Woohooo! New Class Announced

[bamahuntnfool]

Greetings All!

I have been lurking on the site for a couple weeks. Was planning to build a kit home until I found you guys (and gals). Perfect timing as my build (and early retirement - fingers crossed) is about 2 years away and Labor Day weekend class was just announced! Will be signing up for that ASAP.

I've run across several posts while lurking (have read many of the first 45 pages of threads) of folks building here in the Southeast. How many here are building in N. Alabama or South-central Tennessee? I live in Huntsville, AL but recently bought 6 acres in Cowan, TN which is in the south central part of the state about halfway between Chattanooga and Nashville. That's where I plan to build/retire.

Looking forward to spending a lot of time here over the next couple years - seems like a great bunch of folks. I also hope to pitch in on a few builds as well.

I'll spare the newbie questions in this first post, but can't promise anything after that. I know - TAKE THE CLASS!

Thanks.

[blane]

Congratulations on taking the leap! I am in western NC probably 2 hours from Chattanooga. Or coming up I 40 just about 20 miles from TN.

[Mosseyme]

We are building in WNC put up Ridge pole 2 days ago. but live in E TN. Kids live in Nashville. Congratulations on signing up for the class. You will not regret it.

[rckclmbr428]

I just put a home under roof outside of Oxford, AL

[Septemberwheat]

I just signed up for the August class. Very excited!
Matt

[loghousenut]

Glad of it Matt. You'll love it.

[blane]

Money well spent. And Skips famous cookies make it all worth the effort.

[Septemberwheat]

Thanks guys! I know it's going to be like drinking through a fire hose. I'm hoping to buy a little remote property and build a small cabin on it. We will see.
Best,
Matt

[sdart]

Thanks guys! I know it's going to be like drinking through a fire hose.

Great image! And very apt. Try not to breathe in at the same time ;)

[Septemberwheat]

Just booked my flight and hotel! Yea!

[panderson03]

congrats on taking the first step SeptemberWheat!! welcome to the family

[Septemberwheat]

Thanks Panderson!
I'm really excited. I've made some wood furniture and and done a lot of handyman work over the years on my homes and now on my farm. I look forward to understanding this style of building. I really want to buy a little piece of property out in the woods but the world has gone completely land mad...
If interest rates move sharply higher, real estate could get slammed. So I wait... Maybe I'll build a little cabin on my farm.

[project]

Finally after trying to get our schedules to work out I'm finally in the class too. I told my boss that I can miss some work or quit, his choice.. It's costing me $8k total by the time I get back to work but I can't wait any longer.. See you there.

[eduncan911]

Wow, 8k. I figured my time off (contracting) and flight and hotel and food and cost of class it was around $2000-$2500.

And that was the best 2k (~$800 class fee + cheap will-never-stay-there-again Hooters hotel @ ~$250 + $250 flight cancelled + $300 last hour flight + consulting time off for the weekend) I ever spent when I took the class. You'll never look at a stick frame or kit home or even other custom log homes the same ever again.

[loghousenut]

Finally after trying to get our schedules to work out I'm finally in the class too. I told my boss that I can miss some work or quit, his choice.. It's costing me $8k total by the time I get back to work but I can't wait any longer.. See you there.

Seems like the more money you miss in wages, the more you can afford the class.

Some things are worth taking a working vacation for.

[project]

I had to take a week off for the class because of the way the pay period falls so that's why the cost went up so much.

[Septemberwheat]

Money can be a giant pain in the backside...

[rreidnauer]

Especially if it's in gold coin, and you have a lot to carry. ;)

[GreenEyes]

We are in East central Alabama, hoping to start building by next spring. Took the June 4-5, 2011 class, paid off mortgage and have been saving. Will build on our current 3 acres of land (been here almost 10 years) to replace the manufactured home that was here when we bought the place and we're still living in. Most of our land is wooded, but unfortunately most of the trees are not large enough to build with. Think I counted maybe 40 trees that might work when I walked our trail one day. Not a lot of flat, open space on our land.

So now we're trying to decide WHAT TYPE of logs to use, with all the humidity and bugs in our area, and WHERE to get them. Snow is not an issue--we're really lucky if we get an inch or two once a winter--so we were pretty lost in class with some of the discussions. ;) Also need to finalize WHICH plans we're using. Since there's just one kid at home now, and he just turned 13, we won't need a huge space. Still, I want to have enough room to host family gatherings, and have church friends over. I'm considering building smaller and using porch space to extend living room/dining room area so we'll have enough room to "spill over" when family is here. That will work for most of the year, and maybe the kids could eat upstairs in the loft area in the winter. I want to build on our current home site so we can use the existing septic tank and not have to cut so many trees, so there are still details to nail down there, too.

Would love to hear from anyone building in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi, North Carolina, or South Carolina, and anyone with experience with what type of trees we should look for.

[Septemberwheat]

How about building two log cabins? One large one for you and your family and a smaller one for company?
Best, Matt

[GreenEyes]

Maybe one day we will build a guest house, like some friends have. We'd definitely have to do the main house first. Or maybe the 35 x 35 would be good after all, from some comments I've read. Thanks!

[Mosseyme]

Greeneyes,
We are building in WNC way up in the mountains. We still get a great deal of humidity here so we do have to deal with that. From what I have read it seems like cedar might be a good choice for that far south. You will find that those in the deep south that have built with pine say don't do it. We are building with Hemlock and it is a different entity. I have not heard any one say but what about Cypress? I don't even know if it is usable for logs but since it grows in the swamp it might be a thought and it is beautiful wood. You could check it out.

[GreenEyes]

Mossyme, thanks for the ideas! Haven't seen many cedars large enough and straight enough around here. And I was allergic to cedar growing up. :-( Not sure if it's still a problem, but know cedar shavings did still bother me when we had pet white mice for a few years. Think it's been almost 13 years since the last one.

I read about a place in Alabama that was built with cypress. I think we'd be interested in poplar, white pine, or cypress, but we're open to other possibilities if we hear of a good one.

I've moved the rest of the info to the discussion on this page: http://community.loghomebuilders.org/showthread.php?11879-Log-Type-best-for-building-in-humid-Alabama&p=106485#post106485

Was concerned I may have included too much info on the non-members side, and wanted to be sure I followed the rules. :)

[Pioneer_Living4us]

So wish we could be in this class! I am jealous;)

But, our time will come! I am excited for all of those attending this class!