can be increased by filling the base of the hole with a compacted coarse gravel or crushed concrete which would also help with drainage of water out of the post providing that the ground was indeed permeable.
The number of posts is also usually calculated by guesswork/experience or based on the spans of the timber used, there is rarely any data from a structural engineer to back up exactly how much weight each post can with stand, point loads, how much the cabin weighs taking in to consideration all safety factors.
Address
Main Road, Ningwood, Isle of Wight PO304NW
hello@lugardehomes.co.uk
Phone Number
01983 756751
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