Highland Log Cabin Self-Build

Building in a Highland beauty spot was never going to be plain sailing, but 29-year-old Ben MacLeod and his family were prepared to take on the planners in order to create a unique home
by Jenny McBain
9th February 2016

Ben MacLeod’s log cabin-style home sits in an elevated position and blends into a craggy hillside location in the northwest Highlands. The timber kit house is especially appealing in the spring sunshine, enjoying spectacular views from the garden across a lake to the peak of Suilvan Mountain. In fact the property looks so fitting in its setting that the casual observer would be forgiven for jumping to the conclusion that this self-build home had always been there.

Ben and his family have managed to establish an impressive property, but it took many years. This is because they came across some issues even before so much as a spade hit the turf; and they were to face many more difficult challenges as the build progressed.

Fact file
  • NameBen MacLeod
  • LocationLochinver
  • ProjectSelf-build
  • StyleLog cabin
  • Construction methodTimber frame
  • House size125m²
  • Land costAlready owned
  • Project cost£168,000
  • Project cost per m²£1,344
  • Total cost£168,000
  • Construction time32 weeks
  • Current value£230,000

Getting planning permission was almost impossible, according to Ben’s father, Angus Roy, who was closely involved with the project from the outset. “When the planner came to visit the site he told us that this is a scenic area and it should not be built upon,” says Angus Roy.

Gaining consent

That was back in 2003. For the next 10 years, father and son stoically kept going in the face of adversity and opposition, until the house was finally completed in June 2013. “This land had been in the family since 1857. My brother and I both had steady jobs in the army, so it made sense for us each to build our own homes with help from our dad, who is a joiner,” says Ben.

However, the planners were not just concerned about impact the on the scenery. They also said that the access road was not long enough and that the birch trees on the site should not be felled to make way for houses.

They made it clear that they were not keen on Ben’s preference for a log cabin because it was “not in keeping with tradition.” A neighbour, who has since moved away from the area, even lodged a formal objection, too; on the grounds that she did not want an influx in the numbers of visitors close to her house.

Soldiering on

While Ben was nursing wounded service personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq, and his brother Jason was in active service as an infantryman, Angus Roy applied all of his energy to making sure each of his sons would be able to go ahead and create homes for themselves. “To me the whole thing was all nonsense.  Our bit of land is no more scenic than any other area in this part of the world.  Besides, land is for people,” says Angus Roy.

It took four years before planning permission was finally granted, which was very disappointing for the MacLeods, “It’s short-sighted for the authorities to be so unhelpful. If my sons don’t have a house they won’t stay here and we need to retain skilled workers and keep our young people in the Highlands,” says Angus Roy.

Choosing a kit home

Ben’s parents have built and own a number of log cabins that they use as holiday lets, so they advised him to purchase a kit from Bryan Stuart of Sylvan Stuart Timber Homes. It is made from Douglas fir, a timber Angus Roy enjoys working with.

“It’s one of the better woods because it’s dry and stable. It may not be quite as good as larch, but it is more cost effective,” he says. The timber has been treated, a process that will need to be repeated every two years because of its exposure to the harsh elements in this location.

When it came to the internal layout, Ben decided he wanted an open-plan living, dining and kitchen area. “I like the idea of cooking and being sociable at the same time. Also, this way I can entertain while looking out of the window at the beautiful view,” he says.

Before any building work could commence, however, the access road had to be created – this was not just expensive, but also very hard work. Once this was completed in 2008 the time came to dig out the foundations for the house. Unfortunately this was just as the recession hit and the bank refused to release the next stage of Ben’s mortgage.

Ben’s parents were asked to put up a substantial financial guarantee, which they were unable to do. “I was devastated as it seemed like it was game over. Then I realised that all would eventually come right if I just kept my head down and saved money. After all, I was fortunate to have a secure job,” says Ben.

The rest of the build process ran fairly smoothly, despite a few teething problems delivering materials to the remote spot. When the kit arrived at the pier in the nearby village of Lochinver, transferring all of the composite parts onto the site involved a great deal of ingenuity.

“It wasn’t possible to get the lorry carrying the material to the plot, so we had to strap the trusses to the back of my transit van. We also used my quad bike for transport, which has survived and is in good working order,” says Angus Roy.

The challenges of constructing the dwelling also required his specialist carpentry skills. “Building this house would definitely not be easy for someone who is not a joiner,” he says. “Putting in the steel structure for the large windows was particularly tricky.”

No regrets

Ben has moved on from his nursing job in the military and is about to take up a new post in Inverness, which is around a two-hour drive from his new home. He lets out the house to paying guests for much of the time, but tries to enjoy it when his busy work schedule allows.

He now feels that all the hard graft has been worthwhile and that other young people should follow his example and build their own property. “I would say go for it. A self-build is a long term investment for you and your family and it’s cheaper than buying a house, even if it is a lot of work. I won’t be selling this property in a couple of years because I want it to be in the family forever,” says Ben.

Angus is also content with what’s been achieved. “Building is gutsy business, but I’m happy with what we’ve done and glad I made a contribution. I’ve won my spurs as a father and look forward to having both of my sons living and having families here,” he says.

First published: June 2015

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