I’ve never owned a home or property before, but my dream has always been to live in a modest log cabin on some tree-covered land in a hilly (i.e. rolling hills) rural area. I figured I out to start thinking about it/planning for it if I ever want it to come true.
Anybody here live in/own a log cabin? Did you build/buy? I have zero experience in buying or building, so I hardly know where to start.
Any suggestions on jumping-off places for this?
My in-laws built a log cabin on some lakefront property about 8 years ago. They bought the blueprints (maybe the materials, too, idk) from a company that sells that sort of thing. A quick Google search shows a buttload of such companies, many of which will customize your plans to suit your lot or particular desires.
The place the in-laws built is really nice, 4 bedrooms, two baths, walk-out basement (2 of the bedrooms are down in the basement), wrap-around deck off the main floor, Jacuzzi in the master suite. It’s in fact far nicer than they had originally discussed–it started out as a little fishing shack, then got big enough to accommodate us “kids” if we came down for a family weekend, then the next thing mil knows, fil is asking where they should put the Jacuzzi. Now it’s big enough to hold pretty much the whole extended fam-damily
My wife’s uncle built a cabin out of a kit, it’s a nice house with all the modern conveniences. Given the state of the real estate market in a lot of America, I suspect you could find a deal on an already built cabin.
I have a friend who spends more than half his time in a log cabin in the Laurentians. As a student he had had summer jobs in the forest service and was familiar with chain saws. He bought the property and spent a summer felling the trees where he wanted the house built. He let the logs dry for a couple years. Then he built a 25 foot long trench and filled it with creosote (or some other preservative) and soaked the logs for however long he was supposed to. Then he hired some local construction workers who actually built the house using the logs he had sawn and preserved. My friend acted as their helpers. But they knew construction techniques and he deferred to them for most. When the needed a 12 foot log, he found or cut one. I still recall one amusing thing. The roof spanned 24’ and was peaked up 5’. He explained to them that a 13’ log would stretch from the roof beam to the edge. They didn’t believe him and wanted him to get 15’ logs. When 13’ proved to be enough, they were amazed. They obviously thought it was some kind of magic. In a way, I suppose it is.
This “cabin” had two storeys plus a basement, central heating, electricity, and phone lines. No DSL or cable, though. So he has to use a dial-up connection for internet. This sometimes make exchanging versions of our joint research sticky.
My second experience with log cabins happened when I was in Japan. I and a group of people were watching some Japanese workmen putting up a large log-cabin type building. We had noticed that many of the logs had writing on them in Roman characters and were discussing this when one of the workmen, not Japanese, turned around and explained that the building had been in BC from BC fir and then taken apart. He had been sent by his BC employer to supervise the rebuilding. He must have had a Japanese interpreter, possibly from BC. So it is possible to buy a prefab log cabin. It was going to be a restaurant cum small inn, incidentally.
If you can find the documentary “Alone in the Wilderness” I recommend it.
Hmmm, do you want a true “log home” with log construction, or does a lodge-style house with faux log surfaces inside and out do it for you?
My parents live in northern Michigan and there are plenty of both around; plenty for sale too. The winters are nasty though.
I used to have some friends who had a log home. They loved it, but had one snag, which may or may not apply in your area, that almost cost them the house. They bought it on a contract with a balloon payment. When it came time to refinance, all potential lenders needed an appraisal before they would issue a mortgage. Since log homes are rare, the appraisers couldn’t find enough comparables to determine the fair market value. They did find someone who would issue a mortgage in time, but they were worried for a while.
Where are you located at?
The cheapest kits I have heard of come from Texas by rail usually. All the pieces milled down to the same dimensions and are marked and labeled. You can choose to build it yourself or have it contracted.
Another option is “D” logs, they cut three sides of a log into basically a square, leaving the 4th side round (like the letter D). This makes for a smooth interior finish and since all the logs are the same dimensions an easier to build cabin.
The most expensive cabins are usually made from cedar using logs of different sizes. Each log has to be individually scribed and cut. The workers that make these are usually pretty specialized and travel around for individual projects.
Depending on how remote you’re planning on being, make sure you consider the utility situation. It’s getting easier and easier to live off grid (solar, wind, batteries, diesel backup), but make sure you consider the extra cost and hassle.
Also, don’t underestimate the cost of a road. My folks put in a pretty long road to their rural location and it alone costs thousands to get done professionally and able to withstand the elements.
Right now I have an area picked out, which is far enough away from big civilization, but close enough for commutability to the main city. It’s a small town in a pretty rural area about 20 miles or so from the nearest shopping area. I don’t know much about the town itself. How do I learn about it? What do I need to learn about an area where I’m thinking about building in/moving to?
My favorite kind of log houses are the square log kinds. I’m not really into the stereotypical round log types. This is the type I love, it’s nice and basic/rustic, with the square log look, I like the roof too. I’d just want mine to be a bit bigger. 
A co-worker wanted to build one but couldn’t find anyone willing to finance it even though she had excellent credit.
Google it. Most municipalities these days have their own website. At a minimum, you can glance over the county’s website, too - it ought to have links to info about local building codes, etc.
Hmm, interesting. Wonder if it had anything to do with what Doug K. mentioned above about mortgage lenders not having anything to compare to in value?
I’m in the Columbus, Ohio area, BTW.
I’ve built several log cabins, and spent a total of several months living in them. They’re not for everyone. If you want all the amenities of a frame house but one that looks cool, go for the kits or better yet the faux-log cabins. It’s difficult to insulate a real log cabin without building walls, and then you don’t see the logs. Without exterior walls to run plumbing and electrical things get a little tricky.
I’d advise you to rent a place that you think you’d like to build for a summer (and winter) and see what you like about it.
Financing? Mortgages? Balloon payments? Prebuilt kits?
What do you think Abraham Lincoln did? He walked outside to the nearest trees, chopped them down with an ax, and stacked them on top of each other to make his house. Then he took off on his horse to hunt vampires.
My parents bought a log house in Idaho after Dad retired. The one thing that I learned about log houses, that I never would have thought of, is that the interior logs gather dust. You have to dust those suckers on a continuous basis.
So make sure that you don’t have any big airy rooms with log walls higher than you can reach on a step-stool.
Had a friend who built one from a kit. The place was just breathtaking (if you like that kind of rustic thing) and is currently for sale for $250,000 and it would sell in a second if only it was near some body of water. I don’t know how to describe it, but I guess the first floor was one big open space, the living area and kitchen/dining area, with a couple of small rooms. Then there was a flight of stairs to the second level, which was only the master bedroom and a bathroom, (and thats all, you could come out on the landing and be looking down at the first level). The only problems were: 1) cleaning - the high windows, the ceiling fans, you would need scaffolding or something, out of reach it was dusty and dirty and 2) there were a lot of bugs that got in, like Asian lady beetles.
Consider split log siding. All the look, none of the hassle. If you want a lot of visible wood indoors, consider a timber built home.
Asian lady beetles can get into a hermetically sealed container, the little demons. I found one in my freezer once.
For me the biggest issue with a log home would be the difficulty insulating it, but I live in MN so my perspective is a little warped. The one in your link, xanthous, is very attractive. Could you be comfortable in a space that small?
Was it married to John Lennon?
