How to Choose a Log Cabin Company? RTÉ Cabin News & a Mega Offer! – MyCabin.ie

Ahoy Cabins & Gardens lovers!

In today’s email:

• 🏡 Consultation On Cabins & Modular Homes: Summary on latest RTE coverage.

• ❓️ How to Choose the Right Log Cabin Provider - Without Getting Rinsed

• 💶 Newsletter Poll - Log Cabins Suppliers Financial Analysis

• 🎁 Deal of the month - newsletter subscribers exclusive deal!

Consultation On Cabins & Modular Homes

There’s a new buzz around back gardens — the government is looking at letting people build log cabins or modular homes in their gardens without needing planning permission. A public consultation is on the way, with feedback expected in the next two weeks. Here is a short summary of RTÉ's Kate Egan coverage.

The idea is part of tackling the housing crisis, and for some, it’s already working wonders.

Take Laurie O’Donnell from Cork — she and her partner (a teacher and a doctor) were about to pack up and emigrate, unable to afford rent or buy. But her folks offered a patch of garden, and in went a small 7x4m cabin. Built in just three days, it gave them an affordable home and kept two professionals from leaving the country. Fair play, like.

Experts see promise in the plan — Engineers Ireland say it could ease housing pressures if done with care. But there are worries too: water pressure, drainage issues, and what happens to property tax when you’ve a mini home in your yard.

Planning experts are suggesting some controls — maybe a system where you still register the cabin with your local authority, just to keep things tidy and above board.

OUR TAKE

In short: garden cabins might soon get the green light, but don’t go grabbing the hammer just yet — the consultation’s still underway. That said, plenty of people are already pricing builds and placing orders, hoping to beat the rush. Once the rules change, demand could shoot up — and with it, the prices.

How to Choose the Right Log Cabin Provider (Without Getting Rinsed)

Thinking of getting a log cabin? Fair play — but with a flood of new builders likely to pop up if planning laws change, it’s more important than ever to pick the right one.

Between smooth talkers, dodgy builds, and mystery pricing, it can all get a bit wild west out there. So before you dive in, here’s a simple 7-step checklist to help you spot the pros from the cowboys to make sure you end up with a solid build and not just a glorified garden shed.

1️⃣ Visit Showrooms & Talk to the Team

Reputable companies will have a showroom or demo cabins you can visit. Go check them out — feel the materials, peek inside, and get a proper sense of the build. When chatting to sales reps, ask yourself: are they helping you find the right fit, or just pushing for a quick sale? If they’re rushing you, that’s your cue to walk away.

2️⃣ Reputation Matters

Before you part with a single euro, do your homework. Read reviews, ask around, and if you can, visit past builds. A solid company will have happy customers and real homes to show for it.

It’s not about having hundreds of reviews — it’s about the quality of those reviews. Look for at least 50 detailed reviews from real customers who’ve received a full log cabin, not just vague praise. Bonus points if they share photos of their cabin in the review — that’s gold. These are hard to fake and are a true sign of consistent, proven work.

Pro Tip: Don’t skip the negative reviews. Every company gets the odd grumbler, but how they respond says a lot. Are the issues one-offs with tricky customers, or signs of deeper problems? Look for patterns and weigh the replies — it’ll tell you more than the 5-star fluff ever could.

3️⃣ Watch for Red Flags 🚩

Keep your eyes peeled for these warning signs:

• Super short lead times (2–6 weeks): Might mean they’ve no orders… and for good reason.

• Newly registered business: No history, no proof of experience. Do you want to be their test rabbit? Check business registration name on cro.ie or solocheck.ie

• No previous builds or social media presence: If they’ve been around a while but have nothing to show, be wary.

• No Google reviews: If no one's talking about them online, ask yourself why.

4️⃣ Check Their Tax Clearance ✅

Totally normal and important. A company that’s not tax-cleared could be in financial trouble. You don’t want your hard-earned cash paying off someone’s Revenue debts instead of building your dream cabin. Ask the tax clearance cert and company will send you an official Revenue pdf.

5️⃣ Run a Credit Check on SoloCheck.ie

It only takes a minute. You’ll see if the company is financially stable or skating on thin ice. A lot of businesses took a hit in 2020 — make sure yours isn’t one missed invoice away from folding. This report will cost you €9 and might be the best €9 quid you spend to save you thousands. If you are interested us to run credit reports, vote in the post below and we will do that in the next newsletter!

6️⃣ Understand the Cabin Tech — Not All Cabins Are Created Equal

There’s a reason why some cabins cost €5k less than others of the same size — and it’s not magic. It’s usually corners being cut. So before you jump at a bargain, ask what you’re really getting.

Cabins built for Irish weather need proper tech behind them. Outer walls should have either a ventilated façade or a breathable "wall sandwich" system. If the roof uses wool insulation, it must have a ventilation gap — no ifs or buts.

And if a supplier tells you that a solid timber wall is enough? Sure, it might be grand for storing your lawnmower, but not for living or working in. For Irish winters, you’ll want a minimum of 100mm insulation in the walls, roof, and floor — or you’ll be living in an icebox by November.

7️⃣ Full Build or Shell Only? Choose a One-Stop Shop

Managing contractors is a headache — finding good ones is hard, coordinating them is even harder. A top-notch supplier will either have their own trusted crew or a list of reliable pros they work with regularly. That’s a lifesaver.

Why does it matter? Because groundwork has to match the cabin specs or you could void your warranty. And things like first-fix electrics need to happen mid-build — miss that window and you're stuck with ugly surface trunking. Cabin builders won’t hang around waiting on your sparky to show up.

Go with a provider who sorts the whole job or connects you to the right trades. It’ll save you stress, delays, and a few grey hairs.

SUMMARY: Picking the right log cabin provider takes a bit of homework — but it’s well worth the effort. From build quality to company stability, insulation to installation, every detail matters. The more you check now, the less you’ll stress later. A great cabin should be warm, solid, and built by experts who know their craft — not chancers with a nail gun.

💶 Newsletter Poll

With so many cabin providers out there, it's wise to check who’s on solid financial ground. Vote below on which companies we should run credit checks on — we’ll share the results in the next issue!

🎁 Deal of the month!

We’ve scored a €500 discount on any garden log cabin and a €1,000 discount on any residential log cabin from MyCabin.ie! (valid until end of March 2025)

Here’s how to claim it (visible to newsletter subscribers only):