How
much per square foot do you
charge ?
The
short answer:
in very general terms, Log shells cost $35 to $50 per square
foot. Turnkey,
handcrafted log homes are now costing anywhere from $150 to $250
per square foot, depending on the construction details. The long answer: We can't price our homes by the square foot, it simply doesn't work. For example, we have built 1000 square foot houses with only 4 log walls, we have built other houses with the same square footage and as many as 8 log walls, as you can imagine, the prices were quite different. When we price a house we look at the following: How many log corners does it have ? - a lot of our time is spent notching the corners. The log species - different species of logs cost us different amounts depending on the season or local availability. How high are the walls? - quite often wall heights of 9', 10' or higher are requested, the higher the walls, the more logs we need to put in. What diameter of log is requested - We buy our logs by the cubic meter - larger diameter logs cost us more. Are we supplying log staircases, log handrail, log trusses in the roof ? All of these are available, but of course we must consider whether or not we are including these when we are pricing the house. Back To Top
What
is the "R"- Value of a log wall ? Short Answer: The National Research Council of Canada recognizes about R 1.2 per inch of wall thickness measured at the narrowest point, (4") resulting in a calculation of about R-5. Long Answer: We don't accept this. We have lived in these houses ourselves,(in Northern Saskatchewan) we have paid the Winter heating bills on them and we find them quite comparable to a conventional home with R-20 walls. In Summer we find them to be considerably cooler than a conventional house. We feel that the NRC has overlooked the "heat-sink" effect of the logs. Their tests were conducted on 1" pine boards. We don't dispute their results on 1" pine boards. However, a typical Hand cut log package of ours weighs 80 to 120,000 pounds or more . This mass is warmed and the heat is reflected back. In summer months this effect works in reverse and the house stays cool. At times during the summer we have even found ourselves opening windows to let some heat come in - the house was too cool ! How do you seal between the logs ? We cut a groove down the bottom of every exterior wall log, this groove has a special "shelf cut" on each side for placing and holding an expanding foam gasket. This gasket is applied to both sides of the groove. On installation, this gasket is compressed to approximately 3/8" to 1/2", if there is any movement of the joint between the logs, this gasket can expand up to 1-1/8". As an option, notches and the groove between the logs can also be insulated with fiberglass insulation or optional Natural Sheep’s Wool.
Do you have "Stock Plans"? No and Yes. No, we don't have "stock plans" that we work from. Nearly all of our work is "Custom" from customers ideas. We do have "concept plans", which are log house plans that we have drawn, to stimulate customer ideas and to illustrate different possibilities. These concept plans can be modified to suit your needs or we can draw "Custom plans" which we develop from sketches or photos you bring to us along with your ideas about what it is you might like or don't like about a particular plan. From here we can do "preliminary " drawings which we would present for discussion and revision. We may go back and forth like this 3 or 4 times before we settle on a final Custom plan for a customer. How much does your Custom Design Service cost ? Generally speaking, on normal sized projects, about $1.00 per square foot, review by an engineer is an extra cost. LogsWhat
kind of logs do you use ? We build with Spruce, Douglas Fir or Western Red Cedar. What is the best kind of log to use ? We would say that there really is no "Best" species for all applications. The choice of Log Species is more related to budget considerations, site conditions and availability. When there are budget limitations, Spruce is a good choice. It is quite often the cheaper log to buy and for most applications it is more than adequate in terms of strength and service life. Spruce is not the best choice for high humidity locations such as on an exposed Coastal location. Many of our customers choose Douglas Fir for its added strength and its Salmon colored heartwood. Douglas Fir is a good choice for nearly every application, even though it is a bit more expensive. If we were forced to pick only one species to use it would be Douglas Fir. The other reason that we use Spruce or Douglas Fir is : this is what is most available in our area. We can get other species, but we might have to truck them in several hundred miles and this is simply an added cost. We sometimes build in Western Red Cedar, though not often. Cedar can be quite expensive and its not always available. Cedar is the best choice for wet, coastal locations because it is the most rot and insect resistant. Cedar is soft , easily damaged and not so strong when used as a beam. In areas of heavy snow loads, we have built Cedar walls, then used Douglas Fir for the roof beams and loft joists because it is much stronger than Cedar when used as a beam. Are
your logs dry ? Yes and No. Many of our competitors claim to use "air dried" logs. There is a certain amount of truth to this. Quite often several months go by from the time the log is harvested till it is fitted into a customer's house. They will dry somewhat during this time. However, construction grade lumber, to be considered "dry" must be 20% or less moisture content. In the size of log we are using (13 to 14" mid Span Diameter) from harvest to 20% M.C. will take 5 years or more. We are aware of no one air drying logs for 4 or 5 years. So - "Yes" our logs are air-dried too !, but technically speaking, "No", they would be classified as "green".
What about shrinkage and twisting ? We use the latest building techniques to accommodate and allow for the shrinkage resulting from "Green wood". We use a "Shrink-to fit" saddle notch and the logs are all bolted with through-bolts (top to bottom) at the corners and window or door openings are slotted for a "T-Buck" which stabilizes the logs at the openings.
What
about Kiln Drying ? We don't offer kiln drying. Kiln drying will add 30% or more to the cost of your log shell and we don't feel that the benefits are worth the added expense. Shrinkage and twisting will be minimized, but not eliminated with kiln drying. What
about Standing Dead Timber ? At first look this may seem a good choice and has many apparent advantages. These logs can be very dry and shrinkage and twisting will be at a minimum. However, we see too many rotten logs going into this style of house. From the time a tree dies, several natural processes begin which are intended to break down the fiber. First are the wood boring insects, drilling holes in them, this produces entrance holes for all kinds of wood decaying fungus and stains. Next, these logs get deep drying cracks, which are another entrance for more wood recycling fungi etc. If these logs can be intercepted 2 to 4 years after they die, but before this natural recycling process begins, they can be a very good choice to build with. In the United States there is huge demand for this building style, but in most cases there is no way of knowing how long each tree has been dead and we feel that far too many of the logs used are of unknown origin and are too far along in this natural recycling process. We prefer to use "fresh cut", then air-dried a few months. We feel we have better control of the outcome this way. Will
you build in my area ? Yes and No. We ship all over the world. We supply only the "Log Shell". As options, we can also supply a Window & Door Package and / or a Lumber Package. We pre-fabricate the log shell in our log yard in Salmon Arm , B.C., number the pieces and ship it to your site. We send 1 man to supervise the re-assembly. You, the customer, will need to either hire a General Contractor to co-ordinate the other sub-trades (carpenters, plumbers, electricians etc.) or act as the General Contractor yourself. We do not act as a "General Contractor". Exactly
what is a "Log Shell"? Please see the picture below.
STANDARD “LOG SHELL” PACKAGE: Spruce logs 13” mid-span diameter (14-16” butts, 11 inch tops) 9 ft. high log walls as indicated on blueprints Saddle notch corners, Scandinavian scribe-fit Log ceiling beams for loft (if your plan has a loft) Window and door openings in logs cut C/W keyways and sanded Wall slots cut for intersecting frame walls Log handrail across loft (per blueprints)(pre-assembled) Log Ridgepole and purlins, supported on log posts Log ends trimmed, curled and sanded settling jacks as required All loads fully tarped and “belly wrapped” For US shipments, we handle the customs clearance. Log homes enter the US duty free, however there may or may not be State taxes payable, these are the customer’s responsibility
OPTIONAL ITEMS: Freight to your building site Re-assembly supervisor or a full re-assembly crew Upgrade to Douglas Fir logs Upgrade to Western Red Cedar logs Higher wall height (gives you more head room in the loft) (also raises the eave line in relation to window or door tops, allowing in more light and more “view” out the window) Log staircase (Mortise & Tennon) C/W handrail, main floor to loft All exterior wall logs insulated with Double foam gaskets (highly recommended) Fiberglass or Sheep’s wool insulation for notches and grooves in exterior log walls Walls flattened for kitchen cabinets Drilling for electrical in logs (boxes cut out too) No-Mar log handling (hoisting of logs using non-marking tongs or nylon straps rather than the typical “Skid tongs” used by most). “Underscribe” log fitting system – a more advanced scribing system that anticipates the shrinkage that will develop at the notches over time, the result is a better fitting log over time. Oversize logs. Trim cut package – a package of trim cuts that will make finishing the log package much easier (probably more than pays for itself in labor savings) Window / Door package Custom Design and 3D visualization services Engineering if required by your building Department Log Grading if required by your building Department Basement staircase Deck Handrail Deck stairs Deck support Posts Deck Support Beams Log trusses Timber Frame roof system (large dimension timbers) Sculpted Headers Sculpted archways Custom Carvings “Character Log” feature pieces for Handrails or Posts Extra sanding to provide a more smooth log surface
Why is your price so much higher (or lower) than other quotes we received? It really depends on what’s included and what’s not. In these days of internet shopping, many people simply look for the lowest price. When shopping for mass produced, name brand items, you can be confident that the Chevy Suburban or the Minolta digital camera you buy in Florida is identical to the one you buy in Tokyo Japan. Unfortunately, this is not the case with Log Homes, especially Handcrafted Log Homes. Some of the things that will make a big difference to the quality / value of a log home package are: Log Species Log Diameter Log Grade Log wall height Are there Log staircases included ? Main to loft? Main to basement ? Deck Stairs ? Are they mortice & Tennon and thru-bolted or just screwed together ? Handrails: are they assembled or is it just raw materials ? Loft Handrail ? Deck Handrail ? Porch Handrail ? What Species ? Included or not ? Some States now require Cedar handrail on open decks . Is it drilled for electrical ? Are the outlet and switch boxes morticed out too ? Is there a Double Foam gasket insulating and sealing the logs ? New building codes will be out in the US in the next year or 2 and they will require either a gasket or some other kind of sealing system (chinking or caulking). How are the logs being handled ? Tongs or some kind of mo-mar handling system ? Tongs leave marks. Is your builder using an “Underscribe” or “overscribe” system, or is it just a basic scribe system. Initially, there isn’t much difference to be seen between the two, but after 2 or 3 years of drying and shrinkage, a log that has been under / overscribed will fit tighter than one that’s been fitted with a basic scribe system. Are you getting a “Trim cut package” to make it easier to install your Kitchen cabinets, install frame walls under log joists or under roof beams ? Are posts in gable ends grooved to accept finish material ? The Trim cut package will most likely more than pay for itself in on-site finishing costs, and result in a nicer finishing job. When choosing a builder, the most important consideration should be whether or not you feel comfortable with him or her, have you seen some of their work ? Do you like the style of work they do? Were they easy to talk to? Were they helpful in answering your questions? You will be working closely with this person for several months and you will be entrusting them with your "dream" and together, you will be making decisions worth many thousands of dollars. Do
you offer any Guarantee or Warranty ? Again its another "Yes and No" answer. We guarantee that our work is correct, and done to "equal to" or "better than" generally accepted standards for our industry. We also guarantee that our materials are good quality, with no obvious structural defects. To promise any more than this, we feel, may promote un-realistic expectations. A Handcrafted log home is a very beautiful thing and no plastic, extruded, manufactured product will ever come close to the character and atmosphere of a natural, hand crafted log home. But we need to remember: This is a Natural Product, the logs come from nature, not an assembly line. These are the trunks of trees, we simply remove the bark and fit them together into walls and beams for your home. Logs are wood; quite large pieces of wood at that; and as they dry there will be some shrinkage some settling and some checking (drying cracks) and even some twisting. We use the best and latest techniques we know of to limit the shrinkage, checking and twisting, but its still going to happen to some small degree. These are all normal and to be expected in a Handcrafted Log Home. What
do you paint your logs with ? and How often ? We don't paint them with anything unless requested to do so. In these days of environmental awareness some customers prefer to let their logs turn a natural grey. This is the most natural and requires almost zero maintenance and has the least impact on the environment. Other people like the "blonde, fresh peeled look". This look will require a wood finish of some kind and re-coating every 3 to 7 years depending on how much strong sunshine you get at your particular location and how "new" you want to keep it looking. Its the ultra violet rays in the sunlight that breaks down a wood finish. The more pigment (color) a wood finish has in it, the better it resists U.V. rays. So, a dark color will tend to last longer, a "clear" will deteriorate the quickest and require the highest level of maintenance. Quite often we use "Sikkens" products, Cetol 1 on the exterior (an orange color) and an "interior clear" for the inside.
How
long will it take to Production
time in our yard will vary with the size of the building but generally about 4
to 8 weeks. We process our orders
on a "first come, first served" basis and at the height of
construction season we sometimes have 3 or 4 houses ahead of us.
Quite often the planning and blueprint stage will take 4 to 6 months.
So, its not un-reasonable to begin
the planning phase a year or more before the
desired completion date. Should
we use an Architect or an
Engineer or Log Home designer to
design our home ? In some cases it may not be necessary, however, many local building authorities are now requiring Log Home plans to be at least "reviewed" and "sealed" by an Engineer or Architect. In most cases, we draw the plans, then have them reviewed by an Engineer. We would prefer to be involved in the design process from the beginning. Log Home construction is quite flexible, but there are limitations and special considerations. We have seen some very nice plans from others, we have also seen some cases where people paid a lot of money to a design professional for a plan that was not workable in logs. We think its best to choose your log builder first, then, even if the builder doesn't draw the plans, he should be involved from the early stages of the planning and can have some very valuable input. If you have more questions, we would be happy to answer them for you. If you have a plan you are considering, we would be happy to look at it for you and offer our comments. Also, please feel free to call to make an appointment to visit our worksite in Salmon Arm, B.C.
|
