Log Cabin Kit Homes - How To Find Log Cabin Building Kits
Log cabin kit homes - what are they? Log cabin building kits are
logs that have been cut, milled, dried and shaped into
'packages' called log cabin kit homes. These cabin kits can be
as simple as the logs and fasteners only, or the kits can
include nearly all of the exterior components of the cabin. The
other main kind of log cabin home would be a 'handcrafted home',
one where the logs are shaped by hand using special tools.
The major advantages of log cabin building kits are generally
lower costs, simplified estimating and construction methods and
faster construction of the cabin home. Created in the controlled
environment of the manufacturer, the logs will be more uniform
in shape than handcrafted logs.
The logs can be trucked in and assembled on your building site
relatively quickly by knowledgable builders. Log cabin kit homes
can be purchased in nearly complete exterior systems that
include the logs, fasteners, roof system, windows and doors,
porches and more.
The logs are available in a variety of shapes - round, square,
rectangular, beveled and 'D-shaped' logs are common examples.
Milled logs will have the outer sapwood planed off before the
logs are shaped. Most log cabin kit homes manufacturers cut the
logs in such a way as to create a tongue or groove so each log
will interlock with the log above and below it in the wall. This
interlocking system will likely be enhanced by the use of other
materials that will help keep air and water from penetrating the
log wall.
How do you find log cabin building kits that may be right for
you?
The fastest way is to go online and visit various log cabin kit
homes manufacturers websites. You'll want to be looking for the
log cabin building kits that have an appearance you enjoy. See
what you prefer - large diameter versus smaller diameter logs,
color of the log wood, shapes of logs available and how the
corner treatment looks to you.
As you find cabin kits you like, see how long the company has
been in business. You'll want to know they have been around a
number of years which is one important factor to consider.
Review the kit choices - what is included, what is not included.
See if you can narrow your choices down to 3-4 companies that
you may be most interested in.
At this point, you would be ready to visit the companies and
talk with their staff. How do you find them - are they pleasant,
courteous, really interested in answering your questions and
even offer suggestions for your situation? Or are they
high-pressure and inflexible? If they cannot provide something
you want, are they truthful and up-front that they cannot do it
that way?
You'll want to pay attention to your intuition and gut feel.
Maybe you'll further narrow the list to, say, two manufacturers.
Then you can contact 2-3 log cabin home builders with experience
in building with these manufacturer's logs and fastener systems.
Obtain estimates for building your log cabin kit home on your
property.
You can also learn a lot about log cabin kit homes by viewing
cabin plans that have been successfully built somewhere. Every
plan that you see can give you design ideas that you had not
thought of. You can make a scrapbook of the things you may want
in your log home design. Organize a project notebook where
you'll keep the builder estimates, schedules and so on. Creating
the log cabin building kit home design that will provide you
much enjoyment can be a lot of effort. However, it's your
personal involvement, enthusiasm and persistence that will help
ensure that your project becomes the log cabin building kit home
that you'll enjoy for many years to come.
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