Canada – the home of the maple and a country that takes up 6% of the Earth’s surface. That means a lot of land, beautiful open spaces, lush forests, mountains and lakes. It’s a great place for glulam log homes and bespoke log cabins. Just like with every country, there are building regulations and other things to consider before you can build you dream log cabin. In this post, which is the first part of a two-parter, we will go over important information that you will need to know regarding land-selection, building permits, zoning and more.
Building allowance
Canadians are an open-hearted bunch and that is reflected in their regulations as well. Log cabin homes builders and land buyers are all welcome in Canada. As mentioned earlier, there’s a whole lot of land in Canada. Which is why in some areas, land parcels are being given away for free, with the agreement of development by new owners. And that is what we will go through inn this post first – land options.
Choosing a location
Looking at the big picture, you first need to select the province you want your log cabin to be in. Once that is done, look for an exact location for your dream plot. Consider the view you will have. Be mindful about the amenities that are close and how you will need to connect to them. Find out about your neighbours. If they have the potential to be noisy, consider what precautions you would need to take. Make sure you can access your plot without having to worry about road availability. If you want to build custom log homes in a complete middle of nowhere, factor in extra logistics costs, as well extra issue of gas, water and electricity. To make it easier for yourself, make a checklist of important things to remember and inspect your land plot options against that checklist.
Land suitability
Here you should take a good look at the ground and the surrounding nature of your dream plot. While custom log homes are ideal in beautiful nature locations, those plots may or may not be suitable for a building. Make sure the site is not too sloped. Or if it is, make sure the glulam log cabins you are looking into can be built on slopes. Inspect the soil. Hire professionals to test it if need be. Make sure the soil is suitable to be built on, there are no underground streams that would make the foundation unstable. Also take into account the general dampness of the area. If the rainy seasons get too out of hand, your log cabin might get washed away. All these issues can also impact access to amenities, as well as the logistics of the construction. A checklist regarding the land and soil would also be advisable in this stage of plot selection.
Building permit availability
Before the very first slap of cement can be placed on your plot of land, you will need to have a building permit. This permit will cost anywhere between CAD$360-$1,730 and even if you pay, there is no guarantee that you will be issued one. Then there is the legal requirement for you to display the building permit correctly for the duration of the construction. Inspectors that will pop in to check on the construction will need be able to see it. Any deviation from requirements can cost penalties. That is why suggest consulting with an attorney or your log cabins supplier in order to set up your permits correctly.
So far, we covered the necessities of permits, land and soil inspections and questions regarding location. In the following post, we will go through zoning regulations, conservation authorities and other useful bits of information you need to know about. Eurodita as the bespoke log cabin company has learned to trust our partners for help with local regulations. That is why we recommend always to consult your local log cabins supplier.