Bases and groundwork
Log cabin and garden building bases in Colchester and Essex
Dunster House's instructions ask for a log cabin base that is flat, level, square and stable, and larger than the bearer plan. We lay concrete and paving-slab bases for log cabins and other garden buildings across Colchester and North Essex, and can lay a Dunster House RapidGrid you have bought.
- Based in Colchester, covering North Essex and South Suffolk
- Base, build and finishing from one local team
- Built to Dunster House's published instructions
- Free, no-obligation quotes
What Dunster House asks for in a log cabin base
Dunster House's WarmaLog assembly instructions say 'Only a completely flat, level, square and stable load bearing base should be used', and warn that 'Failure to follow this advice may lead to serious issues later on.'
The same instructions say the base must be at least 200mm larger in width and depth than the bearer plan. Dunster House's help centre base guide puts it as the bearer plan plus an additional 100mm on all sides. So a bearer plan of 4,000mm by 3,000mm needs a base of at least 4,200mm by 3,200mm.
Why a poor base causes problems later
Once the walls are up, a base that is out of level or out of square is hard to put right. Dunster House's terms say that where a defect is deemed to be the customer's fault, for example an 'unsuitable base/site', any rectification will be chargeable (clause 8.7).
Its WarmaLog instructions also say it will not replace timber for 'Queries arising from a neglectful manner of construction, be it with the foundation or erection' of the cabin.
Concrete, paving slab or RapidGrid: the base options we lay
Dunster House's WarmaLog instructions give RapidGrid, concrete, paving slabs, sleepers and decking as examples of bases that can be used. We lay the options below and will talk through which suits your garden.
- Concrete slab, set out from your bearer plan
- Paving-slab base, bedded flat and level
- Dunster House RapidGrid, if you have bought one
Log cabin bases on sloping ground, and getting materials in
If your chosen spot slopes or dips, we excavate and level the site as part of the base, so the finished surface is flat and level. We check the slope, roots and any old paving on the site visit.
Base materials have to reach the garden, so tell us about side gates, steps, narrow paths and parking. We lay bases across Colchester, Witham, Clacton-on-Sea and the rest of North Essex and South Suffolk.
Siting your base: boundaries, power and height rules
Dunster House's base guide says to install the base 'at least 1.1m away from a boundary' to comply with Building Regulations.
Planning to have power? Tell us before the base is laid so it can be planned with the base. A new circuit to an outbuilding is notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations, so it must be done by an electrician registered with a competent person scheme or notified to building control. Electrical work is not part of our garden building service.
The Planning Portal says that under permitted development, a building within two metres of a boundary has a maximum height of 2.5 metres. Your property may differ, so check with Colchester City Council, Tendring District Council or Ipswich Borough Council before the base goes in.
How it works
- Send us the bearer plan Your building's manual should show the bearer layout. Send it with photos of the spot, the route from the road and your postcode.
- Survey the spot We check the slope, soil, roots, boundaries and how materials will reach the garden, then send a free, no-obligation quote.
- Setting out We mark out the base from the bearer plan with at least 100mm spare on every side and check it is square.
- Excavate and level We dig out and level the site, including on sloping or uneven ground.
- Lay the base We lay the concrete slab, paving slabs or your RapidGrid, then check it is flat, level and square.
- Ready for the building Once any concrete is completely dry, we build your garden building on it, or leave it ready for you.
Garden buildings, bases and timber work we have built
Real photos from our own jobs around Colchester. See more in the project gallery.
-
Garden building, Coggeshall -
Base preparation, Lexden -
Timber canopy with trellis, Lexden -
Raised deck with balustrade, Witham
Questions we are often asked
What size base does my log cabin need?
Dunster House's help centre says the base should match the external dimensions of your bearer plan plus an additional 100mm on all sides. Some manuals also give a suggested minimum: if you have bought a Severn 50/30, for example, its manual suggests 5,060mm by 3,060mm. Send us the bearer layout and we will set the base out from it.
How long should a concrete base cure before the build?
Dunster House's help centre says concrete should be completely dry before you build on it, usually about 48 hours, and advises against building in heavy rain or snowfall. We set the build date around drying time and the forecast.
Can you build a log cabin base on uneven ground?
Yes. Levelling the ground is part of preparing the base. How much digging it needs depends on the slope, which we check on the site visit.
Can you lay the RapidGrid base I bought from Dunster House?
Yes. RapidGrid is one of the example bases in Dunster House's WarmaLog assembly instructions. We prepare the ground, lay it and check it is flat, level and square before the build.
Can you lay the base and let me build the cabin myself?
Yes. We can lay the base only and leave it ready for you once any concrete is dry. If you change your mind, we can build the kit too.
Other garden buildings we build
Tell us what you have bought
Send us the model name and size, your delivery date and a photo of where it will go. We will come back to you with a free, no-obligation quote for Colchester, North Essex & South Suffolk.
Independent installer. McKenzie Property Renovations Limited is an independent building contractor. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by or acting on behalf of Dunster House Ltd. "Dunster House" and product names are used only to describe the products we build and remain the property of their owner.
Information about Dunster House is quoted from its own help centre and terms, and planning guidance from the Planning Portal, checked 27 September 2026.
