A Busy Fall

Log homes, cooler weather, fall colors and the rush is on. It has been busy here and finally taking some time to get caught up here. The last few weeks have seen us tear down an existing cabin in northern Minnesota to make way for a new log home that will be ready to be enjoyed next summer. I'm also trying to wrap up some plan modifications so we can get another log home plan finalized and underway before freeze up. It is nice to be busy with emails, phone calls and model visits as well. Fall starts are not that unusual here in this climate. It is nice to get the excavating and foundation work done while the weather is still warm and get the building shelled up before the snow flies and the weather turns cold. Once the roof is on, mechanicals are done and insulation is in then the furnace can be ran to keep things a bit easier on the builders. A later in the fall or winter start is not out of the question with some proper planning. I had my basement dug for my log home dug on a morning that was -20. We didn't have to break frost being I spread hay over the site the previous fall. I went with a poured wall foundation and got lucky that we only had a few inches of snow from excavating to getting the roof on and windows in. If you aren't underway now or soon to start your log home construction project now is the time to keep researching, going over plans, checking out log home builders and getting ready to get bids. The winter season here is also show season. I suggest attending some open houses, log home shows and seminars over the winter to help your research process. If you want to start in May, you really need to have the log home company selected, the log home package figured out and plan finalized a couple of months ahead of that. The log home builders need time to get final bids, permits need to be pulled and the log home company has to take that preliminary plan and turn it into the construction plans.