Introduce yourself

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Originally Posted by mbriley

Hey guys, my name is Matthew and my wife and I have been looking into LHBA for about 6 months now. We just bought our tickets for the Memorial Day weekend class a few days ago and we're really excited! We're hoping to find out from the class whether we're crazy to think we can do this! We're located in Texas so we're not in the normal area for this, but I know at least a couple homes have been built down here (http://ourcottonwoodcreek.com/ is one).

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First, welcome to the family.

Second, yes you are crazy. Not because you want to build a log home. Just because you came here. Most of us are a little off the norm.

This is doable. You can do it. I'm a gimp that turn 65 next month and my immigrant 5', 100# wife and I start our build this year. Zero building experience for my wife. I've helped on building project with my father about 100 years ago.

Waiting for the class is weird. After the class, and after you catch up on sleep after the class, that is when the real fun starts.

I would also add to read every post you can before class. It really helped me to understand some of what they talked about in class. I don't regret going at all.

good advice!

I remember you my question is,
http://community.loghomebuilders.org...th-a-24ft-room
Has anyone modeled that any pics, 2005 student in the old place

I remember you my question is,
http://community.loghomebuilders.org...th-a-24ft-room
Has anyone modeled that any pics, 2005 student in the old place

Hello, all! My husband and I will be attending the Memorial Day Weekend class. We live in DC now, but are looking to buy land in the wonderful Live Free or Die! state of NH and start building our very own log cabin in the next year or so. My family thinks we're nuts and my mom still isn't convinced that you don't use a crane.....so I'm hoping by attending the classes, we will not only learn the techniques and resources, but also have all the answers to quiet them down! :-D

Hey there! My husband and I just got our tickets for that class too. We have all the same feels too....sounds insane but we are totally psyched if this is what is truly in store for us for homeownership. Guess we will see you guys out there!

-Michelle

welcome to the family, Michelle:)
class will definitely teach you how to build without a crane, so don't worry:)
you'll also learn everything you need to learn about the log work as well as a bunch of other tips to build well and cheap
glad you're here

Michelle & Blue,

Don't forget those doubters you encounter. The class will likely touch on that subject also.

The people that don't know the subject will tell you that you are crazy and that you can't do "it."

But this is where you'll find no doubters. We are all (well, most) like you. With the exception of a lot of little and big answers to all your little and big questions you'll have along the way.

Happy you and Blue made the commitment. You'll find family on the other side.

Just joined. East TN area and have land and trees. Going to take the class one day.....

welcome EMC:)
until you're ready to take the class, read up on all you can here.
glad you're here:)

Hello,

My name is Dani. Wife and I moved to Mt Hood, OR area last year and are looking for land to build our log home. We became members at the first class held in Las Vegas(who can remember when that was?). We drove around this area a lot and I'm a little surprised not to see any LHBA style homes around here. I'm curious why that is since this area is amazing. I'd love to connect with anyone looking to build here or who has built here. Thanks.

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Originally Posted by ice

Hello,

My name is Dani. Wife and I moved to Mt Hood, OR area last year and are looking for land to build our log home. We became members at the first class held in Las Vegas(who can remember when that was?). We drove around this area a lot and I'm a little surprised not to see any LHBA style homes around here. I'm curious why that is since this area is amazing. I'd love to connect with anyone looking to build here or who has built here. Thanks.

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There are not a ton of them on this side of the border. About a zillion in western Washington and a surprising number of them in the SE States. Next time you are in the temperate part of the state, stop in and say hi. If you need a base for sightseeing, we are halfway between the coast and Crater Lake.

I think the reason you don't see more LHBA homes is because either they think it can't be done or they don't want to be bothered with doing it themselves:)
welcome ICE.

Hello all,
My name is Dathan and im looking forward to meeting some great people and building a beautiful home. Cant wait till I get to attend the class in May

welcome to the family, Dathan:)

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Originally Posted by panderson03

I think the reason you don't see more LHBA homes is because either they think it can't be done or they don't want to be bothered with doing it themselves:)
welcome ICE.

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It's probably more like, in comparison to the pool of construction methods out there, LHBA members, even after 50 years in the business, still only make up an incredibly miniscule portion of the builders in the field.

Combine that with the fact that many true, die hard log home builders like rural settings and their privacy, it makes it that much less likely you'd come across one randomly. I know my place won't be found by accident.

Same here, if you see our place without an invitation you are somewhere you shouldn't be.

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Originally Posted by Mosseyme

Same here, if you see our place without an invitation you are somewhere you shouldn't be.

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Call me paranoid, but I worry that if I don't invite everyone in openly, I may miss somebody. This is the version of the LHBA "KEEP OUT" sign that was left, tacked to a pine tree by the driveway, a few years ago by a dear friend.

It still hangs and has served me well.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t...psb59249d9.jpg

Looks like the state might be missing a road sign somewhere...:rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Arrowman

Looks like the state might be missing a road sign somewhere...:rolleyes:

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Supposedly Jake inherited that yellow sign from a buddy while he was a college kid. Don't know why he wanted it but it would make a great skid plate for the dune buggy. It reads "SPEED HUMP".





Still can't figure out why a college kid would want such a thing.

People get wiser as they get older.

I like that my place is hard to find as well. In the summer you would never see my house till you turned into the drive.

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Originally Posted by blane

I like that my place is hard to find as well. In the summer you would never see my house till you turned into the drive.

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And in the winter you will barely be able to get up the snowy drive. But your place is beautiful, Blane. Made me jealous.

Hello all,
I am Marie, a professional classical musician living in the Mexican interior with my husband and son since 1998. I love natural building techniques (live in a 350 year old adobe home). I want to take the course and hope to build a log home in BC, Canada someday.

Welcome, Marie.
In BC you shouldn't have any problems finding logs for your build!!!

Mexico to Canada? thats a change of scenery!

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Originally Posted by Marie

(live in a 350 year old adobe home). I want to take the course and hope to build a log home in BC, Canada someday.

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If you can, I would live in both places (note where I live). Adobe and log homes have similar thermal properties, especially if the walls are two feet thick. I would not ignore Washington State if you can... Also WE have a member that lives in Point Roberts and built a 25 by 25.

Yes! Unfortunately BC land is quite expensive though... especially when paying with pesos! Currently looking at .5 acres which has "high slope instability". Seems like a bad idea, right? Hey, do you recommend I take the course before buying land?

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Originally Posted by Marie

Yes! Unfortunately BC land is quite expensive though... especially when paying with pesos! Currently looking at .5 acres which has "high slope instability". Seems like a bad idea, right? Hey, do you recommend I take the course before buying land?

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Definitely.

Sent from my VS986 using Forum Runner

YES! It is my dream to live in both places. Not sure I can swing it financially however. My husband is Canadian so he really wants us to move back there when I retire. Really struggling with finding affordable land in BC though. Any thoughts?

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Originally Posted by Marie

Yes! Unfortunately BC land is quite expensive though... especially when paying with pesos! Currently looking at .5 acres which has "high slope instability". Seems like a bad idea, right? Hey, do you recommend I take the course before buying land?

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Not a class taught thing, but steeper the land you build on, the more expensive your entire build becomes. Cheap sloped land will only cost you more on the back end.

Rough calculation I would estimate: Take percentage of slope, (45° = 100%) and that will also be the percentage of cost increase for your entire build.

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Originally Posted by Marie

YES! It is my dream to live in both places. Not sure I can swing it financially however. My husband is Canadian so he really wants us to move back there when I retire. Really struggling with finding affordable land in BC though. Any thoughts?

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If you're both going to be retired, then depending on the amount of exposure to civilization you require on a daily or weekly basis, you could look for properties further out from population centers.
I bought land in SE Alaska. Anything that even approached what I considered "affordable" had the phrase, "Access by water or float plane only".
It will raise construction costs, but if you find a parcel on navigable waters that's within acceptable boating distance for your tastes it may be quite a bit cheaper than the same sized parcel on a road system. You'd need to keep a skiff, and you'll most likely need to hire a LC to bring in some of your building supplies, but (for example) for the same price 5 acres that's an hour from shopping beats .5 acres that's 1o minutes from shopping....at least in my opinion. It's not for everyone, but it is an option.

Hello from New Mexico!
My name is Nancy and I just joined the forum. I will be attending the class in May and can't wait!

Wow! The Southwest is all of a sudden becoming the LHBA hotspot. Welcome to the party Nancy.

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Originally Posted by rreidnauer

Wow! The Southwest is all of a sudden becoming the LHBA hotspot. Welcome to the party Nancy.

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Do you know if there are LHBA homes in New Mexico?

I think you might be the first. BoFuller will give some insight when he reads this.

Yes, good ideas to consider. Makes me realize that I need to think this thing out better and get on the same page with my husband… I think he requires more access to civilization (museums, restaurants) than I do. It's hard to plan so far in advance, not knowing really how I will want to live when I am older. For a retirement plan, access to medical care seems important, for example. Wow, Alaska. Must be amazing!

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Originally Posted by rreidnauer

Not a class taught thing, but steeper the land you build on, the more expensive your entire build becomes. Cheap sloped land will only cost you more on the back end.

Rough calculation I would estimate: Take percentage of slope, (45° = 100%) and that will also be the percentage of cost increase for your entire build.

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Ooh boy. Okay. These development costs add up, don't they? Septic, well, electricity, plus slope. Important things to think about. The log home dream may have to stay simply a dream for now…

Well, don't give up. It took me three years before I settled on a piece of land. The irony being, it was in an area I thought I wouldn't be able to afford. Stars aligned, and the impossible became possible.