New member in Wisconsin - initial questions on building log cabin myself

[dgrover13]

Hello LBHA community,

I am very excited to start this journey to building my own log cabin. I came across this site after searching for possible cabin kits online,etc (like so many others!).

In fact, I have been looking at vacant land lake lots in northern Wisconsin (aka God's country) - and the info I have found on these sites have brought me the confidence to move forward and pull the trigger. We have an accepted offer on a 5 acre lake lot and pushing to close in March 2016.

We are financing the lot - with plan to build within 5 years and roll it all into a construction loan to build. Of course that is where the LBHA community comes in. Now, instead of construction loan - I am hoping to build my own log cabin over next 5 years and not have that major debt lingering. The plan would be to buy as we go.

I am going to attend a Las Vegas class. Potentially as soon as this May.

Here are my initial questions to the community. I hope to contribute to the conversations someday. Thanks in advance!

Everyone's first question: Logs
My new 5 acre lot will not provide the logs, there just isn't enough actual timber for me to harvest the logs. The best I have found from my online research of available logs in the area would be this CL post - https://up.craigslist.org/for/5369108862.html . This looks like the kind of timber I will need. Any thoughts? Good price? Anyone in this community build in Wisconsin? If I buy locally and not from a lumber mill, will I need to get them kiln dried?

One-man show: I work full time, and live 1hr20min away from the build site. I am avid DIYer and have built stick-build additions on to my own home from ground up. I can figure most stuff out with a little guidance. I can handle most laborious tasks and am not afraid of the hard work. I do have a growing family as well (1 year old son and beautiful wife). I will have to do almost all the shell building on my own, on the WEEKENDS. How realistic is this? Can I erect the shell with ONLY MYSELF without heavy equipment? I know when it comes to adding the roof - I will have to enlist extra hands. Would it be easier to erect my own if I used smaller width logs (like 8-10 inch diameter logs)?

Last question: Planning the process. I will have to clear the land and put in access driveway first. But then what. Can I put in foundation, shell, and roof - BEFORE I install well and septic? This would be ideal - as Well and septic take cash (its going to be a mound system septic, probably 15k). I am hoping I could build the structure and install septic and well after.

(at this point its probably closer to my 5 year mark and will need to refinance the land by then. I am thinking I could build almost everything myself, but at the end finance the remaining balance on the land, well, septic, and any other remaining items - ALL put on a construction loan) Am I smoking something? I don't want to do a construction loan for everything from the start, as my understanding is I would have to hire contractors to do the work. That leaves no fun for me and doesn't make it financially doable (leave me with a 100k mortgage or more)

Thanks again for taking the time to read and respond.
-Darren G.

[loghousenut]

Darren, you'll be the poster child for LHBA. The answer is most likely yes to all of the above but you should sell the property and move away from Wisconsin for this build.

[loghousenut]

On second thought maybe you can make it work in Wisconsin and I'll leave the Wife and move there and start over. Wisconsin is probably perfect. You'll do better on logs and there is no hurry. I don't know for sure but I think most folks build before the septic goes in. I'd rather not have that thing in my way if I had a choice. You can build with tools that will fit in the trunk of your Mercedes. A 4 day work week would be right up your alley if you can swing it. I wish I was your age and starting this project.


PS... I think my Brother Bo has acquired access to my LHBA account and found a way to edit my posts. He will most likely make me look like an idiot.

[rocklock]

https://up.craigslist.org/for/5369108862.html . This looks like the kind of timber I will need. Any thoughts? Good price? Anyone in this community build in Wisconsin? If I buy locally and not from a lumber mill, will I need to get them kiln dried?

Would it be easier to erect my own if I used smaller width logs (like 8-10 inch diameter logs)?

Last question: Planning the process. I will have to clear the land and put in access driveway first. But then what. Can I put in foundation, shell, and roof - BEFORE I install well and septic?

ALL put on a construction loan

Darren
First of all DO NOT GET a CONSTRUCTION LOAN, ever!

Logs...The guy that is selling these is a weenie... It looks like he is measuring the bottom of the tree. If the person measures standing trees generally the measure the breast height and they mention that! Given the taper an 18 inch log may be too small. You should not pay not more than $200 bucks for any log, IMHO. The class will help in getting logs process... We use Green logs and no one kiln dries a log because it would take way too much time... Even air drying logs will take 3 to 6 years...

Using the LHBA method larger logs are easier, have more R values and thermal mass.

Planning process... I had almost everything done before I put in the septic. We used a tent and a bucket for our septic... Sounds gross but its really not that bad... I planned to use about $10,000 a year to build... Some years a lot less.

DO NOT GET a CONSTRUCTION LOAN, ever!

CONSTRUCTION LOANS require a schedule which is at odds with the one man building process.

[rreidnauer]

Utilities can come either before or after the house. I chose before, and moved onto the property, in a trailer. That brought my cost-of-living expenses WAY down. A few other LHBA members who've visited my place have said they wished they'd done the same.

[dgrover13]

Thanks for the quick replies. So sounds like I don't need to worry about septic - that can come after the build.

RockLock - Thanks for the input. There are a few lumber/log supply places I have found that charge a premium. If they are larger logs - my guess is they are bringing them in from outside Wisconsin. I just don't think I will find the very large logs. Wisconsin was logged heavily 100+ years ago - and although I am sure I could find large timber, I would probably have to pay high for it.

As far as 'help finding logs' - would I be looking out of state and shipping them in?

Thanks again!

[Basil]

Shipping logs is often a big expense. Look around locally first.

[Nicolas]

Hello LBHA community,

https://up.craigslist.org/for/5369108862.html .
-Darren G.

Seems really good price, specially for large logs. Keep in mind that the largest the better it is, for thermal mass, less layer, join to do etc...

[rreidnauer]

One thing about the septic. Be sure to at least have the perc test done. A built house is worthless if you can't tie to septic/sewer.

[dgrover13]

Seems really good price, specially for large logs. Keep in mind that the largest the better it is, for thermal mass, less layer, join to do etc...

How small can we go. This states they may taper to 10 inches at the top.

[dgrover13]

One thing about the septic. Be sure to at least have the perc test done. A built house is worthless if you can't tie to septic/sewer.

Perc test...I'll do that first.

[rocklock]

How small can we go. This states they may taper to 10 inches at the top.

My logs were from a tree farm. They were 10's and 11's, plus several larger logs from my own property. How does this guy know that these trees will produce a 10 inch log at 60 feet?

Log guys talk about tops only... Tree guys generally talk about breast height. My logs were 10 inch (if the log measured 10 3/4 inches its still a ten inch log. Most of my logs had much less that 4 inches of taper per 40 feet... I had about 20 logs that were almost identical and the taper was 2 1/2 inches over 40 feet... In-fact I had two logs from 1 tree..

So a 10 inch log is very good building material, but I would not go with less... Some of the logs below are in my home. Note the chalk marking... 10/40 means it is 10 inches by 40 feet...


http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s274/flintlock1/log%202007/IMG_2369.jpg

[dgrover13]

My logs were from a tree farm. They were 10's and 11's, plus several larger logs from my own property. How does this guy know that these trees will produce a 10 inch log at 60 feet?

Log guys talk about tops only... Tree guys generally talk about breast height. My logs were 10 inch (if the log measured 10 3/4 inches its still a ten inch log. Most of my logs had much less that 4 inches of taper per 40 feet... I had about 20 logs that were almost identical and the taper was 2 1/2 inches over 40 feet... In-fact I had two logs from 1 tree..

So a 10 inch log is very good building material, but I would not go with less... Some of the logs below are in my home. Note the chalk marking... 10/40 means it is 10 inches by 40 feet...


http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s274/flintlock1/log%202007/IMG_2369.jpg

Those are some nice trees. Thats good to know - pay attention to the taper. Helps with keeping a level wall?

I actually spoke with the gentlemen selling the white/red pines. He has about 20 acres of natural growth mature trees. Claims minimal taper. He has had a couple of 60 log orders come through. He is just selling to thin out the lot. I could come and pick and mark my own trees and put on reserve with a down payment. I wouldn't be cutting anything until spring 2017. Seems like a good option as I will need to buy a lot of 85 logs (40 footers). Like the idea of all coming from natural growth in wisconsin.

Not sure how many opportunities come along like this - I am just starting my search.

[StressMan79]

Take the class.

Sent from my VS986 using Forum Runner

[Nicolas]

Those are some nice trees. Thats good to know - pay attention to the taper. Helps with keeping a level wall?

I actually spoke with the gentlemen selling the white/red pines. He has about 20 acres of natural growth mature trees. Claims minimal taper. He has had a couple of 60 log orders come through. He is just selling to thin out the lot. I could come and pick and mark my own trees and put on reserve with a down payment. I wouldn't be cutting anything until spring 2017. Seems like a good option as I will need to buy a lot of 85 logs (40 footers). Like the idea of all coming from natural growth in wisconsin.

Not sure how many opportunities come along like this - I am just starting my search.

Hi! I contacted scott too, so far from my reserach it's a good opportunity. After it's far away for me to go and reserve my trees, also I still have no feedback for the company I contact for log transport. We keep in touvh on this topic!

[dgrover13]

Would anyone use ponderosa pine? Found this company in SD that seems to have a never ending supply. They also sell Black Hills Spruce. From my research you would still want a different species for the roof (I can get white pine or red pine locally).

I can see they ship green logs all over. I know most alaskan cabins are spruce, as that is what is native there.

Ponderosa pine is used for finish work. From my research its susceptible to rot - like any wood that is not protected from water. Would anyone else here build with Ponderosa or spruce?

[StressMan79]

Would anyone use ponderosa pine? Found this company in SD that seems to have a never ending supply. They also sell Black Hills Spruce. From my research you would still want a different species for the roof (I can get white pine or red pine locally).

I can see they ship green logs all over. I know most alaskan cabins are spruce, as that is what is native there.

Ponderosa pine is used for finish work. From my research its susceptible to rot - like any wood that is not protected from water. Would anyone else here build with Ponderosa or spruce?

Use what you got!

Sent from my VS986 using Forum Runner

[Nicolas]

you will have a super nice table during the class that rate the diffrent species use in construction with various criteria, just FYI and maybe save you time before class