Log Home Kits: Questions You Should Ask

Are you looking to construct a house with a log home kit or are you looking at hand crafted log homes? I'm sure you will have lots of questions in your mind before you think about getting started.

Did you see the latest episode of the "Hometime" show where they build a log home? They had to bring in a crane to place the logs. They also had to spend time working on the uneven surfaces of the land. These things can substantially increase the costs. The whole process can scare away people that are looking to buy log home kits.

Here are some common questions:

• Will you need to have large cranes come out to your property to place the logs?
• Can they assemble pieces of the home at the factory?
• Is it possible to build the home by yourself?

Not all log home kits need to be assembled with heavy machinery. It usually depends on the size of the logs and the configuration options of the particular log home packages. Some smaller homes can be assembled with 2 man teams placing the logs using ramps and levers. Make sure to ask your dealer about construction options. Log cabins used to be constructed from logs laid horizontally and interlocked on the ends with notches, although there are lots of log cabins that are laid up without notches and simply spiked together. This is not conventional as it is not as structurally sound as notched log walls, but contemporary building methods allow this shortcut.

There are companies that manufacture log home kits where they build the entire house first. The process involves building just the basic structure (walls, floor, and roof) in their lot. All the pieces are then labeled and the structure is disassembled for shipping. What you essentially get is a large model kit with the plans showing where all the parts go.

If you are thinking about the log home package cost and building the log cabin by yourself, look at getting the book "A Good House Building a Life on the Land" by Richard Manning. This is a superb book about a person trying to build a minimal-impact home on a limited budget. It's packed with good tips and advice on what not to do. But I need to warn you that it may be a bit too "green" slanting for some people.