Frequently asked questions

1-2 days. It will depend on the size of your cabin, for example, 10m² Crete Panorama takes 1 day and up to 2 days for a larger cabin such as Sicilia Panorama 20 m².

It may last for a lifetime and beyond if you treat the backyard cabin properly. With any wooden product which lives outside and is exposed to the elements will need to be painted or stained periodically. Please refer to an instruction of a particular paints you use. If you add guttering to a building, this will also help preserve its life span by directing water away from the walls as it does on your house.

YZY backyard cabins/studios come from Europe, where Nordic Pine Spruce is grown in FSC certified forests. When trees are ready, they are cut, delivered to the manufacturer, treated in a wood drying kiln and then milled according to an engineering drawing. All parts are then flat packed on pallets and shipped to Australia.

Please note that 8-meter 6 tonne truck with Hiab crane will arrive and make sure you create an appropriate space in your backyard or close to the kerbside on arrival. Place the pallets at reasonably close proximity so it is convenient to unpack and unload the pallets.
Crete Panorama, 10 m² comes flat packed on 2 pallets
Pallet 1: W 1.10m x L 4.70m x H 0.75m;
Pallet 2 (windows): W 1.10m x L 2.05m x H 0.56m;
Approx weight 1200kg
Corsica Panorama, 18 m² – comes flat packed on 2 pallets
Pallet 1: W 1.10m x L 5.50m x H 0.80m;
Pallet 2 (windows): 1.10m x L 4.40m x H 0.45m;
Approx weight 1600kg
Sicilia Panorama, 20m² comes on 2 pallets
Pallet 1: W 1.10m x L 4.65m x H 0.58m;
Pallet 2 (windows): W 1.10m x L 6.05m x H 0.87m;
Approx weight 1800kg

Sure we do. Our Products are protected with a 5-year guarantee concerning the structure if installed on a properly prepared base. Natural wear and tear are not covered under our warranty as it is dependent on how you maintain it. Timber as a natural substance may expand and contract according to environmental conditions which may result in developing cracks and this is considered as natural wear and tear condition. Also, any damage caused by adverse weather conditions is excluded. For a full list of details on the warranty please read Terms and Conditions. If your backyard studio is installed by licensed builder, you should have a guarantee on the building as per Building Code.

These solid timber backyard cabins with stainless steel rods system are very solid structure buildings, known as anti-earthquake structures. For example, in Italy and Japan, earthquake-prone areas, these structures are very popular as they withstand the earthquakes, you can watch the video (0:37s), a test conducted in Japan of the same structure building on YouTube.

Also, YZY Kit Homes backyard studios and cabins are environmentally friendly, energy-saving, natural, durable, they do not emit any harmful gases or toxic compounds, do not accumulate dust, and do not dry the air. Timber has the unique ability to “breathe”: air passes through the wood grain, gets cleared, moisturized and thus a comfortable microclimate always maintains inside the building. Scientists proved that people living in wooden houses get sick less; they do not suffer from allergies, depression and insomnia.

No. In fact, these structures are a well-known type of structures in the World for centuries. It is believed that first log cabins were probably built in Northern Europe in the Bronze Age (about 3500 BC). Seven United States Presidents were born in log cabins, including Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Jackson, and James Buchanan. You can read more about the structures on Wikipedia.

You would require an 8-meter measuring tape, an electric screwdriver (phillips head sizes PZ1, PZ2, PZ3 and TX30), drill, wooden or rubber mallet (2-3 pc), spirit level, hammer, handsaw, hacksaw, jack-plane, crowbar, stepladder (2 pc), sealant, Stanley knife, PVA glue for wood, wood clamps, a ruler and a pencil; pliers and 13 mm spanner. A nail gun is optional but it would shorten the assembly process time in roofing significantly.

A foundation is built to suit your site. Then all structural components that come from the EU are assembled. The structure will require tie-down steel rods sourced locally. And then battens, insulation and roofing are installed. Here you have a cabin built to lockup stage in a few days.

It all depends on the size of your studio, any extra work required and DIY or Pro installation will take place. For example, Pro installation takes 1 day for Crete and up to 2 days for a larger studio like Sicilia 20 m².
Watch 1 day DIY project, a construction time-lapse video of Crete cabin installed as a Pool House.
Be aware that unloading a kit on site may take up to 3 hours before installation can begin if there is no easy access close to the site. Please note, that a firm and level base with all 90-degree angles must be in a position to start assembling a studio.

All of our garden studios come with comprehensive assembly instructions and follow a very similar assembly pattern. However, if having read the installation section you are still experiencing problems then please feel free to contact the dealer you have purchased the kit from and he will guide you through the process.

After the installation, backyard cabin must be painted or stained with industry-recognized paint or stain system. You will have to re-paint or re-stain it periodically, please refer and follow the paint manufacturer’s instructions.

Normally you will have to re-paint it every 10 years or re-stain it every 2 years, please refer and follow the paint manufacturer’s instructions.

Any type of base. You can choose to have a concrete slab, paved base, timber stumps, decking, sleepers or breeze blocks. The base must be flat, solid, level and all corners must have 90-degree angles.

It is essential that your YZY backyard studio is assembled on a firm and level base constructed from appropriate and durable material. Without that, it may be very difficult to assemble your wooden cabin correctly and even may lead to deterioration of the product in the future. For example, windows and/or doors may become difficult to open and/or close; gaps can occur between the wallboards.

Ask your nearest builder, some of our builders have financing options available.

In most of the cases you won’t need council permission if the outbuilding is not used for habitable purposes. All our cabins are designed in Australia to meet regulations of exempt development and also 20m² and larger cabins meet Australian building standards to be approved as habitable with the average ceiling height of 2.4m.
Every state has different size limitations, please inquire with your nearest builder.

In NSW, under the state Environmental Planning policy, people may be able to construct or install a backyard studio on land in any zone without the need for development consent from the council if a building has a floor area of no more than 20 m² and is not higher than 3 m above ground level (existing) and ONLY if other development standards specified for the development are met. View a 1-page extract from the full State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008.

There is a list of requirements regarding the placement of outbuildings in the Exempt and Complying Development Codes of the State Environmental Planning Policy, NSW.
Some of those requirements state that the development:
must be placed at least 0.9 m away from each lot boundary;
be located behind the building line of any road frontage,
constructed or installed so that roof water is disposed of without causing a nuisance to adjoining owners
These standards are the most common standards but there are more specific requirements if, for example, your lot is in a heritage conservation area, a bush fire prone land and etc. View 1-page extract, Subdivision 9 of State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 or consult your local council or private certifier for further information.

Yes and No. Granny flat cannot be built as an Exempt Development but in most cases can be built as a Complying Development which has fewer requirements compared to a DA. You have a choice to have a Private Certifier to get all Council Approvals so you do not have to deal with councils.

In common practice, DA is the longest and most expensive process, then Complying Development goes through streamlined assessment process and an Exempt Development with the least worries as may be carried out without the need for development consent.
If your development is an Exempt Development, you don’t have to go to council or private certifier but simply construct or install the building in accordance with all specified requirements for the Exempt development.
If your development is a Complying development, you can choose whether you want to go through the council or a private certifier.
For more information about the Exempt and Complying Developments please read State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 or consult your local council or other professional legal services provider.
If your development has to go through DA, you have to go to your local council.