02 Jan What I Wish I Knew Before Building a Log Home

Building your first log home can be intimidating, especially if you are in the beginning stages of planning and preparation. With so many options to choose from and high expectations set, it is easy to feel anxiety with doubtful thoughts your log home will be less than you expected.

If it has always been your dream to build your own log home and you want to make sure you build it right the first time, you can take advantage of those who have built a log home before you. Learn insightful tips as you begin the first stages of planning for your log home.

Pick Lot First, Not Last

Buying a piece of property should be the first step on the road to building your log home. Makes sense right? A common error a lot of people make building their first log home is choosing a house plan before buying the property. People who choose a floor plan prior to buying property miss out on the opportunities to customize the design to the property.

Once the lot is purchased, there are a lot of factors that affect the floor plan. Design of the floor plan should take into account if the property is on a wood lot. Does it have a view? Where will the driveway enter the property? How much rain or snow does the property get? All of these factors can affect the house design. Many people often regret not buying the land first in order to customize their floor plan to best accommodate the views.

Consider Weathering Effects

When it comes to building and preserving your beautiful log homes, there are a few things you should be willing to spend a little extra money on to better preserve your log home. Rain gutters and overhangs are some of them. Log home builders need to take into account the effects of rain on the log homes.

Rain and moisture is corrosive on the wood, which is why you do not want to skimp out on rain gutters or overhangs. Some people attempt saving a little money, and skimp out these things they think they can get by without, when in reality they are necessities. Log homes need to be preserved from weathering effects of water and snow.

Poor Communication With Builder

Highly satisfied, first-time log home builders have one thing in common—good communication. Every customer has a picture of their ideal log home in their head, but not all log home builders are efficient mind-readers. Communicating effectively with the builder is important for discussing the details of your dream log home. Some customers may want to go for the more rustic log cabin look, while others may want a mix of modern and rustic, and some want a completely unique design.

Providing as much detail, information and examples for the builder eliminates the gap for guessing. Clear communication makes it possible for both the builder and the buyer to get on the same page, and evaluate if expectations are clear and realistic. Over communicating with the builder is better than under-communicating to ensure you get what you want.

You Can Do it Yourself

People can save thousands of dollars on their log cabin by taking part in the construction process. More than half of the customers at Yellowstone Log Homes take part in at least a portion of the building process. While it may be a sacrifice of time and weekends, building your own log home can bring you a sense of personal pride and save you big.

Money saved on the construction allows you to invest that money in other parts of the log cabin, like in furnishings or adding upgraded features. If you are interested in other ways to save money building your log cabin, give Yellowstone Log Homes a call at (208) 745-8525.