Introduce yourself

**blane** · 08-29-2012, 06:31 AM

Kevin,
I am also the kind of guy who likes to educate himself as far as I am able, but when it comes to building a home that will house my children I want it to be done right. Trust me on this, even if you take the class you will still be self educating yourself along the way. The class will give all the details on how to build the most solid and well built log home you have ever seen and the best part is they can teach you how to do it without a mortgage. So if you are "cheap" the price of the class is peanuts and will actually save you thousands of dollars and teach you how to avoid having your home rot to the ground.

Like LHN I make nothing from my participation on this forum, and that is the best part of a community like this. People here genuinely help each other. I live only 30 minutes from Asheville myself but I traveled to the extreme side of the country in Washington to take my class, and every penny it cost me has been recouped from the knowledge I gained not to mention the opportunity to see some beautiful country.

**panderson03** · 08-29-2012, 06:55 AM

HI there Mr. Kevin. so great to have another RN here!! I know there's alot of info on these public forums but the key building details are reserved for the class. I'm pretty cheap too; pinch every penny!! but the cost of the class, hotel, airfare for the 2 of us is MINIMAL compared to how much money we've saved using the principles outlined in class. you sound like a pretty independent thinker so I know you're going to have to make up your own mind about this. all I can do is give you my own personal experience. for us, taking the class has been one of the best investments of our lives. (and if you don't find the class helpful, there's always the money-back guarantee... ). welcome. I'm glad you've found us!!

**Timber** · 08-29-2012, 10:46 PM

Check and see if you can write the school off...i did..its class >101< whatever that means!
you might even feel beter if you take a vacation while at it.

skip the class? no

**GreenEyes** · 08-30-2012, 03:29 PM

I'm pretty "cheap" too, and have never traveled much. I first discovered the LHBA website when we were house-hunting and getting ready to buy during the summer of 2004. Found it again 2-3 years ago while cleaning out my e-mails. I sent another e-mail to my husband saying, "This link still works, and I still think this is a cool idea."

I loved the LHBA website and photos, but was afraid to spend so much money for us to take the class. And I never did find airfare and hotel prices that I thought were "cheap" but then I'm from Alabama. I think our costs of living are pretty good here, so perhaps that's why it seemed so expensive to us. But we are living in an old manufactured home on 3 acres of land we love and really want to build a home. So last year when one of the "next class" announcements came out and the first day of class was on our 18th wedding anniversary, I told my husband maybe it was a sign we were supposed to take the class. (He was ready before I was. The total cost was what was holding me back.)

So we registered for the class, then checked prices for airfare and hotel separately and in packages, in several different places. Finally decided to stay at Harrah's, where the class was. Paid for it separately from our Delta airfare from ATL to Las Vegas, because there was a deal on the buffet on Harrah's website, and it seemed to be cheaper that way. (May not always be that way. I'd recommend pricing it both ways.) We did not rent a car, but used a shuttle to and from the airport. Went out to dinner on our own the first night (and paid for a taxi both ways), used the buffet at Harrah's for breakfast Saturday through breakfast Sunday, ate snacks in our hotel room, and had McDonald's a couple of times. So we did our version of cheap to get to the class. We flew into Vegas on Friday afternoon/evening, then left around lunch on Monday, so it cost $1390 for the 2 of us to attend class, $870 for airfare, and about $465 to stay at Harrah's. That's a lot of money for us.

And it was worth EVERY CENT! I think LHBA has a money-back guarantee on their class cost. Can't imagine someone who is serious about building going to the class and not believing it was worth the cost. You'll get a ton of info in those 2 days, good notes, and support from the LHBA members. The members only forum and the support (and sometimes actual help building) from other members is something that you would not get most places. And that greatly increases the value. You might be able to figure out a way to do this yourself, but the LHBA way is tried and true. We also bought the house plan set after class, and hope to build the 40x40. I feel much better having plans that were specifically engineered for a log home.

If you think you might want to take the class, I'd recommend doing that before trying to build a log home, as I believe that will disqualify you from attending/joining LHBA. Their goal is to save people from making costly mistakes in building. I grew up knowing a little about home construction because my dad helped build 2 of his family's homes and a huge addition on another brother's home. So I've been around it, seen the process, and even helped a little. Log home construction is very different. I went to the class thinking we might be able to use this method to build a log home. I left class totally convinced we can! I saw photos of homes built by inexperienced people, and we have way more general construction/repair experience than that already.

We paid our mortgage off last August, 2 months after attending class June 4-5, 2011. Hope to be able to start building next spring. I highly recommend the class!

**panderson03** · 08-30-2012, 03:39 PM

congrats on paying off the mortgage, greeneyes!! what a big step!! let the planning begin

how FUN!

**Lanesue** · 09-01-2012, 03:57 PM

At age 52 my husband I decided to build a log home. I mean all by ourselves. The logs had to be authentic, hand hewn from structures built prior to the civil war. This should be easy.....:
1. We had recently moved to TN from Denver. City slickers!
2. My husband is heat intolerant.
3. We don't have any money
4. We are raising a young grandson
5. We moved onto our land, into a (1976) 5th wheel, with grandson and a Persian cat named ,Banjo, in tow.. Our only vehicle, a 1982 Mazda RX7.

Impossible? Stay tuned...

**panderson03** · 09-01-2012, 07:43 PM

nothings impossible!!
glad you found us

**loghousenut** · 09-01-2012, 08:24 PM

I wish I was 52.

I'm staying tuned... I think it is doable!

**spiralsands** · 09-01-2012, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by Lanesue

At age 52 my husband I decided to build a log home. I mean all by ourselves. The logs had to be authentic, hand hewn from structures built prior to the civil war. This should be easy.....:
1. We had recently moved to TN from Denver. City slickers!
2. My husband is heat intolerant.
3. We don't have any money
4. We are raising a young grandson
5. We moved onto our land, into a (1976) 5th wheel, with grandson and a Persian cat named ,Banjo, in tow.. Our only vehicle, a 1982 Mazda RX7.

Impossible? Stay tuned...

I'm 56 now...joined here when I was what...50? I'm a single woman building with the help of her adult daughter and others yet to be hired. I also am heat intolerant. Spent 25 years in the Florida torture chamber and was heat stroked in summer 2010. Moved upstate NY in January 2011. Glad to cool my skull in the white, grey winter. I'm presently working on a build of a Little House to stay in while we build our larger log home.

I'm lately into encouraging any woman who is afraid to build alone...I guess I've pretty much beat down the stereotypes and want a little company in the journey.

Frances

**Petra** · 09-08-2012, 06:24 AM

My name is Petra, Iam from Czech republic and Iam going to make my dream come true

I believe that I can do anything with proper tools.
I always went against stream and I will do so till the end of my days.

**housetruckin** · 09-08-2012, 06:32 AM

Welcome Petra! Coming to Vegas in November?

Originally Posted by Petra

My name is Petra, Iam from Czech republic and Iam going to make my dream come true

I believe that I can do anything with proper tools.
I always went against stream and I will do so till the end of my days.

**Gomer** · 09-08-2012, 08:22 AM

Originally Posted by housetruckin

Welcome Petra! Coming to Vegas in November?

Petra has to have already attended a class at some point as LHBA member is under name

**Petra** · 09-08-2012, 01:26 PM

Thank you! I´ve been in Vegas last weekend

**Petra** · 09-08-2012, 01:27 PM

Yes, last weekend

And Iam happy I did it.

**Mosseyme** · 09-08-2012, 02:57 PM

Welcome Petra,
Glad you could join our family, you will find more support here than you can yet imagine.

**Petra** · 09-09-2012, 01:44 AM

Thank you

**northerngal** · 09-15-2012, 01:49 AM

Originally Posted by Petra

Yes, last weekend

And Iam happy I did it.

Really Petra? There was another Czech woman in September's class? I was the 'Canadian' gal sitting at the back... but Czech-born. :-)

**Petra** · 09-15-2012, 06:47 AM

Really? That´s sad we didn´t have chance to speak

But I was so exhausted because of time change so I just concentrated to stay awake

So where are you from in Czech republic and for how long you lived there?

**northerngal** · 09-15-2012, 11:07 AM

Those were some intense learning days, can't even imagine doing it jet lagged.

I'm from Moravia, my family defected when I was 8. In which area are you thinking of building? I'm located in Edmonton, Alberta, hoping to build west of the city.

A while back I was pointed to Debby's blog (a member who built a spectacular home in my area) and ever since then I was hooked. Actually I think I was born with the log home dream, but the LHBA way made it a possibility. ;-)

**Zetmandu** · 09-15-2012, 05:23 PM

Welcome northerngal and Petra. Not that you have taken the class, the forum reading and head spinning really beings

**Petra** · 09-16-2012, 04:55 AM

Ahhh, my granny comes from Moravia. It is very nice place. Iam from central Czech - area around Prague.
I don´t know yet where would be my first log home as I live partly in Malaysia as well. And guess that there it would be bit easier because of weather conditions. But don´t know yet..
With me it is similar - since I remember I had two dreams - log home (built by my own hands) and to breed horses

But until I found LHBA I was just dreaming about building it, but now Iam sure that my dream will come true soon

**LogHomeFeverDan** · 09-22-2012, 03:47 AM

Hello all!! I'm Dan and yes I have the fever. We are in the process of purchasing a spit under 9 acres in the pre foothills of North Carolina. I just "discovered" this site and forum yesterday. I'm completely engrossed already. I've not been able to get to a class yet but will make every effort to get to one asap. I'd so LOVE to build our own log home on this property. Anywho, I've been scanning the forums and reading. Thanks to all who post here. I will document the process verbally and pictorially. Our family, myself, wife, 2 gorgeous daughters, dog and cat, yes they are both female too! I'm thinking I'll need to build a separate "Dad's bathroom". <ducking>

**Opherman47** · 09-22-2012, 04:25 AM

Hello my name is Chris.. Currently I am in Kabul, Afghanistan Looking to build a log cabin when I get back from my deployment. I play a lot of guitar, brew my own beer, and like to camp and whitewater kayak. Thanks for hosting this forum. I hope to catch a class!

**Opherman47** · 09-22-2012, 04:27 AM

Oh and I live in Nashville... couldnt figure out how to edit my thread

**housetruckin** · 09-22-2012, 05:14 AM

Fever,

What part of NC? We are considering that area for our build. We used to live in Waynesville and just love Western NC.

Originally Posted by LogHomeFeverDan

Hello all!! I'm Dan and yes I have the fever. We are in the process of purchasing a spit under 9 acres in the pre foothills of North Carolina. I just "discovered" this site and forum yesterday. I'm completely engrossed already. I've not been able to get to a class yet but will make every effort to get to one asap. I'd so LOVE to build our own log home on this property. Anywho, I've been scanning the forums and reading. Thanks to all who post here. I will document the process verbally and pictorially. Our family, myself, wife, 2 gorgeous daughters, dog and cat, yes they are both female too! I'm thinking I'll need to build a separate "Dad's bathroom". <ducking>

**panderson03** · 09-22-2012, 06:10 AM

welcome Dan and Chris. so glad you found us. have fun reading the threads.

**LogHomeFeverDan** · 09-22-2012, 05:03 PM

I believe technically it's Morgan township. The closest actual town is Lake Lure. The property however is about nine miles from the lake. Thanks for asking Housetruckin.

**pastormichael** · 09-22-2012, 08:22 PM

Hello everyone,
My name is Michael I am a pastor in Rock Springs Wy, been here for a year and a few months. My wife and I have six children their ages 13 to 10. We had three children of our own and then we adopted three more children, their ages are 13, 12, 12, 11, 11, 10 very much like having three sets of children. We would love to build a home of our own, where our children can patake in the building of our own home. We haven't purchase property yet, but we are looking. Trying to get the money together for the class in November. I love this site, we have learned so much already, can't wait to build friendships through this website. Blessing to all.