Question about a basement vs. an extra floor

[kkirk78]

I just found this site the other night and I'm hooked. We are looking at buying a house in the next year or so but now I can't stop thinking about building a cabin. My dad is going to build a sm 200 sq foot cabin this spring and I just found out yesterday that he is planning on taking the class in Feb. I want to help him build his cabin and hope that he could help me with ours. I would love to take the class as well but I can't do the one in Feb...maybe the next one. Anyways, I am thinking a basic rectangle shape for the house and I have an idea in mind but I'm wondering about the cost and time which would be easier: a walkout basement with one story and a loft above it or just two floors with a loft and a crawl space? Thanks for any advice...

Kendra

[loghousenut]

Why don't you find a way for you and your wife to take the class with your Dad in February? You'll give better input on your Dad's cabin and he'll be easier to get along with when you build yours. There are few things as exasperating as watching someone who has taken the class work with someone who loves log buildings but has not taken the class. It is a mindset change that happens to nearly everyone who completes the class and it's tough to explain.

As for your question about house configuration. After class you'll want a square house or nearly square. Walkout basement or second story mostly depends on your land and log situation with no right or wrong answer.

For now your main job would seem to be to find a way to get your wife hooked on the idea so she can insist that you both are at class with Dad in February. It'll probably change you life.

[ChainsawGrandpa]

Yeah, Loghousenut is right.
I came from a construction background.
It wasn't hard to learn log home construction, it was
hard to get rid of everything I thought I knew was right.

Take the class
Prepare to save money
Be ready to throw out your preconceived ideas and expectations.

-Rick

[rocklock]

"I am thinking a basic rectangle shape for the house "
One of logs limiting factors is the taper of the log themselves. In other words, using logs where one end is 12 inches and the other end is 20 causes big problems when the walls are not of equal or nearly equal length (the ending diameters need to be close).
"a walkout basement with one story and a loft above it or just two floors with a loft and a crawl space?"
I have a walkout basement in my log home. My home is 30 by 30 by 33 feet high. I have three floors. I have learned and complained several times that my walls are too high. Working at great heights is not my favorite thing and it slows everything down.
So, the most efficient design (my opinion) for log homes are square (or nearly) home with really big logs (fewer layers means less chinking and more thermal mass) and a maximum length with a minimum wall height for the space that you need.
If you build on a slope, then a walk-out basement becomes almost free.
Hope this helps...

[Yuhjn]

It's great to get excited and think about what you want to do, but dont do too much planning or spend any money before you take the class.

For example, in class they recommend building your house square (not rectanglar). There are good reasons for this. A few of them are:

1. obtaining, organizing, and building with your logs is easier because all your logs go into one group. If you build in a rectangle then you need 2 sets of logs, one set for the short sides and one set for the long sides. That's a lot more hassle. And once you've actually seen someone's log pile and watched them try to pick logs out of the pile to stack onto the walls, you'll understand just how much easier it is when all 4 of your walls are the same length.

2. You'll get more square footage inside your house relative to your wall lenghts (permitier of your home). The most expensive part of your house will be your roof, and the closer to square your house is, the smaller your roof will be, and the more money you will save. And of course you'll have more square footage in your home.


The reason I list these is not because the choice to build square or not is that critical. It's just one of many choices you'll make as you build.

Instead I'm just trying to show you one simple example of how your understanding will change when you take the class.

The advice given in this thread is good advice, prepare to have all your preconceptions stripped. Try to go into it with as open a mind as possible.

Good luck and welcome aboard!

[kkirk78]

Thanks everyone for your input and suggestions. I am very open to anything at this point, I'm just brainstorming. The idea about building a square home makes a lot of sense. I am still trying to hook the hubby into building one...I think he might be more into the idea once he sees my dad build his little one.
Kendra

[panderson03]

Thanks everyone for your input and suggestions. I am very open to anything at this point, I'm just brainstorming. The idea about building a square home makes a lot of sense. I am still trying to hook the hubby into building one...I think he might be more into the idea once he sees my dad build his little one.
Kendra

my husband wasn't in to it either but was supportive of me to take the class with me anyway. 2 hours into the class he was SOLD! take the class and bring Dear Husband with you:)

[2 cents]

same here, i was also the instigator but i didn't have to do much convincing. :)