| Perhaps you have seen beautiful log homes in | | | | area. To pare down the list of possible companies |
| magazines or have visited and admired the country | | | | you should take into account the log species (e.g. |
| farm house plans of friends or acquaintances; or you | | | | white pine); the log profile (e.g. round); the log size |
| have just simply loved the idea of log home living | | | | and type (e.g. kiln-dried, air-dried, dead standing, or |
| ever since you read about it in history class in school | | | | green); and the system of building you prefer. You |
| or saw it on the wide screen in movies about the | | | | should tour some model log homes built by |
| frontier. Maybe you lived in a log house in a happy | | | | prospective log home companies. Submit your house |
| past life. In any case, now that you are ready to | | | | plans to prospective companies to obtain cost |
| build your own log home, how can you make your | | | | estimates which include an estimate for shipping. |
| dream a reality? Before beginning the search for a | | | | When you compare price quotes from different |
| log-home company, you should think about several | | | | companies, choose the offer which best meets your |
| things: what are the features you want in your | | | | budget and needs. |
| home; what profile and what species of log do you | | | | The next step is to decide how much of your own |
| want; how much are you willing to spend and how | | | | labor you will invest in carrying out your free loghome |
| much of the construction do you want to do | | | | plans and how much you will pay contractors. You |
| yourself? | | | | must take the labor rates in your particular area into |
| The first step to make your dream a reality is to | | | | account to calculate how much it will cost to |
| browse through catalogues of existing house plans in | | | | complete building your home. One option offered by |
| order to get an idea of what you want and how | | | | many companies is a turn-key price - a |
| much it will cost. Online house plans providers have | | | | completely-built home, all ready to move into. You |
| software that will automatically calculate, for free, all | | | | must research the cost of building materials which are |
| costs - materials as well as construction - when you | | | | not included in your package as well as labor rates in |
| input the figures relevant to your chosen design | | | | your area, and then compare these costs with the |
| features and your geographic location. Next, you | | | | turn-key price which the log home company gave |
| should choose a log home company. There are | | | | you. By being your own contractor you can save |
| hundreds of log home companies in existence, and | | | | from ten to twenty percent off of the cost of |
| although the search can be time-consuming you | | | | building a log home. If you decide that you will be the |
| should find the company which can fit your needs | | | | general contractor you must develop a |
| best. Online house plans providers often can | | | | cost-estimating worksheet which breaks down all of |
| recommend reputable log home companies in your | | | | the costs of building your home. |