| Many people spend months or even years planning | | | | junction boxes? |
| the log home of their dreams. They tour home | | | | Typically, electricians won't do that type of, they |
| shows, scour magazines and review house plans with | | | | think of it as a carpenter's job. And the carpenters |
| giddy anticipation. | | | | consider it part of the electrical work. If neither party |
| When construction finally starts, their pride and | | | | has budgeted for the job, you can end up with 12 |
| elation can't be denied. After all, as British | | | | hours or more of labor costs that aren't covered in |
| postmodern novelist Angela Carter wrote, "home is | | | | your contracts. This can lead to a couple thousand |
| where the heart is." | | | | dollars in unanticipated costs, according to Guy. |
| Although no experience can compare with seeing a | | | | "You can't have breaks within the scope of the |
| dream come to fruition, let's face it, the actual | | | | work," Guy says. "You need to be sure everything is |
| process of building a custom home can create | | | | covered." |
| anxiety. | | | | To avoid a problem like this, you need to make sure |
| You have to wade through myriad decisions and | | | | you understand the entire scope of the work that |
| navigate the ins and outs of dozens of construction | | | | needs to be done, then communicate what you |
| steps. | | | | expect to the subcontractors. At The Construction |
| Wouldn't it be nice if there were a way to avoid the | | | | Process Group, Guy prepares a "scope of work" |
| common pitfalls? | | | | document. "This clearly defines who does each task |
| Well, there is. | | | | so that the bids you receive will be accurate and |
| Following are seven secrets that log home | | | | nothing will come back to bite you," he explains. |
| construction experts and home owners who have | | | | 4. Develop a budget (and stick to it). |
| gone through the construction process recommend | | | | It's easy to give in to the temptation to add fancier |
| to keep your project on track and within budget. | | | | features and upgraded appliances. After all, each |
| 1. Educate yourself. | | | | change may only add a hundred dollars or so to the |
| Before you even start planning your new home, stop | | | | cost of a home. But it all adds up. "Before you know |
| and consider whether you know enough about the | | | | it, the budget is thousands of dollars off track," says |
| processes to ask relevant questions and make the | | | | Guy. Letting the budget get away from you can lead |
| many decisions that are required when building a | | | | to long-term problems. |
| custom home. | | | | "Often, when people overspend their budgets, they |
| "Be honest with yourself," says log home project | | | | tend to skimp at the end of the process, when it |
| consultant, former builder-dealer and author Jim | | | | comes time to stain or seal the logs," says Guy. |
| Cooper. "Ask yourself how much you really know | | | | "Coatings are one of the products where you really |
| about construction." If your answer is "not much," it's | | | | get what you pay for." Skimp here and you could |
| time for a crash course. | | | | end up with logs that look weathered before their |
| If you don't take the time to educate yourself, it | | | | time, or worse, fall victim to rot and insect damage. |
| could lead to costly mistakes. | | | | To stay on budget, experts suggest you try your |
| For example, when working with a surveyor, one of | | | | hand at one of the financial management software |
| Jim's clients once asked, "How much for the septic | | | | programs on the market, such as QuickBooks, which |
| field?" The surveyor told the client, he would need to | | | | even sells a specially designed contractor edition. One |
| spend "about $800." | | | | thing they do not recommend, however, is to |
| "What the surveyor was really telling the client was | | | | purposely overbudget, or create a "fudge factor." By |
| that to do the engineering drawing for their septic | | | | doing so, you can create more problems than you'll |
| field would cost about $800," recalls Jim. "The septic | | | | avoid. |
| field itself cost $12,000 to $14,000." | | | | "That means the budget is off track everywhere," |
| But the client didn't understand the difference | | | | says Construction Process Group partner Jim |
| between engineering a septic field and actually | | | | Christopher, who believes in budgeting realistically. "I |
| installing one, so the surveyor's answer was | | | | tell clients to be prepared to spend an additional 10 |
| misleading. | | | | percent over that budget for owner-directed |
| 2. Don't go it alone. | | | | expenses," says Jim. |
| Whether you employ a general contractor or builder | | | | "Then I ask them to show the restraint not to use |
| or decide to build your home on your own, you'll still | | | | it." |
| need to collaborate with professionals and | | | | 5. Pitch in. |
| subcontractors. If you don't have experience dealing | | | | No matter who you choose to oversee your project, |
| with these pros, or you're not comfortable doing it, | | | | there are creative ways you can stay involved and |
| you may want to consider hiring a project manager | | | | keep costs down. When Steve Hissong built his own |
| or facilitator. "The cost of this is generally about half | | | | log home in Belleville, Ohio, he looked for |
| the price of a general contractor," says Jim. | | | | subcontractors who were willing to let him work |
| For example, The Construction Process Group in | | | | alongside them. "My heating guy knocked $700 off |
| Ortonville, Michigan, helps home owners in a variety | | | | the total cost of my project because we worked |
| of ways. | | | | together in the evenings," says Steve. |
| The company's program includes about eight hours of | | | | Often referred to as sweat equity, by finishing floors, |
| work on a house. They review plans from a design | | | | tile, trim work, sanding and staining yourself, you can |
| standpoint, examine whether the log home package | | | | save a bundle of money, while taking pride in the |
| provides all the materials needed to build the home | | | | fact that you helped to build your own home. |
| and review the customer's site. | | | | 6. Check out your contractors. |
| "We make sure the home owners have thought | | | | Don't pick your contractors by simply looking in the |
| about all the different ramifications that building out in | | | | phonebook. When you are spending this kind of |
| the country can bring," says partner Guy Huenecke, | | | | money and working on a project of this magnitude, |
| a long-time expert in the log home field. | | | | you'll want to base your decision on more informed |
| "Often they just assume things are available, like | | | | and personal recommendations. Guy suggests that |
| access to water. A thorough review lets us assist in | | | | home owners go to a local lumberyard to inquire |
| developing a realistic budget." | | | | about qualified subcontractors. |
| There is also some education about money. | | | | "That's where the tradespeople do business, not |
| "We help them understand how the cash needs to | | | | Lowe's," he says. |
| flow," Guy says. | | | | Your local home builder's association is another |
| Even if you don't want to spend money on experts, | | | | possible source for good contractors. |
| it pays to seek advice. When Kim and John Wary of | | | | You can find your local chapter by logging on to the |
| Rogers, Arkansas, decided to act as their own | | | | National Association of Home Builders' web site ( and |
| builders and general contractors, they knew they | | | | clicking on "Contact Us" or by calling 800-368-5242. |
| were taking a leap of faith. | | | | Once you've narrowed your choices to a few |
| "There were times that I didn't know if we could do | | | | contractors, ask each one for the names of past |
| it," says John, "but you can't be afraid to ask for | | | | customers you can call. Then take the time to check |
| help." They talked to others who had built log homes | | | | the references and ask probing questions such as did |
| in their area to learn what the entire process entailed. | | | | the contractor stay on schedule? Did he |
| John even went to job sites to watch construction | | | | accommodate change orders? Did he stay on |
| of other homes during various stages. | | | | budget? |
| Throughout the design, delivery and construction of | | | | Also, ask to visit potential contractors at a job site |
| their home, Kim and John relied heavily on their log | | | | where they are currently working. "When a job's not |
| package supplier, Original Log Homes in British | | | | finished, you can see a lot," says log home owner |
| Columbia, Canada. | | | | Steve Hissong. |
| "They went above and beyond for us," says John. | | | | "You'll also get a sense for the kind of people who |
| "There were times when I would call them every | | | | are doing the work, and whether they are using |
| day and ask questions for 20 minutes. But they were | | | | quality tools." |
| always approachable and supportive." | | | | The experts also recommend that when you've |
| As a backup, the Warys employed the services of a | | | | narrowed down your list of potential contractors, you |
| log home builder in their area on a consultative basis. | | | | get at least three quotes for every job you need to |
| "He built other homes for our supplier," says John. "I | | | | do and everything you need to buy. |
| only had to call him a few times, but it was a | | | | It's well worth the effort. "It took a lot of time to |
| comfort to know that I had that extra support if I | | | | get all those bids," says Steve, "and initially I wasn't |
| needed it." | | | | sure if it was really going to be worth it. But, it was. |
| 3. Understand the scope of the work. | | | | The house ended up appraising for 30 percent more |
| Sometimes, despite the best efforts of home | | | | than I put in it." |
| owners to stay with their original plan, aspects of a | | | | 7. Respect the professionals. |
| custom-home project can get off budget. When that | | | | Although everyone wants to get the best price, you |
| happens, often the cause can be traced to one of | | | | have to accept that working with a contractor is not |
| two reasons: A subcontractor low-balled a price, then | | | | like buying a used car. "You shouldn't beat down a |
| wrote the contract so loosely it didn't include | | | | contractor until you get your bottom dollar," says |
| everything needed to complete the work; or, the bid | | | | Guy. |
| wasn't accurate because no one completely defined | | | | "Your contractor has to make a reasonable amount |
| what was expected. | | | | of money so he can have the time and resources he |
| A classic example of the second problem occurs | | | | needs to do a good job." |
| when a home is being assembled. | | | | Come to terms with the fact that no one is going to |
| As the crew raises the logs, they also usually drill | | | | build your home for free. |
| holes to run wires for the electrical system. But who | | | | The more involved the house is, the more the |
| ends up routing the openings in the logs for the | | | | contractor's fee will likely be. |