We have a log cabin inspection service where we examine the whole cabin, We check every visible element of a garden cabin. This extensive non-invasive survey logs the state of all parts of your garden building onto a spreadsheet with a rating out of 10.
Having thoroughly examined everything from the ground up, we issue a full survey report which also recommends anything that requires maintenance or repairs in your garden building. And also what should be under close observation (by yourselves or by us should you wish us to). That is not the end of this log cabin inspection service. We will also send out a no obligation quote for any work that is required based on our inspection. We don’t just survey your cabin, we can also carry out any work that you may need, should you wish.
One important thing to note – if your timber garden building is beyond economical repair, we will tell you rather that let you walk into a money pit trap. Should that be the case, we do also sell new garden buildings as well. You can see our full range of garden cabins, sheds and timber garages on on sister website – Hortons Group. We have an especially large range of garden log cabins for sale which can be made to any shape, size or design such that we can replicate your existing building.
LOG CABIN EXTERIOR INSPECTION ITEMS
- Check external surfaces of walls for rot and decay. Paying special attention to the bottom logs as these are the most susceptible to rot (especially if there is no damp proof course or if the base is over-size causing rain water splash-back)
- Inspection for cracks (otherwise known as “checks”). Any upward facing checks can collect rain water running down the wall face and lead to rot or funnel water into the building if they go all the way through the log
- Overall appearance, presence of moss, algae, mould, mildew, fungus, splits and cracks, discolouration, separation of joints and condition of log ends
- Check for UV degradation and weathering of wood surfaces (ie, the building is in desperate need of painting with a suitable timber treatment)
- Roofs examined to check for problems indicated by humps or valleys, roof material condition
- Fascia boards, drips and barge boards inspected for rot
- Interlocking cabin corner joints – these have a notch or rebate joint to provide a weatherproof, strong and stable joint by locking the log ends in place and enabling the logs to fit together securely. These can be weak points for decay to set in if not maintained properly and regularly
- Windows and doors checked to make sure they work correctly, are weather-tight and do not have any rot
- Anything stored against the building – these could trap moisture against the timber walls leading to rot or an infestation of wood boring insects. Or possibly even a suitable nesting site for rats or mice which will eventually find a way through under and into the building
- Evidence of sawdust which could indicate the presence of wood boring beetles or other signs of insect infestation
LOG CABIN INTERIOR INSPECTION ITEMS
- Check internal surfaces of log walls for separation between logs, including any signs of light or air penetrating through from outside. If so, they are usually accompanied by water stain marks where they are not weatherproof any longer and rainwater finds a way through and runs down the wall
- Check windows including both around the glass and frames for water tightness. Signs of water marks under any of them implies they are not weatherproof.
- Test doors (internal and external) to make sure they function correctly. And also external doors whether they are weatherproof or not. Again, signs of water staining at the bottom of the frame or adjacent floor boards implies they are leaking
- Evidence of sawdust which could indicate the presence of wood boring beetles or other signs of insect infestation
CABIN FLOOR
- Check for bouncy floor boards – if there is any give in them, this could point to rotten floor bearers
- Are there any squeaky floor boards
- Are there excessive gaps between the floor boards
- Are any boards showing discolouration, this could imply damp or even rising damp
LOG CABIN BASE AND SURROUNDING SITE INSPECTION ITEM
- Check overall site conditions to see if any vegetation and/or soil are against the building – these will cause degradation to the timber building over time. There should be no timber parts of the building in direct contact with the base or ground
- Foundation: Log cabin base types include slab, block, raised timber platform or poured concrete. Examine for cracks, general subsidence and general condition, and to ensure that the finished level is above the surrounding ground so there is no excess water running onto it
- Inspect any large trees in the vicinity to see if their roots are growing under the base. This could cause the base to buckle or crack which will only get worse with time
- The cabin should have good air circulation around it (which also means it is easier to maintain in the future). Even excessive amounts of overhanging tree branches could be detrimental to your cabin
LOG CABIN ROOF
- Check the general condition of the roofing material
- Are any tiles or shingles curling, cracked, or missing
- Is roof uneven indicating several layers of shingles or buckling roof boards
- Check if there are any repair patches on the roof
- Is the roof ridge line straight or sagging
- Inspect for rust, missing parts, or asphalt patches evident if there are any valleys
- Are gutters draining correctly, clean, and rust-free
- Do gutter connections leak
- Are the downpipes full of debris, loose, damaged, or missing
- Are downpipes connecting into underground drains, have outlet shoes or no water diverting at all
We include the above items as a matter of course in our log cabin inspection service. However, there may be other things that also stand out as needing attention. We will note these extra items down as requiring attention.
What you can expect from our garden building survey
Once our survey is complete as set out in our log cabin inspection service, we will then send a thorough report to you. Not only that but we will also produce a no obligation estimate for any works that we deem advisable. This will always be an estimate. Because there is always a chance of some “unknown” items coming to light after we commence the works. Some things may get uncovered and become visible. If this is the case, we will report them immediately to the customer. The customer will be given some possible remedies and solutions with approximate prices. It will then be the customer’s decision as to what course of action they want to take.
Use this as an opportunity to improve your garden cabin
Our exhaustive inspection of your garden building means that we understand every aspect of it. So if you want to change its use, then we can quote to carry out this work as well. It may be that this garden cabin improvement could cut out a lot of work that would otherwise be necessary. An example of this may be that some cladding and windows are rotten.
But may be you would also like to use your shed all year round? A garden games room or home office possibly. So we could cut the rotten cladding out. And then replace it and the adjacent single glazed window. Upgrading with a much higher grade and larger double glazed window or French doors. This would introduce more light into the building. Thus making it much more usable and also help to keep it warmer in the winter as well! This will save you the cost of just replacing the cladding and window. Whilst at the same time upgrading your garden shed.
Guttering
We can add guttering to your garden building. This is an inexpensive way to prolong the lifespan of your garden room or shed. Guttering will stop the rain simply falling off the roof and splashing on the ground. The splashing inevitably hits the bottom of the wall of your shed, workshop or summerhouse. This leads to rotting of not just the wall timbers but also of the floor bearers and possibly floor boards. So what might seem to be an innocuous oversight can be quite costly in the long term. The sooner you remedy this and add guttering, the better.
