Log cabin from 1999, question about energy efficiency

Hello dear forum community,

we are currently in the process of looking for a house or may have possibly found one. It is a log cabin from 1999. Since the topic of energy efficiency and heating etc. is currently very present in the media, it of course also plays a role in our search. That is why I am writing here today. The house is a log cabin with 95 sqm of living space, 1 1/2 floors. The lower floor is designed quite open, in the middle there is a staircase going up to the upper floor. So far no expansion has taken place here. It is just one large clad room without an intermediate ceiling and therefore room height up to the ridge. Now about the wall structure: 96 mm logs, then a foil, then 100 mm insulation and then 20 mm battens on the inside. This sounds like a solid structure to me at first glance. The roof is insulated with 200 mm insulation. I cannot say anything about the insulation material yet, as the realtor will provide that later. Currently there is a gas heating system with underfloor heating installed on the ground floor. There is no heating in the upper floor so far. However, the current owner cannot say anything about their consumption since the house was previously only used as a weekend house and was originally planned as a retirement residence.

Is it to be assumed that the house is sufficiently insulated? At the time of construction, it must have met certain requirements, right? Can the annual gas consumption be roughly estimated?

Thank you very much for your help

1. Should the upper floor still be expanded and does the area already belong to the 95sqm? 2. Basically, a house from 1999 is so good that it can also be heated today with a heat pump. So decarbonization is not an issue (CO2 levy). 3. What does the energy certificate say? 4. A house consists of more components than just the walls. How are the floor slab and roof insulated (or what kind of insulation is installed in the roof)? What kind of windows are installed? 5. The information about the wall structure is meaningless. I drive a green car. How fast can it be? (roughly). So what kind of beams (oak, spruce, etc.)? What kind of insulation with which WLG? Why is that important? I have equipped my old building with 12cm top insulation – that is enough for KfW 55. If I use simple insulation (e.g. cheap EPS), it can also be 22cm of insulation to achieve the same insulation effect. Give a few more details, and you can do some calculations. For energy efficiency reasons, however, I would not reject a 1999 house (WP-capable!).

we are currently looking for a house or have possibly found one now. It is a log cabin from 1999.

Then I’ll call in for you ;-)

I can only ask: what does the energy certificate say? MW is mandatory when selling. And it is not the consumption certificate that is meant.

1. Is the upper floor still to be developed and is the area already included in the 95sqm? 2. Basically, a house from 1999 is in such good condition that it can also be heated with a heat pump today. So decarbonization is not an issue (CO2 levy).

Yes, the upper floor is still to be developed. However, that is already included in the 95sqm. I had also hoped that a heat pump should be quite easily feasible. Especially because there is already underfloor heating in the ground floor. Regarding the other points: I am currently still waiting for more detailed data from the real estate agent. As soon as I have it, I will add it here. The basic signal that there is nothing seriously to fear already makes me feel positive. Google unfortunately only shows garden sheds or those houses built from massive logs when searching for log houses. That unsettled me a lot because the type of construction I described apparently is not very common.

I can only ask: what does the energy certificate say? MW it is mandatory during the sale. And it is not the consumption certificate meant.

It was not yet available at the first viewing. But the seller is legally obligated to present it before the sale, right?