Can I build a log home (turnkey) in the $100,000. price range?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Shelley S on September 27, 2008 at 8:52am

Tom,

Good morning! My husband and I are planning to build a log home in the NW section of North Carolina near Smoky Mtn. National Park. Turnkey quotes we're getting from builders in the area are $130 - $165 a sq. ft. $165 includes high end finishes such as granite, slate, etc. Hope you find this information helpful. Best of luck to you.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by tom brodeur on September 27, 2008 at 12:23pm

Shelley,

Thanks for the info. Our property in Tennessee is in Townsend which is close to the National Park as well. Your response gives me a ballpark figure. I suppose it is a matter of adjusting sqare footage and finishes to meet the price objective. I will be building 1st in Michigan as that is my home state. I know costs differ by location. Good luck on your plans as well.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Shelley Martinez on September 28, 2008 at 10:49pm

Hi Tom,
We recently had a log home built in Gaylord, MI. Would you have a basement? Our builder did it for around $125/SF. He had good relationships w/ local suppliers and has been in the business for about 30 years. We bought our shell package from Hiawatha and had the builder supply the rest. As you begin this project - I would offer this unsolicited advice - if you want a log home - don't let others deter you. We came across many builders who tried to push us toward a stick built home or log sided home. If you have more questions - please feel free to contact me - shelley@elkcountryloghomes.com . We also documented our building process at www.logcabininmichigan.blogspot.com
(I recently became a rep. for Hiawatha since we loved our home so much.)
All the best to you!
Shelley Martinez

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Shelley Martinez on September 28, 2008 at 10:52pm

I should've also added that the price I mentioned below included a walkout basement, maple hardwood floors, custom kitchen cabinets, etc. - so we were pleased with what we got for the money. We did haggle hard!

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by tom brodeur on September 28, 2008 at 11:46pm

Shelley,

So what you are saying seems to agree with Shelley S., I can manage this if I keep the square footage and upgrades modest. I have property about 3 miles east of Walloon Lake so I am not far from Gaylord. I would like a basement and my property is hilly enough for a walkout without having to excavate much. You might be sorry you offered as I have lots of questions. I will contact you at your address above.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Shelley Martinez on September 29, 2008 at 12:03am

Tom,
Ask away! Additionally, on our elk country log home website - we do have a couple modest size log home kit floor plans listed - www.elkcountryloghomes.com . We modified a stock plan to save $ and our home is just under 1,400 SF.

Shelley

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by JANIS KUYKENDALL on December 12, 2008 at 1:33pm

Well we are trying to find someone in Virginia to do ours and the price so far from one builder is $149 with unfinished basement...was yours finished or not? We are paying all the association fees like water hook up and association requirements. I am still looking for someone. There are a lot of good people looking for work that will give us a fair price.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Joe on September 29, 2008 at 9:41am

Tom,
I don't believe they will deliver to Michigan but when the times comes you might want to look at Blue Ridge log cabins for your Carolina home as they are located in northern South Carolina. Their modular, true log home looks pretty interesting and they have several models around 1000 sq ft. The only thing that I have found that might be considered a negative is that they use a 6 x 8 D log while most log home companies use and 8 x 8 although the narrower log is used for economy log homes by some. I haven't been able to find any complaints so far in my research. You put in the foundation and they drop the completed home on it. You hook up the power to the preinstalled electrical panel, hook up the water and the sewer and start cooking dinner. Decks are not included but they will quote on that. In theory they are done in 10 to 12 hours. HGTV did a special on them and they have the video on their web site.
Joe




http://www.blueridgelogcabins.com/index.php

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by tom brodeur on September 29, 2008 at 10:44pm

Joe,

It is certainly something to consider. I hope to build something a little more elaborate in Tennessee with the intent on spending more time there after retirement. Thanks for the response.

Tom

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ted on September 30, 2008 at 8:07pm

Hi Tom. Like you I'm looking to build a log home within my budget but I guess I'm doing something wrong. When I add my budget figures to the dri-in price I'm getting from log home manufactures I'm coming out way out of my budget limits. I realize that I probably will not be able to do a turn key exactly to my budget but it seems that I'm way out in left field someplace. I'll give you an example. I just got a quote from a very reputable log home manufacturer in North Florida. I should point out that the house I want to build is about 2200 square feet. Basically a rectangle with a second story and loft. Three bedrooms and 2.5 baths. His price to me is $252,514 and I'm not sure if that includes shipping and taxes.
My end of the budget is about $124,000. This includes just about everything from excavation, foundation, septic, well, back fill, appliances, cabinets, tile, fixtures, flooring, lighting, doors, locks, garage doors, attorney fees, permits and additional labor. I've even factored in moving expenses from Florida to North Carolina.
The total of the 2 numbers is $376,514. Perhaps I'm putting too much stuff into my end of the budget but I would hate to have any surprises when it comes time to pay the bills.
I was hoping to come in somewhere around $325,000 but am still looking for the magic that will get me to paradise.

Ted

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by tom brodeur on October 1, 2008 at 12:27am

Ted,

Sounds like you have it all figured out except the end amount. Have you made alterations to try and bring the final figure in line with your budget? With the figures you have are you or have you considered being your own General Contactor? You might save some there. Coming from your location, and the log home companies location, are you looking at Cypress logs? If so they are understandbly costly. How many log companies have you done comps with before you chose this manufacturer. Other log types may be less costly if Cypress is a factor. I'd like to think there are things a person can do to reach his goal without cutting out a lot of the "upgrades/finishes".

What I did on my property in Northern Michigan was put in the well, ceptic and brought in electric. Since that is paid for I don't have to include that in my costs when I build. How soon will you be building? Is it possible to do some things now and exclude it from your final budget? I was even considering having the basement done and cap it until I was ready to build. Too late for that now but others may find that an approach worth considering (if there local laws allow them).

You are a lot further along than I. Keep me posted. I hope your experience turns out well.

Tom

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ted on October 1, 2008 at 11:26am

Hey Tom, you are correct . The quote is for Cypress. I have spoken to one other log home manufacturer, Top Notch Log Homes which is a part of Pioneer Log Homes. They did come in at a more reasonable price although it was based on not seeing any preliminary plans which the Cypress guy was able to look at. The price from Top Notch was about $190,000 which would bring it into the ball park but as i said, they might not stick by that number when they see plans and also I'm very concerned about their financial stability. I have now passed their lumber/construction yard several times and it is always empty. And I mean not one stick of lumber. Additionally, my phone calls to the general manager go answered. I am waiting for a quote from a builder who is going to give me a price for everything up to dry-in. To your question about being my own gc. The answer is, that is exactly my plan. I am by profession a carpenter who can do electrical and plumbing as well as tile work. So all my request of builders or log home companies takes that into consideration.

I'll keep you posted as I get more feed back.

Ted

▶ Reply to This

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4