Isn’t it ideal to have your own dream cabin in the middle of nowhere? Somewhere you can escape for the sake of refuge. Some places you can be close to nature and all the greenery, away from the bustling noise of the city. If you own a piece of land, using it to build a cabin sounds ideal.
Realistically speaking, using your land to build a log cabin is a good use of the land if that is what you are looking for, but the process is not that simple. You will usually need a building permit to build the cabin, even if the land belongs to you. In most regions of the United States, other procedures are also necessary. These include building permits and zoning codes.
Zoning codes will regulate the development of the cabin, and building codes will notify the authorities about its exact purpose of use and the basic structure. Without these, your cabin is likely to be considered illegal and can be taken down.
To understand in more detail how you can build a log cabin on your land and what rules you must follow.
What Is A Building Permit?
A building permit or a building code helps regulate the construction and the size of the building or in this case, your log cabin. This includes the size of your log, the exact measurements, the number of occupants, the number of rooms and generally, the entire structure of the house. This is generally needed for buildings that are a bit large in size. It is not necessary for very small buildings like garden houses.
Why Is A Building Permit Necessary?
The purpose is two-fold. The first reason is to protect the health and safety of the public. The purpose is to protect the safety of the residents and the people living nearby. It is also for the protection of the county.
If the building falls or if there any other incidents that happen, the county developing department does not want you to sue them. In this context, it is in their best interest to guide you through the construction process and give you the permit to build your log cabin to a particular size.
Is It Necessary To Have A Building Permit To Build A Log Cabin?
Without a building permit, your cabin would be considered illegal. The government of the United States Of America has very strict laws when it comes to building permits. You can be charged 500 dollars or even more depending on the size of the building. The building construction would probably be stopped or the log cabin may be destroyed. So in most cases, building permits are necessary.
Are There Ways To Evade The Permit?
There are hacks to almost everything and the same applies to this. A building permit can be avoided by constructing in areas where the permit laws are a bit lax or seeking more remote regions for construction. Another method is to build a small sized cabin with measurements around 10×10 or 20×20 feet only.
You can always get a liability waiver and this way the county would no longer be liable for the building of your cabin even if something goes wrong. They may then not care much about your cabin but it is a difficult process, getting permission for a liability waiver.
What Is A Zoning Code?
A zoning code is also another legal requirement that you must meet even if you are building a log cabin in your own land. A zoning code regulates what can and cannot be done in a particular region.
Certain zones are set for specific purposes such as housing zones and industrial zones. Before building a log cabin you need to get it approved by the zoning code department of your region and make sure that the land you are building on falls under the housing construction zone.
Why Are Zoning Codes Important?
Zoning codes are important for the health and the safety of the public and financial management. Zoning laws protect citizens’ safety, but they also protect the financial value of an area by setting building setbacks from the and the size, and height of buildings and the street. They ensure that there is no uneven development or scattered development of zones.
Where Can I find Zoning Codes?
Nowadays, everything is available online. You don’t need to contact an expert or the county development department for this, you can find your areas zoning codes online.There are plenty of websites where this information is freely available and accessible. If you are unable to find the correct resources online, you can always call the helpline for more guidance.
If Log Cabins Are Used As Permanent Homes Are The Rules Different?
If you build a log cabin for vacation purposes than that is what you register it as for the zoning code and building permit, if your intent is to use the cabin as your permanent residence, than the rules are a bit different and you may have to register it as a house.
A house generally can be larger than the dimensions that are allowed for vacation log cabins.
Can Log Cabins Be Built In Backyards?
If you build a shed and use it as a makeshift cabin, then you won’t be needing any additional permission for it’s construction. This is cheap and easy but also dangerous and uncomfortable. If your intent is to build a proper cabin in the backyard, then it is likely that permission will need to be sought from authortities. Only then, will it be legal and you will also be gives a safe channel of electricity and gas.
The Bottom Line
You can build a log cabin on land that you own; you just need the right tools and the skills for it. But other than that you also need to follow the legal proceedings before construction. While a cabin can be constructed without bearing them in mind, but that is risky and not advisable.
