How have friends and family reacted to your plans and taking the class?

[Anna320]

Hey all, I'm curious how friends and family have reacted to your plans and ideas for building a log home and going to the class and all... My husband and I have signed up for the May class, but we've been pretty quiet about it with everyone.

[StressMan79]

well, most ppl I have talked to try to convince me that I should buy a kit, or log homes are drafty/money pits, or I should build a "traditional log home." however, my close friends/family trust my judgement. Tell people who trust yours, and may want to help... don't bother with the naysayers...unfortunately, you won't take the class @ skip's place...The logs were massive, the doors were too... heated with a small direct vent propane heater in one corner of the 50 x 50 "cabin." I have seen it. I know it works, I have visited half a dozen builds/completed homes...I have never been disappointed. I see you are in PA. There are lots of ppl out there who can help you. You can do the same...go on a loghome sightseeing tour this summer and make up an album of things you like/mistakes to avoid. Enjoy the journey

[loghousenut]

My Mother and Brother both went to the class a year after I did. I guess you could say that they were supportive. I waited so long to build my Wife's dream house that my Mother won't see it. What a shame... She'da liked it. Dad always thought it was a pipe dream but he seemed to get a kick out of the house I made for a movie 20 years ago. I think he woulda liked this one also.

I think most folks will think you are nuts til you are done. Don't worry too much about it. They'll get over it.

[Shark]

I think most folks will think you are nuts til you are done. Don't worry too much about it. They'll get over it.

That about sums it up perfectly:) We had lots of weird looks, comments, and suggestions to do things differently, but stick to what the class teaches and you'll do great.

[Basil]

Lots of people told me I was making a big mistake, lots more told me I'd never get it done. The ones that knew me kept quiet, because they've seen my persistence and stubbornness. I had a several after I moved in, one was for the people that were involved and helpful, one was for the people that said I'd never get it done. It's funny, the people at both parties were equally supportive in hindsight, in their eyes...

As you get the wheels turning, logs arrive, foundation done, walls are up, people will begin to see how this all works, and they'll start to be more supportive. While I was building I had several people pull in and ask for my card, that they really liked how I was building and wanted me to build their house too! I also had several that stopped by to ask me questions about Problems they had with their kit homes, and could I fix them...Even the guys that drove the trucks that delivered the logs came back to check my progress, it seemed that everyone was excited to see this house go up.

[rocklock]

I have done unusual things my entire life. I met my future wife in a national park, where this German lady warned her about this crazy person running around in his under ware. I was doing some serious road work.
Most members that I have met are not your run of the mill, usual, folks. We, in general don't take the wide straight road. Which reminds me of a joke...

How do crazy people go through the forest?
They take the psycho path.

Anyway, until I got my roof on, most of my F&R didn't say much. Now I get a little uncomfortable with the amount praise and how proud I should be... I guess I didn't know or care about what they said, I was too busy learning about the many things that I didn't know about.

I guess I would suggest, just keep you head down, take it one step at a time.

I would like to add one additional comment... It really helps me if you have your Profile filled out. If you are asking a question, take some pictures...

[hemlock77]

My family and friends that know me well are now very supportive. In the beginning the advise varied from "That's a lot of work" to "It will never happen". I have one brother that told me that I could not do this, that was his way of motivating my stubborn nature. Of coarse there is the condenses that I was and I am still pretty much out of my damned mind. The naysayers that are important in your life will come around as you progress toward the goal.
Stu

[Mosseyme]

We were already full swing into logging our dying hemlocks to build a D-log type cabin with logs cut three sided approximately 8"x10" and stacked with insulation between. We were doing so with almost no experience and no lhba. We had helped our brother build a 6"x6" square logs/sticks into a 24x24 {it actually is butt and pass of a sort} cabin with no experience and just some research. It worked out ok but there were some shrinking and bowing issues we were looking to find a fix for before we built ours. Then voila' there was lhba found in the nick of time. Since we were already doing crazy things most just thought ok, more crazy stuff. Even the brother that built his on the property next to us said, "why would anyone not want to square off the logs? Like Rocklock said, the fact that you actually clicked on the lhba site says something about you. You can vision outside the box. I think it is a journey that will be different in almost every way for each member and yet it will be the same in almost every way. Different in starting points, and circumstances but much the same in mental path from the concept, curiosity, and progressing through planning, gaining confidence, knowledge, and support system. I will say, I didn't have one moment of doubt that we could do this, probably from my first visit to the lhba site. My husband had enough concern about the shrinkage, and walls bowing, that occurred in our brothers house that it made it easier to talk him into a trip to WA for our 40th anniversary. I have no qualms about telling everyone including the builders and contractors in the family what we are doing. Yes many think we are nuts but they knew we were already. My husband does have one problem many don't. He will have to talk really hard to convince me we need to sell the tele when we get through.

[rreidnauer]

I got plenty of resistance from my parents, so much so that I believe they intentionally tried to derail my plans. I got the same regurgitated crap mentioned earlier. "They are drafty." "They are high maintenance." "You'll never be able to do that." Of course, they've always told me "I can't" for many previous things I succeeded at. Gosh, they were so supportive. :rolleyes:

[Upers]

Surprisingly plenty of support and interest - I usually get a few funny looks when I tell them it was a 2 day course - which I usually follow up with the explanation of the help from the forum.

remember the only person qualified to tell you that you can't build as log home is the person who has actually done it... and that person - especially in this association - will usually encourage you that you actually can.

[edkemper]

As in how to raise a child, the loudest experts tend to be people that don't have children. Same with building real log homes. Experts in stick built homes and kit homes are the loudest in telling others what LHBA teaches can't work. Shhhhh. Don't argue with'm. Let them visit when you finish. Tends to shut'm up real fast. Welcome to the family sis.

[SF_Mikey]

Hey Ed - I see you are from Northern California. Do you know of many other folks from Northern California who've been through the course and built log homes? Surprisingly I haven't seen many California folks on this blog and I was wondering if there are any unique difficulties in building in California (other than high cost of land) due to building codes / restrictions? I would also love to see at least one of these homes up close and personal - the pictures are great but I would have loved to take the two day course up in WA which seems to be full of these types of log homes. I have signed up for the May course in Las Vegas so maybe I'll come across a few fellow Golden Staters and once I get access to the members forums I am sure there'll be a few of them over there.

[edkemper]

Mikey,

About the only place I can think of that building a LHBA home would be a no brainer is in the north west of the state. A lot of alternative building goes on there. One county has no building codes for owner built places. But it's still CA.

[poorsinner101]

Don't worry about the naysayers. I've watched, I've lurked, and this is no Amway pipe dream. The only thing that I've seen that will kill your dream is a lack of follow thru.

Three months to go 'til my class, one week 'til closing on 9 acres, and all the luck I can get trading on the Stock Market until I'm ready to build the foundation of my retirement home.

Stay strong!:cool:

[RPM]

Hey Poorsinner101!

Isn't life just "dragging on" now that you've signed up for the class???? Haha! Don't worry, it will get here soon and before you know it, you'll be telling everyone how great the class was!!

[superloggy]

Not many people build a log home in there life, so who are they to say. I have built dozens all over the world and I can build any style and notch that exists. It takes some time to acquire that much experience but they are all simple variations of the basic concepts you would learn at a log building course. With experience you would become faster eg. I can build a full scribe perfectly tight four corner log house shell in 5days with a good helper and crane/log lifter.

[edkemper]

Superloggy,

Have you ever built a skip style (LHBA) log home? There are several ways to build a log home but our's is a unique, yet simple method. What we learn is it doesn't take any related experience once you learn the tricks of our method. Scribing and/or notching are not part of our way and not "recommended." Although we know something about each style. Glad to have you around.

[superloggy]

No I have never been asked to build LHBA style and I doubt I ever will. There is many superior ways to build and no real speed advantage either way. But it is definetly the best/safest way for a first timer.
I have built many homes for people with more money than anything and they never lifted a finger. My hat goes of to anyone who builds there log house. Keep up the great work everybody.
I would come help each and everyone of you if I could, I love log homes no matter the style.
Here's an example of a dovetail house.... http://www.youtube.com/user/ppppppppp99999999999

[Basil]

Yea, having built an lhba style house, and seeing how much work it takes to shape a log, I'm glad i didn't try another style. Saddle notch, dovetail, full cope, etc are all stylistically appealing, but' I'd have given up and been divorced if i had tried them for my first home!

[loghousenut]

The first log building I built was saddle notched. I kinda got a kick out of notching but MUCH prefer building the LHBA method.

These things are so darned solid and "honest" that it just makes me wanna smile. Sure they are ugly before they are chinked and some folks are turned off by the alternating overdangles, but I am totally stoked every time I touch one. The settling problems and extra maintenance involved in most other methods are just icing on the LHBA cake.

One of the biggest bonuses that I see in the LHBA method is how simple it is to use large wall logs. Just lift the rascals up, set them in, and pin 'em. I've never tried to roll a 2' diameter log out of the notch for that little bit of final chiseling but I can imagine it's no fun. Perhaps a more skilled craftsman than I, can scribe, cope, and cut a notch that fits perfectly the first time, but I sure can't. Big logs are cool.

I think I am thoroughly converted... Thank You Skip Ellsworth... I owe you ssooooooooo much!

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t55/loghousenut/P1000686.jpg

[superloggy]

Yeah I love the bigger logs too. The biggest I have used were 32-36 inch butts.Four rounds and the walls were done. It does increase the cost if your buying your logs by the cubic meter. Because the walls are so wide it adds cubic meters.
I love all the diiferents styles. They all have their time and place. And I guess thats what this thread is all about. If it works for you and you love it don't let anyone stop you.

I am curious tho how the lhba style stops all settling. The logs will shrink (they all do!) even dead standing or vaccuum kiln dried logs will shrink (there's actually a place here that kiln drys 50 foot logs and they shrink initially some moreand then swell with the weather/seasons). So the chinking you use needs to have enough elasticity to adhere to and move with the logs. The chinking that is popular here and works well is also very expensive and very time consuming to apply and clean up after and then maintain for years!
So I guess heres my point if the logs aren't settling together and reducing the top round and wall height. They must be moving away from each other and sitting up on the pins to stop settling. This would exceed the limits of any chinking I have seen or heard of. Not to mention the sheer volume of chinking required to fill the huge spaces left from not being scribed anywhere near tight(it is very expensive) even with backers rods etc. Unless some form of no shrink masonry grout was used but I would bet that would fail quite quickly by not being able to move with the logs.

[superloggy]

Yeah I love the bigger logs too. The biggest I have used were 32-36 inch butts.Four rounds and the walls were done. It does increase the cost if your buying your logs by the cubic meter. Because the walls are so wide it adds cubic meters.
I love all the diiferents styles. They all have their time and place. And I guess thats what this thread is all about. If it works for you and you love it don't let anyone stop you.

I am curious tho how the lhba style stops all settling. The logs will shrink (they all do!) even dead standing or vaccuum kiln dried logs will shrink (there's actually a place here that kiln drys 50 foot logs and they shrink initially some moreand then swell with the weather/seasons). So the chinking you use needs to have enough elasticity to adhere to and move with the logs. The chinking that is popular here and works well is also very expensive and very time consuming to apply and clean up after and then maintain for years!
So I guess heres my point if the logs aren't settling together and reducing the top round and wall height. They must be moving away from each other and sitting up on the pins to stop settling. This would exceed the limits of any chinking I have seen or heard of. Not to mention the sheer volume of chinking required to fill the huge spaces left from not being scribed anywhere near tight(it is very expensive) even with backers rods etc. Unless some form of no shrink masonry grout was used but I would bet that would fail quite quickly by not being able to move with the logs.

[BillnChristi]

Superloggy...do a search for threads on here re: chinking, settling, etc. Also, look at photos of students' homes from the 60's-80's and tell me what you see. Chinking "touch-up" may be required on rare occasion, but it is not failing and falling out by any means, even after many years. It's a mystery to me too, but it's a fact you can see yourself. And, mortar is very inexpensive compared to latex chinking products.

I have not taken the class yet (signed up for June class), but I've learned many valuable things on the public forum. Such as...it is best not to disturb the outer layer of the logs as this layer helps prevent rot, insect damage, checking, etc. Also, the logs shrink to their own centers which is very important for understanding why the Skip-style butt and pass method is so effective against settling, even with green logs (I would even propose that it is BETTER to use green logs with this method).

Also, if the logs are chosen and erected properly (i.e., in accordance to the guidance given in the class), the spaces between them are not at all huge. And if the chinking is done at the proper time as well, and in the class-prescribed manner, then it is not necessary to have an expensive elastic chinking medium.

I've been reading books on log home building for over 30 years (since my teens) and fully appreciate the art and craftmanship in scribing logs/notching, but I'm a fairly logical thinker and this process (LHBA style) just makes a whole lot more sense to ME personally. This method produces beautiful, sturdy, high-value, long-lasting homes but it is not nearly as time-consuming, labor-intensive, MATH-intensive nor costly as other methods I have read about and that makes it a more easily obtainable goal for more of us.

Just my honest opinion, for what its worth. Anyway, read the posts, look at the gallery, take the class. There's a money-back guarantee for the membership if you don't feel you got your money's worth. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. And, continue questioning EVERYTHING. That is the only way to get to the real truth behind anything, and we're all better off knowing the truth as opposed to just believing whatever we hear or read. So, find out for yourself. I am.

[Timber]

Mikey,

About the only place I can think of that building a LHBA home would be a no brainer is in the north west of the state. A lot of alternative building goes on there. One county has no building codes for owner built places. But it's still CA.

some1 is building/already built/ in big bear ca. its just about 120 miles or less from los angeles
do a search for big bear log home--it is a nice one too.
so if it can be done here in so cal it can be done in northern ca for sure!

[superloggy]

BillnChristi,
I might have taken the course but because I work in the log home industry I am not allowed. Also if I was a building inspector I would not be able to either. That made me a little worried about the lhba system and what they were hiding. I think you answered most of my suspicions. But it still remains the bestsafest way for a one/first time builder.

[loghousenut]

Whatever they/we are hiding, my building inspector loves this project and is on board 100%. Says he can't wait for the housewarming party. As for chinking, I expect to spend less than $400 for materials. Of course it is only a 2,000 sq ft house.

I wholeheartedly agree with you superbuggy, LHBA teaches the best/safest way for a first time builder to accomplish his/her goal. Many of us don't stop at one.

[edkemper]

Timber,

Please keep in mind, Big Bear CA (Where my family used to have a A-frame cabin) is up in the mountains and doesn't have the size of government that most of the other places in the state have. Big Bear is not like San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco or any other large CA city. With the exception of a few significantly rural areas, which are fewer and fewer in CA, the building departments maintain control over what is built. Most cities won't allow a log home built next door in a track of traditional style stick frame housing. Know what I mean?

[Timber]

gottcha ed

[LogSurfer2]

SF_Mikey, a fellow Californian here....from San Jose, CA. My husband and I stumbled on the LHBA while researching log home kits, and have not looked back since. I am 100% convinced this is the way for a city girl like myself to do a log home, which I have always wanted. In my homework so far in Santa Clara County (where I live and am looking for land.....tough but may be possible) I am finding that it will be very expensive. We are looking into the Property Tax Default auctions to find cheaper land. I spoke with a planner, and she made me aware of several things I had not known about yet, and could be costly, so it will help you to do your homework. Call your planning & bldg. dept. in the town or county you have land or want land, and just let them know what you are trying to do. If you get a rude or unhelpful person, just call back another day. We work with planning & bldg. dept.'s here for our business, and some of those planners & inspectors have a power trip, and others seem to want to help you & get their work done. I hope to take the June or Sept. course....let me know how you like the class! I'm sure you won't be the same after ;-)
Judy

[Log Home Pioneer]

When a person close to me expressed doubt that I could pull it off, it only fueled my fire to build log home. Doubt can be a real motivator sometimes.

[Basil]

I don't know about trying to hide anything, but I can tell you that the building inspector that approved my build said if there was a tornado coming, he wanted to be in my house instead of any of the others he had inspected.

[superloggy]

Any log house is more resitant to the effects of an earthquake than a stick/balloon framed house is. However it is built.

[edkemper]

superloggy,

It's hard to compare earthquake readiness of any stick built or any kit built log home with this style of building log homes. That is part of what is taught in class. It's so simple that it's hard for most to believe.

[superloggy]

Yes Ed that was my point.
I have built log houses that have been thru earthquakes and typhoons in Japan that turned the surrounding houses to rubble. The typhoon damaged the roof sheeting but the logs and structure were unaffected. Once repairs were completed to the roof the house was livable. But the surrounding neighbourhood was destroyed for as far as the as the eye could see in every direction.
The European union has standars for earthquake resistance and the log home exceeds these standards.
And if you mean machine cut log house when you say "kit built log home"(if you can call what they use logs!) you can't compare them to a real handcrafted log house in any way shape or form. They have poor inaccurate notching systems, and I don't know how many times I have heard people complain about missings pieces. Most of them use a foam tape or caulking between the rows to supply some sort of weather seals it doesn't work that well and is time comsuming to install and supply for the little performance it supplies. They too rely on a lot of rds/sds type lag bolt/screws, like the rebar in the lhba style because of the lack of joinery. And that is just a few of the problems/short comings they experience.
I'm glad the class taught you this and thanks for sharing.

[hammerhead 67]

Here is what I hear a lot.
"Oh that sounds neat" eyes glaze over and drool starts...

People who are close to me know that I am a dreamer but when I get started, I WILL do what I want. We are trying to meet some financial goals before starting so our build is on temporary hiatus but we WILL do it.

Once we get the ball rolling, I expect a mixed bag of support and astonishment. Which is fine, its our project so other peoples opinions of what I do hold little weight.

[Rob_H]

Interestingly enough, when I got back from class one of my co-workers asked me what I went to Vegas for and when I told him he said he had just spent a while looking over the LHBA website and had a ton of questions.