What led you to LHBA?

[irace2win41]

After reading tons of threads over the last year or so and reading what others say about our methods, I was wondering what led us to here?

For me, I loved the look of a log home. I liked the warm feel, take you back to a simpler time aspect. I started many years ago looking at log home magazines and just dreaming for decades. So, a time comes in my life where I really want to slow down, not be in debt, and live a dream. Stumbled across the LHBA site a couple of years ago and then joined a bit later. As a bit of a type A personality, I tend to do a lot of research before making a decision. But, once a decision is made I'm full speed ahead. So through this process I met a nurse, fell in love, and lo and behold she liked log homes too. To make a long story short we're going to the January class in Vegas and are excited as ever.

I want to say a quick thank you to all of the members that have openly shared their experiences and helped us overcome our own fears about taking on such a project at this point of our lives. Like many others I wish I had "stumbled" across this site years earlier.

I think there is nothing like the feel of a log home and the warmth it brings. Looking forward to hearing how we all got here and looking forward to many new friends for life. :cool:

Rod Whedbee

[loghousenut]

With a name like mine where would you expect me to search for my life's ambition?

[happyquilter]

Hi Rod, My husband Maury and I are attending the January class too, so see you guys there! I stumbled on this site when googling something like "how to build a log cabin." That came about because we had looked at vacation homes near our favorite ski area, and the prices were VERY UNaffordable, especially since we don't want to take on any debt in retirement. We figure we can buy some acreage just a little further away and build a beautiful log home for a fraction of the cost. The more we learn the more fun the whole things sounds! Can't wait for class! Shari.

[Jane Doe]

I was always looking for LHBA. It just never occurred to me to look for this place on the Internet. Better late than never, though :D My heart and soul and character and personality has always been a log cabin home :)

[buck_cooper]

Hey guys and gals.
My wife and I have been quietly searching over the last few years of a way we could build at our own pace and afford to get it done over a reasonable period.Several years back I helped my dad build a stick built house and over a 3 year period he and I build a 2000 sq.ft home all cash out of their pocket. Fast forward. We went to a straw bale house build and although I like the looks and feel of a straw bale are cool, it is not the quick easy way to build. Then one night I picked up a american classified, thrifty nickle type paper at a gas station. I was looking under building materials and their was an add for a log house shell kit. The price didn't sound bad and I started doing research, then the don't build log house slogans showed up in my google searches. It led me to this site and signing up for the Jan class. I feel good about it and will look forward to meeting my new friends.

[buck_cooper]

Jane, Jane,Jane
Can't wait to me you at class. Looked at your hiking pics. Made me want to pee my pants HAHAHA

[rocklock]

irace2win41
Rod
In a word "Google".
For about 10 years I started looking for a place to retire... In this search, I was looking for something to do... I knew that I wanted to substitute teach (Math) and do something else... Then we (my wife of 43 years) found that we would locate part time to Camano Island, Washington and possibly build on 5 prime acres near Rocky Point. I found this website that had a bunch of claims that were hard to believe... until you read much of the material... that was 2004 and I can't remember much but I do remember enough to send a check to an address and a guy with a single name... And book myself and my son on to a flight to Seattle...

Well, the five acres fell through, so I got some land and a pond not far away...
It has been 6 years building, 1/2 of the year (from May to October, OBTW I don't like to get cold) although 3 years I taught summer school... so it is really much less...

[rreidnauer]

For me, while I always admired log homes, it wasn't so much that I was looking for one. Rather, I was looking for a way to avoid becoming a slave to my own existence. That meant I needed to find a way to have a place to live that would neither require an endless lifetime of rental payments, nor 30 years of high mortgage payments, all while always worrying about being able to make next months payment. (I suffer from a decent bout of anxiety) So, while I don't have complete control over whether I'll have a job or being able to work due to health or accident, I can control constructing my homestead. Most people might think it's a risky method, but I believe infinite rent/extensive mortgage is a much riskier endeavor. It also explains why I am going off-grid, and avoiding monthly utility bills.

(maybe I should have my screen-name changed to "Control Freak.") ;)

[Tom Featherstone]

The internet is how we got here. Our journey started over 30yrs ago with a dream of moving our family to Michigan's UP. Build a log home,raise a few chickens, work at Micky "D's" to pay the taxes..... it didn't quite work out that way. Fast forward.

We did get to the UP about 25yrs ago. Our log home kind of went on the back burner as we raised our family in town. I had already discounted building a log home after researching them, Kits, because of all the problems you can read about here. High dollar, hugh maintenance, and we just could never seem to afford a log diameter large enough to put up with the winters up here.

We did buy our property 20yrs ago, where we now live and hoped someday that we could build a place for us to live/retire.

As our youngest was preparing to graduate HS, I started to look to the internet for a way or a method to build us a place here. "Stumbled" across the LHBA. I think I read every post in the Public forum over a two year period, never signed up with a screen name to even ask the many questions I had. I finally did, then took a hugh leap of Faith, signed Linda & I up for the class in Washington that was held at Skip's place.

I'll never forget the look on our class mates faces as we stood in that parking lot / horse pasture, no log home in site, Fang the guard dog near by, waiting for someone with a single word for a name,,,, "Did we just get had look?". It took me about an hour (wasted time) into the class to realize this is for real!

Only regret. Is that our new members don't have the opportunity to climb that hill to Skip's Big house!

Tom

[blane]

I had always wanted to live a more simple life and liked the idea of living in a log home as being part of that. I had looked into kit homes years ago and the price tag was way more than I was willing to be a slave to. One day my wife was looking at log homes on the internet and came across the LHBA web site. We had recently gotten out of debt completely but still wanted to have something more of an agrarian lifestyle than our development would not allow and even the possibility of starting a family business. So my son and I signed up for the class and we both came away with the confidence we needed to make it happen.

This endeavor has been one of the most significant relationship builders for every member of my family. We work together, pray together, and eat together. I have been able to use the past two years to teach my children how to work with their hands and their minds for the glory of the Lord as we need to work together to make it all happen.

[rreidnauer]

I'll never forget the look on our class mates faces as we stood in that parking lot / horse pasture, no log home in site, Fang the guard dog near by, waiting for someone with a single word for a name,,,, "Did we just get had look?". It took me about an hour (wasted time) into the class to realize this is for real!

Only regret. Is that our new members don't have the opportunity to climb that hill to Skip's Big house!

Tom

Ah yes, it truly is a shame that recent and new members are missing that part of the experience. It does make me wonder how convincing the class is, when it's not being held at his place. I feel so fortunate that I was able to take the class there.

(ps- first to the top both days!)

[ramblinman502]

i was part of the rat race in chicago. i owned a messenger service and a printing business. great money but it was a 24/7 kind of job. then 9/11 happened. the world just seemed crazy...i wanted a slower pace. so i cashed out n decided to open a coffee house. i built it myself from a burnt out shell. opened it...n it took off. huge success..but was just as much if not more work than the two other businesses together. was kinda besides myself with what to do..so i floated the idea of selling everything..the coffee house.. my house. my weekend house in michigan. and all my furniture..

within 90 days they were all sold... i could fit everything i owned into a small rented locker. i cashed out near the peak of the bubble. it was a great feeling....i needed to set out on a journey..so i decided that i would figure out the next adventure while i traveled around the world for a year. three years later i was still on the road.. i decided that working with my hands is what i loved...it was building the coffee house that gave me joy. not owning it. so i asked myself what kind of building could i REALLY get into..: ) i found LHBA..took the class..n now people pay me to build log homes for them. one day ill live in one...but for now..eveyday i go to work with a smile on my face. wouldnt change a thing!

[irace2win41]

Ramblinman, we're with you. Ready to stop being a slave to stuff and enjoying the people that God has brought into our lives. The LHBA has given us hope of making that happen.

[drummer boy]

I found the site while googling "log homes" images. I was looking for a way to retire as a pastor of 7 special needs children and found that the log home I dreamed of were far more expensive than originally thought. I even looked at buying a metal building and fabricating a facade on the front and found they were stealing peoples money and never delivering the building. I felt extremely defeated until I ran into this site. At this time I was 40 and feeling I had done nothing up to now that really mattered to society or my family. My wife and I decided to live with adventure in mind. Up to this time I had always been cautious and very skeptical about everything. We traveled to Los Vegas for the first time ever, running through deserts and driving through mountains and even got snowed in on the way, but took the class and have never looked back. I trust my next 40 years will indeed be the adventure we have been looking for.

[Sean Purser]

Ramblinman - is your next build going to be near Louisville? I live just across the river In Georgetown IN, and have a farm I plan to build on (attending the Jan 14&15 class in a coupe of weeks).

[Dewey]

I stumbled on the web site about two years ago now. I was 32 and hopelessly in (student) debt with nothing to show for it. I was looking for a way to make some money and found the web site. It was such a simple idea and totally made sense to me. Live within your own means and depend on no one for anything. I scraped some money together and went to the May '11 class which was amazing! Although I wasn't a big fan of Vegas, it was completely worth the drive down. Well I have since paid off my debts, and now I have to overcome other obstacles before I can make my log house a reality. I have a serious girlfriend that does not necessarily agree with the lifestyle I want to live and I also have to change provinces (I live in Canada) to find some affordable land... which means I will likely have to quit my job which provides me with security and fairly good income. Man do I HATE being stuck in limbo!! Although I believe this is definitely the route to go and I am willing to make some heavy sacrifices.

[PeeCee]

I was googling "log homes" and probably found Bearfort Lodge...then butt-and-pass....

It was the student homes photos and descriptions of the builders (most of whom had absolutely no building experience) that got me.

[edkemper]

Dewey,

I hope you stick around and get more of what we ooze here on you. :rolleyes: I wish I had found this site when I was 32. This is far more than just about log homes.

I was expecting some money to come my way and was looking for land. The safest investment I could think of was land. Especially after the prices had drop so dramatically. I knew I didn't want a regular house with a mortgage on that property. I found this site on a Google search on log homes and I was hooked from the very first visit. Un/Fortunately, I had some free time and couldn't stop reading. Days later, after finishing every page I had access to, we decided we needed to take the class. We hope to at least start a 14x14 shed this year. Just contracted to get my last fence line surveyed and hope to have it totally perimeter fenced by next year. Gotta get a well dug next. One step at a time.

[WNYcabinplannin]

I met my friend, Cork, about 20 years ago in California. He'd taken the class from Skip a few years before that. I'd been looking at kit packages and he saved me from doing something VERY stupid. I still regret not going to the Philippines and meeting Skip and taking the class then. (no offense E and Steve!). Only b/c I would've built my log home a LOT sooner, and would've liked to meet the legend ;)

[Mosseyme]

We started the process of building a log house 30 years ago when we lived in a mobile on 6 acres out of Ellijay Ga. We had a grove of planted Pine about 16" at the butt and did not know how we were going to do it but started logging that for enough trees to build with. We had 100+ logs on the ground when life happened and we had to sell out and move. Fast forward 20 years. We were feeling pretty uncomfortable with our retirement in the stockmarket with y2k coming on and started looking for a way to get it out and invest it in dirt. We looked for 5 years over 5 states in the SE and finally found a property that at first glance I thought was going to be shrub brush from what we could see along the road in Jan. wintery bare. Gary could [see] the possibility of greater things beyond our current vista. The agent had driven out there with us and showed us where the corner was and " "it lays that way from here" [he was only 2 ridges and valleys off]. We made the trip back and started walking and climbing and clambering over rocks and creeks. We were rewarded with a beautiful valley with 2 old homesteads, a creek that runs 3000' from one end to the other with multiple springs running into it, many beautiful building sites, lovely huge Hemlock trees filling the valley floor towering over loads of rhodedendren and azealias and mountain laural. In short, our paradise on earth.
Problem was it was much to large a property to afford, but we couldn't find any of it we wanted to part with so we went to family and together we managed to fund it.
Fast forward again to the 2005-7 when the hemlocks were begining to be infested with the Hemlock wooley adelgide. After much research we came to realize we couldn't beat it so with tears in our eyes and hearts we began to log our beautiful trees. Again we did not have a clue what we were going to do but started playing with ideas of cutting them into 8"x10" or so D logs and doing a butt and pass type building system. I kept looking on the net for info on do it yourself but never came across LHBA. I found just a couple of private, here is how we did it places, but that was all. Over a year of logging and stacking logs later we were almost done with what we thought we needed when in a last desperate attempt to find helpful info I searched again and saw LHBA. I almost didn't click because it looked to me at first like an association for kit home builders and I had seen enough of that. You can imagine my surprise and elation when I realized what I had stumbled onto in the nick of time, before we made a lot of irreversable mistakes.
I instantly knew that we had to go and quickly. There was an upcoming class and I begged Gary to go, so we went for our 40th aniversary. [that lifetime dream of Ireland will have to wait]. Only regret. 2 years earlier would have been great, but not complaining. Boy was I long winded as usual.

[rocklock]

Well I have since paid off my debts, and now I have to overcome other obstacles before I can make my log house a reality. I have a serious girlfriend that does not necessarily agree with the lifestyle I want to live and I also have to change provinces (I live in Canada) to find some affordable land... which means I will likely have to quit my job which provides me with security and fairly good income. Man do I HATE being stuck in limbo!! Although I believe this is definitely the route to go and I am willing to make some heavy sacrifices.

Several comments... I can't believe you can't find affordable land in Alberta, although, I have never been there... I would redouble my efforts...
One of the first things that I did with my wife (of 43 years) was to make a list of things that she wanted in our log home. She has largely defined the inside of our log home, hence she is invested in the final product...

Lifestyle? I guess I am uncertain what life style has to do with a log home... Now if you plan on really roughing it, living off the grid and have cold showers, I don't like that either... But having a help mate, pardner, is a good thing...
Some how I don't believe in Sacrifices... I believe in a win -win.

http://www.century21.ca/ I tried this site and found a bunch of leads...

Best of luck

[Dewey]

Several comments... I can't believe you can't find affordable land in Alberta, although, I have never been there... I would redouble my efforts...
One of the first things that I did with my wife (of 43 years) was to make a list of things that she wanted in our log home. She has largely defined the inside of our log home, hence she is invested in the final product...

Lifestyle? I guess I am uncertain what life style has to do with a log home... Now if you plan on really roughing it, living off the grid and have cold showers, I don't like that either... But having a help mate, pardner, is a good thing...
Some how I don't believe in Sacrifices... I believe in a win -win.

http://www.century21.ca/ I tried this site and found a bunch of leads...

Best of luck

Hey rock lock


Thanks for the reply. With lifestyle, I don't necessarily mean the log house itself. My girlfriend is a city girl and feels safer in a tall apartment building (which I think is absurd) than being out in the middle of nowhere. The idea of a log house has gradually grown on her, but she still has these visions of mansions and wants it built in a U-shape (?!); so she is a work in progress. She also does not like the idea of commuting to work... so it really is a lifestyle difference. I suppose land in AB isn't that expensive, but with my limited budget it is for me. This is also prairie country, so there aren't many trees around. When I look at Ontario for instance, prices drop dramatically and the properties are just beautiful. For instance, I found an 80-acre property near Sudbury for $16,500 obo!!! Insane! Of course, no one wants to live there.. but I do! In any case, I'm saving every penny for now and keeping my eyes open. Still have some time to figure everything out... at least I know what I want :) I will check out that link and have a look at these leads you speak of!

[ivanshayka]

My dad has mentioned some of his dreams of buying acres of land in UP Michigan and building log hunting cabin. Few years later a friend of mine and I have stumbled on one of the display log homes (kit builders) near his town in Petoskey. I immidiately loved the look of log homes and fell in love with it. The only problem at the time was that their smallest model kit home was $250,000. I knew I could not afford it, so I ended up searching "log homes" and DIY on google. I came across this site (it was still the old site), and what realy captivated me is the price of the log home that you can build. It never occured to me that it was posible for me to build the log home for less than $50,000 untill I took the class. Now I am in the process of finishing my 10X10 tool shed (see pics). The idea of DIY and do it for as much or as little as you want captured me. I took the class in Jan 2011, and would not change it.
http://s1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee382/ivanshayka/Log%20Home%20-%20Practice%20Shed/?action=view&current=IMAG0247.jpg
I am blessed to have my family back me up in this build, expeciealy my sweetheart. We are raising 3 kids, 2 of them are special needs, and we would love to stay away from morgage slavery as far as posible. Although we are still paying off our land (almost done). God bless you all.
Ivan.

[dvb]

We had purchased several acres of land in Colorado near Steamboat Springs and we wanted to build a log house on it. I did what everyone else does and started researching Kit homes. In the process of doing that, I found this site. After much reading, we decided to attend the class together. We were lucky enough to attend at the "House That Skip Built". After my wife, Carla and I had attended the class in Jan. 2005 we started down the path. It has been a great ride and we are nearing the completion of the house, hopefully this summer or fall. We are looking for another piece of land to build another house on. We will keep this one for friends and family to use as a vacation spot. Next one will be a little larger and more complicated, but I believe it will be easier with the knowledge we gained on the first build.

[loghousenut]

Hey rock lock


Thanks for the reply. With lifestyle, I don't necessarily mean the log house itself. My girlfriend is a city girl and feels safer in a tall apartment building (which I think is absurd) than being out in the middle of nowhere. The idea of a log house has gradually grown on her, but she still has these visions of mansions and wants it built in a U-shape (?!); so she is a work in progress. She also does not like the idea of commuting to work... so it really is a lifestyle difference. I suppose land in AB isn't that expensive, but with my limited budget it is for me. This is also prairie country, so there aren't many trees around. When I look at Ontario for instance, prices drop dramatically and the properties are just beautiful. For instance, I found an 80-acre property near Sudbury for $16,500 obo!!! Insane! Of course, no one wants to live there.. but I do! In any case, I'm saving every penny for now and keeping my eyes open. Still have some time to figure everything out... at least I know what I want :) I will check out that link and have a look at these leads you speak of!


OK, I found it on the map. Now what's wrong with 80 acres for $16,000 near Sudbury? Never been there so I haven't got a clue.

[Dewey]

OK, I found it on the map. Now what's wrong with 80 acres for $16,000 near Sudbury? Never been there so I haven't got a clue.

Absolutely nothing! Here's the link: http://www.mls.ca/propertyDetails.aspx?propertyId=11328610&PidKey=-27968399

I'm just itching to go have a look at it.. next trip home I will!

[sdart]

The key to the low price may be those two little words: "No access" ! Not sure how it works in Canada, but it might be difficult to get a legal easement through other people's property to make an access road. Probably depends also on who owns the property between those 80 acres and the existing road and how they feel about having neighbors. How about flying in supplies with a helicopter?!

[Dewey]

The key to the low price may be those two little words: "No access" ! Not sure how it works in Canada, but it might be difficult to get a legal easement through other people's property to make an access road. Probably depends also on who owns the property between those 80 acres and the existing road and how they feel about having neighbors. How about flying in supplies with a helicopter?!

Oops.. didn't notice the no access. Well, point is Ontario is full of really affordable properties.. I've seen many examples on mls of 2-5 acres for $15 -$30 grand that are well treed and in gorgeous surroundings. I wonder though why the hell anyone would want property with no access??

[rreidnauer]

I remember considering a property back when I was looking, that had water access only. Huge amount of property that was cheap as heck. I thought it might be kinda cool having to use a boat to get to and fro. I considered it for a while, then I started working out the logistics of moving vast amounts of building materials to the site. And then, what about in the winter when/if the river would freeze. Sure, could switch to snowmobile then, but what about those transitional periods when the ice is neither thin/thick enough for a boat or snowmobile? Hovercraft? Decided I best just pass.

Anyhow, 80 acres is big enough to hog out a runway for a bush plane. That would still be quite a job hauling stuff in, but how cool would that be? Pretty much a Dick Proenneke-esque scenario. That property isn't too terribly far from Les Stroud's off-grid build down around the Huntsville area.

[StressMan79]

in washington state, it is illegal to landlock a property, so you have an easement regardless. But you have to build whatever road you require to your property. Cutting a road can be difficult at best.

-Peter

[ncgator]

Remember, even in states that require easement access for "landlocked properties", the owner of the land you have to cross does not have to give you direct access through their property. They can force the easement around the boundary of their property. Most jurisdictions try to find a good compromise for the parties involved, but sometimes it ends up in the legal system for "dispute resolution" :).

[John17three]

I was searching for foreclosed homes and ran across a "log"home on the list as a potential investment property back in June. Then I started snooping around google for loghomes, and found LHBA. Then in November a class popped up and I jumped on the cheapest flight to Vegas!! But ultimately, I think it was meant to be to find LHBA. I think it is providentially part of my life's journey--to be a home owner and debt free. : -)

[marvlus]

Several years ago, I found the LHBA website, but it looked different than it does now. At the time Skip was teaching the class, but I did not have the means nor a good reason to pursue this, even though it was interesting. Since that time, I had forgotten about log homes until about 2-3 weeks ago, my son and I were out walking the land I had purchased in Georgia late last year.

As we were walking, I happened to really take notice as to how big the pine trees were and I got to thinking about how they might be used to build a home. Later that day, I started googling Log Homes and I found this site. As I started reading the stories and the pros of butt and pass and the cons of a log kit, I started to realize that I had come across this several years ago. The more I read of the forums, relating to the types of people that posted on them, the more I felt in company of people that were like me.

My guess is that many, if not most, of the people that have relayed their stories, thoughts and experiences are those with a strong sense of independence. And are concerned with the direction that our country is going and want to be prepared for the seemingly inevitable collapse of our society. And if that happens, they want to be self-sustaining and self-reliant to avoid dependence on the government.

So, as a consequence, I signed up for the Labor Day weekend class. I am excited about this class, am looking forward to meeting people that share the same dreams and ideas that I have.

Marv

[panderson03]

congratulations on taking the leap and signing up for the class! glad you found us again:) have fun at class. when our class was through, our heads were SPINNING! its just SO much information in such a short amount of time:)

[John W]

I googled 'nice butt, pass the beer' and this site popped up. :p

Okay, not really. I came for the log homes look, stayed for the whole concept of do it yourself within your means lifestyle.

[jrdavis]

I was searching for Bruce Lee stuff in 1998.
Skip and I talked a few times on the phone and then in 1999 Y2K was 'about to happen'.
I figured it was a good skill to kave in the event TEOTWAWKI. :)
The rest has just been planning a 3 tours in Iraq later.... I'm working on getting trees.

James

[loghousenut]

Y2K.... What's that?



Oh, I forgot. It was a way to sell a ton of generators!

James, your place will happen right on schedule barring TEOTWAWKI or other really gnarly things happening. Ain't it nice knowing what you know just in case things really do fall apart?!! Good luck, I'm going to bed.

[John W]

You know, the 'when it all falls apart' thing is part of it for me. Just a little place, as close to self-sufficient as I can reasonably make it. A solid little place away from most people, back in the woods, where your neighbors aren't going to freak out if you shoot a deer for meat.

[edkemper]

Live long enough and you'll live through all kinds of Total World Destruction forecasts.

For me, the first one I remember was Rock and Roll. It was expected to end the world as we knew it. Then came the Cuban Missle Crisis. Then Vietnam and those darn Hippies and their evil weed. Y2K was a very long time later. Isn't the world supposed to turn inside out or some such doomsday prediction later this year?

Yet the only thing that has really cost most of us is credit. Know what I mean?

[rawson]

You know, the 'when it all falls apart' thing is part of it for me. Just a little place, as close to self-sufficient as I can reasonably make it. A solid little place away from most people, back in the woods, where your neighbors aren't going to freak out if you shoot a deer for meat.
I am with you there. Got my 11 cords of firewood, for the Winter, 500 gallons of propane, 3000 gallons of potable water, just waiting for hunting season real food in the freezer, great luck with the garden also this summer.