Irish company to unveil first log cabin house

Those desperately seeking affordable housing might regard this as the stuff of dreams; a modern five bedroom detached house with green credentials for less than £85,000, but probably nearer £35,000.

They will be able to view the house from next weekend, as an Irish company unveils its first log cabin house, made entirely of pine and spruce, produced in Poland and constructed within five days. It will feature in the Ideal Homes Exhibition at the RDS Simmonscourt from tomorrow until next Monday.

This is not building on the cheap, according to Mr Mark Hughes of Avonway. "The houses are based on tried and tested architectural and constructional rese arch, and have been in existence in both Scandinavia and Poland for centuries," he said.

With Britain, the Republic is the last country of northern Europe - not to mention the US and Canada - to recognise the merits of timber houses, according to Mr Hughes. Northern Poland, where Avonway houses will be made, has much the same climate (though it gets colder).

As for the perception that it may be a fire hazard, treatment of exterior wood gives it a "three-hour fire rating", which makes it more than comparable with other materials.

"These state-of-the-art log cabins are environmentally friendly, `green houses' for a better word," Mr Hughes said. "They are extremely energy-efficient, offering good insulation with low heat loss, as well as being able to withstand severe Arctic conditions."

Prospective buyers get the added benefit of much lower construction costs. This type of house can be built within three weeks. Avonway is constructing two similar houses in Borris, Co Carlow, with the intention of adding more.

Site costs and style factors mean the price can vary, but Mr Hughes sees log cabins, with a life-span in excess of 100 years with proper maintenance, as "an attractive alternative" in the current housing frenzy. With them being so new to Ireland, he accepted people were unlikely to buy them off the plans. "We are not having our marketing campaign until they can see, feel and touch them."