A Guide to Building a Log Home
Whether it’s a one-room log cabin or a 5,000 square foot luxury log home, the custom home building experience is exciting. There are a lot of steps that will occur before you have the keys in-hand and are enjoying the comfort of your new home. That’s why we’ve put together this step-by-step overview of what to expect from start to finish.
Lot Survey
Once you’ve located the perfect site for your custom log home you’ll need to conduct a survey. During the survey, the location of the lot corners will be verified. If the lot has significant slope, a topographical map will be completed. This information will help your architect and/or designer determine the configuration of the foundation and locate the optimal footprint of the house.
Dream & Design
This is the really fun part of the custom home building process! Look at as many log or timber frame homes as you can. Think about what you like and don’t like and the way your family lives. Do you want lots of room for entertaining? Or smaller, cozier spaces for quiet conversations? What about outdoor living spaces? There is a lot to consider. Your architect and/or designer will take all your ideas, preferences and must-haves and create a set of plans for your dream home.
Detail Selections
The floor plans provide the structure and flow of your home, the details provide the personality. This is when you’ll choose everything from flooring and paint colors to light fixtures, faucets to the hardware for your kitchen cabinets.
Budget
Your builder will use the finalized floor plans to but together a construction budget as well as schedule so you’ll know exactly what costs to expect and a timeline for completion of your custom log home.
Permits
Before building can start, the city or county government where your lot is must approve the design and provide permits for construction, electrical work, plumbing, and more.
Site preparation & Foundation
The first step of building is to clear your lot of trees, rocks, and debris. After that, the foundation of your home will be poured. This entails digging footings and pouring concrete into the holes and trenches of your foundation walls. Once the foundation has cured, drains, pipes and plumbing for your basement or first floor will be installed.
Framing
Exactly what occurs during this phase will depend on whether you’re building a timber frame home or a traditional log home. In either case, during this phase, the shell of your home is erected, including subflooring, walls and roof.
Siding and roofing
If you’re building a timber frame home, log siding will be installed following the framing. The roof will also be put on.
Plumbing, electrical, and HVAC
Before interior walls go up, big items like showers and tubs will be put in place. Ductwork for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems will be installed and pipes and wiring run.
Insulation
Log homes are naturally insulating and a traditionally constructed log home does not have insulation in the walls. If you’re building a timber frame home, or putting log siding over a traditional frame home, insulation will be installed in all the exterior walls, the attic, and in floors that are located above a basement or a crawl space.
Finishing Work
Depending on the construction of your home, this could include installing trim like baseboards, window sills, doors, and stair railings. Cabinets and countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms will be installed and any painting will be done.
Mechanical Work & Fixture Installation
HVAC systems come next, along with sinks, faucets and toilets. You’ll also see details like light fixtures, outlets and switch plates go in.
Final touches
You’re almost done! The last step is to install carpets, mirrors, and shower doors then clean up construction debris. Now, all you have to do is move in and start enjoying your custom log home or timber frame home.
