Project Timeline
As you research log homes, you will find countless articles telling you how to proceed with building your log home. The fact is, they are all correct to varying degrees. Allow us to sift through all of the noise and give you a timeline of the 10 steps you should expect when building your dream log home.
1. Determine your budget. Speak to a mortgage broker and determine what your maximum loan amount will be and then plan on utilizing 85%. This will give you the room to breathe within your loan if unexpected costs arise.
2. Find your land. This can be easier said than done. Remember that when you are looking at land you have to consider some of the costs that will go into developing the land to enable you to build. If you are fortunate enough to find a parcel that is perfect for you and is already developed, grab it fast, before someone else does!
3. Decide on needs vs. wants. This can be very difficult, but prioritizing essentials, your “needs”, in the home compared to desires, or “wants”, will help keep the design under control. This is not to say you have to build a utilitarian or boring home. The goal here is to priorotize what is important to you! After all, this is your dream home.
4. Put your all star team together. You want a design firm and a log home producer that puts your best interests first, we would recommend that you use Sierra Log Homes, after all this is our website. You also need a builder who will help you to ensure that the build goes smoothly. Don't forget that your mortgage broker is part of this team, during the build you will need a broker who understands log home construction. Give us a call on this one, we have a few recommendations.
5. Begin designing your home. This is without a doubt one of the most important steps you can undertake. For a whole list of reasons, good design will keep you on budget.
6. Prepare the site. This is also referred to as the development stage. You will need to finalize your permits, this may include more than one jurisdiction, make the calls early to find out who will be the final issuing authority (or authorities)for any permits. Permits for utilities and access roads. Installation of utilities, generally you will be required to have some type of temporary electrical connection during construction. The installation of a water well and a septic system should typically be completed prior to the foundation work beginning.
7. Begin the dry-in stage of construction. This is typically the first phase of what most people think of as the construction of their home. Foundation work is completed and the log stack begins taking shape.
8. Identify all of your finish materials. This will include a wide range of materials. Some of these you may choose to leave to your builders discretion based on budget. Others will be more important and you will want to personally choose those items. Typically, finish floors, appliances, cabinetry etc… are the most common items that homeowners want to pick themselves.
9. Treat your logs. This is a very important step, you want to choose log home specific products that will help keep your maintenance needs under control. This is not the place to skimp. Cheap products at this point can be considered as money that has been thrown away.
10. Move-in and start living the good life!