The short answer is that the best place to buy a log cabin is from a local supplier with a display of log cabins you can see. Buying online can be tempting due to the perceived low price, but as I discovered, this can be a costly mistake.
Whatever log cabin you go for it is going to cost a significant amount, so you want to make sure that:
- You get a cabin that meets your requirements
- The cabin is of good quality
I recommend making a list of all the things that you want from a log cabin and prioritising them. As you will quickly find out, there are many options for log cabins and knowing your requirements will help you choose the right cabin.
Buying a Garden Log Cabin Online
Looking online was the first place I started looking for my log cabin. There are a number of large cabin suppliers in the UK that kept cropping up, companies like Dunster House, Tiger Sheds, Garden Buildings Direct etc, etc. These large suppliers have extensive cabin ranges with many different options and add-ons.
After a lot of looking around, I found a cabin supplied by Tuin that appeared to meet all my requirements. Unfortunately for me, it turned out that Tuin was completely useless and made mistake after mistake after mistake. Eventually, I returned the cabin I had ordered as, after nearly 1 year, they hadn’t managed to supply all the parts required to build the cabin.
Why I Do NOT recommend buying a garden log cabin online
I learned a lot from my experience buying online from Tuin. Below is why I don’t recommend buying a log cabin online
1) You don’t really know what you’re getting
Most websites selling cabins have plenty of pictures. They give you a basic idea of what the cabin looks like, but you don’t really get the full ‘picture’ unless you physically see the cabin.
Also, many of the pictures that I saw online looked like they had been computer-generated or photoshopped, which isn’t very helpful.
If you buy a log cabin based on pictures, it is a good idea to find websites with customer pictures. These pictures give a better idea of what the cabin looks like.
2) Difficult to speak to someone who knows what they’re talking about
A log cabin is a big purchase, and it’s important to have your questions answered accurately. Unfortunately, I found that the questions I asked often got responses that were just wrong and very vague and more often than not, I’d just be directed to the FAQ on the supplier’s website.
I found that smaller online suppliers tended to know what they were talking about and could answer my questions, compared to the large online suppliers.
3) Difficult sorting out problems
4) Not Necessarily Cheaper Online
When you see the price of a cabin online, it is usually for the bare minimum components required to construct a cabin. Things like foundation beams, double-glazed windows, roof felt, roof & floor insulation, thicker walls, quality door handles, paint etc are all an additional cost. These costs soon start adding up and what looked like a relatively cheap cabin is suddenly quite expensive.
Buying A Garden Log Cabin Locally
Garden log cabins have become pretty popular and most areas in the UK have a local supplier.
Local suppliers are sometimes companies that specialise in garden log cabins, or quite often, places like garden centres have a range of log cabins. Also, some big national UK retailers, like B&Q and Homsebase have cabins on display in some of their shops.
I strongly recommend that you physically see a selection of log cabins before you buy one.
Why I DO recommend buying from a local supplier
1) You can physically see And Touch The Cabin
2) Good Garden Cabin Knowledge
I visited three different garden cabin suppliers in my local area when looking for a cabin. Staff at all three suppliers were really helpful and knowledgeable. I got answers to my questions there and then. Something you don’t get from the online suppliers.
One supplier sent around one of the guys who assembles log cabins to check that my base was suitable for the cabin I was looking at buying. He was really helpful and gave me some ideas on how I could improve the base.
3) Good Customer Service
The cabin I purchased had an issue with one of the windows leaking when it rained really hard. I phoned the local supplier, reporting the problem and the next day, one of their guys came around and fitted a rubber seal, which fixed the problem. You wouldn’t get service like that from an online supplier.
4) Price
Garden cabins are fairly expensive, and you want to get the best price possible. Generally, I found that local suppliers were slightly more expensive than the online suppliers for similar cabins. Ideally, you want to find a cabin model that both a local supplier and an online supplier stock. I think that by buying online, you will be sacrificing customer service for price.
Conclusion: Where To Buy A Garden Log Cabin
Purchasing a garden log cabin is not a decision to be taken lightly. Cabins represent a significant financial and emotional investment, often serving as an extension of your home.
The digital age tempts us with the convenience of online shopping and the allure of low prices. However, as relayed through personal experience, this convenience may come at the price of unforeseen complications, potential misunderstandings, and, at times, a daunting resolution process.
Contrastingly, local suppliers offer tangible benefits that online platforms can’t replicate. Being able to physically see and feel a log cabin provides a depth of understanding that pictures cannot convey.
In conclusion, when considering the purchase of a garden log cabin, I’d say that local suppliers hold the upper hand in guaranteeing satisfaction, both in the product and the purchasing experience.
Frequently Asked Question: But A Garden Log Cabin
Which garden log cabin should I buy?
Deciding which garden log cabin to buy can be difficult with so many different suppliers and types of log cabins available to buy. The best advice I can give is to make a list of requirements and then go to your local log cabin suppliers to physically see the cabins that match your requirements.
Before making a purchase, check customer reviews about the company you are thinking of buying a cabin from. Probably the easiest place to find reviews on a company is Google Reviews.
How long does it take for a log cabin to be delivered?
This depends on the supplier. The first company (online store) I bought a cabin from took 10 weeks to deliver my cabin. The second cabin I bought from my local supplier took 5 days.
