Is it possible to cut logs on property and build a house in a year?

[rguarino]

Hi All,

I am new to this community and have been thinking about taking the course in September but still have a lot of questions. Recently, my boyfriend and I have signed a contract on a 40 acre parcel in NY with mature trees and cleared open space.

The building loan we are approved for will require us to build a house and a horse barn within a year. We love the idea of a log home and we are amazed after seeing so many beautiful pictures of students homes and would like to be able to put up a house and a barn within the alotted time frame but want to make sure this is possible. Also, has anyone constructed a horse barn out of logs? I have not found many log barn references.

Thanks!

Rachel

[Timberwolf]

Hi All,

I am new to this community and have been thinking about taking the course in September but still have a lot of questions. Recently, my boyfriend and I have signed a contract on a 40 acre parcel in NY with mature trees and cleared open space.

The building loan we are approved for will require us to build a house and a horse barn within a year. We love the idea of a log home and we are amazed after seeing so many beautiful pictures of students homes and would like to be able to put up a house and a barn within the alotted time frame but want to make sure this is possible. Also, has anyone constructed a horse barn out of logs? I have not found many log barn references.

Thanks!

Rachel

Rachel.

As someone who is building with a construction loan, let me tell you, it will likely take much longer than you anticipate.

IF you can work full time at it, AND you are well organized, AND you can hire or beg help (lots of it), AND you can afford to trade money for time it is possible to to build quickly.

Of course, much of this depends on what you want to build. An 1800sqft house takes alot less time to build than a 2400sqft house. Four walls and a roof for the horses takes a lot less time than a fully equiped riding stable.

You will need to plan and set some realistic goals. Personally if I could do it again, I would look for other options.

JMHO.

J.

[blane]

Working a full time job and building on the side I would plan on at least two years maybe longer. No way I could build my place plus a barn in one year unless I could do it full time. The class will teach you some slower paced options that will save you a lot of money and may help you avoid debt. If you have logs and a saw mill you are in a good place to build a great home without breaking the bank.

[Shark]

Yah, it all depends how much time & manpower you throw at the project, as well as how large you plan to build.

Honestly, most projects took at least twice as long as I originally planned. Some things went quick though (drywall) & was glad we contracted out the work.

Something that would have saved us a bunch of time, was to have our roofers also frame in the floor & interior walls. They likely could have had the floors & walls done in an extra 2 days on site after finishing the roof, where it took my wife & I an extra month or so to do it ourselves.

[loghousenut]

Rachel,

I am reminded of the fellow who bought a violin factory because he always wanted to make saxaphones. He figured he could redo the shop to make saxaphones. Sure it can be done but the factory, and all those tools in it, will not be put to their best use.

The class and membership in LHBA is the pefect tool for someone who wants to build their own log home, with their own hands, and do it all without a mortgage. The "without a mortgage" part is more than just icing on the cake, it is probably the driving force behind the entire system.

A construction loan is another tool for building your own home. If I were purchasing a $90,000 log shell from a kit house manufacturer, I would want to use that construction loan tool. The bank would want me to build it as quick as possible to assure there would be no half-built kit home for them to repossess. The bank would require me to borrow enough to finish the rest of the kit house and there would be a time line to follow. The kit house will go up quickly. Speed costs money and sometimes it costs quality.

Well, I'm building a log home that does NOT require a huge chunk of cash all at once. I don't think I could build this house without that LHBA tool. It works like it ought to and it allows me to spend the extra time it takes to keep the prices as low as possible without sacrificing quality.

Your question is asking if the LHBA tool can be used or tweaked to work with a mortgage. Of course it can but you'd be working against the grain. There are LHBA members who have done it with a construction loan but most of them say that they wish they hadn't. The bank wants you to do it their way to protect their investment.

Those of us who are paying for our home without a bank loan have fewer time and style constraints. Additionally, the place will be ours when it's done.

PS... I probably won't borrow money for furniture either, but that's just me.



http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t55/loghousenut/Wow/Rafters9-2010294.jpg

[blane]

I like those bird blocks. How do you deal with the gap between the t&g if any?
Rachel,

I am reminded of the fellow who bought a violin factory because he always wanted to make saxaphones. He figured he could redo the shop to make saxaphones. Sure it can be done but the factory, and all those tools in it, will not be put to their best use.

The class and membership in LHBA is the pefect tool for someone who wants to build their own log home, with their own hands, and do it all without a mortgage. The "without a mortgage" part is more than just icing on the cake, it is probably the driving force behind the entire system.

A construction loan is another tool for building your own home. If I were purchasing a $90,000 log shell from a kit house manufacturer, I would want to use that construction loan tool. The bank would want me to build it as quick as possible to assure there would be no half-built kit home for them to repossess. The bank would require me to borrow enough to finish the rest of the kit house and there would be a time line to follow. The kit house will go up quickly. Speed costs money and sometimes it costs quality.

Well, I'm building a log home that does NOT require a huge chunk of cash all at once. I don't think I could build this house without that LHBA tool. It works like it ought to and it allows me to spend the extra time it takes to keep the prices as low as possible without sacrificing quality.

Your question is asking if the LHBA tool can be used or tweaked to work with a mortgage. Of course it can but you'd be working against the grain. There are LHBA members who have done it with a construction loan but most of them say that they wish they hadn't. The bank wants you to do it their way to protect their investment.

Those of us who are paying for our home without a bank loan have fewer time and style constraints. Additionally, the place will be ours when it's done.

PS... I probably won't borrow money for furniture either, but that's just me.



http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t55/loghousenut/Wow/Rafters9-2010294.jpg

[StressMan79]

I stacked logs for a 24x24 in a month. dunno what you think "finished" is. The roof will be on by summers end and then I'll mill treads for the stairs and the BnB for the walls. The foundation I used took a month.

There are faster options to use. standard sheathing, pier blocks (or hired foundation), LHBA roofing... all are faster/easier than what I did.

I have no loan and am glad that I can take as much time as I require.

[loghousenut]

I like those bird blocks. How do you deal with the gap between the t&g if any?

Blane, You are taking us off subject but here goes. We are not building a traditional LHBA roof... We are insulating between the 4x12's and sheeting on the inside. That means we only had to make the bird blocks look "right" from the outside. It would be similar if you were using the traditional LHBA roof.

So we made them look good from the outside and tried to let them sit a little "high" above the top edge of the rafters. Then we made a jig that sat on top of two rafters, with boards running above and below the bird blocks to show the height of the top of the rafters (I know you don't know what I mean but read it again and sketch it on scrap paper). Once we set the jig in place we used our Roto-Clip and power planer to plane the bird blocks down level with the top of the rafters. It was easy.

There are several tricks to log birdblocks. If I were building the LHBA style roof with exposed rafters I would cut the birdblocks from one continuous log. Personally I think they are worth the trouble but then, I am not in a hurry.



Note to Rachel... You are witnessing the type of posting that occurs constantly on the "members only" side of this forum. I am assuming that you have no idea what we are talking about. It will all make sense after you have taken the class and you will enjoy the read.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t55/loghousenut/Wow/Rafters9-2010068.jpg

[blane]

Rachel,

Sorry I hijacked your post. I had to seize the opportunity:) LHN thanks, I think I understand what you are doing. It will look great if I am seeing in my mind correctly what you have explained. Maybe this rabbit trail will peak interest in becoming a member.
Blane, You are taking us off subject but here goes. We are not building a traditional LHBA roof... We are insulating between the 4x12's and sheeting on the inside. That means we only had to make the bird blocks look "right" from the outside. It would be similar if you were using the traditional LHBA roof.

So we made them look good from the outside and tried to let them sit a little "high" above the top edge of the rafters. Then we made a jig that sat on top of two rafters, with boards running above and below the bird blocks to show the height of the top of the rafters (I know you don't know what I mean but read it again and sketch it on scrap paper). Once we set the jig in place we used our Roto-Clip and power planer to plane the bird blocks down level with the top of the rafters. It was easy.

There are several tricks to log birdblocks. If I were building the LHBA style roof with exposed rafters I would cut the birdblocks from one continuous log. Personally I think they are worth the trouble but then, I am not in a hurry.



Note to Rachel... You are witnessing the type of posting that occurs constantly on the "members only" side of this forum. I am assuming that you have no idea what we are talking about. It will all make sense after you have taken the class and you will enjoy the read.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t55/loghousenut/Wow/Rafters9-2010068.jpg

[Yuhjn]

My advice is do not take that construction loan. Instead focus on paying off the land loan (I assume you owe on the land still). If you need to live on the property, try to find an old RV you can live in on-site while you work to pay off the land. While you're paying off the land, you'll have time to take the class, start gathering tools, and start planning the build.

Then when you're closer to being ready to build, you can work as far and as long as you can to get started before borrowing money. If, in the end, you need to borrow some, do it as late in the process as possible to give yourself as much time as possible.

Personally, the last thing in the world I would want to do, is promise a bank I'm going to build a house in 12 months.

[blane]

Ditto for me. This is basically how we are doing it.
My advice is do not take that construction loan. Instead focus on paying off the land loan (I assume you owe on the land still). If you need to live on the property, try to find an old RV you can live in on-site while you work to pay off the land. While you're paying off the land, you'll have time to take the class, start gathering tools, and start planning the build.

Then when you're closer to being ready to build, you can work as far and as long as you can to get started before borrowing money. If, in the end, you need to borrow some, do it as late in the process as possible to give yourself as much time as possible.

Personally, the last thing in the world I would want to do, is promise a bank I'm going to build a house in 12 months.

[logsurfer]

I'll raise my hand on that one LHN..hope your right...cause I have little idea about what your talking about :)

[WNYcabinplannin]

No loan- best decision for me so far. It's been 16 months since I broke ground, and I should be finished this year. That's with 2-3 days a week (a few months off this winter) and with a few guys helping (some paid, some friends). Under roof makes me feel I will finish it this year.
I think I could build a 20x20 or 25x25 in one year though.

side note to LHN- I've seen the pic of your Ridgepole when it was a tree, and yes it looked big there- but seeing this pic of your son up there, and with 4x12s for scale- that RP looks FREAKIN' HUGE !!
(drooling with RP Envy)

[rocklock]

Rule of thumb.. one person about two years... Two people, about one year. More than two people, could take a very long time...
No loan. Get your land. Live on your land in an rv or mobile home. Build a barn with a loft. Then build your log home...
There have been many barns built with logs, in fact there is a horse barn in sequoia nat. Park that is about over 100 years old and still standing...
good luck and forget the loan. Build with what you got... You will be amazed what you come up with. Look at my pictures... Most of the stuff is from Craig's list and other places.

[LogLover]

Guess I am the odd duck here - I believe your question was can it be done in a year. I've got friends who I helped years ago and they had a book, no experience and managed it easily.
I know many here are of the mind set to do cheaply, no hurry, and such and that is a great way to do it.
I personally will be going about it differently and want it done. I'll have some paper on it I assume and that doesn't trouble me at all. I started out in a 3200 sf house with a mortgage too many years ago. I could sell that and be flush but I may end up back here if health gets bad too. One just never knows what tomorrow will bring
Guess it depends on what one desires .... I want to enjoy the place sooner rather than later so some debt will come with the project.

[JeffandSara]

Certainly people have cut their logs and built in a year. Others have worked for a decade or more. Unfortunately, none of that necessarily pertains to the original poster.

Any remotely accurate "rule of thumb" about time to build would have to include a lot more factors than just experience, number of folks helping, amount of local governmental red tape, etc. Lots of other variables can slow down the most motivated builder; a series of fortuitous circumstances can speed the project of those in less of a hurry. No two builds go alike, and there are no guarantees that any given situation will give equal results every time.

OP -- We built as fast as we could while my husband worked full-time and we raised some kids, we only had two or three of us working any given day, my husband recovered from a building injury, we dealt with materials availability problems/weather issues/equipment problems, and we paid for the build "out of pocket". Personally, we were glad that at the last minute we decided NOT to get a construction loan; because no amount of hard work or expense would have gotten our home done in one year in our circumstances (maybe even without some of the problems like injury and materials delays.) I think that the one-year goal might be more attainable if both of you are able to quit work to spend full-time on the build, but a year goes by fast, in any case.

Very best of luck to you, whatever path you take! And congratulations on the 40 acres! :D Sara

[drummer boy]

I would say that if the moon and stars lined up and the heavens opened up it is possible to get done that quick. In my short life on the forum, I have found that some element of the build will stop you dead in your tracks. E.G. The contractor doing the dirt work doesn't show for weeks, the cement truck can't make it for three days after you need them, the beams you are waiting on are not graded yet and that person that grades them is on vacation for a week and will come back to a backlog of work that will take him three weeks to get to you. I am learning to lay back and simply do what we can because worrying and fretting will only make your hair fall out and what doesn't fall out turns grey.

[bizloancoach]

Hey, Rocklock, is the loft for living in or just needed for tools etc.? Was considering building a garage as a practice step. Was this what your barn was-- a practice building?

[FishingAddict]

My BIL is a member, started his in 2008. Finished in Feb of 2009 so took maybe 8 months. 2 people, part time here-there on weekdays and some long weekend days. He bought the logs from a logger so no cutting down which would add to the time I'm sure. He subbed out the cement work but the rest was all him and/or a friend or 2. House is 30 x 32' and half up with open loft looking down. A 2 car detached garage/shop also - maybe 24' x 22' iirc. He's still putzing around re-doing some things inside but that's just him.
He had a bldr loan for land and mats but was advised he had a year to do the shell and inspections so maybe they treated his loan different. He was not in a hurry to meet a deadline ..... except the one the bride demanded. :)
Different ways abound to do things I am sure. The LHBA way I suspect is the way most here go about things and believe in. Mine will be their build way but with variations to conceptual or belief things. I just want it done when I start - already hoarding windows and door that I will make work, plumbing fixtures, lights etc
When I find them cheap that I like I buy them. I know I can make them all fit and work and that's good enough for me. Think on average I have paid 15-20% of retail so all will be money spent elsewhere....likley for subs to get things dome. lol