March 2012 Log Home Class!!

**Kick Forward** · 02-10-2012, 05:07 AM

Thanks Cruiser. I'm 90% sure I'm signing up for the class. It's a little late notice for me, but I think I can figure out a way to get there. I've read a lot on the site and looked through a lot of members' houses. I still can't believe what I've seen. It's almost too good to be true. So I gotta say I'm a bit skeptical, but I'm gonna take the plunge. See you on the other side!

**JeffandSara** · 02-10-2012, 12:59 PM

Kick Forward--

Cruiser's right. Logs shouldn't be a big problem. I doubt you'd have to truck logs in too far for a Kentucky property, but even if you DID have to bring logs a long way, it's still a good deal. Ours came from more than 1000 miles away (most of the way by train) because we had no nearby appropriate logs, and we still built our house for a lot cheaper than if we'd bought a "kit".

Take the class, definitely.

Sara

PS... It is a MUCH NICER house than a kit log house, too!

**Kick Forward** · 02-10-2012, 02:39 PM

Thanks Sara. My brother-in-law is actually a forester and whenever I've looked at property he'd always say something like, "oh no, you don't want this property, there's no mature trees", or "looks like they logged this forrest 20 years ago". I always thought, well it looks pretty to me so I don't really mind that... I guess he knew more than me, ha. He actually just finished his house for his family with lumber milled from his own property.

Honestly, the kit houses that I've looked at, and I never really liked any, seemed expensive. I haven't looked much at log home kits much though. Doesn't seem like those words should go together..

**Cruiser** · 02-10-2012, 04:31 PM

Josh,

Nothing wrong with a healthy dose of skepticism. I was skeptical too. The more I read, the better I felt. I remember paying for the class and booking the flight and hotel with a lump in my throat. My wife and I felt good about it though. When we were flying out to Vegas, we said "I can't believe we are really doing this!", but we were excited. I'm here to tell you now that it was worth every penny. This is a great association and I am very proud to be a part of it. Skip had a great vision and it works. The forum is the cherry on top! Again, welcome!

**happyquilter** · 02-11-2012, 08:15 AM

What Cruiser said!!

We just took the class last month and are actively working to make our dream a reality.

Shari

**JeffandSara** · 02-12-2012, 05:39 AM

Hello, again Kick Forward--

Since we tend to like things in a fairly rustic, old-fashioned, simple form, we weren't big on kit homes, either. We looked a little bit at them, because we realized we weren't likely to build anywhere we could find appropriate logs locally.

I guess my point was mostly that even if you aren't in great " house log country" like Skip and many here are/were, the LHBA method can still save you a bundle while you end up with a fabulous home. (One of the people who convinced us to take the class was building in Kansas, and I never saw a tree or a mountain or anything higher than prairie grass in any of her photos! That big old log house was looking mighty fine there, though!

)

If you find land with enough house logs on the "back 40", that's fabulous and can save you lots of time, cost, trouble, and wear and tear on your logs, potentially. But if you don't have a "back 40", it's not wooded, your local logs aren't good to build with (like us), or (also like us) you'd rather not cut down what trees you do have on your little patch of land... there are many other options!

The more you save on design and labor due to the LHBA methods and doing things yourself, the less of a financial problem (especially compared to less do-it-yourself options) it is to have to buy and truck or rail house logs to you, if you don't have what you need locally. In Kentucky, though, it sounds like suitable logs are a lot closer than they've been to some of us who've built homes successfully "Skip-style".

The LHBA method is simple and common sense, and partly because of that, is adaptable to a pretty wide range of circumstances and aesthetics within the parameters of the butt-and-pass log home. Attending class was one of the best investments we ever made. Go and enjoy!

Sara

**Kick Forward** · 02-12-2012, 10:30 AM

Well, even if I wasn't inclined to trust all of you, I'm now forced to because I SIGNED UP FOR CLASS!

I'll be putting my car up on craigslist shortly to pay for the whole trip (don't worry, I have two). I'm really looking forward to the class. I've been up until almost 2am last two nights researching and researching. I even priced out a new toyota pickup to dream about being my work truck some day, fitted with my own building company's logo. Boy the dreams are coming!