Berkshire Log Cabins at a Glance
Range: Trentan Berkshire log cabins · Choice: 11 distinctive cabin designs · Sizes: From compact 9x9ft cabins to spacious 21x13ft models · Glazing: Double glazed as standard · Floors: Timber floors included · Styles: Apex, pent, clockhouse, corner and octagonal designs.
Uses: Garden office, studio, hobby room, gym, entertainment space or garden retreat · Site survey: Free site surveys available · Insulation: Floor and roof insulation options available · Installation: Professional installation available · Bases: Base construction service available · Customisation: Door, window, colour and other options available · See before you buy: Examples of our garden buildings can be viewed at our Surrey show site near Guildford and Woking.
Need advice? Our experienced team can help with cabin model, size, layout, doors and windows, insulation, base requirements and installation before you order.
What Are Trentan Berkshire Log Cabins?
Our Trentan Berkshire log cabins are a collection of substantial timber garden cabins whose model names are based around towns and locations in Berkshire, including Ascot, Crowthorne, Eton, Hungerford, Maidenhead, Mortimer, Newbury, Reading, Sunningdale and Windsor, together with the Sandhurst model. The range gives you considerably more choice than a standard cabin repeated in different dimensions, with traditional apex cabins, contemporary pent roof designs, a corner cabin, a Clockhouse design, and the distinctive Windsor octagonal cabin. If you are still deciding between ranges rather than individual models, you can also browse our complete log cabin collection.
My Experience With Log Cabins and Garden Buildings
I’m Robin Antill, founder of 1st Choice Leisure Buildings. I left school at 15 and started in the garden building business in 1979, trading as Marina Sheds. Those early years taught me a great deal about timber buildings, customers, and, importantly, the difference between something that looks attractive in a photograph and a garden building properly suited to the job it is being bought to do.
I sold Marina Sheds in 1990, although unfortunately I did not receive all the money I was due from the sale. In 1992 we broadened the business beyond sheds by adding summerhouses, garages, garden rooms and log cabins. That new direction also meant changing the business name to Titan Garden Buildings.
My son Craig joined me in 1992 after studying carpentry at Guildford College from 1990. His carpentry background brought another practical dimension to the business and, between us, we continued developing our knowledge of timber garden buildings and what customers really need from them.
We sold Titan Garden Buildings in 1998. Then, in 2000, we decided to retail selected quality garden buildings from other manufacturers rather than being tied to just one type of product, and 1st Choice Leisure Buildings was formed. Today Craig runs the day-to-day business, and I support him and the team whenever required. More than four decades after I first started, the key is to explain what customers are actually getting and help them choose the right specification for how they intend to use their building.
How I Would Choose a Berkshire Log Cabin
I would start with what you intend to do inside the cabin, not simply which photograph you like best. A garden office has different priorities from a gym, hobby room or occasional summer retreat. Think about furniture, desk positions, exercise equipment, storage, natural light, electrical requirements and how frequently you expect to use the cabin during colder months. Once you understand that, it becomes much easier to decide on size, roof design, doors, windows, insulation and other options.
It is also worth comparing the whole specification rather than judging a cabin by wall thickness alone. Look at the timber walls, floor, roof, glazing, door quality, foundation requirements, insulation options and installation service together. If year-round comfort is especially important, you may also want to compare our dedicated insulated log cabins.
Apex, Pent, Corner or Clockhouse Berkshire Cabin?
The best roof and shape depends partly on appearance and partly on how the building will sit in your garden. An apex cabin has two sloping roof sections meeting at a ridge and gives the familiar traditional log cabin appearance, together with useful additional height towards the centre. If that is the style you prefer, you can compare the Berkshire models with our wider range of apex log cabins.
A pent roof uses a single roof slope and normally creates a cleaner, more contemporary appearance. This can work particularly well for a modern garden office, studio or entertainment room. You can see further examples in our pent log cabin range.
A corner cabin is designed to make particularly effective use of a garden corner and can give you attractive views through glazing positioned across the front elevations. If space or garden layout makes that appealing, compare the Mortimer with our other corner log cabins. The Crowthorne Clockhouse has a more decorative pavilion-style appearance, while the Windsor takes a very different approach with its octagonal form.
Can I See Trentan Log Cabins Before I Buy?
Yes, and wherever practical, I recommend seeing garden buildings in person before placing an order. Our Surrey log cabin showrooms and display site, near Guildford and Woking, allow you to inspect representative Trentan buildings and compare timber, glazing, doors, floors, roof construction, paint finishes and overall proportions for yourself. We cannot display every model and specification, so if seeing a particular feature or cabin is important to you, please check what is currently on display before travelling.
At the time of writing, our display information includes several Trentan cabins, including Haslemere, Shalford, Woking, Abinger and Brookwood examples. Even if the precise Berkshire model you want is not displayed, seeing representative buildings from the same range can be extremely useful because dimensions and construction details are much easier to understand at full size than from photographs alone.
Berkshire Log Cabin Questions and Answers
What is a Berkshire log cabin?
On our website, Berkshire log cabins refer to the Trentan range of timber garden cabins whose individual models are named mainly after Berkshire towns and locations. The collection includes several different styles and sizes rather than one single cabin design.
Are your Berkshire log cabins actually made in Berkshire?
The term Berkshire log cabins on this page identifies the Trentan model range and its Berkshire-themed model names; it should not be interpreted as a claim that these cabins are manufactured in Berkshire. I prefer to make that distinction clear so customers and search engines understand exactly what the range name means.
What Berkshire log cabin models are available?
The current collection includes Ascot, Crowthorne, Eton, Hungerford, Maidenhead, Mortimer, Newbury, Reading, Sunningdale, Windsor and Sandhurst cabins. Availability, sizes and specifications can change, so the individual product listings above should always be treated as the current source for prices and options.
What sizes do Berkshire log cabins come in?
The range covers compact cabins through to substantial garden rooms. Current models extend from approximately 9 x 9ft at the smaller end to around 21 x 13ft for the largest listed design, with several models available in more than one size. Always use the dimensions shown on the individual product page when planning your garden because nominal and exact measurements can differ.
Are Berkshire log cabins suitable for a garden office?
Yes. Many Berkshire cabins can make very effective garden offices, where their size, glazing, and specification match your requirements. Before choosing one, plan where your desk, chair, screens, storage, and electrical sockets will go, and consider whether you want insulation for more regular use in colder weather.
Can I use a Berkshire cabin as a garden gym?
Yes, subject to choosing sufficient floor area, internal height and a suitable base and floor specification for your equipment. Measure exercise machines at their highest operating point and allow enough clear space around them rather than relying only on their footprint.
Are the Berkshire log cabins double glazed?
Double glazing is included across the Berkshire products currently shown on this category, but specifications can be updated, and options vary between models. I therefore recommend confirming the glazing specification on the individual cabin page and quotation before ordering.
Do Berkshire log cabins include a wooden floor?
The Berkshire cabins currently listed include timber floors. As with all important specifications, check the individual product page and your final quotation because the precise floor construction, available upgrades and optional finishes can vary from one cabin to another.
Can a Berkshire log cabin be insulated?
Floor and roof insulation options are available for suitable models. If you expect to work or spend long periods in the building year-round, discuss insulation when choosing the cabin rather than treating it as an afterthought. You can also compare our insulated garden log cabins if thermal performance is one of your main priorities.
Can 1st Choice install my Berkshire log cabin?
Professional installation is available on suitable Berkshire models. Professional installation can be particularly worthwhile for larger buildings, but the site and base still need to meet the requirements. Check the installation option and site requirements for the particular cabin you are considering before ordering.
What base does a Berkshire log cabin need?
A log cabin needs a firm, level and suitably constructed base capable of supporting the complete building. The appropriate solution depends on the model, size and site conditions. Base construction services are available, and I recommend resolving the base specification before arranging the building installation because even a good cabin will suffer if it starts life on an unsuitable foundation.
Can Berkshire log cabins be painted?
Colour and painted-finish options are available for suitable cabins. A coloured finish can substantially change the character of the building and can help it sit more naturally alongside your house, fencing or surrounding landscaping. You can also browse our wider selection of painted log cabins.
Can doors and windows be changed on a Berkshire cabin?
Door, window and layout options are available on selected Trentan cabins. If the cabin will be used as an office, studio, or hobby room, consider furniture placement before deciding on glazing, because moving a door or window can sometimes make a greater practical difference than increasing the overall size of the building.
Do I need planning permission for a Berkshire log cabin?
Many garden buildings can be installed under permitted development rights, but this depends on matters including the building’s position, height, intended use and your property. Different rules can apply to listed buildings, designated land and properties where permitted development rights have been restricted. Because planning circumstances are property-specific, check the current requirements for your home with the appropriate planning authority before committing to a building where there is any doubt.
Which Berkshire log cabin is best for a small garden?
The Mortimer is one of the most compact models currently within this range and its corner format can be useful where garden space is limited. However, the best choice depends on the usable space around the cabin and the cabin footprint itself, because you need sensible access for installation, maintenance, and opening doors and windows.
Which Berkshire log cabin is best for a large garden room?
Larger models such as the Ascot, Reading, Hungerford and Windsor provide more substantial internal space, although their layouts and shapes are quite different. Rather than choosing simply by floor area, decide whether you want an office, entertainment room, gym, studio or mixed-use room and then compare the doors, windows, roof shape and usable internal dimensions.
Can I visit your showrooms before choosing a Berkshire log cabin?
Yes. I encourage customers to visit our garden building and log cabin showrooms near Guildford and Woking if they can. Seeing timber thickness, doors, glazing, roof lines, floors and full-size internal spaces can answer questions that photographs and specifications cannot always convey.
Who can advise me about choosing a Berkshire log cabin?
Craig, our team and I can help you compare the Berkshire cabins with other garden log cabins according to your intended use, available space, budget, insulation requirements, base and installation needs. I have worked in the garden building business since 1979, while Craig joined me in 1992 following his carpentry studies at Guildford College, so our advice is based on many years of practical experience rather than simply reading a manufacturer’s brochure.
My Final Advice Before Choosing Your Cabin
My advice is to shortlist two or three buildings and then compare them specification by specification. Check the actual dimensions, wall construction, glazing, doors, floor, roof, insulation, base, installation and any options you intend to add. Above all, choose for how you expect to use the cabin rather than simply buying the largest building your garden or budget will allow. If you can, visit our Surrey showrooms to see representative log cabins before deciding. If the Berkshire collection does not provide exactly what you need, return to our complete log cabins and garden log cabins range to compare the alternatives.
From £11,480