Building Our Log Home

If you’re a regular at this site you’ll already know that we have suffered through a devastating house fire and are planning for a re-build on our existing farm land.

There are many reasons why we decided to build a log home to replace our existing farmhouse. Here are a few:

• Eric has always loved log homes - having grown up in the one his father built.
• If you are handy, careful, and willing to ask for help from the professionals, you’ll end up with an energy efficient home at considerably less of the cost and time to construct of a non-log home.
• Fewer steps (framing, insulating, siding, drywalling) in the build means the walls go up faster - which means that you can start living in it sooner!
• We live in an area where logs are plentiful and we have a very good friend at the largest mill in our region.
• Our land suits a log home - having once been a Christmas tree farm it is nestled within many acres of tall pines.
• Resale value, should we ever choose to sell, will be higher - given current market trends.

What We’ve Done to Date

• Decided on square footage.
• Drafted up a preliminary floor plan.
• Picked an exterior ‘look’.
• Secured a mill estimate to include logs, interior framing, siding for the gable ends, and dormer construction.
• Decided on placement on our land.
• Met with an architect (if you’re building yourself you will want to have architectural plans to follow - more on architects in a future post).

Next Steps in Building A Log Home

• Finalize with architect.
• Firm up costs with mill and place order.
• Obtain building permit(s).
• Excavate basement, septic and perhaps a driveway reconstruction.
• Order blocks and concrete as well as in-floor heating necessities.

Building A Log Home - Timeline

• Architect 4-6 weeks.
• Mill 4-6 weeks.
• Excavation 2 weeks notice minimum.

p.s. One of my biggest hurdles in deciding on a floor plan for our new home was visualizing the layout as a living space. The next challenge was visualizes the gardens and landscaping (due next year). The service below was helpful and only set me back a few dollars. Now I know precisely how the log home will ‘feel’ to live in.