Looking for a Montana Builder

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Permalink Reply by Ted on October 20, 2009 at 9:45pm

I'm not sure if this will help you or not but I've been looking for some of the same things you have so let me share with you what i have discovered.

I've been told that heavy timber log sided homes over stick framing are actually more costly to build than full log. I was initially told just the opposite.

I have yet to find a modular log company that builds well designed single story homes.

I've reverted to designing my own single story log or log sided home. I am now talking to a few Western NC builders (not log home manufacturers) for get their bids.

Ted

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Permalink Reply by Ted on October 26, 2009 at 10:06am

It's good to get your point of view on construction as well as your own plans to build for your family.

One thing you have to help me with Alan, I'm such a dinosaur. I have no idea what "IMO" of "IWO" means.

Ted

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Permalink Reply by Ted on October 26, 2009 at 3:23pm

I'm sure that if I was into texting I would know all the abbreviations but as i said I tend to be a bit behind the curve.

I'm really interested in following your progress in building your log home. Please keep me in the loop.

Ted

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Permalink Reply by Theresa Schrum on October 21, 2009 at 11:20am

Ted,

I recently relocated from Atlanta and I can tell you that the company I was most interested in was Blue Ridge Log Cabins. They build exactly in the manner I was looking for and I visited one of their model homes in Ellijay, GA. The model was almost perfect. Sadly, they aren't in Montana. Take a look at their site.

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Permalink Reply by Ted on October 21, 2009 at 3:58pm

(I just sent you a reply to your Blue Ridge Cabins idea but it looks like it disappeared into Cyber Space).

Anyway, I'll try again Theresa. Blue Ridge is a fine company with with an excellent product. In fact, I have had several conversations with them but unfortunately they can't fill my requirements. I'll give you a couple of reasons: to give you such a complete product at a reasonable price they have to be fairly inflexible. They couldn't come up with a floor plan that suited my needs. When you start with add-ons such as extra square feet or more deck space, the cost goes up dramatically. They don't seem to have a way of providing allowances for things like appliances, bathroom fixtures, etc. The problem is that I am one of those people who has been buying stuff for the house and warehousing it until the day that I actually build. So I have a storage area full of sinks, lighting fixtures, bath tubs, vanities, tile and the list goes on.

But thank you very much. If I wasn't such a pack rat, your excellent idea would be more than helpful.

Ted

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Permalink Reply by Joe on October 26, 2009 at 3:28pm

Theresa,
I have included a special link to Blue's web page that shows their latest map. My personal interpretation is that since they include an engineering seal and construction is in SC they have to be approved by each state they sell into to allow building code approval to take place in SC. I see they are delivering to Wyoming now so it might be worth a call to them about Montana. Snow load requirements are a lot different in the West versus the East.

Alan had asked about the logs which they now specify has kiln dried in either a 6x8 D log or a 6x12 flat log (Genesis?). I know from my conversation with them in the past that they do not treat the logs prior to shipping but they do sand them after construction. They don't want the chemicals like Borate in the enclosed plant. They are also now putting a "gasket" between the logs which they didn't do in the past. The quality of the gasket is unknown to me at this time.

Did the Georgia people indicate anything they didn't like?

http://www.blueridgelogcabins.com/contact-us/

Joe, Sarasota

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Permalink Reply by Tim Bullock on October 27, 2009 at 6:32am

Alan, 1-2 cups would be about right.......you must heat the water to dissolve the borates.....I can't imagine anyone not treating logs prior to shipping.

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