Does a Log Cabin Add Value to Your Property?

Everyone has got a different idea of what they would use a log cabin for - from a home office to a playroom, and a model railway heaven to a workshop, which makes log cabins highly versatile addition to any garden. And while all your prime reasons for getting one may be completely practical, it is worth knowing it can add value to your property too.

However, for this to be possible, the log cabin must be properly installed and not fall foul of planning laws. Some garden additions will come within permitted developments, but this doesn’t apply to all of them. Check the regulations to determine whether your proposed log cabin would be permitted, or whether you’d need to apply for planning permission. Don’t guess – especially if you are intending to sell soon. If a log cabin does fall foul of the law, it will create untold problems when it comes to selling.

How proper garden rooms add valuable space to a property

Not all properties can be extended or have their attics converted to provide more space. The versatility of having a log cabin at the end of the garden is hard to deny. While you may use it as a home office, someone looking to buy might see it as the ideal place to have a home gym, or maybe even a home bar or cinema room. Yes, they might need to make some changes to make their own idea work, but they can see the space as a valuable addition.

Bringing an electricity supply into a log cabin makes it usable all year round, too. This is another advantage future buyers will be keen to have. Without it, the cabin will only feel warm enough to use in the summer.

Even if you do have an extension already, a log cabin will still make your garden more appealing than it would otherwise be. People might have very different opinions of how to make the most of the cabin, but its presence will make your home more appealing and worth more, too.

How much could the average log cabin add to your property price?

The exact amount monetary wise will depend on your current property value and the size and quality of your log cabin. However, it is generally agreed that you can expect a boost of between 5% and 15% to your property value.

If your property is worth £150,000, this would add £7,500 onto its value at the lowest end of the estimate. As you can imagine, the increase in value will almost pay for the log cabin to be installed to begin with – and that is assuming only a 5% increase. At the same property value, the full 15% increase would amount to a boost worth £22,500. That’s quite a difference, isn’t it?

Many home buyers look for properties that include a log cabin or garden room

Many people want a nice garden but viewing a property with a complex garden design that requires a lot of maintenance work will be a turn-off. Not so with a log cabin. If the building is sound and built to professional specifications, it will be an appealing addition to marketing materials produced if you sell your home. For some, the idea of having a log cabin is very appealing – and if there is already one present, they don’t need to put in the work to choose, buy, and install it.

It might also attract buyers who wouldn’t otherwise look at your property. For example, let’s say you live in a two-bedroom house. A young couple with a small child comes to look at your property with a view to buying it. They both work from home and require a space they can use as a dedicated home office. In this scenario, there is little chance they would go beyond a simple viewing if you didn’t have a log cabin in the garden. Since both bedrooms would be occupied and there is no spare room, they won’t get the home office they desire. But when they see you have a log cabin, the possibility is immediately obvious.

More than just the increase in value?

Anything that increases the value of your home is going to be a good thing. However, you can see the versatility and appeal offered by a log cabin could be worth far more in other ways too. It might make the difference between a quick sale or seeing your property languishing on the market for ages. You can never be sure, but a log cabin is a great addition and never something you’d turn your nose up at. Few buyers would be disappointed to see this garden structure in the garden of a home they were viewing.

View our range of log cabins here