With the advent of cranes and modern construction techniques log homes are now popular in suburban locations as well as rural areas. These days most log homes are built from pre-milled logs and often come in kit form. The logs are quite visible as the exterior and sometimes interior of the house. A lot of people dream of owning a log cabin home in a great location. Its a nice dream and you can too can make it happen and get the perfect log cabin if you spend time properly planning your project.
You need to consider location. The size and location of your plot will determine some of the constraints placed on your cabin. You should consider the square footage you want as well as such things as privacy and access to amenities and services such as water and power. Depending on location you may need to consider sourcing a water supply and placement of a septic tank.
The next step is to investigate all the different log cabin home plans and log cabin kits that are available. You will find there are now builders who just specialize in cabin building and log cabin kit assembly. They may be able to suggest the type of cabin suitable for your plot or they may even be able to build a custom log home for you. There are many log cabin plan and kit sites on the internet where you can find useful information. An important point to consider is the type of logs used as these can give an entirely different look to your log cabin home. You Log cabin can use rough cut round logs (handcrafted logs) or milled logs which are uniform and cut to fit together.
Once you have determined what type of cabin you are going to be building then its time to decide whether to build it yourself or to hire a builder. Its at this point you should really do some homework. You should always get quotes from several different builders and if possible get testimonials from people they have done similar work for. It might be worth checking with any local builders association to see if any problems have come to light with that particular log cabin builder.
Obtaining building permits and undergoing building inspections can seem daunting and intimidating at times, often more so that the actual build process! Requirements vary from county to county and often decisions can seem pretty subjective. At the end of the day though the various permits and inspections are there for a purpose and are a necessary step to getting the quality log home you deserve.
Foundations for your project can be full or a slab. Full foundations require a lot more digging but may be required under the building permit. Cost obviously varies depending on the type of foundation needed but planning for this is an essential part of the budgeting process for the Log Cabin project.
A major consideration for a log cabin build is how you will heat and cool your new home. Wood burning stoves and furnaces have become increasingly popular in recent years. The latest generation of wood burning technology means they are now practical, efficient and cheap to use. If you are considering this type of heating then proper routing of the chimney is essential. There are many other types of heating you can consider but perhaps none that will blend in with the cabin theme as well as a wood stove.
Unless you plan on doing a lot of the work yourself you will also need to get quotes from plumbers, roofers, masons and electricians. Make sure you budget for all these services when you are working out the finances for the build. Before you can apply for any sort of construction loan you will need to have all your quotes ready.
Hopefully the information above will have given you a brief outline of some of the things you need to consider in order to get the perfect log cabin home of your dreams.
Martin Blacksheep has a long time interest in building and living in Log Cabin homes. He runs the Log Cabin Kit Builder site which can be found at http://www.logcabinkitbuilder.com
