With the high costs of building traditional home extensions, log cabins may be an attractive alternative for those with extra garden space, for additional living or working space.

They have a variety of uses from simple summer houses or garden rooms to play-rooms, fitness gyms, studios, guest rooms and of course home offices. The larger sizes may require planning permission.

Modern log cabins come in many shapes and sizes from simple single-roomed Swiss chalets to multi-roomed cabins, some even with a second floor. They come in at prices from a few hundred to several thousand pounds for the larger and more elaborate cabins. All will be constructed with treated Scandinavian softwoods from sustainable sources, with wall timbers of 28 to 44mmm thickness, and the higher end models will feature double-glazed windows and doors, and have wall, floor and loft insulation. The twin-walled "sandwich" wall type, which have an insulating layer of polystyrene between the outer and inner walls, make for comfortable winter use.

More often than not the Cabins will come pre-cut and flat-packed for self-assembly on a prepared concrete base. The walls will be of tight-fitting, interlocking tongue and grooved planks or logs, which require no nailing. The smaller sized cabins  will need a couple of people of intermediate DIY skill levels to assemble. An electrician will be needed to run an electric supply with armoured cable from the house distribution board to a small fuse box in the chalet and to install lights and power sockets.

Log cabins are a great way to add more living and work space.