Tips and advice

Health benefits

Saunas are more than just a warm escape from the cold outside, but also a beloved tradition in Nordic culture. The sauna has been a staple in Finland for over 1000 years and in its neighbouring Scandinavian homes and communities for centuries, and for good reason. It’s not just about sweating out toxins, but also about promoting relaxation, socialising, connecting with nature and overall well-being. In fact, some say that a good sauna is like a mini vacation. The heat and steam help to loosen muscles and release tension, leaving your guests feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. Saunas have been shown to aid in detoxification by flushing out toxins in the body through sweat. This can also lead to better skin health and improved circulation. You can read more about the benefits of sauna in our blog post here.

The opportunity to embrace nature’s serenity

For individuals seeking to disconnect from the digital world and immerse themselves in the tranquility of nature, the addition of a sauna to their stay can significantly enhance their experience.

Amidst the serene backdrop of nature, a sauna offers a sanctuary of relaxation and rejuvenation, harmoniously blending the invigorating elements of heat, steam, and silence. The gentle ambiance accentuates the calming effect of the surrounding environment, amplifying the sensation of oneness with nature. By providing this immersive wellness experience, you not only tap into the growing trend of eco-wellness but also cater to the needs of today’s discerning guests who crave authentic and meaningful vacation experiences. The sauna, therefore, emerges as a compelling amenity that can transform an ordinary stay into a holistic retreat, deepening guests’ connection with nature while enhancing their overall well-being.

Wood burning stoves in cabins and small spaces are a fantastic option, particularly if  you are planning on using them all year round. A stove will see you through the chilly months from autumn to spring and the cooler summer evenings too, providing warmth and even some cooking facilities, without the need for any electricity. Perfect if your hideaway is in a remote spot, which all great hideaways are!

But before you choose your stove, make any alterations to a build, or even plans there are a few considerations to think through to ensure your installation is safe.

Which Stove?

Choosing the right stove is really going to be a key and we would always suggest taking professional advice from HETAS qualified suppliers/installers like West Country Stoves. With small cabins, it is always important to get the right stove output for your space.  You don’t want to have a large kW stove and then not be able to enjoy your cabin because it is too hot!

Timber Buildings – Distances to Combustibles

Stoves can be installed into timber-framed buildings but you do need to consider the positioning of your stove.  For each stove, the manufacturer will state the safe distances the stove can be positioned to combustible materials. This includes distances to the rear and sides of the stove.  Distances to combustible materials can be reduced with the use of:

• a heat shield, designed with an air gap to prevent heat transfer
• a manufacturer supplied heat shield, which is fixed to the back of the stove.
• choosing a stove which has been designed with minimal distances to combustibles.
• creating a masonry or stone section behind the stove.

Flue Systems For Cabins

Flue height is also an important consideration when selecting a stove.  Manufacturers will state the required flue height for each stove. Most stoves will operate on a 4.5m flue as standard, however, there are some which have been tested down to 3.5m which is more suitable for single storey buildings.

There are two choices of flue – single wall or twin wall insulated flue.  The choice of flue can be purely down to aesthetics. However, if choosing ‘single wall’, the flue will need to be a least 3 times the diameter away from any combustible materials (depending on the manufacturer).

In comparison, twin wall flue reduces the distances to combustibles greatly.  When the flue goes through the roof it must still have clearance to any combustible materials such as rafters, but this can be reduced to a minimum of 50mm (depending on the manufacturer).

Hearths

For cabins and other small buildings, it is likely that your floor is going to be constructed from timber and this can impact on your choice of stove as well unless planned into the build.  Some stoves require a 125mm constructional concrete hearth (due to heat transfer from the stove) which can then be overlayed with a more decorative hearth (eg. slate). Whilst other stoves just require a 12mm decorative hearth.  Generally, with all installations your hearth must be 300mm in front of the stove and 150mm to the sides, this is to protect your floor from any heat transfer and hot ash.

Air Vents

HETAS regulations for new buildings state that any wood burning stoves installed into new structures (post 2008) should have an air vent.  This is usually floor or wall mounted. Some wood burning stoves can be fitted with a direct air kit allowing the intake of air solely for the stove.

HETAS Installations

With any project where a stove is going to be installed it worth getting advice and guidance from a HETAS registered retailer like West Country Stoves. Whom, alongside Life Space Cabins team, will ensure that all the elements of installing a wood burning stoves in cabins or small spaces from planning to choosing your stove and installing are designed into your build from the outset.

So as you can see there are a few considerations which are well worth thinking about at the planning stage.  

And finally, if you are looking for some assistance or advice and installation in fitting a wood burning stove into your cabin or small space contact the team at West Country Stoves. They are always happy to talk stoves! (let them know where you found them!)

For four years the family visited their woodland across the seasons, spending time as a family undergoing the management of the trees. Their enjoyment of the land matured to harness a love of all aspects of basic outdoor skills and living. The family have developed a talent of wild cooking and dining free from the chores and constraints of a ‘standard’ domestic garden or public space.

The freedom and feeling of owning a small piece of England has heightened the gravity and connection to the wood way beyond their expectations. The desire to build a cabin borne from a need for a practical solution to storage and shelter was soon a priority.

By 2017 they had decided on the perfect spot to build their cabin. Their chosen location was based on multiple considered factors. Having spent the previous years watching the seasons and wondering where would be the best place to build the cabin, taking into consideration wind direction, the path of the sun, rainfall and how water flows over the land, where the animals walk, nest and burrow, thinning of trees to achieve to allow the carpet of the woodland to flourish again while opening up a view?

Once again the family sought advice from woodlands.co.uk who advised on the type of structure they could build and what use they could for.

There is an informative article by Lucy Nichol on building on woodland you own.

The family designed a 5×5 m2 space, with a covered veranda where they could read, whittle, chat, and dangle their feet over the edge whilst taking in the view over the fields afar and listening to the flowing stream and the wind in the trees.

Internally they wanted to keep it simple, after all, it is in the middle of a wood and they have two dogs and two children. This is not Egyptian cotton sheets, it’s muddy boots and tools!

The cabin is made from locally sourced larch timber cladding, it is fully insulated timber structure with repurposed double glazed windows and doors.  They also have a Salamander Hobbit wood burner for those cold winter days when they need to shelter and brew a cuppa!

The veranda roof supports are sweet chestnut (from the wood) that Martin felled himself, using his new chainsaw qualification, and the bark stripped back with his teenage son.  One of the challenges of the build was linked to the sloping site, which involved additional work to achieve access and then create a platform for the cabin.

The family now mix their time in the woodland. Martin can pop out to the wood to collect firewood or the family stay for a day on a Sunday the opportunities are endless. The activities the family have included wildlife watching, woodland management, cooking, eating and drinking! The cabin is a true escape, release and reconnection with nature and each other.

“We are custodians of this little bit of England. Our intention is that it will stay in the family for many generations for them to come for them to enjoy”

A woodland diary by Martin Turner

“During the summer the woodland and its wildlife is consciously left to its own devices meaning we can spend time on the coast. I hasten to add there is nothing better than when we have spent a good day grafting in the woods in the warm summer sun and then treating yourself to a cold beer and dinner cooked on the open fire.   

During autumn and winter when the leaves have dropped we will fell some of the trees we have identified and marked during spring and summer time to allow more light in.  This could be because we want a clearing, but generally, the trees are marked to open an area up and let more light in, encouraging the flora and fauna to find its place and grow in the woodland.  Year on year we will do this allowing nature to advise us what to do next year.

I was once told that a woodland where you see a healthy quantity of ferns is a woodland where there is enough light coming through the canopy allowing the natural flora to grow.  Autumn and winter is a good time to fell, as there is less water rising in the trees and therefore will they will season quicker, also this is before the birds start building their nests in spring.  Also during this period, we will also see how well the bluebells are growing, do they need more light for next year? Is this an area we will leave completely and make a track around it so we don’t walk all over it allowing it to evolve year on year. Maybe a mental note was taken where at some stage a bench could be made and a track into the middle where next spring you can just enjoy sitting amongst them.

There is always something to do, some are long term decisions and some can be carried out there and then.  

You may come to the woods after a storm and a tree or several trees have come down and this changes or evolves previous plans you had made.  That is just the way it is, there is only so much you can control which is quite nice, it reminds you that nature is really the one in charge. “

This is a case study of one family’s experience of owning a woodland. Life Space Cabins are not planning experts so professional advice should be sought from a planning consultant or your local authority for any similar projects.

This page aims to inspire and promote an awareness of the route through planning for a smaller space, but it is not intended to constitute advice. Every effort is made to ensure that the information is correct at the date of publication and to avoid any statement which may mislead. However, no duty of care is assumed to any person and no liability is accepted for any omission or inaccuracy. Always seek specific professional advice.

In light of the Covid-19 lockdown as well as growing teenage boys we wanted to know what the cabin now represented for them as a family.

“We decided that we wanted the cabin to evolve organically inside and out and not fill it with useless items. This has pretty much worked so far.

With any teenagers it can be a challenge to get them involved. They asked one day if they could build an off road bike track? 100% they could. They did their research and have made a great track which they use with their mates.

We have also found that it has been a good escape for them during their exams when it has become a little stressful. There is no signal in the woods as well so it forces a down time. As they have got older they now chop wood and get involved in other wood and cabin related activities.

For Ness and myself the cabin has become a space to properly switch off and unwind, get involved with nature and go back to the basics of life. We are completely off grid, luckily we have water running through the woods, it does make you plan in advance what to eat/ drink and as it gets darker and colder how you move around the woods.

As night falls the cabin with its candle light and wood burner becomes cosy and snug and real lovely place to just, be……no regrets on the investment we made”
View their Foresters woodland cabin case study here and read part 1 of the cabin diary here
If you have a similar dream then take a look at woodlands.co.uk for advice and information about how to get started including planning legislation notes for building a cabin or shed in woodlands.

This is a case study of one family’s experience of owning a piece of woodland. Life Space Cabins are not planning experts so professional advice should be sought from a planning consultant or your local authority for any similar projects.

This page aims to inspire and promote an awareness of the route through planning for a smaller space, but it is not intended to constitute advice. Every effort is made to ensure that the information is correct at the date of publication and to avoid any statement which may mislead. However, no duty of care is assumed to any person and no liability is accepted for any omission or inaccuracy. Always seek specific professional advice.

If you own a piece of woodland you are allowed to build a cabin on this land for occasional use in order to maintain or work on the woodland. This might take the form of a tool shed; store; office; refuge or shelter. This would be allowed under Permitted Development but permission must be obtained from the local planning authority. However, the cabin cannot be used solely for leisure or educational purposes, it must primarily have a practical forestry purpose.

Dwellings

Getting permission for a dwelling in a woodland is extremely rare. There have been a few successful cases that have gained permission involving charcoal burners in the woodland which need 24-hour care but these permissions are very rare and they have only been granted to full-time foresters. If you were managing your woodland for primarily recreational reasons, or even conservation reasons, in all likelihood permission would be denied.

However…there’s a but…

Permitted Development does allow you to build a well-designed structure (of a certain size) and stay there ‘occasionally’ for up to 28 nights of the year. However, our understanding of this rule is that your reason to stay there must be for seasonal forestry purposes. For example, using your cabin as an overnight refuge whilst you manage and maintain the woodland.

You can find some really useful information, articles and resources at Woodland.co.uk and in particular on their page about woodlands planning legislation

Planning Permission for Agricultural Land

On a related note, if you’re looking at ‘green site’ agricultural land, a full planning application is required. You would need to prove that a cabin is required to support agricultural purposes, or meet national planning policy objectives for your area.

Certainly, in terms of agriculture land, you may be able to take a longer view with a planning strategy and have multiple stages but this is dependent on land ownership, location in the UK, land use and planning policies

Next steps

Life Space Cabins has experience in providing planning guidance but we never claim to be experts. a planning consultant (local to you) is best placed to guide you through the planning process and score the likeliness for your requirements.

When Life Space Cabins can help in more detail

Once you have this guidance as well as land, a budget and an idea of what you wish to build for your cabin space we can help assist with the cabin design, planning drawings, design access statements for the planning application.

For your land search we can direct you to:

● www.woodlands.co.uk – apparently there is an informative facebook group you can join.
● https://www.woods4sale.co.uk/
● Sign up to local land agents such as Savills

For planning advice

Refer to other posts on our site and Planning Portal for up to date advice and information. As we said above it’s always best to seek professional advice from a planning consultant in your area.

Sign up to our newsletter

Do remember to sign up to our Life Space Cabins newsletter that way you won’t miss updates and useful information.

Cabin in the woods case studies

You can read first-hand about Martin Turner’s experience of owning woodland Martin manages the piece of Devon woodland that he and his family bought. They get immense pleasure from being a custodian of a little slice of England.

Follow us on Instagram @lifespacecabins to see regular updates of things that inspire us, new cabin designs, our spaces being built and cabin musings.

This page aims to promote an awareness of the route through planning for a smaller space, but it is not intended to constitute advice. Every effort is made to ensure that the information is correct at the date of publication and to avoid any statement which may mislead. However, no duty of care is assumed to any person and no liability is accepted for any omission or inaccuracy. Always seek specific professional advice.

Did you know that a single treehouse rented out as holiday accommodation can generate in the region of between £30,000 – £90,000 per annum?

OK, now we have your attention that fact needs some qualifying. It is right that a luxury well-built treehouse can earn up to £90K per annum. But to do this in your first year without any relevant experience would be more challenging.

Leading staycation agencies such as Unique Homes Stays and Canopy and Stars-who has seen ‘Treehouse’ feature at the top of the most searched table on their website have been movers and shakers of this UK industry for bespoke places to stay which has grown significantly in the last 10 years.

Canopy and Stars report (released Feb 2023) found that year-round structures such as cabins and treehouses are increasing in popularity – cabins now make up 43% of Canopy & Stars total revenue share (up from 36% in 2019) and treehouses represent 24% of revenue share (up from 21% in 2019). The report also stated that Glamping revenue has doubled since pre-pandemic levels.

So logic would say “I’ll move to the country and build 4 treehouses and rent them out”

We would be the first in line behind you but it is worth understanding the world around glamping and luxury camping rentals like cabins and treehouse rentals before chasing the dream.

Having a full understanding of the Glamping industry is key to success.

Flexibility. The cost-of-living crisis, pandemic legacy and a new generation fed by social media have altered consumer behaviour and extended the season, but savvy glamping operators can respond by staying flexible and engaging with guests on new platforms. Over 50% of Canopy & Stars incoming enquiries are currently looking for flexibility on booking terms.

Visit industry trade shows such as the Glamping Show and Farm Business Innovation show. Tickets are normally free and you will meet a whole host of suppliers from Cedarwood Hot Tub manufacturers to discussing the glamourous infrastructure of eco loos, sewerage and solar panels. Not to mention listening to seminar talks on subjects such as Glamping legislation- licenses- 28-day rule to diversifying for the first time from specialists who know the glamping, business and tourism industry inside and out.

The right site is the keystone to a glamping venture.  This may be obvious but the sighting of your spaces must be in the right place and proximity from neighbours, infrastructure, access, and even the nearest pub can have a bearing on the final location for your cabin and its success.

Guest Experience. What else can you offer? Research from Barclaycard showing that over 50% of Britons would now rather spend their money on experiences than material goods. Can you provide an outdoor bathing experience, the opportunity to watch a film outside or make a woodfired pizza. Think about what guests can experience outside their normal day to day lives and that may aid their well being.

Planning permission is so often overlooked on cultural TV shows. Building the wrong space, in the wrong location without permission is a huge risk and you can be asked to take down the whole structure.

ROI (Return on Investment)

Capital investment will be required when starting your own glamping business. However, if you build a cabin that is well designed, with considered construction and well positioned and you could see a far quicker return on your investment.

In comparison to something like a canvas structure like a Bell or Safari tent, which have seen a  fall from a revenue share of 6% in 2019 down to only 3% in 2022,having a well insulated and built cabin that acts like a mini home would allow you to rent it out beyond the high summer season period and shoulder months and essentially have a 52-week rental. This can mean that a £40k investment could see something in the region of £35k return in the first year, resulting in a full return early in year 2.

It may be sensible for you to create a business plan for your business-don’t worry it doesn’t need to be a hefty 135 page document it could be as simple as a phased plan, by factoring in the right guidance and offering the first glamping structure (which might start off as a Bell Tent) you are then testing the market and allowing yourself time to then stretch your legs into the more complex and permanent locations/ structures once you have generated the core essential revenue.

Life Space Cabins can help with all this

Life Space Cabins are unique in our offering as we understand what it takes to create great spaces. We pride ourselves on taking responsibility from the design concept beginning but all the way through to the cabin installation and beyond.

We look after you and the environment as standard. We are have worked with @thewildingairfield to help them achieve their dream of a luxury retreat in Northhamptonshire. They have been working at a 98% occupancy rate since they opened in April 2022 with their Treehouse and Tamar Cabin.

As part of our work we can organise a site visit in order for us to give you an appraisal of your proposed site that will include practical elements you may not have thought of.  e can carry out a subsequent feasibility desktop study which will cover viability of your project as a whole. We will give guidance on various items including site configurations, access and infrastructure, cabin design and build, ROI, right through to guest experience. We will recommend guidelines and give indicative quotes from professional team members and industry professionals from our trusted bank of contacts that will be needed throughout the project going forward.

There is the opportunity for you to use the piece of work for any planning application or business plan.

From there, our design and project management team can work on some amazing and fun design ideas that will suit you or your business/commercial needs.

If you have a project or even a beautiful location and have always thought – ‘we could do that’ then start by having a chat with us. 01364 705 057 or email [email protected]

A chat with Life Space Cabins could be your first step to making that change!

Guest Experience

There must be an emotional connection to how the experience is delivered which will have started from the moment they booked. This is predominately from giving tip top instinctive customer interaction. 

Providing your guests with a great guest experience, from sampling local gin whilst sat star gazing in a sumptuous window seat to awakening the senses in an outdoor bath. These experiences will make them feel special no matter what the season. We’ve talked before about time well spent and giving your guests the opportunity to choose to turn their phone off and go off grid for a heavenly two days or reconnecting with nature by scavenging for kindling to light the log burner. Connect with your guests’ needs.

Act as a host who knows exactly what the guest wants. (perhaps before they even know if themselves) 

Share your location 

We don;t mean just send your postcode and a set of directions. Your glamping/ accommodation offering might be head and shoulders above local area alternatives but don’t ignore what your community and area can offer and how that can contribute to a better guest experience year round. It doesn’t have to be beaches and tourist attractions. Can you offer bicycles to guests so they can enjoy the local cycle paths without having to bring ikes with them? Perhaps your local National Trust has a Wassail tradition or your town hosts a stunning Diwali light festival like the one in Edinburgh each year or a popular outdoor winter market. Think about special interest groups – is there a conservation lake that welcomes winter birds each year? Encourage an inclusive audience and embrace your locality and what it can offer even in the depths of winter.

Communicate with your guests. 

Give care, attention and confidence when you communicate with your audience, try separating your audience groups out when speaking to them. For instance, show solidarity that you understand it will be a four-hour drive to visit with 2 tired children but that you are giving them the right reason as to why they booked with you in the first place. eg: easier than going abroad, flexibility, anticipating problems, making life easier when they arrive. 

Create and send a friendly and fun e-guide or print to them when they have booked. 

This not only frees up your time but by sending out a guide that is specific to them e.g. a couple’s guide has information on spa treatments and rock climbing whilst the family guide features relevant info for them including the family friendly visitor attractions and even the best service stations to stop at enroute. (Have you visited Gloucester Services yet?) 

Surprise & Delight

The main aim should be to enhance the customer experience – making each guest feel individual through recording their spending and behavioural habits when they stay with you. Exceed their expectations. We mentioned providing a handy guide when they initially book. This should be their first experience of how you will…‘Surprise & Delight’ 

This is above and beyond a loyalty scheme or good customer care. 

A gesture of a welcome hamper with a handwritten note on arrival which totally surprises them and because you already know they are vegan ensures all products are appropriate. 

This is a far more of a genuine approach. 

Other Surprise & Delight add-ons 

• Late check out option.
• Plenty of hot water 
• Send a postcard -reminding them of their stay, what they enjoyed or news about something they enjoyed when they were here. For example if part of their previous stay was to go to a local festival then remind them that tickets will be on sale soon. It’s an indirect promotion rather than direct. 

All these elements and considerations can make a guest stay with you so much more than they would have expected and are far more likely to return and recommend. 

What is the space to be used for?

Start at the beginning… think about who this space is for, how many people will be in it at any one time? Do you need separate zones for family members or is this a solo space just for you?

Curate your space

Our homes, whether a modern or period house can dictate our style.  A new small space can be playful and can let your inner-creative come alive.

• You don’t need to scale your furniture down to dolls house size often larger pieces can make more of a statement.
• Why not include an outdoor shower in your design?
• A cabin can face any direction you want. South facing for sun lovers and north facing for artists? We can play with the orientation of your space in its location. (we’re also currently working on a VR virtual reality tool to really immerse you in your cabin design) 
  

Make small space living multi-purpose

Think about the layout of the cabin in the design phase and be clever about giving elements double use.

• Avoid dead spaces like corridors. Every sqm should have a use!
• Hidden sliding doors become walls for bedroom privacy.
• Seating doubles as storage underneath.
• Make use of height and include a mezzanine floor as a sleep deck.
• If you do have two levels then include a sliding ladder instead of a fixed staircase as this can be moved aside when not in use.

Bring the Outside In or the Inside Out

A small space doesn’t have to be restricted to inside only.

• Have a partially covered deck and veranda for outdoor eating/sitting. 
• How about a drop down shutter that becomes a seating deck? or a fully open-ended space with a bath overlooking the view.
  

Try Before You Buy

We would really recommend staying in a small space and experiencing a bespoke glamping cabin or treehouse structure, or discovering what it’s like to be off-grid for a weekend. We can help suggest which of our cabins you can stay in.

Let’s do something amazing

Ideas can be endless and the team at Life Space Cabins want to hear them no matter how off the wall you think they are. We can help have fun and find a solution.

Things to note. 

Permitted development is subject to certain parameters. Check with your local planning development or planning portal for further information.  All our designs will adhere to full planning and building regulations and engineering guidelines and restrictions.