Winding down from a busy weekend. Had a great mix of play and work. It is always great to get emails and calls with log home inquiries, plans and questions. It is interesting to see where everyone is at from that first call asking for basic information and a plan book to researching log home plans and pricing to nearing the final stages by emailing or mailing a plan to get the bidding process underway. Like I said earlier, I've been in the log home business as a log home dealer for a national company for over ten years now. I have spent these years only in the milled log environment and build both full log and half log homes. As you have been going through your magazines, plan books and websites you have set some aside to be reviewed again and already have disqualified some others. At this stage you are starting to learn more about log home plans, terminology, energy efficiency and the difference between all the log home packages and prices. What is the next step? I suggest narrowing the scope down to log home companies that are near where you are going to be building. If you are looking at one of the national log home companies, check out their dealer network. It is quite possible that a log home company that you would like to check out may have a dealer in the area of your build site. Even though the headquarters of that log home company may be across the country, that job of the dealer is to be familiar with local codes, local build costs and should have a network of local builders. I feel that a local log home company or dealer is very important to your project. Code requirements change in every region and can be tough for a non-local company to keep up with. An example would be a log home company that is based in the northern climates such as Wisconsin or Minnesota usually design their roof systems for a certain amount of snow load and have to meet an R-value of R38 in the roof systems. Obviously, southern states don't require snow load so that home may be over engineered for the southern climates and result in some added materials costs that are unnecessary. The opposite of that is a southern based log home company not familiar with snow loads and the energy requirements of the northern states. It is much easier planning for local codes in the early stages rather than dealing with it once you are trying to get a permit. I am not saying you have to go with a local log home company but your research will prompt you to interview that company and/or dealer to see if they are able to meet codes in the area you are going to build in. Local builder support is so important to your project. A quality log home company should have builders that can get your log home built. If they don't I would strongly consider putting them on your disqualified list. Yes, the current economy has alot of builders has alot of guys looking for work. But, how many of them have built with log? Do you want them learning on yours? I don't think so. The log home company should also have a list of referrences so you can check them out as well as their builders. Chances are past customers are more than willing to show their house off to you as well. Take them up on the offer, there is no better way to learn about a company and log home builder than to talk to a home owner. Every log home company out there is more than willing to sell you a log home package. However, not all have the means of helping you get it built. You have spent so much time researching and planning your dream log home so don't select just any builder. I have seen too many examples of why the builder is so critical to the project. I have some more information on this website that talks about log home builder selection and log styles.
In closing, I want to touch on estimated build costs. If you already own our lot it is going to be easier for the log home company to give you an accurate estimate. Without you knowing the location and site conditions we can only help so much. There are too many unknown variables just with the foundation such as slab, crawlspace, full basement or basement with a walkout. Tree clearing, rocks and other site conditions will play into final budget.
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