I hope this on the up and up

[Tatius]

My father introduced me to to hunting and fishing as a young boy, ever since then i have dreamed of having my own land and home in the woods far of the beaten trail and that home was always a log cabin in my mind, i have looked and looked at log cabin sites and man you got to be dang near rich to ever afford one, so then i started looking at do it yourself jobs the way the old time settlers did it and i found a few but after pouring through them i came to the fact that there is no way i can do this myself from reading the instructions from a sheet of paper, not that I'm dumb, its just seems to me that a fellow would have to have a background in carpentry or have seen this done inorder to get the job done right, so I'm hoping that this site and class's are the real deal and that you can and will leave them with the ability to get the job done and for the much lower prices than the kit jobs i have looked at, man if this is for real I'm going to be so excited that i could walk on the clouds.

[Mark OBrien]

Although I haven't built yet, I can assure you that this is the real deal. Many students have left after the class and went home and built beautiful log homes. Many have not, some for financial reasons, some for health reasons and others are still in the process of gathering materials and getting their land etc. There have been many students who have never built a thing in their lives who have put together fantastic homes. my advice is to take the class and see for yourself. Steve and Ellsworth do a fantastic job of teaching. Come prepared to expand your knowledge base tremendously.

[rreidnauer]

Most people get that first impression. I thought the same. Actually, I underestimated my expectations of the class, and came away with more than I thought I'd get from it. So anyhow, it's the real deal. (I realize that don't mean much coming from someone across cyberspace, but I think the number of forum members here, and their discussions should back it up)

While there is a diverse group of those building from the most frugal, to the most extravagant, you're home's design and cost is only limited by you're own creativity for getting the things needed. It's a little bit like the Matrix. The class can show you the door, you have to walk through it. What I mean is, you can't think you're going to receive a checklist, and you go step by step , to build your home for a couple clams. It does demand a high level of non typical thinking and methods to get it done at the lowest cost. The methods are simple, but physically demanding.

There are a few things not taught. Don't expect to be taught electrical, plumbing, septic, HVAC, non-structural interior framing, drywall, and cabinetry. They'll provide tips for several of those things, but not how to do them. The class concentrates on the construction of the structure itself.

If your serious about thinking a bit outside general thinking, and willing to get your hands dirty, I hope you get the chance to take the class.

[joek]

well i signed up for the last class in jan ill be coming out with wife and son only im takeing class is there any log cabins to rent around that way close to class if not any hotel will do

[rreidnauer]

Well, if you're able to get in, LHBA member built Wallace Falls Lodge (http://www.wallacefallslodge.com/) would be an excellent choice. They're usually booked up this time of the year though, (ski season) but doesn't hurt to try.

[joek]

i cant seem to post things at times not sure if doing something wrong at times i go to recent comments and it sends me to introduce yourself is there a problem with page or me

[Shark]

My father introduced me to to hunting and fishing as a young boy, ever since then i have dreamed of having my own land and home in the woods far of the beaten trail and that home was always a log cabin in my mind, i have looked and looked at log cabin sites and man you got to be dang near rich to ever afford one, so then i started looking at do it yourself jobs the way the old time settlers did it and i found a few but after pouring through them i came to the fact that there is no way i can do this myself from reading the instructions from a sheet of paper, not that I'm dumb, its just seems to me that a fellow would have to have a background in carpentry or have seen this done inorder to get the job done right, so I'm hoping that this site and class's are the real deal and that you can and will leave them with the ability to get the job done and for the much lower prices than the kit jobs i have looked at, man if this is for real I'm going to be so excited that i could walk on the clouds.

As Mark & Rod already pointed out, the class is for real. If it wasn't, I don't think they'd be teaching very long.

I took the class almost 2 years ago, & we're working on getting our place built, logs up & roof on, starting inside!
Anyone can build a log home this style, you just need to be motivated & have an open mind.

[hemlock77]

Its for real all right. I took the class in may of 04. we are just about finished with the walls now. The best thing I got from the class was some creative ways to save money. The knowlege gained from the clas has literaly saved me tens of thousands of dollars so far. As long as we stay on budget we will have this house finished for less than half of a budget kit home.
Stu
http://s165.photobucket.com/albums/u64/hemlock77/

[Geoff]

Hi Tatius,

The class is real - I agree with everything said already in response to your post. One of the key things emphasized in the class is planning and patience. The reason I say this is that if you are not prepared to plan properly and rush things then your project could end up being just as expensive as a regular home build!

Rod is a good example of someone who is preparing meticulously for his build, and if doesn't end up being one of the best - by which I mean standard of construction and cost effectiveness - then I will be very surprised (no pressure Rod). On the other hand I know that with my build which is only in the early stages - logs peeled and starting on my foundation - I will probably not realize all of the cost savings because I am under time and situation constraints (growing family in small apartment) which will force me to take more short cuts ("expensive" or "full price" options). That said I still expect to spend significantly less and be able to live in a unique home that I built

The class is not a silver-bullet but it will show you that it is possible to achieve your dream!

PS: Remember that walking in the clouds is fun but does not actually get anything done. I have a tendency to dream rather than actually do stuff which I must constantly fight. As well as planning you need the determination to keep pushing forward ;-)

Regards - Geoff

[JeffandSara]

Tatius--

We're living in our house several years now, built according to the methods taught by the LHBA classes. We'd do it again in a heartbeat (if we had time and didn't love this house so much. ) It's been one of the most-rewarding experiences of our life/marriage.

Sara

[greenthumb]

Hey Sara! Glad to see you back around here. Hope things are going well in your neck of the woods!


To answer the original question- I had my reservations on signing up for the class more than a year ago. I did a lot of google searching- I just knew this Skip fellow had to be a fraud. LOL. I was WRONG. The only results I could find for Skip, LHBA, and fraud were on another forum, from people who had never taken the class. The folks who had taken the class all gave glowing reviews. I realized that it would be almost impossible for one man to create the many hundreds of reviews, and hundreds(if not thousands) of pictures of log homes that have been built successfully or are under construction.

Well, if I still wasn't convinced when I arrived at Skip's Ranch, I certainly was when I first saw his home. It's a monument to the butt and pass style. I've since stayed at the Wallace Falls Lodge(built by members), and visited an LHBA members home under construction. THIS IS THE REAL DEAL.

One thing to note, if you are married, it'd be a good idea to take your significant other to the class. My wife was set on a specific set of plans when we went to the class. Just a few hours in, she pretty much threw most of it 'out the window'. The class also isn't for everybody- but even if you do take the class and never build, you'll probably still change your approach to life.

Hope that helps. ;)

[Vern Street]

Hey Shark -
Just looked at your pictures - Man you are cooking! Looks good - you will be having chinking party soon!

We're sitting out an ice storm down here in Okla - No power back on yet.

Keep the pix coming.

Vern and Sara in Okla

[Shark]

Hey Shark -
Just looked at your pictures - Man you are cooking! Looks good - you will be having chinking party soon!

We're sitting out an ice storm down here in Okla - No power back on yet.

Keep the pix coming.

Vern and Sara in Okla


Vern & Sara,

I saw on the news you guys got hit pretty bad, be careful out there!!!!

We're hoping to get some temp power soon, so that will help, then we can work after dark :)

[kevinc]

i took the class this past june and im a few good days away from having my first cabin dried in (weather permitting ) take the class , it's the best thing i've ever done !!

[Simple Mind]

My wife and I are taking the class in Jan. How far along with the work, percentage wise will you be when the house is dried in. 50% 30% less???????

[rreidnauer]

My wife and I are taking the class in Jan. How far along with the work, percentage wise will you be when the house is dried in. 50% 30% less???????
There was a saying when I was building aircraft.

"90% complete, and only 90% to go."

Basically, it means, the main structure is the bulk of the work, but all the little finishing touches takes a bunch of time. Percentages can be difficult to quote, as the same case applies to home building too.

[Simple Mind]

Thank you.

[sparky]

We have a family friend who has built several kit planes and he told me once that as soon as you pop the first rivet, people start asking "when you think you'll get her done"? Sort of makes you think, doesn't anyone do anything for the journey anymore or is life just about the end result? I build a 40 ft Eagle bus into a motor home over six years of my spare time and loved every minute of it. I got the same question over and over. I finally followed his lead.
Question: When do you think you will get it done?

Standard answer: As soon as I'm finished. :)

Sparky

[ChainsawGrandpa]

"Question: When do you think you will get it done?"
Answer: "Sooner if you pick up that extra spud and get to work!" =8-O

Hey Rod, I understand the build time on the Tornado was supposed to
be something like 120 hours. Is that really the build time or is that just
the uncrating time? Back when I was thinking about a kit the first thing
I would check was the build time. So many of them were 1,500 hours.
Then I went to Arlington and asked people how long it took. The answer
was generally something like; "I stopped keeping track at about 4,000
hours!" One day I discovered you could buy a Beechcraft that was
already assembled!

Remember the Questair Venture? I flew 62Victor. I swear it had to have
a jet hidden in the back. What a rush!

-Rick

[rreidnauer]

Heck, it took me 18 hours just to go and fetch the thing from the factory!!!! I know I had over 120 in the tail feathers alone. I never had the desire to add up the time in the construction logs, but your estimate of 1500 is probably more accurate. (again, most of which was trim, finish, and customization)

I don't recall the Venture, but it sure looks like a mover. Stuff like that was a bit out of my price range.

[ChainsawGrandpa]

Here's are some quotes from Skip's site:

From Rob Roberts; "Thanks to what we learned from your two day class we just moved into
our new log home. It is totally beautiful. It?s like we have died and gone to heaven. Our home
was built for a total cost of $12,000 (including electricity, plumbing, and second-hand appliances).
We will be in your debt forever."

HERE ARE THE ANSWERS TO SOME COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Yes? I can really build a beautiful log home cheaper than I can buy a trailer house.

Yes? building a log home has made it possible for a LOT of people (including me) to
avoid a 30 year mortgage.

Yes? the average person (with no building experience) really can build a log home
with no help from anyone.

Yes? it is easier and faster if you have one other person helping with the project ?
but the second person doesn?t need to be large or strong. For example, Skip?s wife
(Belle) weighs 90 pounds and she can do anything that needs to be done on a log
home building project.

Yes? it is possible to build a huge log home with simple and relatively inexpensive hand-
tools that can easily fit into the trunk of a car -- and/or that can easily be carried into a
building site by one person.

[akemt]

I'd say a lot of the answer to how much finishing work there is after dry-in stage depends a great deal on the size/style of home you build. These homes (YAHOO!) are essentially free-span, minus a few verticle support logs. That means that you can basically build a first story with no interior walls whatosever. That is something I LOVE about this style and plan to utilize...it also means that there is significantly less finish work for that plan versus one that has 8 interior walls with 14 corners, etc. Also, what kind of finishes do you want and how much of a perfectionist are you? My husband and I HATE drywall, so we are doing things differently. For us, the saw on plywood (T&G) is easier than messing with the dust, mud, etc, etc. Once the dry-in is completed and we've got our floors in (we aren't building yet), I plan to move in! We're setting up a move to an area that won't have code and occupation issues etc, so the life will be significantly easier for us while trying to do it mortgage-free. Now if my other house would just sell... ;)

You will be floating when you leave the class. I'd definately suggest bringing your wife along too. My husband does the heavier work (I'll do drills and nail guns, but I won't do the sawing), but I do almost all the houseplan drawings (which she'd have to know specifics about this style of building), supply ordering, financial side of it, etc, etc. It is great that we have a common goal we can both work towards, instead of fighting over whether the house should be "L" shaped or "T" shaped, etc. I loved the class!

ENJOY!