Log Home Building
You are tired of the rat race. Condo fees have got you down. Feeling suffocated by the plastic molded gaudy temperance of modern design? What you need is a log cabin. Be transported to the days of our forefathers in the rustic comfort of a log cabin.
Surprisingly, building a log home is remarkably easy and cost effective. There are numerous companies that specialize in log homes across the country and some of these even offer log home building kits.
Here is our introduction to the timeless craft of log cabin homes.
Choosing the Right Wood
Many log home builders get hung up on choosing the right wood for the job. In pioneer days, choice of wood was limited. They used basically anything they could find before the deadly winter arrived. Today, we are much more fortunate. While there is no ‘best wood for building,’ it often makes sense to choose a combination of woods for different parts of the home. Ask some log home companies or your builder what they recommend.
Keeping Costs Down
The least expensive design for log home building is the four-corner rectangular log home. However, this does not mean building costs will be cheap. Often a few small details can drastically increase the cost of your log home building plans. Keep things clean and simple.
Log Home Kits
One way to cut back the costs on your log home plans is to purchase a log home kit. Log home packages can vary; cheap log home kits will have some floor plans for your log home. However, these won’t be complete and will need to be approved by a professional before you can start to build. Of course, this also means that you can change anything you don’t like in the design without a lot of hassle.
From this basic package, you can only go up as far as your imagination will take you. While most log home manufacturers have pre-drawn blueprints, very few of them won’t give you the option of modifying the design to suit your needs. Since many people prefer custom log homes, this is one easy way to personalize your home without having to start from scratch.
Once you have your blueprints figured out, the same log home company will most likely be able to outfit you with your log home supplies. Again, log home kits that come with materials can range from basic, giving you just the logs you’ll need and some hardware, to all-inclusive packages, supplying you with the logs, hardware, windows, doors, porch and stairs. Which you choose depends on what you can afford.
Modular Log Homes
Modular log cabin homes are similar to log home kits in that they come with everything you need. However, unlike the kits, not only do modular homes provide you with all the materials you need, but they also come partially assembled! These are the easiest log homes to build since you just need to put the pieces of your home together.
At the manufacturers, each wall of your log home is constructed by professionals. If you choose, they can also install the windows and doors on the appropriate wall. Then, the walls are shipped to you, usually by truck. Once they arrive at the construction site, you simply need to put the walls together before you can move in.
A modular log home can be erected very quickly. Some companies will even do the on-site assembly for you. But if you’re willing to get a bit dirty (although not as dirty if you had built the log home from scratch), then you can reduce costs by putting together the walls of your home yourself. However, you may need to rent a crane or a forklift to get the pieces of your home off the truck bed.
Once you’re settled in to your new log home, don’t feel that you have to keep up appearances by buying log home furniture. Log homes are made for comfort; whether that means rustic or urban chic design is up to you. Any type of furniture can be used for your log home décor as long as it makes you feel at home.
