Timelines

[AshleyB]

I posted a few days ago asking if it was feasible to add a log addition to a stick built house. I have a new question now :)

Our home is a manufactured home on a permanent foundation with a basement. It looks stick built, but dh said is it pre-fab. His idea was to build a quick small 1 story approx. 1000 sq.ft. log home on the back of our property for us to move into temporarily. Then, sell the pre-fab home, have it moved off the foundation (by the buyer) and build our log home on the existing foundation, probably about 2000 sq.ft., two story.

I know that it will take time for us to take the class (next on the to do list), accumulate our equipment, plan, etc. but let's just say we could get all of that together by next summer and were ready to start building. Could someone give me a ballpark on how long it might take to get the smaller one story house built, and then to get the bigger house built? I know that no one can give me an exact time, and there are so many different variables involved. My husband does work full-time, but we could work all week-end, and into the evenings in the summer, we also have several young male friends who would love to help us, and there is at least one person in our area who has taken the class too. We do have four going on five young children, so I won't be able to help as much as I would like, but I will be able to help after bedtime, and during naps, etc.

We were thinking that we could turn the second house into a Bed and Breakfast type set-up, we live on a small homestead/farm near one of VA's biggest lakes so there is a tourist attraction nearby too.

I am just trying to logistically form some sort of a timeline in my brain. Thanks for your help!

[Yuhjn]

I posted a few days ago asking if it was feasible to add a log addition to a stick built house. I have a new question now :)

Our home is a manufactured home on a permanent foundation with a basement. It looks stick built, but dh said is it pre-fab. His idea was to build a quick small 1 story approx. 1000 sq.ft. log home on the back of our property for us to move into temporarily. Then, sell the pre-fab home, have it moved off the foundation (by the buyer) and build our log home on the existing foundation, probably about 2000 sq.ft., two story.

I know that it will take time for us to take the class (next on the to do list), accumulate our equipment, plan, etc. but let's just say we could get all of that together by next summer and were ready to start building. Could someone give me a ballpark on how long it might take to get the smaller one story house built, and then to get the bigger house built? I know that no one can give me an exact time, and there are so many different variables involved. My husband does work full-time, but we could work all week-end, and into the evenings in the summer, we also have several young male friends who would love to help us, and there is at least one person in our area who has taken the class too. We do have four going on five young children, so I won't be able to help as much as I would like, but I will be able to help after bedtime, and during naps, etc.

We were thinking that we could turn the second house into a Bed and Breakfast type set-up, we live on a small homestead/farm near one of VA's biggest lakes so there is a tourist attraction nearby too.

I am just trying to logistically form some sort of a timeline in my brain. Thanks for your help!


No one is going to be able to estimate your time for you, there are too many variables. Your level of skill and experience, how much cash you have, how hard of a worker you are, how tall your house is, how you are lifting logs, how you are driving rebar, what you're doing inside, loft, full 2nd floor, no 2nd floor, etc. There are dozens of variables and we wont be able to estimate time for you.

I will say building one of these houses is extremely labor intensive.

My biggest concern would be you trying to use your existing foundation. That might be a problem. At the very least you're going to need to modify it to work with a log home.

You really need to take the class before you do anything.

[patrickandbianca]

I dont think I would attempt what you want to do. You would almost have to give away a home that needs to be moved. I see ads in my local paper all the time for homes that need to be moved. Most of them are very inexpensive. Are you allowed to have two houses on your land? That would depend on the zoning I guess. I can almost guarantee that your foundation would not work. An engineer will most likely have to sign off on your plans, and I would think most engineers would not sign off on plans with an essentially unknown foundation. 1 log can weigh as much as one wall of a stick framed house, and the foundations are correspondingly engineered to hold more weight. Where would you put the logs, after delivery, before they are stacked? They can take up a lot of room. You would need room to move them around also.
I am obviously not you, but I can only tell you how I would do it. If you could make money by selling your house I would do this:
1) Sell your house
2) Rent a house that is big enough to live in while you build
3)Get debt free
4)Buy land
5)Build the log home
This will take a lot longer than your original plan, but it would be less stressful.
If you wouldnt make money from the sale of your house, I would still do everything I could to be debt free (except the mortgage), THEN buy land and look for some logs.

Your original question was about the timeline. Shark and Rckclmbr seem to be building about as fast as you can. Shark just moved in and he was over a year. Rckclmbr seems to be moving right along, but he is working full time, with a telehandler. I would guess you could build your smaller house in 12-18 months. The larger one, 18-24 months. (disclaimer: I havent built a home yet)

Patrick

[AshleyB]

Thank you for the details as to why the current foundation most likely wouldn't work, that is very helpful to know. We are zoned agricultural, and have a few acres, so the second house wouldn't be a problem. We are debt free currently, except for the house, and are working to pay that off ASAP. I just know that our current house isn't going to work long term. We are a growing family that will only get bigger as the years go by, but we can make it work for a few more years!

We are hoping to get into the next available class. It seems as though there has been one every month for several months, I wonder if there will be one offered in May. We need to get in there!

[NM bound]

There is a class the end of May that has a few spots left.

I j ust took a quick look on Travelocity & you can fly Richmond to Seattle May-29-June1 for $198. Have no idea where you are in VA . but that seems like a pretty reasonable price.
My husband is going to the April class. we can hardly wait!

Good luck.
Joyce



quote=AshleyB]Thank you for the details as to why the current foundation most likely wouldn't work, that is very helpful to know. We are zoned agricultural, and have a few acres, so the second house wouldn't be a problem. We are debt free currently, except for the house, and are working to pay that off ASAP. I just know that our current house isn't going to work long term. We are a growing family that will only get bigger as the years go by, but we can make it work for a few more years!

We are hoping to get into the next available class. It seems as though there has been one every month for several months, I wonder if there will be one offered in May. We need to get in there!

[/quote]
"When you know what you want, and want it badly enough, you'll find a way to get it!"
Jim Rohn

[panderson03]

We're signed up for the May class too. hunting for the best deals on airfare/hotel/rental car now.,..always looking for deals! can't wait for the class. VERY much looking forward to filling in the blanks!

[patrickandbianca]

It sounds like you guys are doing great. I am sure you will make it work one way or the other!

Patrick

[AshleyB]

How did I miss that there was a May class? I'm on the newsletter! I'll try to make it work!