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LOL!!! Kola, you just bubble over, don't you? :wink: (hehe, get it... kola, bubble over....)
Anyway.... I'm Angela, aka 2 cents, and my husband & I took the April 4th & 5th class this year.
We have land already, but alas, it had been logged before we bought it. We've had the perc test and waiting for septic permit, also working on getting water & power to the property, and I bought some dowels to start a model while we look for real logs. :)
2 cents
welcome Angela..You shoud have some good choices for those doug fir logs in your area..Good luck!
Bubbles. :shock:
Good morning, everyone!
My name is (also) Travis and I took the class just a couple weeks ago in June '07.
Very impressed with the structure and the information in the class.
Although I am very excited about building, I am also a little overwhelmed. Since I don't have any land, I am not really sure where to begin. So in the mean-time I will try to make it to the meetings and BBQ's and jump on the forum. All the while saving my pennies. I live in WA state, so I'm afraid I'm gonna have to save a LOT of pennies for the land!LOL!!
Wish you all the best!
welcome Travis, ( thats a good country name)( I wished I was named Levi)..anyway
read all the info here...get some ideas of what you want and then go land hunting. I think it is advantagous to select a piece of land that fits your ideas. It takes most folks about 2-3 years to get everything in order to begin the building process. (exceptions are rare but possible :)
There are lots of decisions to make as a owner-builder. (and your courage will be tested). It is a long haul and dedication and sweat are your highest costs. Take your time, enjoy the journey and stay focused on the finished product. It will be cherished for years and years.
Have fun,
Kola
Howdy, I'm new to the forum, and not as of yet a member of the association. I'm looking forward to joining, and participating in the class. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Bring a flashlight, it gets dark & the hill is steep :)Quote:
Originally Posted by tommygun
Welcome!
Howdy all!
My wife and I are very interested in taking the course and learning how to build our own log home. We figure we'd be stupid not to with our situation. We're both young, I'm 29, my wife is 30. We don't have kids. I work for a general contractor so borrowing equipment is no problem. I am a professional engineer so plans and all that is good. We have family members who are electricians, plumbers, and masons. All we really need is to take the class, buy some land, and get to work!
Is there anyone on the East Coast, close to Maryland, who has taken the course and built their own home using the methods taught and who would like to give us a tour? :)
We look forward to taking the next class!
Jay & Mandi
My name is Elena House, and my husband Thomas and I expect to move to Snohomish county, WA, in the next few months. After looking at housing prices in the area (at least twice what they are just west of St. Louis where I currently live) I quickly came to the conclusion that the only way I could have the large parcel of land I wanted AND a house larger than a toolshed would be to build rather than buy. Not just build, but find some inexpensive alternative method--my favorite until I found this website was steel buildings. It occurred to me to look into log kit homes, and Google, bless its binary heart, took me straight here.
Not only is this exactly what I would have most wanted--including the part where I get to actually BUILD it myself rather than hiring others to do it--but the classes are only available in a town within minutes of my future homesite! Apparently God's mysterious way is sometimes to drop something right into your lap with a big ol' flashing neon sign attached.
I'm 57 living retired in Oklahoma and not wanting another job other than doing what I want when I want. I've got a couple connecting waterfront lake lots on a protected cove on Lake O The Pines just north of Jefferson, TX. I'd like to build a small vacation type 20'X30' log cabin with a loft and remain as far off grid as I can without making things too difficult on myself.
Hi, I'm Lisa from South Carolina. I don't have land yet but in the process of looking. I have dreams of a log home in my near future. I hope to attend a class soon.
I'm looking for lots of information.
Thanks
Welcome to all the newbies!
If you got the passion and energy to take charge of your life and DIY, you come to the right place!
Read all you can and post often.
Hi everyone. I'm a pastor of a Southern Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon,Illinois. Mt. Vernon is an hour east of St. Louis. I've been reading the log home builders website for over a year, and I'll be glad when I can attend a class. I just bought an acre of land that has a 3.5 acre lake, a prefect spot for my log home!! Lord willing, I'll be able to attend a class this fall, if one is offered.
Blessings to all,
Jim Duncan
Wouldn't it be great if we had our own chat room? Posting on the forum is great, but a chat would so much quicker. Just a thought
My wife and I have been visiting this site for a few months, and have been wanting to build a log home. We were thinking about the recent class in April, but circumstances wouldn't allow. A buddy of mine and I are anxiously awaiting the opportunity to sign up for the next class - love the website and looking forward to learning more!
Scott (Peanut)
Hi All,
For over 20 yrs, I read in the UW Experimental Collage about a course on log homes... but never got around to taking it. sigh But after 25 yrs of Great Northwest / Seattle living (including 5 yrs of house remodeling and permit wrangling) I opted for a totally new experience, and moved to Scandinavia: Denmark, Sweden, and finally Norway. But it looks like I'm finally going to settle down in Latvia, and I'm considering purchasing some beautiful land overlooking a pristine lake, with two log homes: one is 100yrs old with need of repair, the other, a brand new shell, made from logs imported from Siberia! Both are in need of work to make them winter-hearty, and I plan on making additions of new buildings as well (log of course). So I'm sure I'll be pestering this great website with questions. Maybe I'll even try to come back home for a weekend workshop in Monroe... The locals are extemely friendly and knowledgeable (good thing my wife speaks Latvian and Russian, I don't, yet) I'll try and pick up any 'local tips' and would love to share/compare with LHBA ideas. Let me know if anyone has questions for this side of the pond!
Cheers,
Jim
Hello everyone!
I'm interested in the next available class, but I'm having trouble getting information. I've sent a couple of e-mails and left a couple of voicemails, but haven't heard back!
Hi all,
I have been coming to the forum for a few years now and we may
be on the verge of buying some land in the next week or two. So
if all goes well I am also hoping hubby and I can get into the next
class as we will need to begin building ASAP.
This is a great new forum guys, thanks for all your hard work!
God Bless Ya,
grannyk
Hi ClubMike!
Yup, we live in the midwest too, in Illinois near the Mo border.
We haven't attended a class yet but hope to soon.
God Bless Ya,
grannyk
Russ: Consider looking in the Wells Grey Park area near Clearwater BC. Beautiful pristine area not too far from Edmonton and land prices still decent.
Hi Steve, Hi All, I'm Dan from Madison, Ohio. I just became a member, I look forward to talking with you all especially when I can take the classes and start my lifelong dream(goal) of building my first loghome(the right way:) )
Hey all, my name is Ronnie, and I am looking forward to taking the class next time it is offered, ( I have been wanting to take it for about 3 years now, but didnt have any $$) anyways, I have been interested in log homes for a while, and have worked building trail in the national forest here in VA for about 10 years, www.tri-statecompany.com and am looking forward to building, I have 20 acres in putnam wv, for logs, and am just looking for a few acres in VA to live on..and I need to take the class....waiting for the next one
Ronnie
Hell all!
I'm in the process of buying some land in Washington State and I would like to build a cabin on it in a couple of years. I'm having trouble getting information on how to sign up for the next available class. If anyone has any information that could help please respond!
Hi,
I am just wondering if I could get some comments from other people who took the class who also started with no knowledge base, or if there are any books you suggest I read before taking the class that could be helpful?
I am really excited about taking the class and hearing your comments.
Thanks much,
Jen W
Turnerk, there are no classes scheduled at this time, which is normal for the summer. Keep checking back every so often for updates since the classes are usually offered in the fall, winter, and spring.
Jnwillia, my recommendation is to take the class before doing any other type of planning. I had ideas on what I wanted to do before I took the class and they got changed (for the better) after taking the class. As for books...the class will suggest several books to read that will help with certain areas of the building process.
And welcome to both of you!
Hi, I am awaiting for a class. I own a small plot of ground by a lg pond or small lake. It currently has a 75 year old vertical log cabin on the land. The footer boards are rotten and the logs are shifting. I had several contractors and an arctiect look at up and can't save it. I am now looking for options for rebuilding. If anybody has any information about saving the current structure I am all ears!! looking forward to class.
Sandi from PA
Welcome, I too am anxiously waiting on the next class.
in the mean time you might want to take some photos and contact these folks about your vertical log building. They seem to know a deal about them.
http://www.loghomes.co.za/index-2.htm
I have yet to take the course but do plan on taking it in the next couple years. I'll be moving to Philippines so i am curious if the log homes building strategies here in North America would work just as well over there or would a person need to modify the building strategies?
Saw the comment on the site about exclusions. I hope I'm not on the exclusion list. I've been a part of law enforcment for many years and love what I do as I love our people. We have dreams of becoming self-sufficient and mortgage free and have hopes of building a log cabin home in the mountains for our family. When I found your website I about flipped as it stood for everything I've always believed in. I hope I'll be given a chance to be a part of this.
Thanks
John B.
Hi Captain JB,
Do LEO's take an oath to honor and uphold The Constitution/Bill of Rights?
Kola
Hello Kola:
Yes.
JB
JB, That is good to know because I personally feel many LEO's do not know and/or understand the The Bill of Rights. Do all LEO's get training on these issues? In my past encounters with LEO's it was clear they had no knowledge of The Constitution/Bill of Rights nor were they interested in honoring or upholding them. This greatly concerns me.
Kola
I took Skips class in Oct 1999. What a great time and then stuck around for the monthly meeting on the following Tuesday. I helped him set up the first email listing and played with Chip when he was 4. (I had to ask, too, cause I was afraid that FANG would jump out and get me!!!!!
My hand was tired of writing by the time the class was done. Nice to hear that there is a notebook now.
I am in the process fo getting land and logs to being in 2008. There are not alot of trees suitable for log home building in the IOWA/NEBRASKA area, so I'm having to go elsewhere.
I can get the logs cheap enough from the NFS or BLM (only a few have been helpful) but the hauling from Wyoming (closest) or California/Oregon/Alabama is enormous!!!
Still, its alot better to get the trees and pay the shipping so that I can fulfill the dream that started with Skip in 1999.
Thanks for the website .
Kola, (all others)
a GREAT BOR site is http://jpfo.org/borcampaign.htm
Support hem and you'll be "well read" by the time you're done.
James.
SW Iowa
Logless, but looking :+
Hey, I haven't seen anything about a list of exclusions. Just for curiousity's sake, what are the exclusions? I could understand not wanting someone in the class that has been unjustly badmouthing the LHBA on another website, but the guy above was worried about being excluded for being a police officer. I assume that that is just a misunderstanding, but I am a firefighter, (we commonly get grouped with the police and other emergency workers and rightfully so - we are all in emergency response work) and I just want to make sure I am not on the list because I really want to take the class in the future.
Don't get me wrong. I believe the LHBA has the right to refuse anyone from a class for any reason (it is their class, after all) I just haven't seen such a list of exclusions and did not know it even existed. I just want to make sure I am not on it before I get my hopes up any further.
ty JR. All and any information regarding these concerns are greatly appreciated. We need to start educating others about how this country was founded and understand what our forefathers gave us. We are slowly losing these rights...and we need to start exercising them before they are completely eradicated and/or taken away. We have been asleep way too long.
Kola
I was responding to "our famous two day log home class" on the home page. Click on it and it goes to a page that describes who may not join the association or attend the class. I was responding to that. At the bottom of the statement is my comment if you want to view it. I hope the exclusions don't include the likes of you and me. I have the same disdain for meddling government that many others have and the same hopes for my own family quest for self-sufficiency.
JB
Captjb98...
I just read the part you were talking about. Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but even though we may get paid by the gov't, it would be hard to consider police and firefighters as bureaucrats. We fall more under the frontline, expendable, knuckledragging (thus the moniker) worker label. Bureaucrats love red tape. Most of us emergency workers hate red tape because it keeps us from doing our jobs efficiently. Bureaucrats want to control others. If we truly take our jobs seriously, we like going into situations that are a bit beyond our control in an effort to help others. Bureaucrats are all about power and prestige. Most emergency workers I know can really identify with the Garth Brooks song, "I've Got Friends in Low Places," and couldn't care less about prestige.
I have not attended a class yet, but my impression of the people I have dealt with on this sight and who I have talked to personally that have attended a class is that they are fed up with the meddling government you mentioned. No one can identify better with those frustrations than those of us who watch government bureaucrats and bean counters make daily decisions that negatively impact our ability to do our jobs well and do our jobs safely. My understanding is that the LHBA is all about helping the common man who isn't afraid of a little hard work reach his dreams, get ahead by avoiding a mortgage, and get a profound sense of satisfaction in the process. In a nutshell, they're our kinda folk.
My name is Stephen Smith, I found this site and have been hooked on the idea. I am married have four kids. I was reading the comment about exclusions and I hope military is not included. My wife and I hope to take the class early next year.
Has anybody looked into solar power for the remote cabins?
Thanks for the info Kyle!
Hi Steve & everyone. My wife & i are wanting to attend your next class. Any date set yet? We live 35 miles north of Houston, Texas. The humity here is a killer. We want to take your class, find somewhere to build and get started.
ezyplay
Jim & Judy Dorman