Log home living

anyone here owns a log home?


pros and cons please..

I would LOVE to have one! We have priced them several times and still don't have one. LOL I will be watching this thread!

'chele, we are doing our homework as much as possible on them. Last weekend we went to check out a spec log home from Southland Log Homes. I have always wanted one, but living in S. Louisiana they are not good for this area, however since we hope to be moving....log home here we come!

They require a bit of 'upkeep' just like any home exterior does. They weather down to a dull gray like an old log shed...which gives them an appearance of being neglected. If stain and a sealer are applied every few years, they keep the fresh, pretty look that the 'show homes' have. I've seen both, and although the weathered look is nice for outbuildings....I think the living quarters should be maintained with the cosmetic stuff. It's no big deal...folks with cedar sided homes do the same thing....we even helped our friends with a lovely cedar sided home do theirs....(lisa knows which one)

Hope this helps.

they build them up here in the North-come on up Lisa!! :)

We bought a log home when we first moved to VA. It was nice, cozy, & I really liked it. Unfortunately, instead of staining it, the owner/builder had painted it - both inside & outside - a dark brown, almost black, color, so I had to be inventive as far as brightening things up inside without making it garish. Added some skylights & bright wall hangings, etc.

That said - it was very well built & extremely efficient as far as heat/air conditioning (we had an electric heat pump, as well as electric baseboard heating if we needed it - which was extremely rare). If I didn't like my current cedar-sided + glass fixer-upper monstrosity so much, I'd buy another log home in a nanosecond.

Yep, our friend's neighbor just built one up in Oklahoma. It's new, but he loves it. He stained his and kept the interior wood in the main area's. It is a beautiful house. He used Satterwhite Log Homes. I found his floor plan online.. http://www.satterwhite-log-homes.com/g4/pages/plans/neches.html He made a few changes (removed fireplace, added dormers...), but that's the basic floor plan

As far as efficiency, he has not seen any improvement in his electricity bills so far though. He's only been in it two months though. When I was there, about two weeks ago, he said his first electricity bill was about 25% more expensive than in town where he had a brick house about the same size. But, that may have something to do with the high ceiling in the main area's and the provider out of town; plus being in such an exposed spot - at the top of the hill overlooking the lake. Here's a picture of it from back in May before it had been stained and finished out.

He's a great guy and someone I consider a friend too. I could put you in touch with him if you want to talk to him. Though since he's only been in it a few months, his experience is more in the process of building in such so far.

Staci

forgot the picture, see below.



This message was edited Oct 14, 2005 10:22 AM

Oops.. Forgot the picture

Lisa, I helped build several when I worked for the Housing Authority in Boone, NC zone 6a. The most energy efficient were the rectangular logs (6" x 10-12") with what looked like a 3-4 inch grout line between the logs. In reality, those were a thin layer of chinking inside and out, and the whole center filled with insulation. http://www.alhloghomes.com/traditional.html

One problem with many log homes is lack of enough natural lighting but an easy installation of one or more sun-tumes can fix that cheaply.
http://www.cetsolar.com/naturallight1.htm
http://www.solatube.com/residential.php


Some general info here: http://www.repair-home.com/Log_Home_Building

Boy, if I have had an opportunity to build a home I think I would love a log home. Just love the looks of them. Sweezel the picture in you link is just great. My only question is how do they finish the interior walls, just regular studded walls with sheetrock?

By the way, Lisa, where are you hoping to relocate to?

We bought a log home 6 years ago.The owner had built it for himself and it isn't what I would have built design wise if I had built it myself.However, we love it!

As was said it has to be treated every 5 or 6 years and not just so that it will look good but to prevent it being eaten and mold taking over.

Our's is not a fancy new cabin but one that is old fashion looking.It was built from a kit about 25 years ago.The name of the design is Plymouth.
As was said cabins tend to be dark but we are in the middle of the forest.

If you ever want to visit you are welcome.
Nancy

Hi all,


Breezy, thanks for your info and darius, thanks for the links!

Dori, hmm, I don't know if could survive in your climate..ha..I'm worried about living in Kentucky and freezing to death!

Lenjo, we hope to relocate towards Kentucky-Tenn. State line.

Sweezel, the log cabin in the picture is just beautiful!

Nancy, the cabin we'd like to build will be small, nothing fancy. My only request is a large kitchen. I'd rather cut down a bedroom or bathroom to make more room for a kitchen. Besides being outside, the kitchen is where I spend all my time..lol. Our goal is to be just what your user name is: "downscale." We want to get out of debt. After going through this hurricane season it has really showed me so many things.

:)

I have a good friend that builts and sells them. Now he won't built in KY or TN but GA or AL border he will. Let me know when you are ready to talk to him.

Hello Jim,
I'm ready :-)..


why is he not building in KY or TN? Is there something I need to know?..*grin*

Because I want you to move to Ga. so I told him not to build in KY.

awww LOL how sweet!

That's very funny Jim :) LOL

We're building also and researched the log homes pretty extensively. Met with the Builders, etc. They're not cheap, but what is these days in home building ;)

We were super impressed with these people - we have several meetings and the reason we liked them so much was because you didn't have to stick with their stock designs at all. They were great. http://www.lindal.com/homes/

We're actually using their framing crew we were so pleased with their work. Yes, they're in Kentucky :)

Dea

Lindal has a great reputation over many years. Expensive, though.

lol - that's why we only contracted the framing crew ;)

Just started reading this thread. We have a log home. I just finished staining it with oil stain. It's the second time in 12 years, but it really needed it last summer - just didn't get to it.
It's easy enough to maintain. I've read that the initial maintenance is somewhat heavy, but once it's well stained and the logs are settled in and seasoned, the upkeep is less. Anyway, no scraping or anything required, and we're pretty high and dry so the logs stay in good shape. We had one carpenter ant problem and treated for it. I don't have any complaints compared to other homes.
Ours is pine log - cathedral ceiling chalet style too maximize sun and views...heat is not a problem for us.

log homes certainly seem a natural for Kentucky or Tennessee!

Now Lisa I am going to take you back a while to some postings I did about log cabins on Dave's. I didn't see where you posted so you probably missed the posting.

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/132017/

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/132191/

And this is the picture of my inheritance.

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/132136/




This message was edited Oct 15, 2005 8:54 PM

This message was edited Oct 15, 2005 8:56 PM

This message was edited Oct 15, 2005 8:59 PM

This message was edited Oct 15, 2005 9:02 PM

Lisa, I'm with Jim, why give it ALL up when you can live in Georgia with no hurricanes and it growing like weeds? KY and TN? Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
It surely seems to me that a nursery/landscaping business would do really well just about anywhere (except deep south GA--gotta get above the gnat line).

Come to the swap Oct.. 29th and see GA in it's 2nd glory (1st is spring).
So sorry to learn that you're thinking of relocating, but don't do a total culture shock! Georgia would be proud to have y'all :)

We live in a log home here in Alaska. It has a full daylight basement, a main floor, and a second story loft with cathedral ceiling on the other side. The house is not big... 26x36", but the logs are large, 12" in diameter. They are three sided... that is three sides are flat and the round side faces out. The house is mostly open. The only interior walls are around the two bathrooms and one closet. The loft contains our bedroom, office, and a bath. It's just right for two people, but all the stairs give us a bit of exercise.

The house has a barn style roof of timberframe construction. There are large exposed beams and 2x10" decking on the ceiling which is also the walls of the upper floor. There are large windows on the south end of the house and one large window to the west so we can see the mountains when we sit at the table. There are four dormers in the upper floor.

The logs are Sitka spruce, cut here in Seward when I lived with a very good sawmill man. He died in his airplane in 1990. My present hubby and I were married about a year and a half later, and he finished the house well enough to move in. I love this house with all this wood, even the cracks that run through the logs as they season, and the bits of bark here and there where the log tapered on the cut. In rougher cuts you can even see the circle marks of the big saw. A log house is living and breathing and filled with memories for those who build them.

Now THAT is prose, Weeszie! Long live your lives together :)

aww, Jim, whadda nice thing to say :-)
I love the links you posted, I don't recall seeing that story at all! Thanks for calling it to my attention.

v, yup, GA would be nice, that was one state we talked about looking into. Hubby is seems to be set on KY. I would just love to make the RU.....

weez, what a wonderful story of your log home! So far we've gotten log house plans from 3 different companies. They are all so beautiful.

thanks again everyone.

Lenjo, they left the wood exposed in the living room, kitchen and dining. Like Weez described, the logs are flat on three sides and so the back side is flat. In the bedrooms, baths and such they screwed sheetrock directly to the wood and textured the walls.

Here's a little view of where weez and I call home
http://pictureposter.allbrand.nu/pictures/weezingreens/our+alaskan+home/Plant+Tables.jpg.html

The ol'tomcat, Dennis

… Justmelisa …

Here’s a lil bit of info, along with a few web sites (below) .. that may be an interesting ‘read’ for you guys …

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This particular link > Wholesale Log Homes .. http://www.wholesaleloghomes.com/index.html .. makes some mitey outstanding points in favor of ordering and buying your logs from a kiln/supplier and hiring a crew to build/construct your log home.

* .. you (and your building crew) can do everything a kit seller does for less money.
* .. buy windows, doors, roofing, etc. locally.

Because ..
* .. you realize some tremendous savings in shipping and kit-seller costs.
* .. by buying locally, you choose the quality.
* .. besides, local suppliers can deliver materials when you need them, where-as the retail kit packages present huge storage problems when all supplies arrive on the first day!

But, naturally, such certainly isn't for everyone, for sure ...

A price list, many images, and a full description of the various log 'sizes' and 'types' .. is available on the web site also > http://www.wholesaleloghomes.com/prices.html

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This site > http://www.wolfenet.com/~kahle/log.html .. appears to have stalled on the posting of any update photos (cobwebsite), along with a few dead links. .. But, there is still a good peice of info to be gleaned jes the same.

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Log Homes On-line > http://www.loghome.net/

Be sure to check out the 'Link Exchange' .. for quite a varied list of other tidbits associated.

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LOG HOME PLANS AND KITS via the Internet > http://www.log-home-plans.com/

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Log home 'raising' .. with photos, etc. > http://www.loghome.net/raising/tour.htm

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There's a few references provided for log home builders @ many of the websites also. Such as > http://www.geocities.com/log_home_builders_jessibrook/

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And .. IF northern Georgia were to 'set in' on your minds .. as a consideration: here's a web site ... Blue Ridge Land & Development, Inc. > http://www.blueridgelandanddevelopment.com/ .. which offers up a dandy batch of info for northern Georgia! Log homes/cabins for sale, for rent, and parcels of land for sale, etc. ..

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I’d urge you guys to consider renting a log home/cabin .. in or near, an area of which your interests are, in relocating to. Or camp in your 5’er .. and do some home and leg work in and about .. checking out the land, the commerce, merchants, accessibility, land prices, real (and personal) property tax base, schools, people, etc.

Some log homes/cabin rentals provide the bare bones basics, while many log homes/cabins cater to and provide for the more luxurious amenities .. Of which one can certainly benefit from the exposure to both ends of the spectrum and the in-betweens! You can get a walk-around and hands-on feel of being surrounded by wood timber! Can further expand ones grasp of dimensions of various rooms: ie: kitchen, dens, bedrooms, etc. ..

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Here in the northwest quadrant of Arkansas .. we've yet to find the need for cental 'ducted' heating and air conditioning. The log wall surround manages to stay cool in the summer, and warm in the winter. We do have and use a window A/C unit in an upstairs window when the Arkansas summer extremes set in .. and utilize our wood heater fireplace insert with the blower motors during the winter extremes. Also have the use of 2 propane wall heaters for stand-by ... Many rural folks up this way, use the outside wood fueled furnaces for warmth to the house and for heating water in the winter.

Did want to mention also, that the only set-back we've encountered .. has been associated to obtaining 'home owners' insurance. Many of the more popular agents/companies - simply will not write a policy for a log home .. And, is further complicated .. when a log home is more than 5 miles from any fire station. But, that seems to be the general rule for many standard construction homes anyway. Oftentimes, with a move to such rural areas .. ones automobile insurance premiums drop significantly. Hence, tit for tat and this for that - it has panned out well for us transplants.

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You guys hafta do what's best and most feasible, for you and yours .. but should you opt for purchasing and ordering your logs other than a 'kit' - - don't rule out drawing up your own plans and submitting a copy to each of several prospective 'log home' builders. They can tell you quickly, if it's do-able or not .. and/or how and where to make any alterations to accommodate any log wall corners and 'meshing', that will have to be taken into consideration ... All in all, the sky's the limit .. even with log homes!

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At any rate .. wanta wish you guys much success where ever the good Lord plops ya down at .. and that it jes happens to be where all of you guys will feel most comfy and are truly happiest.

- Magpye

Magpye mentioned insurance rates for rural homes...this is true...also, rates are higher in ANY home if there is a wood burning fireplace or furnace here in KY.

You can put in your own personal fire hydrant...lots of folks do in remote areas and get a break on insurance. The cedar sided home that you loved, had it's own hydrant that came off the line just on the home side of the meter.