| A log home architectural design professional can be a | | | | without and so on, finding the land to build your |
| tremendous help when you are designing and building | | | | dream log home may be one of the major hurdles to |
| your log home. There are several kinds of | | | | overcome. Once you have your land, your log home |
| professionals who may be qualified to do your log | | | | architectural design begins with the site plan. What |
| home architectural design. These persons could be | | | | about site utilities? Are they available, or must you |
| draftspersons or residential designers. However, the | | | | provide your own well, septic tank and bring in |
| most qualified person will likely be an experienced | | | | electricity from some distant place? What about |
| architect. | | | | access to your site? Do you need to build an |
| A licensed architect will have graduated from | | | | entrance roadway? |
| architectural school and will have the most education | | | | You'll need to check with city and county officials |
| in architectural design. In addition, verify that they | | | | about what building permits are needed, for example. |
| have successfully completed log home design | | | | Local building and zoning regulations may restrict |
| projects in the past. What you don't want to do is | | | | where your log home can be placed, how far from |
| make someone a favor such as a friend or | | | | the road it must be and so on. Utility companies may |
| aquaintance who promises to design your log home | | | | have 'easements' or the legal right to access or cross |
| for you. Log home design and building present special | | | | your site to do their utility work or maintenance. |
| challenges that require a log home architectural design | | | | Floodplain restrictions, soil permeability and |
| specialist with education AND experience with log | | | | topographical features can limit the log home |
| homes. | | | | construction that can be done. You'll want to be sure |
| Here are example considerations for log home | | | | that your site will accept the log home architectural |
| architectural design: | | | | design that you're planning on building. |
| 1. What About Design Fees? If you'll be working with | | | | 4. Can You Find Log Home Designs That You Like? If |
| an architect, they'll likely base their fees on either | | | | you prefer not to work with a professional designer, |
| your total project cost or on the log home square | | | | consider looking for existing log home plans that will |
| footage. There are major advantages in working with | | | | fit your site and is the home design that you want. |
| a local architect, especially if they're good. He or she | | | | Every plan you see can give you ideas and you |
| can meet with you face to face, and they can obtain | | | | never know, there may a log home design that's just |
| the information from you that they need to create | | | | right for you that exists already. You can save |
| the log home architectural design that you want. | | | | considerable time and money if you can find great |
| They may also be able to oversee the construction | | | | plans that have already been built somewhere, which |
| process to help ensure that your log home is built as | | | | means the plans will work. |
| intended. This option will likely cost the most. Ideally, | | | | Most reputable plans services can make whatever |
| you'll find and investigate several architects, then | | | | changes to the plans you need so they become |
| choose the best one for doing your log home | | | | exactly what you want. You can purchase log home |
| architectural design. | | | | architectural design plan books online, and you can |
| 2. What Is Your Budget? Somewhere early in the | | | | search the websites of online plan services using the |
| design process, the total value of the proposed log | | | | criteria for your project. Search by square footage, |
| home must be considered. If you are not up front | | | | by number of rooms or stories and just see the |
| about your financial limits for the log home project, | | | | plans that fit the specifications that's right for you. |
| you are likely to receive a log home architectural | | | | Maybe you are just beginning to organize your ideas, |
| design that will exceed what you can really afford. If | | | | or maybe you are well along in your log home design. |
| this happens, everyone loses, since at some point, | | | | Making it happen can be a lot of work, but it can also |
| reality must be confronted and design changes made. | | | | be a fun and rewarding experience. Learn as much as |
| Have a budgeted amount and hold your designer to | | | | you can about the process of creating your own log |
| it! | | | | home architectural design that will provide you, your |
| 3. Where Will Your Log Home Be Built? Whether your | | | | family and friends the enjoyment and pleasure of |
| land is urban or rural, flat or sloping, with trees or | | | | ownership for many years to come. |