This site is dedicated to custom homes of all types. In this particular article I would like to explore log homes suppliers with you.

From reading my site, you may have realized that we are log home builders in Montana. As general contractors since 1997 we have built homes from a variety of log companies. As builders, we have the unique opportunity to evaluate firsthand different companies, products, and services. 

Additionally, only in the last 6 months we were offered log home dealership opportunities with 31 log home companies. Our previous log home company was not able to weather the current downturn in the economy. After 30 years in operation they closed.

We wanted to remain as a log home dealer, but we had to select another company. And so our research gained a new level.

Many companies do offer really nice log homes, but there are also issues of service, pricing, exact package inclusions, and pre cutting of logs.

RANDOM LENGTH LOGS:

One option out there is random length logs. The logs come milled and in a variety of lengths. All the cutting is done on site. Some money is saved with random length logs, but it can be overwhelming, standing next to a semi load of logs. The homeowners begin to wonder some days, if they will be able to turn this load of logs into their dream home.  If you have the time, patience,  and the persistence to see it through you may do well with a random length log, but it does definitely lengthen the construction time. 

A fully pre-cut pre-numbered home 30′x50′ ranch, we have put up the dry-in package in 2 to 3 weeks with an experienced four man crew. But one the same size from a random length log supplier has taken the same crew  an additional 2 1/2 to 3 months to get the home to the same degree of completion with a four man crew.

Cutting butt joints where one log ends and the next begins, is difficult. Often those joints do not cut as straight and accurately as they should. Cutting a round log can be “lots of fun”, especially when it is difficult to find a saw with a big enough blade to cut it all the way through in one cut and the round log rolls. A D-log is easier to cut than a full round log, because it has one flat side. There are chain saw jigs to help with the cuts, but cuts done on site are never as accurate as ones done by the mill. Also the cuts themselves are much rougher.

When including a timber roof system on your home special equipment, such as a crane or lift truck, is required. The log has to be notched, then set with the equipment. Then it has to be taken down and notched again until it fits correctly. Nearly every timber is handled three or four times to get it cut as precisely as needed.

Especially when a roof system includes dormers, the extra equipment time (crane or lift truck) coupled with the extra required labor, makes it more expensive to buy a random length log verses a fully pre-cut timber roof system. Many times homeowners do work themselves, but when equipment costs are factored in, the homeowner could have just purchased a fully pre-cut roof system. Also the homeowner eliminates some of the danger associated with lifting each timber 3 or 4 times, instead of just once.  

PARTIALLY PRE CUT PACKAGE

A partially pre-cut package is usually only pre-cut corners. This can save some time, perhaps a few days, over using a random length log, but is still requires a lot of cutting on site.  Some contractors and home owners prefer the partially pre-cut instead of the fully pre-cut. Why? Because they can easily move a door or a window opening after the logs arrive. With a fully pre-cut this is not an option after the home is milled. But on the other hand, you are relying on chain saws to cut in the butt joints where the logs meet and additionally for the window and door holes. This can cause gaping and make it more difficult to seal around the window and door holes. 

FULLY PRECUT PACKAGE

These home packages are fully pre-cut and pre-numbered. They come with a log schedule detailing where each and every piece goes. If a timber roof system is included in the home, the timber roof system is also pre-cut and pre-numbered, ready for assembly. For the butt joints, some companies utilize a straight cut and push the logs together. A better system involves a spleen of either vinyl or wood to make a better seal where the logs join.

The very best butt joint is ‘finger joinery’. Here is a photo of this joinery. These fingers weave together when you push the butt joint together. Very few mills have the capability to produce

Finger Joinery

a finger joint, the very best in the industry.   

Also when using a spleen system, it is not uncommon for the crew to forget to install a spleen after a row of logs is laid. This never happens with the finger joinery.

ONE MORE FULLY PRECUT OPTION

There is one more option that goes beyond a fully precut prenumbered home.

Through our research for a new log home supplier we discovered there is a company out there that not only offers finger joinery, fully precut prenumbered homes, but also has a computerized mill that precuts your electric box holes and wire holes. 

Installing electric boxes is really difficult in a log home if they are not precut. You have to chisel, and drill out, and chisel, and pull wires through between the door and the door hole,  behind the trim. It is a real project to add electric to a log home and it gets costly. Electricians can’t believe their eyes when they see the holes for their

Pre drilled electric holes, finger joinery

 work already cut in. Also it gives a much nicer finish around the hole. It is all smooth, not chopped and rough-edged. When cut on site sometimes a bigger cover plate can be required to cover up the scars on the logs left from the drilling.

This log home company also offers an optional through bolt from the top of your 8 foot log wall to the bottom.  This is designed to have a nut put on the top of the screw and the wall cranked down tight to sandwich the logs together. This is not always necessary but is actually required in some states.

Another good option is a 10″ lag bolt. You would need to consult a local log home builder to see what is required in your state. Montana does not require the through bolt so we only do it if the customer desires it. More standardly we use the 10″ lags.

SO WHO IS THIS WONDER COMPANY??

LAKE COUNTRY LOG HOMES FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA

Our searches ended here.  We are CONVINCED that Lake Country Log offers the very best milled log and handcrafted log home in the business. And surprisingly enough THEY ARE NOT HIGH PRICED!

As representatives for them, we are happy to price any floor plan. The process is this. You contact us. Then we listen to your ideas and expectations for your home. We custom design a floor plan, or modify an existing one. Then we submit it to the mill for a quote. And usually within a week, we contact you with a Quotation Sheet based exactly on your floor plan and on the material and home features you want included in the package. Our homes are weather tight packages, so they come with all the exterior doors and windows, and much much more. Watch for another post coming soon for more details on package inclusions with Lake Country Log Homes and Cowboy Log Builders LLC

Feel free to visit Lake Country’s website at www.lakecountrylog.com or our site at www.cowboylogbuilders.com We are happy to work with customers in the USA and internationally as well.

Building Log Dreams,

Mike and Sue Lemmon

For some more log home ideas take a look at http://hubpages.com/hub/Log-Cabin-Construction

Hand Peeled Timber Roof System

 Maximizing quality and cost is the bottom line of nearly every home owner. From the layout to the finishing touches, there are many things a home owner can do help in building an affordable custom home. Just because your home is going to be new does not mean that there are not ways to save money wisely.  

There are many opinions on this, but when we contract for individuals with limited resources here are some of the things we suggest.  

1. For a more cost effective budget we have had good success with choosing a good double paned vinyl window that is not necessarily the most well-known name brand. Such windows cost even as much as a third or more less than the top of the line brands.   

2. This also applies to exterior and interior doors. We have used stock doors from Lowe’s and people think they were built in  

Interior doors and Carpeting

our wood shop. There is still quality to be found at the lower end of the price chain. But do keep an eye on quality. Some products are low quality. One just has to look and also consult your contractor.  

3. You can go broke on a kitchen counter top. We have had good success choosing a laminate Formica top verses a solid surface such as Corian or granite. Many laminate suppliers have a wide variety of finishes that even look like granite or Corian. I had a bank appraiser once look at one of our homes and she was sure that our $800 laminate counter top was really a $4000+ granite one. Solid surfaces are very classy and lovely, but sometimes you have to make choices where to spend your funds. And in the future, when you are rich and famous, you can always replace it with a granite top. It is also possible to spend wisely and economically for kitchen appliances.  

4. You can choose mid-grade carpet instead of hardwood floors throughout the house. Or just put the hardwood floor in the dining room and living room, or great room. You can always install top of the line carpet in other rooms, or upgrade to more wood floors in the future.  

5. Ceramic tile and vinyl flooring. Ceramic looks so nice that this is a hard choice for me. Also Mike (my husband and personal contractor   is very good at laying the ceramic. S0 here are a few tips for ceramic: watch for discontinued tile at a flooring store or even Home Depot. You can find some lovely tile for $1 to $2 per tile. Just be sure to buy a few more boxes than you need so that  in the future you can replace a tile if it gets cracked or damaged. That is a good idea no matter what your tile costs. Matching a dye lot in the future is almost impossible.  

THINGS YOU DON’T WANT TO ECONOMIZE ON~  

Now that you have saved some money, here are some spots in your new custom home that you will want to think about upgrading: a timber roof system, cathedral ceilings, adding a loft, making a larger master bedroom, or great room. These are very hard to change after your initial building is completed. One should carefully think through these and other options.  

As a homeowner, sometimes you have to make a choice like this, “I want the vaulted ceiling over the great room. So I’ll spend a little more for that. But I am happy to walk on carpeted floors for a few years and the extra money into a vaulted ceiling”.    

But one thing you do NOT want to do is to consistently choose high end items and expect your custom home builder to keep reducing his prices. This can inadvertently make your contractor give your home less than the very best. Sometimes we see  

A lovely but economical kitchen

homeowners ending up with no warranties on the home, and other prolbems they have acutally done to themselves. If you think about it, this is your contractor’s full time job. How would you like someone asking you to take a pay cut on your job?…  

So all in all, think through your custom home, plan, dream, and also be wise.  

Sue

 If someone can be passionate about something other than sports, your kids, or politics, home building is one for me. For 13 years now we have been partnering with our customer to help them take pencil sketches and turn them into reality. The building road is hard enough and you need someone who is knowledgeable at your side to turn those dreams into reality. 

Floor plans are the heart of what your future home is all about. For more sources to obtain floor plans, see my post named “Custom Home Design…laying out floor plans”. 

FLOOR PLAN PLANNING 

After you round up some good floor plan books and magazines and even visit a home show or two, look through your accumulated information. 

Standard floor plans from these sources are just a place to start. We have never built a home that was not customized in some way. As soon as you move a wall, or add a foot to the living room you home moves into the custom home class. 

Pick out floor plans that match your ideas. A good way is to copy 

The Broadwater Plan

them on your home printer and then circle home features that you like and cross out things you don’t like. 

Another avenue is to round up your best ideas and then go visit your builder. Many custom home builders will look through your ideas and then give you some pointers. 

Once you have some sort of a floor plan worked out, it is much easier for the general contractor to give you a better estimate of price per square foot. 

Or take a floor plan that is the closest to your ideas and then slightly modify it. Total redraws can get time consuming and it is difficult to get the builder to do it for you cost free. 

Another smart option is to choose a home package supplier, such as a log home or timber frame company, and have them give you a price for your home. 

For standard construction homes a popular option is the panelized systems. These homes go together very quickly and tightly. They also will look at your plans and give you a price based on your plans. 

HELPING TO GET A FEEL FOR ROOM SIZE 

Room sizes can be difficult to get a good feel for, so get out a measuring tape and measure the rooms in your existing home. 

Broadwater Kitchen and Great Room

Think about how many feet longer or shorter, wider or narrower that you would like it to be. 

Visit model homes and ask for a floor plan of that model. Then you can view the home with the floor plan in your hand. 

Go out in your yard and step off what the different room sizes are. 

People are wise to incorporate more closets and bigger closets. A few extra feet to the master suite always is well used space, as are lofts located over the kitchen and downstairs baths. 

A first floor master suite with no second floor rooms above is is also a wonderful feature to any home. The second floor traffic can be very annoying when you are trying to get a nap. 

So all in all, do your homework. Get your resources. Read up about your favorite home styles and types. And get ready to go visit some builders. For more ideas on finishing walls visit Wall Quotes Central. 

Building Dreams, 

Sue Lemmon, Cowboy Log Builders LLC

Every custom home begins with ideas and dreams. Many future homeowners have home clippings,  floor plans and home photos that they have saved.

FLOOR PLAN BOOKS

For starters it is a great idea to buy a nice big floor plan book. One that we have found very helpful is “The House Plan Bible“. You can go to Amazon.com and purchase it. Just today I saw some used one of The House Plan Bible adverized for under. Even new we paid under $20 for our copy. With over 550 pages of quality floor plans, photos, and helpful text everyone starting the home journey should invest in one.

Look around on Amazon for other floor plan books. There are several that looked high quality.

MAGAZINES

Magazines are also great sources. For anywhere from a minimal $10 to just under $20 one can obtain the current building ideas and trends as well new floor plans. Amazon carries everything from Better Homes and Gardens, to Metropolitan Home, to Home & Design Magazine.

It is also a good idea to subscribe to home building magazines. For log homes and log cabins popular ones include Log Home Living, Log Home Illustrated, and Country’s Best Log Homes. Personally I like Log Home Living the best, as it has better layouts detailing floor plans and coinciding photos of the homes.

HOME SHOWS

The other wonderful source of home ideas is the Home Shows.  Many many towns host home shows once or twice a year. Some major advantages to these shows is meeting contractors, cabinet suppliers, landscape companies, etc.  face to face and to see samples of their products.

To find home shows try calling the local chamber of commerce for the town nearest you. As representatives for Lake Country Log Homes, we attend some 10 home shows a year ranging from tiny expos at our local fairgrounds to 3+ day shows with some 20,000

Home Show

people in attendance. If you are ever in Montana and even some times as far away from us as Colorado and Salt Lake City Utah, we have been known to frequent these shows. For a current list of our shows simply go to www.cowboylogbuilders.com and look at our Events page.

One can never do too much planning. The very most satisfied customers we have are ones who plan for even a few years for their home. Using the resources above also can help you along the way.

 Happy Custom Home Journey

Sue Lemmon

 This post is tailored to point out common problems many, many homeowners face when trying to choose a custom home builder, even if you are going to build part or most of your home 

Custom Home By

yourself, there is always a  time that you will need to hire someone. From digging basements, to pouring cement floors, to installing cabinets, to running your electric, contractors are an integral part of nearly every home building project. 

There is no lack of builders in the phone book, or on line, or with model homes in commercial sections of town. But how do you weed out those that will really partner with you for the duration of your custom home journey, but will not cost an exorbitant amount? 

First let me outline some ground rules that EVERYONE should incorporate into your home building plans:  

1. Always talk to a few different builders. Two to three contractors are usually sufficient. Get a feeling if they are someone you would like to work with. If you can never get them to call you back, just imagine what the construction phase will be like. But on the other hand, remember to give them a reasonable time to get back with you. A week or more is not uncommon as they are out working and not in an office all the time. 

2. Try to get at least three bids on a project. Beware of contractors who quote you very low prices. Many times they will either walk off the job when they run out of money, or they will be asking for more funds during the project. A good contractor is very capable of bidding a job accurately. Even as builders ourselves, we sub out some things. We always look for a few bids very close together in price. I can’t tell you how many times we have come behind other contractors who have treated really wonderful home owners terribly. In the end it is much harder to win their trust. So be smart and don’t just go with someone because they are the cheapest. 

3. Talk to other people who have used the contractor. There is nothing like personal referral. Also try to see other projects the contractor has built. This will show if he has the skills to handle your construction. (Thank you to Diego of Nubilt from Colorado, USA for improving this point for me) 

4. When talking to different builders, ask for an estimated price per square foot range that they usually work within. Of course, thing such as bathrooms and kitchens can really change the price, but still there should be an underlying rule of thumb that they use. In just a 60 mile radius I have personally found general contractors who differ in price by as much as $100 per square foot. So do your homework and don’t be turned off if you stumble on the most expensive builders first. 

5. Try to visit homes they have worked on. Even a drive-by can be insightful into their ability. 

The journey of your custom home should be exciting and enjoyable for you. Many individuals will only get to build one or two custom homes in their lifetimes. So, choose a general contractor you feel you can trust and who has evidence of their craftsmanship. 

Building Dreams, Sue Lemmon 

Mike Lemmon of Cowboy Log Buildesr LLC ~My personal favorite contractor

Cape Cod Custom Home

Hello! And WELCOME to About Custom Homes! When considering building a custom home the very best thing you can do is research, research, research, before you ever start. From start to finish, there are a multitude of options and ideas to explore.  

But, with some pointers, we can help guide you to important decisions and eliminate some of the “extra” that is not necessary. From building lot selection to home furnishings, custom home builders to custom home plans, this site will help equip you with some very important and realistic advice to help you along the way.