10 Tips For Building Your First Log Home

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For some, the idea of building a log home elicits romantic dreams of a return to nature and a simpler way of life but for others it conjures up nightmares of budget overages, poor quality work and absent customer service. While there is no way guarantee an absolutely trouble free build of your log home there are certain steps you can take to minimize the risk and in the process save you some money. Below are 10 tips to help you avoid the pitfall of log home construction;

1. "You get what you pay for" there is no secret here the lower the price the less that is included in your "package" This is true for materials and service.

2. Only buy quality materials- keep in mind that the log package which usually includes the walls, support beams, and roof beams is the only portion of the house that cannot be retro-fitted at a later date. Always buy the highest quality materials you can afford. The best materials for log home construction( in descending order) are Cedar, Fir, Spruce, Pine

3. Deal with reputable a reputable company- make sure the company you are dealing with is legitimate- stay away from offers that are too good to be true. Visit the log home company's construction site and look around- Is the machinery in good shape? Are the crew members respectable looking? Is the owner present? Are they insured? A reputable company will answer yes to all these.

4. The contract. A good reputable log home company will have a good contract that clearly details exactly what is and what is not included in its package. Be wary of a company that has a vague contract which does not include details.

5. Be prepared to pay- You won't get something for nothing. If you grind the company too much on the price they will grind you on the quality or service. Keep in mind that "they have to eat too" and that building a log home requires large amounts of expensive materials and labour. Before you interview builders determine you budget for the log shell and the overall home. This may require price shopping on your behalf but remember if the price you get seems to good to be true then it probably is.

6. Be flexible- building a log home requires a skilled labour force that is in short supply. If you can be flexible with your delivery date you can usually negotiate a better price.

7. Financing- financing log homes is a little different than regular construction because you will be required to pay for the log shell prior to delivery. This can be 30% of the overall cost of your home and some "un-educated" mortgage companies will not release funds until certain milestones are reached. This can put you in a tight situation where the builder won't ship the home until he is paid but the lender won't release the money until the log shell is re-assembled. Your best course of action here to ensure smooth and timely delivery is to ether arrange bridge financing or deal with a mortgage company that specializes in log homes- they are out there and they understand the process. Failure to do so could result in penalties or even storage fees until you can arrange financing.

8. Be ready for delivery- nothing could be worse than not having your foundation and or jobsite ready for the delivery of the log shell. This means that the foundation is finished, backfilled, and the site is accessible. Do not overlook the seriousness of this as most builders have it written into their contract that if the site is not accessible or ready then they are under no obligation to deliver the log shell and instead will off-load it at an accessible location and then leave. Be sure that if you are supplying the crane that it is suitable for the job and that the operator is competent and has the skill as a slow and incompetent crane operator can cost you a lot of money.

9. A good contractor- finding a good contractor who will finish the home is where your budget is "make or break". Do not automatically assume that your contractor shares your same vision and budget constraints. It is imperative that you stay close to the project and make you contractor stick to your budget. If you contractor seems to be spinning his wheels or is absent or keeps coming up with more hidden costs don't be afraid to fire him- its your money and he works for you not the other way around.

10. HAVE FUN. Enjoy the whole process. Along the way you will meet many great people if you let them in. Log homes, from the builder on up attract a certain type of warm and hospitable person and you will become life long friends with these people because after all you are all working on something more than just a home you are all working on a dream- your dream so enjoy it as much as you can.

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Source by Darwin Forcier