Log Cabins, Chalets and Homes.
I have already mentioned on the site that in a former role I designed and built log cabins. My latest planning project was to produce a planning dossier for a client hoping to build a log cabin on a parcel of land they owned in Boisme, Deux Sevres. In the process of completing this dossier I needed to contact cabin suppliers and discuss with them how the cabin was constructed, insulated and generally put together. It was their suggestion that an article for the site may be of interest as, as an option for building in France it is well worth considering. As the site started out dealing with renovations and conversions this is a bit of a deviation, hence the title of the new category.
Log cabins were regarded essentially as a building normally considered rustic and only for
use as holiday or temporary accommodation. In the Nordic countries this notion could not be further from reality, as for years they have been designing and building log homes that have stood the test of time in some of the harshest climatic conditions. This solidness of construction, coupled with newer technologies for insulation and glazing, and advances in wood finishing and protection products, has led to the situation where log homes can easily be seen as a viable alternative to the more traditionally structured houses, for permanent occupation. I say Nordic as it is generally recognised that the Scandinavian peoples have for a long time known how to grow trees well and use the timber they provide in a very good, environmentally friendly, way. 
Their log homes and cabins have for a long time been seen as the benchmark by which all other countries efforts in this field are measured against.
The new (ish) belief that we should all be getting more environmentally friendly has led to a growth in interest in these types of buildings. Wood is a sustainable resource and careful husbandry will allow these products to be available long after the plastic, fossil fuel created windows and doors become un-economic. There is new legislation in France, effective January 2011, stipulating the minimum amount of wood that has to be used in any new build. Expressed in terms of cubic meters of wood per square meter of build, the actual figure is yet to be revealed. At Renovate in France we have linked our expertise of planning and project
management to a supplier of quality log cabins namely Scandinavian Log Cabins Direct A visit to their site will show the range and styles available and also prove how far these products have developed over time. Anybody considering exploring this option in France can contact us for an initial discussion about the exciting possibilities this collaboration can offer.