| If you've read my first article, BUDGETING YOUR | | | | concrete is the most expensive. These days, many |
| LOG HOME: Where do you start?, you've got a very | | | | people choose precast foundations for log homes, |
| basic overview of the process. However, there are | | | | because they are so accurate and don't require a |
| still a number of questions I'd like to address. Again, | | | | footer. If you go this route, you'll have to hire a |
| many of these questions will come up if you build any | | | | mason to pour the floor after the precast foundation |
| custom home, but I'd venture to guess the log home | | | | is erected. Remember that if you choose to build on |
| owners find themselves deeper in the | | | | a slab, you're going to have problems routing your |
| decision-making process than someone dealing with a | | | | wiring, because this is normally done from the |
| custom builder. After all, the differences become | | | | basement.Your log home manufacturer is going to |
| apparent immediately as the owners have to find | | | | give you a quote for the package. Many people want |
| their own manufacturer.Unless you have a pocket full | | | | the manufacturer to quote on a "turnkey" house or |
| of cash, you're going to have to follow the | | | | at least a weathered-in shell, as a matter of |
| construction loan mindset throughout the budgeting | | | | convenience. However, this might not be the way to |
| process. I plan to devote a whole article to the | | | | go if you live in a different state from the mill. Do |
| construction loan, but this pursuit will serve as a | | | | you really want to pay shipping for plywood? In the |
| preliminary step before going to the bank.The biggest | | | | end, having your contractor purchase lumber locally |
| part of your budget will be the purchase of the land. | | | | could save you thousands of dollars, even it it's a |
| With today's new construction market - especially in | | | | little less convenient to calculate it initially. Your local |
| New Jersey - the raw land constitutes 30%-40% of | | | | builder will gladly give you a quote as long as he has a |
| the total project (of course, in other states the land | | | | good set of preliminary plans to work from.I started |
| won't be so much but your overall costs will be less, | | | | with a simple check list to sort out my budget. |
| too). It helps to purchase the land first so you know | | | | Luckily, I found a contractor who was willing to take |
| how much money you're going to have left | | | | over the project and hire his own subs; his itemized |
| over.Then you need to figure out how much to set | | | | quote helped me visualize all the elements that went |
| aside for your excavation, your driveway, and your | | | | into the project. Then I added subs that I hired |
| septic system. Before you can get to this number, it | | | | separately (excavator, mason, landscaper, etc.). Here |
| helps to hire a civil engineer to draw up a survey and | | | | are some line items that went on the checklist: Air |
| plot plan (you'll need the survey for the mortgage | | | | Conditioner, Appliances, Builder's Profit, Doors |
| company anyway). This will cost you a few hundred | | | | (interior), Doors (exterior), Driveway, Electrician, |
| dollars. The plot plan will diagram where the house will | | | | Fireplace, Flooring, Foundation, Furnace (or Boiler), |
| go (and footprint of the house), the length of the | | | | HVAC Installation, Insulation, Interior Trim, Kitchen, |
| driveway, where the septic and well will go. With this | | | | Labor, Landscaping (Grass seed), Lift equipment, |
| document, you can go to the excavator for a | | | | Lighting Fixtures, Logs, Lumber (plywood, joists, |
| quote.Since most log homes tend to be built in rural | | | | 2x6s), Mason, Permits, Plumbing, Plumbing Fixtures |
| areas, you will probably have to install your own | | | | (sinks, bathtubs, toilets), Roof, Sanding and Staining, |
| septic and well. The excavator who does your | | | | Septic, Staircase (if not included in log quote), Tiles |
| driveway will most likely be the one who will dig your | | | | (kitchen & bath), Utilities, Well, Windows.Depending |
| septic. The well driller will probably be a different | | | | on your job site, you may have other expenses. If |
| company. These are both "wild cards", because the | | | | the flatbed truck carrying your logs cannot make it |
| cost of the septic will depend on how well the land | | | | to the site, you'll have to make provisions to off-load |
| percs (short for percolate), and you don't know how | | | | the logs elsewhere and have them brought in. If you |
| deep your well will go.Once again, the engineer will | | | | are set way back from the road, you may have to |
| design a septic plan which will have to be approved | | | | pay for telephone poles, or pay for the trenching. |
| by the county (in most states). The cost of your | | | | Also, your builder may require that you bring power |
| septic could range anywhere from $10,000 - $30,000. | | | | to the site for his tools (most allow you a few days |
| If you are setting the house way back from the | | | | of generator power, but not for the whole job).It |
| road, you must budget for that extra-long driveway. | | | | took a while to fill in all the blanks on my check list, |
| And if your lot is heavily wooded, you will have to | | | | but once I started looking at each task individually, |
| pay extra for tree removal; remember that you | | | | the project as a whole made sense. Actually, the log |
| need to clear plenty of space to accommodate both | | | | package was the easiest part to deal with. In our |
| the house and a large area around the house for the | | | | case, the manufacturer provided the logs only (and |
| machinery to maneuver. You also have to consider a | | | | the design), which came out to less than 1/6 the |
| space to put the logs after delivery.Once the location | | | | total cost of the house (not counting the land work). |
| and footprint of the house is determined, you may | | | | For the rest, the costs are like any other custom |
| need to use a different contractor for the | | | | home; then the question becomes "Who does |
| foundation. Foundations are not provided by the log | | | | what?". After all, a little sweat equity goes a long |
| home manufacturer (with rare exceptions). There are | | | | way.Mercedes Hayes is a Hiawatha Log Home dealer |
| several ways to go: you can build on a slab, a crawl | | | | and also a Realtor in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. |
| space, or a full basement. You can use a block | | | | She designed her own log home which was featured |
| foundation, a precast foundation, a poured concrete | | | | in the 2004 Floor Plan Guide of Log Home Living |
| foundation (these are the main choices). Poured | | | | magazine. |