Alternative Housing

Finally, a Log Home Blog

If you're thinking of building a log home (or even if it's still just a dream), you may want to check out the new Log Home Ideas blog.  Though it's pretty new, it's got promise.  So far it has some pictures of accessories (i.e. a moose towel ring) and log homes with links to builders (so if you see a home you're interested in, you can find out how much the kit costs).  There should be some tips and information for buyers at some point too.  Maybe also some information for those who already have log homes and want some maintenance advice. 

So, You Want to Know How to Build a Log Home

I love log homes.  They're always associated with that idea of getting a decent-sized piece of property overlooking a lake somewhere and living away from the craziness of neighbors.  If I had any construction skills whatsoever, I'd want to know the nitty gritty of how to build a log home.  I know there are people out there who have the time and skills to build a home themselves, so I decided to find some good links for up-and-coming builders.

Log Home Information -- A bunch of loggie articles about financing log homes, hiring a contractor (or doing it yourself), and whether or not to buy a kit or go from scratch.

Log Homes Made Easy: Contracting and Building Your Own Log Home -- This is a link to a book at Amazon.  I've read several books on building log homes, and this is probably the best.  Unlike a lot of the "inspiration" books (the ones with lots of pictures and very little information), this one is packed for of content at a very reasonable price.

That's all I could find for now.  If there are sites out there with step-by-step instructions on how to build a log home, please let me know.  Most of what I found were just companies wanting to sell you log home kits.

Concrete Log Homes

Like the idea of a log home but not sure about the maintenance?  Well, now you can have a log home built that looks like the real thing but is in fact made out of cultured concrete.  With wood, you have to worry about mold, rot, insects, and fire.  Concrete doesn't have those problems.  It can offer the look and rustic appeal of a wood log home, but without the worries.  It's supposed to be much easier to care for, and no trees need to be cut down to produce the walls of your home (just in case you're a fan of eco-friendly building materials). 

For pictures and more information, visit the Cultured Log Systems home page: http://www.concretelogs.com/

The company offers a variety of house plans you can check out on their site, and they'll also do custom homes.

Building a Log Cabin from Scratch

Interested in building a log cabin from scratch, just like our pioneering ancestors did?  Well, I haven't found a web site yet with step by step instructions, but "Cabins: A Guide to Building Your Own Nature Retreat" is a pretty good book to check out. 

It goes into how to build different types of cabins like pole-built cabins, stick-built cabins, post-and-beam cabins, stone cabins, and cordwood cabins.  It doesn't have any big colorful photographs, but there are a lot of sketches and drawings showing cabin plans, designs, and constructions tips.  There aren't any actual blueprints though, so I probably wouldn't recommend the book as a definitive guide to building a cabin from scratch, but it looks like a good jumping off point.  It really gets you thinking about everything from where to buy land (what to look for when you buy) to the nitty gritty necessities (foundations, insulation and roofing, plumbing & sanitary systems, etc.). 

If your libary has it, it's worth reading even if you're planning to have someone design and build your cabin for you.  It's about $13 for the paperback version at Amazon: Cabins: A Guide to Building Your Own Nature Retreat

Log Homes--Energy Efficient?

Whether you're planning a vacation get-away or a primary residence, you may have thought logs at some point.  There's just something rustic and appealing about the log home, a centuries old American structure with roots in colonial times.  But are today's log homes energy efficient?  After all, you can't insulate the inside of a log, right? 

I found an online news article, "If well built, log home can be energy efficient," that argues with that conventional thinking.  "The effects of thermal mass, in which the logs absorb, store and release heat over time, increase the efficiency and create a wonderful, comfortable heat."  Proper design and construction by experienced professionals is important, though, so be careful who you hire to help you with your log dreams.

Should You Hire an Architect to Design Your Log Home?

The popularity of log homes has created a lot of manufacturers specializing in log home kits, which are designed to make the process of building your own log home easier.  Kits don't cover all the costs of building (they won't include land and labor, nor do they usually include such necessities as windows, cabinets, countertops, etc.), but they can help you estimate the costs before you get started.  As you can imagine, however, there's a limit to how much customization you can do with a prefabricated kit.  If you want your log home to be your dream home with everything you always wanted (or everything you can afford) that is built uniquely to suit your tastes, you may be better off hiring an architect.

Here's an article that discusses the pros and cons of hiring an architect to design your log home.

Loans for Log Homes?

Technically, there's no reason a log home can't have a home loan backed by a traditional lender.  It's true that, whether you're building from a kit or from scratch, you'll have to deal with a construction loan as well as a home loan, but that's not any different for logs than it is for other custom-built homes.  However, I came across a site for a lender that specializes in log home loans. 

Log Lenders of America

If anybody has used them, it'd be great to hear your comments or reviews.  Is there any advantage to going with a specialized lender?

Before You Build a Log Home...

Wondering what you should know before you build a log home?  A recent article in the Northwest Indiana News called "Timber Livin': Log home trend suits rough-hewn types to a T" offers a list of important items for those who are thinking of going log:

• Before making a commitment to any specific style of log home, buy the land (the site itself will probably influence the optimal home design).
• Before signing any papers for a log home package, make sure you understand how much the total project (labor and materials) will cost.  (There are a lot of unfinished log home projects around the country...)
• Research the manufacturer before you order a log home kit from anyone.  Check references and make sure they have a good track record.
• Find a contractor and make sure that person has experience with log home comstruction, because it has notable differences from stick-built homes (your log home manufacturer may be able to provde you with a list of local contractors.)
• Make sure you read the log home kit contract thoroughly to ensure you understand what you're getting.
• Before beginning constructure, make sure to have your financing in place (check out our post on financing a log home for more on that).

Source: Timber Livin'

How to Finance a Log Home

So, you've got your heart set on a log home.  You may have heard of financing troubles people have when they build their own homes.  Mortgages are a little trickier for homes that haven't been built yet as opposed to when you move into an existing home.  This is because you need money to pay for the land and the construction costs all based on the future value of the home.  A site on log homes information has an article called "Financing Log Homes" that is worth checking out. Among other things, it says, "In order to secure financing, lending institutions must assign a value to your project. They will then lend a portion of that amount, depending on factors like economic conditions, your financial situation, and their perceived risk."  Read the whole article for more information.