Budgeting Your Log Home: Where Do You Start?

The Log home industry has matured these last many years, but there is still a lot of confusion about how much a log home costs. Naturally, everyone wants to know the cost of the log package; however, the budgeting only starts here. If you are shopping for a milled log package (as opposed to hand-crafted, which is a totally different category), the difference between one manufacturer's price and another is minimal when compared to the total cost of the structure. Here are some reasons why:

Other materials. The logs themselves only form a portion of the material costs of the home. Once the log walls are erected, you still have to worry about a floor, a roof, the windows, the doors, the plumbing, the kitchen... the list goes on and on. Some manufacturers quote a "weathered-in shell" which includes the logs, the windows and roof - all the elements that enclose the building (protecting the house against the weather). Other manufacturers only quote the log package, and leave it to the contractor to provide the other materials locally. When pricing a log package, make sure you are comparing "apples to apples".

From our experience, the price of the Logs only constituted approximately 1/5 of the total price of the finished structure. As for the rest... it's a high-end custom home, and like any custom home, your cost is limited by your imagination - and your budget. You decide whether to use hardwood floors or carpet, marble counters or formica, a metal roof or asphalt shingles. No log home company will offer these products to you. Unlike a Development contractor who offers you a limited selection, you choose everything yourself, from doorknobs to toilets. Once you start factoring in all these items, you will discover that there isn't a whole lot of difference between a log home any another home - except for the exterior walls.

Local price differences. We built our log home in New Jersey, which tends to be a lot more expensive overall than much of the rest of the country. The same house in Tennessee would cost considerably less in lumber and other materials. Also consider that labor costs vary wildly as well. A very big part of your budget will cover the labor, because this home will be built entirely by hand. Your contractor may not have to peel or notch the logs, but he will still be placing the logs one at at time, making sure the walls are plumb, drilling holes for the wiring, cutting settling gaps above the windows and doors, possibly fitting the roof frame one board at a time. Your builder is the most critical part of the project, and it's not necessarily a good idea to go with the cheapest quote. Do you really want him to cut corners to stay within a low quote?

Design features of the house. The most dramatic log homes have roof lines that point in all directions, dormers that grace the front, vaulted ceilings in the great rooms. But remember that every new angle you add to the roof adds exponentially to the cost of the project. If you need to keep costs down, think about a simple roof line with not too many angles.

Also, the old adage remains especially true with log homes: it's much cheaper to go up than go out. If you want a rambling one-story ranch house, you will have a bigger foundation cost, a bigger roof to consider, and lots more labor. If you build more stories and a smaller foundation, even though you will have to invest in a staircase the savings are considerable.

So what is the bottom line? A basic budgeting cost in the Northeast US would be $140-$150 per square foot for a milled log home; this is about the equivalent of a high-end custom stick-frame house. This does not include the land, the well, the septic, the driveway, etc. It does include the basement, the kitchen, the plumbing, etc. This is the turnkey budget for the house only. You can certainly do less if you give up a lot of amenities, but I wouldn't advise a starting budget of any less than $130 per sq. ft. You may find yourself running out of money way too soon, and that would be a terrible shame.

Mercedes Hayes is a Hiawatha Log Home dealer and also a Realtor in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. She designed her own log home which was featured in the 2004 Floor Plan Guide of Log Home Living magazine. You can learn more about log homes by visiting http://www.JerseyLogHomes.com.

---

How to Get Financing after Filing Bankruptcy

If you're thinking about buying a home but have declared... Read More

Buying To Let Top Ten Tips

Buying to let is considered a serious investment and should... Read More

Homebuyer Heaven Can?t Possibly Last

With interest rates at record lows over the past year,... Read More

What to Look for in a Home

Searching for just the right home can be very exciting.... Read More

Real Estate Investors - Red Alert

How's the real estate marketing doing? Is the huge jump... Read More

Lake Havasu Real Estate

Lake Havasu real estate is a hot commodity. With surrounding... Read More

Real Estate Investors: How to Get a Powerful Marketing Education for Free

I am a total geek.A few weeks ago, late at... Read More

Master Builders Ask, Do You Know What Design/Build or Design/Construct Means? You Should

These real questions are answered by me and US Master... Read More

How to Use Color Psychology to Prepare Your Home for a Top-Dollar Sale (Part 1)

You've decided to prepare your home for sale. Whether you... Read More

10 Important Tips to Successful Real Estate Investing

When it comes to investing, everybody has certain goals and... Read More

Five Ps of Selling Houses

1. Planning:Know Your Target BuyersThink about your neighborhood and the... Read More

Boston Real Estate - Interest Rates and Inventory Must be Analyzed when Selling Your Boston Home

When selling your Boston home, it's good practice to be... Read More

Real Estate: The Consumers Will Have The Final Word!

"The first step toward change is awareness. The second step... Read More

Prepare Your Property Like A Pro And Boost Profits

The housing market is hot, and you've decided to list... Read More

The Bubble Effect

Turn on the TV at almost any time day or... Read More

Using The Internet In Your Lease Purchase Business

First you need to find a list of For Sale... Read More

Product Review of Carelton Sheets No Money Down Course

Real estate continues to be a very important part of... Read More

Home Selection Checklist - A Good Aid When Choosing a Home

This home selection checklist is a tool to help you... Read More

Property Investing Secrets 7

Property Investing Secrets:How Buying Real Estate Is Like Planning a... Read More

Selling Houses: Cutting Edge Design Tips for Selling

In this article, you're going to discover new techniques for... Read More

What To Expect From Your House Appraisal

Having your house appraised can be a scary step in... Read More

How To Spot A Good Buy

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, particularly when... Read More

Real Estate Investing Contracts on Toilet Paper

Even if your real estate contract has been written on... Read More

Secrets of Making Money from Real Estate - Part 3

Great, now how do I actually INVEST in real estate?Investing... Read More

Whats This about a Housing Bubble?

In his recent testimony, Alan Greenspan warned against the possiblity... Read More

Real Estate Inspection - Do Your Own

Why should you do your own real estate inspection? To... Read More

Investment Property Part I: How Not to Become a Slumlord

After riding the ups and downs of the stock market... Read More

Join the Bulgarian Property Boom With Confidence

An Irish property investor in Sydney, Australia has created an... Read More

10 ?No Money Down? Ways to Buy Real Estate

Turn the Television on any Sunday morning and you'll find... Read More

Make Money As A Slumlord

Be a slumlord? Okay, I got your attention, now the... Read More

7 Marketing Methods for Real Estate Coaches

You shower, shampoo, dress your best, check to see if... Read More

5 Factors of Selling a Home

There are five major factors to consider when selling a... Read More

Before You Buy A House ? Top 10 Tips

There are serveral things you need to think about and... Read More