Introduce yourself

glad to hear you'll be joining our little clic. You'll learn tons in the class. You'll want to be a morning and night person for the classes, as you won't want to miss any of the 14* hrs of instruction each day. It might be easier if you got in at the lodge, but I suspect they can't house all 30 or so students.

Anyway, where are you located? You don't sound like you are local, as you "booked [airline?] tickets. There are lots of very rual off-the-grid places available, and where ever you are, a member will be able to point you towards an area "near" you. I am building 6.5 hrs from seattle and 3 hrs from spokane, in NE washington. I'll be starting next spring. Once you get your member credentials, check out the thread http://www.loghomebuilders.org/just-got-backordeal-1 for some pictures and description of a recent outing to my land.

Anyway, enjoy the class and glean as much info as possible from the members. We are all here to help each other.

-Peter

Hi Peter!

Honestly, I was just planning on camping in the parking lot. I'm on a tight budget at the moment. >_<

Right now I'm in the vicinity of Chico / Paradise, and I see that some of the other people in here are too (I'd be happy to help y'all as soon as I know my way around the material), but I don't think I'm staying in California; the panhandle of Idaho is sounding more hospitable at this point, and the land is affordable for someone fresh out of the gate.

I will check your thread as soon as I have access, thanks!

Cheers!

hey Rebecca,
Have you all finished your house in Raleigh? I was wondering because i attended the class in 2005 with my (X) wife and wanted to build my own house one day as well. I have had some difficulty finding the logs however in NC. I live in Hickory, NC and there is some decent land out here at decent prices but still wanting to see some other homes close to where i live.

Can you send me some pictures?

clydesdale.nc@gmail.com

thanks,
nate chaney

welcome, Ed!

Check out Mike Vowels' home:
http://www.loghomebuilders.org/image-galleries/student-log-homes/mike-vowels

One of the best things about this method of building is that you can set it up to be very low-maintenance. I'm glad you found our little community! Keep reading here and you will learn a lot!

2 cents

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Randall1309

Wow, you have a fast time line if you're planning on building inside of a year. Maybe you're just getting the land in that time? Not sure. Anyhoot, good luck to you. I am in a similar frame of mind as you. My son was born late August (2 months old), and I am looking into free energy (zero point energy using magnets), and easy house heating (rocket stove, also doubles as a cooking stove). But we're open to all the options when it comes to living off the grid. We're taking the class Dec. 6th/7th, and sometime after the new year we'll be moving to Spokane County from Vancouver.

This site is awesome. Read as much as possible. Look at the student houses. View the websites people link below their posts. My whole thought process has changed just in the little I have already learned.

Randall

ps. another high dollar expense might be a go-kart or a few...

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Hey Randall,

We are just planning on buying the land inside of 2 years, not the whole project!

Congrats on your new son, It is such a gift being a new dad, and I found such energy to get the projects done as soon as possible! Where can I find information on the zero point energy, seems interesting, and I haven't read about it.

I would really like to take the class on the 6th / 7th, but unfortunately, unless someone drops out (crosses fingers) I have to wait until the next class. If you need any help with information about Spokane County - I'd be happy to help, My wife was born and raised on the ourskirts of the County, and I was a realtor here for several years (not a realtor any more, not a very honorable profession it seems)

I've been reading all I can on the site! It's a great resource! I'm sketching my plans now, with the understanding most likely they will change after the class. I just can't wait to get started.

Also, if you need help on your house, let me know, I'm local and have a good back :)

Thanks again,

PDR

sorry repost!

otg pdr,

one hint, if you are sketching floorplans, think square! (30x30, 35x35, or 40x40). It will all make sense after the class (a LOT of sense).
As someone who was sketching before the class too, i wanted to give you that one tidbit....

2 cents :)

Advise taken...I have a square, with one extension (trying to squeeze in a 3rd bedroom) I hope I'm not damning myself here....

OTG,

3 bedrooms in a 1-floor cabin makes for pretty small bedrooms. If you are doing a second floor, it should be easy even on a 30x30 footprint. Also, you can fairly easily build a stick frame addition to your home. Check out Mike Vowels home: http://www.loghomebuilders.org/mike-vowels-log-home he did that. I would leave it to later, though. get your cabin done first and put the kids in the same bedroom for a while.

-Peter

Hello there Everyone,

Hi, my name is Cid. I had a log home built in the swedish scribe style (thats what the builder called it). The house did settle, but was designed well to handle that. It was gorgeous and used massive logs (most over 20 inches). The guy who did the shell was from germany and I think I lucked out in finding him because he was a genius. I unfortunately had to sell that house because I relocated. Now I would like to build another log home. I really dont want a massive mortgage and the type of house I want to build, my standards, my taste and the land location will make using a builder/kit very expensive. So, here I am! I am very excited to learn more about building my own log home.

I would love to sign up for the next class! Anyone know when it will be?

Thanks and look forward to getting to know you all!

Cid

sounds amazing. Sounds like Steve/Mr. E. have 2 classes this month. That is quite a lot. You try talking for 7 hrs a day. Anyway, I get the impression that they love it, so they keep doing it. I imagine you'll see some more classes before next summer, but that is only a hunch. Glad to see you here. The LHBA methods will allow you to build as complex or spartan as you please--with only a couple of basic tennants.

Anyway, the best way to learn is to read as much of this site as you can and then take the class. You'll save much more than the cost of the class. I am building mortgage free. Here's a hint: property values will have a lot to do with building affordably. You can't build a mortgage free log home in the center of manhattan, even if the home was free. If you have freedom to live where you may, then you have several steps up.

Glad to have you here.

-Peter

Hi,

I'm Bill and I just registered on the site. I'm interested in log homes and have been for years. So far I haven't seen too much off the site, but enough to realize I can learn some things here and I look forward to that. At present I'm in a holding pattern with where I live and what I'm going to be doing as far as building and where, but I hope to get all that figured out over this winter. I'm thinking of trying to move to the Ozarks and building there. This class sounds like something I would like to do and I'll be making plans to attend in the future. I'm hoping that I can learn from this sight in the mean time. I'm sure I'll have questions as they arise and I can find how to ask them.
Thanks for the site.

Hello everyone and am I sure glad to have found this site!! I purchased 5 acres some 2 years ago out on San Juan Island with a dream to build a cabin and have that great place to go to as a place of solitude and quiet. Then I found out the high costs of building out on the San Juan Islands and had just about given up on my dream. I hope to take your class soon and get my ideas moving forward again. I reside here in Napa, CA; no grape grower or vitner, just a guy who has recently retired and hopes to build that nice log cabin in the woods someday...........

I took the class with (Ex) wife about 3 years ago and have a new found interest in what I started 3 years ago. Currently living in the City and have a decent life but with a desire for more. In the current economic situation, self reliance seems to take priority and so is being debt free. I have been a business owner, investor, developer, and sales manager and see the ways that we all need to improve as Americans. We are truly not free and don't let anyone tell you we are not. I am interested in meeting people close by that I can see what they are doing and bounce ideas off of. I enjoyed the class with Ellsworth, and Steve but I am ready to make some of this happen. Anyone from North Carolina, I would love to correspond with and get ideas on what we are trying to do.

nate

I am new to the site. Subscribe to Log Home Living and for many years now have wanted to put log siding on my exixting stucture and ad full log addition. Is this possible or not? Will it look OK? I would like to find an Amish builder who would be familiar with butt and pass technique as I have read so many downside comment to the kits that are out there. Would really like some straight answers or someone honest that can do the work on the house. I have had some injuries to both my arms so I do not think I could do this myself. But, maybe send a nephew out to see how to do this type of building method and turn him loose on the house that he stands to inherit. Comments please.....All my best Joan

I don't know how successful you are going to be finding an Amish guy who is familiar with BnP. Maybe a nephew would do well at a class, but I would expect even if you aren't planning to do the work yourself, you would do well to come anyway. You would learn lots about what to do and look out for, and would be able to tell contractors/helpers what to do. I know nothing about Log siding, except I suspect it is like any other wood siding--you have to protect it and it is made to last so many years (maybe 20). I plan on making a home that requires next to no maintenence, including applying (expensive) protectant every few years.

Anyway, I will say that you have found a den of honesty and uprightness, and if a member will help you out, you have little to worry about. I suspect, however, that most members are trying to get their own houses in order (sorry for the pun), and not really willing to take on an addition project.

-Peter

Hi. We're new to the site. We bought a handcrafted log home from a guy in Indiana. We're also looking for a timberframer if anyone knows where we can locate a reasonable one in the Western PA, Ohio or WV area. We plan to build in the spring, but for now the logs are just sitting.

Hi Steve:
I don't know if you remember me from Dec. of 07, but you were our instructor for about half the class. Dave Gumm and I took the seminar together a year ago, to start the plans for our Dream Log Home. When we left the class, we were absolutely stoked. Here it is a year later and the passion has only grown. We haven't made any huge strides, but over the year we have done the following: Looked for property in NE Washington and West montana; acquired a few tools with the log home in mind (including a few spuds); we got carhart jackets (but still have to sew our patches on; and we obtained all the dowells to start our scale model. As soon as we locate the perfect property, we will order the plans for the 35 x 35 version with a garage to match that size. I have become a critic on log construction and the only thing I have built is a carrot and cream-cheese log home (butt & pass, of course). I have just reconnected with your web site here and wanted to say thanks for the class, it was so invigorating and informative. I hope to make a bunch more progress this year (hopefully property and plans), so will keep you posted. One quick question, where do we hear about the quarterly pot lucks? We would like to attend and start networking with your other wonderful students.

Thanks so much,
Pamguin

My name is Ed, I'm a married 57 year old gimp and I presently live in Folsom, CA, on the fringe of Sacramento County with my family. We just bought 320 acres in Southern Oregon, just north of Klamath Falls. The drier part of the state. The property is half (160 acres) Lodge Pole Pine and Aspen stands with a seasonal duck pond, and the other half is a large, beautiful, unspoiled valley of wetlands with a seasonal river. We plan on building all our buildings with logs from the property. My wife and I want a smaller sized house, we need a smaller detached cabin/apartment for my autistic son so he can live independently, and we need another small cabin for visitors. Plus the garage and work shop. They all will be wheelchair accessible. I have power lines less than 100 yards from where I want to put the house. I can sell my excess power production to the grid for retail so I am likely going to be connected. As for water, obviously it's only a few feet down and will produce enough so I can keep the seasonal duck pond filled year round and be able to stock it with fish. Obviously few neighbors and the nearest restaurant is 16 miles away. Perfect.

I hope to teach my son to make log furniture. It's be a great career for him and he could build it all from our property's bounty. I promised my daughter she would graduate from her High School so I have almost 4 years before I can move permanently. I've dreamed of building a custom log cabin and now it seems achievable. I look forward to meeting and learning from others. My wife and I are particularly excited about getting to one of the seminars as soon as we can arrange it. I've already started doing research and looking for used tools.

edkemper

This is Ed, I'm from Folsom. How are you doing in the process of building?

Edkemper

sounds ike you know what you want and have a good plan on how to get there. yes, taking the class and accessing the member's section will help immensely. Glad to hve you here. I am building in northeast washington, albeit not quite on 320 acres (only 20).

-Peter

Got that once in a lifetime chance for this piece of property. Paid for. Now I'm broke and have to build our homes. The works starts now, the easy part is history.

Just bought 40 acres in south-central Colorado (Fort Garland area) with incredible views, but many challenges await. Water and power will both be potential challenges, but the structure is why i am here. Looking at floorplans now, somewhere @1500 Sq. ft to start, then maybe add on later when more $$$$$ becomes available. I plan doing as much by myself as time allows, as i will be traveling 9 hours to the property when time/vacation allows. Looking to get the ball rolling after the ground thaws, but still unsure about contruction methods...I am researching "LiteForms.com" for foundation ideas, i like the R-factor and strength introduced by using this method. At 9700 ft elevation, i am either going to have to use large diameter logs or do a log siding with traditional 2X6 walls to get decent R-Factors for the walls. Looking to go Green whenever possible as well as milking any/all TAX CREDITS offered by our Uncle Sam. Advice welcomed! Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Kyle

My step father is a well driller by trade. He was telling me about a unit that serves as a traditional pump style, and also has an electric pump that can later be instaled to the house. May not be a bad idea to have water on hand in the initial build stages before pluming or even serve as a back-up in an emergancy. Also, I know maine has a "tree growth" plan that saves tax dollars if your property has a lot of trees on it. If you don't plan to cut down much or put just part of it in tree growth it may save on taxes. However if you sell the land and the buyer does not want the tree growth plan all back taxes must be paid. This is an option that should not be considered if you think you may sell the property, you plan on harvesting the trees, or if the tax savings is not that much. Good luck.

Hi, Steve!
I'm Roxanne & husband Roy. We've getting closer to our log home dream. We're still trying to find logs. NO KITS!
Really want to take a class. Any idea when the next one will be?
We live in Missouri & have a way to haul logs from Wyoming to home, but still working on finding the logs.
Are loggers the best way to go? The few contacts we've made are not real friendly. Any reason for that?
It seems if they can't mill them for you, they don't want to sell them. Are we doing something wrong?
It's great to finally have a contact for these questions.
Thanks, Roc

I live in alberta, canada on a First Nation reservation and am very interested in building an octogon building for youth gatherings. I do not know the first thing about construction but am passionate to learn or speak with someone who has log construction knowledge. My dream is to build an octogon log building to hold ceremonies in for the youth we work with. I need a person to come to Hobbema, Alberta, Canada and teach us how to build this type of structure. Anyone out there know of someone in this area who can assist me?

Andrea, this may help you "visually".
http://www.loghomebuilders.org/image-galleries/student-log-homes/old-log-homes-built-our-students/octagon-log-home

Wait a bit as there may be some LHBA members in your area that will chime in. Good luck!

Kola

Hail All, it's been awhile

I attended class in Dec 2003 with my oldest son Adam. We had flown out to Seattle from Michigan and spent 4 great days in the Monroe area. I was lucky enough to be seated directly next to Skip and across from Steve and Skip Jr (if memory serves me correctly). Oddly enough one of the things I remember about that class was (I think it was) Skip Jr's father in-law was rushed to the hospital and it caused a slight interuption as a few people hustled off after a few frazzled phone calls.

At the time, my wife and I had a business plan to build a B&B Lodge in the Toutle Valley down river from Mt St. Helen's. I had a huge scale model I built of the lodge showning 32 suites, cafe, great room, gift shop etc etc. In our plan each suite was centered around one of the many NW Indian tribes. Even tho we had planned to be in volcano country, we decided to go with Indian themed education and activites as additions to the lodge. Despite such a large meandering building, Skip's 35x35 blocks made it easy and structurely very sound.

We we're using the "catalog for domestic federal spending" to get a grant for a small hospitality business. After getting quiet a ways thru the system and getting a few capital investment people involved, we bought a cafe in LaConner, Wa. and moved out west from Detroit. We had been put on a 5 yr plan to become part of the local community and run a successfull hospitality business befor we would be granted the funds we needed to buy the land and start cutting logs.

2 yrs into the plann we became blessed with a son, big surprise since the wife was declared sterile in 1999. Time for a big decision... stay on track or get regular jobs. After much nashing of teeth. We decided it was to difficult to attempt to raise a child literaly INSIDE a busy cafe 7 days a week, 14 hrs a day. So we have both gone back to normal 9-5 jobs and have put the "plann" on the shelf. Considering the current state of the economy in the world today, it was probably a good idea.

This past weekend I got talking with a neighbor who is looking to build some homes in a wooded section of his property and lease them out. Kind of a local "Homes for Humanity" kind of thing actually. When I told him of the "Method" I learned from Skip, he was immediately interested. I do "inform" people as often as possible on Skip's teachings and hopefully a few have taken those things to heart. Anyway, that is why I came lookin for the website again this morning.

I was incredibly saddened to read that Skip had past away in August. First thing I thought of was the world has lost a great teacher, a first class patriot and all around wonderfull human being. Skip really made you feel at home in HIS home when you took his class. When you conversed by email, it was like talking with an old old dear, well educated, classy, friend. May his legacy live on thru Steve, Skip Jr. and the rest of us, his students. God bless you Skip.