Wooden prefab homes: types, cost, upkeep and planning permission
A wooden prefab home has its frame or walls made in a factory and assembled on the plot. There are log homes, timber-frame homes, homes built from cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels and kits to assemble; there are also homes with another structure and timber cladding outside, like many lodges, chalets and mobile homes. Exterior timber needs regular upkeep. At Green Village there are chalets, mobile homes and lodges with a timber exterior or frame from £14,792, transport and installation included, VAT shown separately where it applies.
Wooden prefab homes bring together two things many buyers look for: the look and feel of timber and the speed of a home made in a factory. Behind the same name there are very different building systems, each with its own upkeep, price and permissions.
This guide explains those systems, the upkeep timber needs, what makes the price vary and which permissions UK law asks for. It is published by Green Village Mobile Homes, which sells chalets, mobile homes and lodges with a timber exterior or frame from stock.
Which types of wooden prefab home are there?
The name ‘wooden home’ covers different building systems:
When comparing, ask what the structure is, which timber it uses, how it is treated and what insulation it has: two ‘wooden’ homes can be built in very different ways.
- Log home — walls of interlocking logs or timber beams, which are both the structure and the finish.
- Timber frame — a timber skeleton with insulation between the studs and linings inside and out.
- CLT panels — cross-laminated timber panels, cut in the factory, that form the walls and floors.
- Wooden home kit — parts cut in the factory to be assembled on the plot, by the buyer or by a team.
- Timber exterior — homes with a structure of another material and timber cladding outside, like many chalets, lodges and mobile homes.
Units available now
Looking after the wood
Exterior timber is exposed to sun, rain and damp and needs regular upkeep: cleaning, checking the joints and renewing the treatment — oil, varnish or stain — as often as the manufacturer recommends and the exposure of the site demands.
Indoors, timber needs little upkeep, but humidity and ventilation should be kept under control. Before you buy, ask how the timber was treated and how it should be maintained; the mobile home maintenance guide covers the rest of the home.
How much does a wooden prefab home cost?
The price depends on the building system, the species and thickness of the timber, the insulation, the finishes and what the quote includes: design, base, transport, assembly, connections and VAT. A made-to-measure wooden home only has a fixed price once the design is finalised; a home in stock has its delivered price set before you pay.
At Green Village there are 18 chalets, mobile homes and lodges with a timber exterior or frame from £14,792, with a median price of £27,563, always with transport and installation included, VAT shown separately where it applies. See the mobile homes and chalets in stock and the luxury lodges, each with its own page and photos.
Planning permission for a wooden home in the UK
In England, being made of wood does not change the rule: what counts is how the home is installed. A wooden house built on a plot is development — the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 defines development as carrying out building or other operations on land (s. 55) and requires planning permission for any development of land (s. 57) — and erecting it is building work under the Building Regulations 2010 (reg. 3). A timber-clad twin-unit lodge can instead count as a caravan under the Caravan Sites Act 1968 (s. 13): no more than two sections, assembled on site with bolts, clamps or other devices, physically capable of being moved by road once assembled, and no more than 20 m long, 6.8 m wide and 3.05 m high inside. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules; ask the local planning authority before you buy.
In practice, check with the local planning authority what the plot allows and which permission the home needs, and sign only after that. The guide to buying a mobile home in the UK covers park homes and caravans, and the guide to planning permission in Europe compares other countries.
Pros and cons of a wooden home
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| The look and feel of timber, inside and out | Exterior timber needs regular upkeep |
| Parts made in a factory, with less work on site | Humidity and ventilation need attention |
| Several systems, from a kit to a made-to-measure home | Different systems under the same name make comparing harder |
| In stock, the delivered price is known before you pay | Permissions follow the same rules as any other building and are decided by the local authority |
Timber-clad homes in stock at Green Village
Green Village does not build wooden homes to measure: it sells chalets, mobile homes and lodges that already exist, with a timber exterior or frame. For a home made to measure in another system, the Personalize collection offers modular homes, expandable container houses, capsule pods and domes, and the modular home guide compares the building systems.
Green Village Mobile Homes sells ready-built homes from stock: new and used mobile homes, modular homes, container homes and tiny houses. Each unit has its own page, photos and the delivered price for the destination you choose, transport and installation included, VAT shown separately where it applies. Transport is organised by Mobile Home Logistic, included in the price and insured at 100 % of the home's value. Each page shows the delivered price for 18 destinations; for any other country, Green Village sends a quote.
See the mobile homes and chalets in stock, the luxury lodges and the full catalogue. Choose your country under ‘Import to’, at the top right of the site, and every page shows the price delivered there.
Green Village has 5 stores in 4 countries — Maia, Ribeirinha (Azores), Vigo, La Séguinière (by appointment) and Jundiaí.
In summary
- Log, timber frame, CLT and kit are the building systems; there are also homes with a timber exterior on another structure.
- Exterior timber needs regular upkeep: cleaning, checking and renewing the treatment.
- Compare quotes with the same scope: design, base, transport, assembly, connections and VAT.
- In England, a wooden house on a plot normally needs planning permission and must meet the Building Regulations; a twin-unit lodge within the Caravan Sites Act 1968 can count as a caravan.
Frequently asked questions
What is a wooden prefab home?
It is a home whose timber frame or walls are made in a factory and assembled on the plot: log homes, timber frame, CLT panels or kits. Many chalets, lodges and mobile homes have another structure with timber cladding outside.
How much does a wooden prefab home cost?
It depends on the system, the timber, the insulation, the finishes and what the quote includes. At Green Village, the chalets, mobile homes and lodges with a timber exterior or frame in stock start at £14,792, transport and installation included, VAT shown separately where it applies.
Do you need planning permission for a wooden home in the UK?
In England, a wooden house built on a plot is development (Town and Country Planning Act 1990, s. 55), needs planning permission (s. 57) and must meet the Building Regulations 2010; a twin-unit lodge within the Caravan Sites Act 1968 definition (s. 13) can count as a caravan instead. Being made of wood does not change the rule. Ask the local planning authority before you buy.
What upkeep does a wooden home need?
Exterior timber needs cleaning, checks on the joints and regular renewal of the treatment (oil, varnish or stain), as often as the manufacturer recommends and the exposure of the site demands.
Does Green Village build wooden homes to measure?
No. Green Village sells chalets, mobile homes and lodges in stock with a timber exterior or frame, each with its own page and delivered price.
Where can I see wooden homes for sale with prices?
In the Green Village catalogue: each chalet, mobile home and lodge has its own page, photos and the delivered price for the destination you choose. Green Village has 5 stores in 4 countries — Maia, Ribeirinha (Azores), Vigo, La Séguinière (by appointment) and Jundiaí.
Sources & references
- Town and Country Planning Act 1990, section 55 — meaning of development (legislation.gov.uk)
- Town and Country Planning Act 1990, section 57 — planning permission required (legislation.gov.uk)
- The Building Regulations 2010, regulation 3 — building work (legislation.gov.uk)
- Caravan Sites Act 1968, section 13 — twin-unit caravans (legislation.gov.uk)