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View Full Version : Spend 2% to 3% of of your finished log home's value on education



Ellsworth
03-15-2025, 07:19 PM
If you want to build your own Butt and Pass log home, or any style of log home, then figure out about how much your finished project would sell for (using comps, square footage, lot size, et cetera). Then figure out how much the standard realtors fee would be, if you were to sell your finished home.

Then don't be afraid to spend the same amount that a realtor would make selling your home on getting an education about log home building / maintenance (2%-3% of your finished homes total value).

For a log home worth $200,000 that would be spending $4000 to $6000 on education.
For a log home worth $400,000 that would be spending $8000 to $12,000 on education. As a point of reference, that is now the price of a higher end consumer / low end commercial log splitter.
https://www.eastonmadewoodsplitters.com/
https://www.timberwolfequip.com/
https://wolferidgemfg.com/product-category/horizontal-log-splitters/
https://woodmizer.com/us/log-splitters

This concept is supposed to make you think about this issue, generally speaking. IMHO $10,000 is likely around the most a person COULD spend on getting a log home education, if they went to every possible class, and also bought every book and DVD currently published on the topic. $10,000 is less than the cost of one year of college at a State college (as a point of reference that's about $11,500). It's a good reference, because it might take a year to really digest / soak up the information you obtain / access. It will be about as much work, over that year of learning, and the potential return on educational investment is similar.

The time, effort and money spent on obtaining an education from every available source will help you immeasurably on your log home building project.

If you are just looking to simply buy an existing log home, then the education could save you a TON of post purchase regret / grief. You'll be able to tell a good log home from a bad log home -- before you make the purchase, before you even waste money on a real / full home buyers inspection.

The main takeaways from this post:

1) Be enthused about spending $4000 to $12,000 on your overall log home education. Knowledge IS power. Knowledge CAN lead to greater and easier success.
2) Start the education process at least a year before you plan to start your project.
3) Seek every available source.


It will save you money.
It will make your build go smoother.
It will make your build experience safer.
It will introduce you to a lot of conflicting information, and thus it will confuse you.
It will force you to think.

There is no sarcasm in this post. A home is typically a person's largest single investment in their lifetime. To have any other outlook that what's expressed above is nuts.

Part of my motivation in making this post is to help reduce purchase regret for the intangible thing called: education. May all your choices be wise, may your journey be smooth, fruitful and hopefully fun too.

Disclaimer: I have been a log home instructor for over 30 years. I am not currently an instructor. It's possible I will be again sometime in the future, and it's possible I will never be again. If I get 10-20 people to sign up on the list of people interested in learning, then I will consider it. #Tomorrow'sProblem.

"In-Person classes*: get on a list "
https://community.loghomebuilders.org/showthread.php?15686-In-Person-classes*-get-on-a-list&p=180469#post180469

I'd rather steer you straight than lead you astray.

allen84
03-16-2025, 08:57 AM
Seems like being able to sit in on future classes was included in the LHBA membership. Being 10 years older and none the wiser, I'd be up for sitting through an in-person class. Snacks?

Ellsworth
03-16-2025, 09:56 AM
Seems like being able to sit in on future classes was included in the LHBA membership. Being 10 years older and none the wiser, I'd be up for sitting through an in-person class. Snacks?

That is a misconception that I have encountered a few times. There has never been free-retakes afaik, and definitely not in the last 20 years.

We did have free monthly review nights for members, really consistent during the 1970's and 1980s. That might be where the misunderstanding sprang from. And we have always sold a membership with a one time fee, no additional dues / costs. So some folks might assumed it meant 'perpetual free access to everything,' but free retakes were not part of the benefits. With limited space, and a large membership roster, that could really jam us up.

Free updates to the stock plans were included with that purchase and it could have contributed to the misunderstanding about free retakes. We did at least one major plans update, and shipped a lot of free update packages. Those particular plans have been discontinued (after about 15 years).

Here is something to note.

In the past the LHBA barred anyone from becoming a member who had already taken someone else's log home class. What I have expressed in this thread is a major deviation from that past policy. The goal is to 'see how it works.' I think it will lead to a better experience for the future builder. What I dread is that it will lead to me 'arguing' with some future members, over something that they learned elsewhere and are convinced is the only truth. Which is really an argument with a 3rd person by proxy. Hell if I want to do that. I'd rather argue with AI about how to properly use a hand truck (AI had it wrong last time I checked, but one can't argue with such powerful authority -- over rough terrain one pulls a hand truck, not push. Don't argue with me, argue with stairs).


Putting sawdust into the chinking mix, what a neat way to potentially absorb additional moisture in the chink zone.

I think what I propose in the first post above will work, and is in the best interest of the consumer. If experience proves it doesn't work, or it simply becomes a hassle of argument by proxy, I reserve the right to change my mind. #Experiment

Ellsworth
03-16-2025, 10:30 AM
Another price anchor point to consider when it comes to how much one could justify spending on a log home building / maintenance education is the cost of an Architect.

"How Much Does It Cost To Hire An Architect?"
https://www.forbes.com/home-improvement/interior/cost-to-hire-architect/


Architect fees can be a bit complicated to pin down due to the versatility of these pros’ expertise. On average, you’ll pay anywhere from $2,500 to $300,000 for the cost to hire an architect—or between 5% and 20% of the cost to build a house or manage a renovation.

That said, the Association has traditionally recommended that members consider hiring a qualified drafts-person, not an architect. This is merely a food for thought exercise on value and return.

"Finding & Hiring a Draftsperson: What They Do, Questions to Ask"
https://www.homeadvisor.com/r/hiring-a-draftsman/
(Clearly Forbes includes 'higher end' projects in their Architect cost estimate)

"Draftsman vs. Architect: What’s the Difference?"
https://www.angi.com/articles/draftsman-vs-architect.htm

"Drafter vs Architect?"
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/drafter-vs-architect.465803/