The Log Home Buying Process - From Dreaming To Planning
By Ron Marx
Millions of people every year dream of owning a log home. In fact, the popularity of log homes has been increasing over the past several years. However, the reality of it is that only a small percentage of people actually make the full transition from dreaming about owning a log home to actually owning one. Thirty years of experience in the log home industry tells me there are several primary reasons why there are roughly only 30,000 new log homes built each year (over the past several years).
I hope by sharing my knowledge and experience, more people will be able to go from dreaming to planning to building to living in a log home or log cabin of their own. The first piece of advice I offer is to do your homework upfront to get a good understanding of what is available, what you want, what you need, what you can afford and if necessary, what compromises you are willing to make.
There is a plethora of resources available for anyone who is serious about wanting to go from dreaming to planning. The Internet offers a wealth of information, ranging from species of logs to styles of logs, from planning checklists to information on hundreds of log home manufacturers, dealers, designers and builders. Subscribe to one or more of the leading log home industry publications; they too provide potential log home buyers with tips and ideas on how to make the process as smooth and enjoyable as possible.
Attend a log home show and sit in on some of the educational classes offered by leading industry experts. Talk to the various log home company reps to find out what they specialize in and what they recommend. Take advantage of the first-hand opportunity to look at, feel and smell the different types and styles of logs and log home construction. Learn as much as you can about what your options are and then it's time to sit down and begin putting your wants and needs, likes and dislikes on paper.
Sketch out a rough plan of what you envision your perfect log home to be based on how you plan to use it. How many bedrooms do you want? How many bathrooms? One floor or two? How important are cooking and eating spaces? Porch or deck? What is the rough total living space (square footage) you need and want? For many people, looking at existing log home plans can provide ideas.
Once you have a rough floor plan concept, think about how you would like your log home appointed. Is rustic living more important than marble counter tops, a Hi-Fi, High Def entertainment room or wireless internet? Will a wood stove work or do you just have to have a field stone fireplace centerpiece? It is okay to dream big, but it is as important to be realistic as there is a cost associated with everything.
Once you've compiled a preliminary idea of what you want, the next most important step is to talk to a mortgage consultant to ascertain how much money a bank will loan you to finance the project (unless of course you have sufficient resources at hand to pay cash for the materials and construction). Getting a log home construction loan pre-approval early on significantly reduces the amount of time and frustration you will have to spend finalizing your plan.
If you are ready to move the process forward at this point, it becomes beneficial to select a log home manufacturer who you are comfortable with to help guide you through the rest of the process. Select a partner that has demonstrated an interest in helping you; one that has helped inform you without putting a lot of "buy now" pressure on you. Someone who, even though they may have sold hundreds or thousands of log homes, treats you like your log home is the most important one they have ever been involved with. Someone who stands by their workmanship long after the sale is closed.
On average, this process takes between 6 months and a year before a deal is closed and the logs are delivered. So, if you're getting a lot of pressure to buy something this month or to settle for something that is not what you want, you might want to look for another relationship.
If you are serious about building a new log home or log cabin, heeding some of these recommendations may increase the likelihood that you will eventually become one of the few dreamers who actually made it through the process (sooner rather than later).
Ron Marx is president of Cedar Knoll Log Homes, a leading log home and log cabin manufacturer. Ron has more than 25 years of log home building experience. Cedar Knoll Log Homes has been designing and manufacturing custom and kit log homes and cabins since 1980. Cedar Knoll Log Homes' corporate headquarters and 20,000 square foot state-of-the-art milling facility, along with a 1680 square foot beautifully appointed log home model, are situated just off the shores of Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh, NY. Cedar Knoll Log Homes uses only the finest Adirondack cedar and pine available and dries logs at the company's onsite kiln. Prospective log home / log cabin buyers, builders, contractors, wholesalers or dealers are encouraged to call 800-315-0626 for additional information or visit http://www.loghomeslogcabins.com
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