Viceroy (from Canada)? Feedback

[Chad]

Anyone have any experience or knowledge about Viceroy log home builders?
Their site is www.viceroy.com
I spoke to Jay on the phone earlier today. He mentioned these homes they build are "kits".
Here is a portion of the email he sent:
***

I have attached the copyrighted Mini Plans for the Invermere for your review. The pricing for the Invermere is $58,518.00(USD) This price includes delivery to your site and does not included the Spring Special Discount.
I have also attached the Superhome Standard Package Specification Document which outlines what is included in the standard Viceroy Home Package. Please note that certain models through out the Viceroy Product Line may include as items as garages, covered porches, etc as a standard feature. The Viceroy Mini Plan will help identify what features are included and what features are optional. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me anytime. As a general rule, all decks and walkout basements are optional all models.
The Mini Plans will provide a dimensional floor plan for each level and also provide elevation views every 90 degrees. Please note that the Mini Plan will identify red walls as load bearing walls and green walls as moveable walls. The legend with the green arrows will indicate haw certain walls can be moved. Load bearing walls, in red, can be moved; however additional engineering and material may be required.
Please use the following instructions to remove the blue overlay for clear viewing and printing.
Note: To clearly view any Mini Plan that has a blue overlay -follow these steps:
1- Click on ?Layers? Tab on Left side of screen-Underneath ?Bookmarks? Tab.
2- Click on ?Elevation A+B? Tab, then click on Black Button on ?MOD? (Looks like an eye) to hide blue layer.
3- Click on ?Elevation C+D? Tab, then click on Black Button on ?MOD? (Looks like an eye) to hide blue layer.
4- Click on ?Main Floor Plan? , then click on Black Button on ?MOD?(Looks like an eye) to hide blue layer.
5- Click on ?Upper Floor Plan?, then click on the Black Button on the ?MOD?(Looks like eye) to hide the blue layer.
6- You may want to increase viewing size to 100%.
7- You can then print these Mini Plans-Best viewing results are on 11?x17? paper.

[rocklock]

Let me be clear, kit homes have many faults. It's like putting lipstick on a pig... First, search kit home on this site, do a little reading, then ask your questions...

[Timberwolf]

Does not make log homes (kit or otherwise).

They provide various degrees of material packages for stick frame homes.

The 60K is very likely for just the shell of the house. Expect to spend at least 100K more to get the house ready to move into, and that it still won't have all the fancy bells and whistles in the pictures they show.

I doubt if many people here would/could comment on this company.

Sorry.

[CarolinaChrisZ]

Hi - I am not a builder, but my husband and his father are builders. As I said, I am not a professional, but I can at least give you some personal experience (and LOOONNNNGGG experience) with Viceroy.

1) Viceroy is related to Lindal Homes Log Homes, but Viceroy is NOT log - it is frame. They have a line of homes (I think it is called Panoramic?) that combines many of the best aspects of Log Homes (large cathedral great rooms with window walls and sweeping decks) with less expensive construction costs and easier maintenance.

2) They design and sell kit homes which are pre-cut at their factory to either stock or custom plans and which can be delivered panelized or as pre-cut "stick" labelled for assembly.

3) As for quality and durability - in the community where I live there are about 25 - 30 Viceroy Kit Homes that were built 25 - 35 years ago by a local builder. My aunt lives in 1 of them, and my husband & I live in 1 too. My husband has done extensive remodeling on both homes (not through any failure of the home but due to a desire to expand the home or change use of some rooms) and he has been very impressed by the quality of the framing throughout the house. My parents lived here when both of our houses were put up and they came in on flatbeds as stacked pre-cut lumber numbered and ready to be assembled. My husband's opinion is that compared to other houses down here of the same age which he has had to rip into to remodel, the structure and ridgidity of the Viceroy is far superior to the local built-on-site homes of that era. Of course this could be attributed to low building code requirements and lower quality building skills at that time in a rural area vs. stricter Canadian requirements (which is what Viceroy met) and their detailed plans which mandated more bracing and heavier lumber.

My husband and I have been so pleased with Viceroy that we have selected the Castlemore from the Panorama series to build in KY for our retirement home on KY Lake. We had looked into building a log home but had to decide against it due to cost and maintenance concerns. With a panelized kit, my husband will be able to save us a lot of money assembling the kit with a few helpers and doing much of the finish work for ourselves. We would not be able to do a lot of that with logs. We will use T&G in the great room and have hardwood floors and stone accents throughout so that we will have the "feel" of a log home when inside with and exterior of Hardiplank siding and a Trex deck for no work in the future.

It is correct that the kit will get you primarily a "weather-tight" shell, and it will cost more $$ to finish out the home, but the estimates I have seen are comparable (or less) to finishing a log home kit.

I hope this info is helpful...

[edkemper]

I'm betting you're in the wrong place to try to sell the benefits of kit homes of any type.

[CarolinaChrisZ]

...you're in the wrong place to try to sell the benefits of kit homes of any type.

Thanks for the "welcome" Ed.

My post made no attempt to "sell" anything. As I clearly stated, I don't "sell" Viceroy and neither does my husband.

The gentleman asked did anyone know anything about Viceroy and I do (personally) so I was trying to be helpful to the original poster. Style wise they offer a good alternative to those who want many of the beauties of a log home without the maintenance and costs. And personally (again) I can vouch for their quality as a 30 year home owner. I wish all builders could say that of their homes - log or otherwise.

Forums are a place for open-mindedness and a free-exchange of ideas, please don't judge all kit manufacturers by an experience with one or two kit manufacturers, anymore than one should judge all log home manufacturers by an experience with one log home manufacturers (we almost ordered from Amerlink - YIKES!).

[edkemper]

There can be no supportable comparison between any kit home and any "normal" real log home because there is no such thing. Look at the member's homes on this site? Even if using stock association plans, no two are alike. And I'm betting the farm that the worst example of a real Butt and Pass log home is still far better than the best kit "log" home.

I'm not really sure there is a way to compare "log home manufacturers" with real log homes builders. There really is no such thing, that's part of the point.

You are very welcome here by all. This is an excellent place to learn what real log home building is all about. It's also a great place to learn of the significant differences between all kit log homes and our style "real" log homes. You will find more helpful and knowledgeable people here than you you might think. People with real life experience on the both sides of the fence. People who freely offer advice and share their experience. Many professionals that have no financial interest in the subject except the work put into their own homes.

Nice to have another Caroliner here.

[clipper]

If you've signed up with Jay and his Viceroy francise, you may realize now, what a mistake that was.
Just keep in mind that while the material package in a Viceroy is second to none, you will be dealing with a low life franchise contractor who gets all of your money up front. The contract amount will change greatly in favour of the contractor when you request a minor change to the plan. My suggestion is to by-pass Jay and his group and hire an architect or contact another company. I wish someone had warned me before I signed up.

[TCMuskyman]

Not defending anyone or anything but using an expression like "low life contractor" just may get yourself set up for some legalese letter from an attorney.
Around this area it's not uncommon to see major cost changes if one modifies a plan - log, stick built, doesn't seems to matter. I think the comment you made about firing an architect might be dead on - but then again I know many who have done so, changed the plans and paid steep charges with the architect to revamp the plans. Guess it's likely fair - they did the work to agreed to specs or planned for same and then they get undone and back to the drawing board. Time is money and it is what it is.
Doing it all by ones self is the solution to avoid such expenses I guess and maybe the only way.... I too learned the hard way years ago on home # 2 and #3. Hope to avoid on #7, which will be a log dream, by being here. ;-)

[edkemper]

> Not defending anyone or anything but using an expression like "low life contractor" just may get yourself set up for some legalese letter from an attorney.
If this were true, most of us would be in court before every election. Know what I mean?

[TCMuskyman]

LMAO --- I know what ya saying on this one.
At the same time I got a buddy got sued for saying nothing on a slander/defamation thingy. Cost him 175K plus fees and his personal HO policy does not/did not cover such an animal when it came to liability. Wasn't right at all but it happened and cost him. Hate to see someone else get screwed too. And yep --- I was deposed on same and can attest to facts. He said next to nada. Verbal vs written
They got WAAAAAY to many scumsters make a wonderful living on taking a big piece of this silly lawsuit stuff. Lord knows I live in an area where there may be more attorney types than anywhere DC proper ....and as they say, the interent is now the new and easy New Frontier.
Politicans don't dare sue anyway of course --- they'll flip and they'll flop for your vote. They need ya Ed..they need ya
Wonders if they still will look for you when ya go off the grid? ;-)

[edkemper]

I've spent far to much time in state and federal courts over the last 15 years. You'd be surprised at what goes on in there. Very little justice though.

[TCMuskyman]

systems been cracking up since .... guess when it began. lol
That "justice" thingy is a weird duck .... great is ya the winner and bullchit on that other end for sure. What I find most disgusting is the costs to have a day in court.....what a messed up system it's become. Some will say its always been such I imagine from Day 1. You once inside the legal machine itself at one point then?