Log Home as a second home

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Permalink Reply by Shelley Martinez on July 31, 2008 at 5:44pm

Hi Kathy,
We currently use our newly built log home as our vacation home. It is about a 3 hour drive from our primary residence and we are up there at least 3 out of 4 weekends in a month. How about yourself?

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Permalink Reply by Kathy on August 1, 2008 at 7:59am

Hi Shelley,

Thanks for replying. We owned the property on a lake when my husband took a new job 9 hours away. We decided to keep it and built what we consider to be the home we will return to when we retire. Our children and spouses are here and our grandson so we consider it home. I spend most of the summer here and we spend holidays here. Since we are only a 3 hour drive you probably don't have the same issues I have. For instance we came down for the 4th of July with the plan for me to stay until Labor Day since my husband travels alot in July and August and could just fly in for the weekend. I had the mail forwared for sixty days and it took almost 3 weeks for me to get anything and I still missing a few things. Is there another way of doing things? Another question, how do you handle guests? We have a rather large family and we love to have them in, but it can wear you out! A few, not all forget its not a hotel! Just thought maybe someone with more experience with having a second vacation home who can out a newbie!

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Permalink Reply by Shelley Martinez on August 3, 2008 at 7:48pm

Hi Kathy!
When we stay for long weeks - we have the same mail issues as you - since our visits haven't been over 10 days, we have family collect it and evaluate it for anything urgent. It's funny you mentioned guests - our log home was just finished this past March and we've already had 5 sets of guests visit us! Since it's so brand new - I feel a little high strung about the place and give everyone my little rundown on what they need to know about our log home such as where to take their shoes off, how we have a propane tank so please don't take one hour showers (we had one guest take a 45 minute shower! and we're big conservationists), etc. I think now its best to set the expectations before they even head up and I let them know "it would be great & a big help if you bring your favorite drinks and snacks up" and a few things to know about our log home, what we would like to do this weekend (we don't like to set the cruise director schedule - we are pretty laid back") I know what you mean about having a "hotel" and it can get pretty expensive if your guests don't bring anything and you're feeding them 3 meals a day, snacks, drinks, etc. My best guests were my downstate neighbors - they bought a gift (not necessary!) drinks and a meal enough to grill for all of us one day - they even made their own beds!
I also thought about setting up a private log home blog for our family and friends to access only - (I would give them a login name and password) with info on our log home and would post photos of our place, past guests that have visited and directions as well as "things to know about our log home" - that way I could direct them to the site and it could be fun for them to check back and see photos of their weekend of us. It's a learning curve......

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Permalink Reply by Kathy on August 4, 2008 at 3:18pm

Hi Shelley,

What a relief to find someone that does know some of what I am talking about! Part of our issues are that all our family lives in our area so when we come home, everyone desends at once! My eldest daughter and her husband live a mile down the road and help as much as they can but they both work full time with a 20 month old son. I don't like to ask them to do much. My youngest daughter just got married, is a new attorney, and works long hours. They are living in the house for right now and are a help but of course they are newlyweds so... I hate for it to sound like I am complaining but the main problem I have is that some of the family are here everytime we come home and forget its not a hotel! Oh well. You did have some great suggestions though and I will definitely start asking for help or I am going to wear myself out. You would just hope that you wouldn't have to ask, that it would be common sense! Like I tell my girls, you can't pick family...
Have a great day!

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Permalink Reply by Tim on August 9, 2008 at 3:54am

Hi Kathy, the same situation occurs in all sorts of things,
Here in Australia, we had a small backyard swimming pool for a few years and had lots and lots of friends come around on all the hot days, very few brought towels, until we informed those that came without that we had not done the laundry.
they very soon stopped coming around.
regards.

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Permalink Reply by Kathy on August 10, 2008 at 7:37pm

Tim, that is awesome!! I will remember that!
Kathy

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Permalink Reply by Joe on August 9, 2008 at 11:15am

Here are some suggestions on how to handle this having experience with people wanting to come visit our previous Michigan boat in summer and Fl home in winter. NEVER agree immediately to their request to visit but instead say you need to check into your "time out" schedule and get back to them. Be firm on the length of the visit by saying we have the following days open. My new neighbor here in Fl, which is a second home for them, had problems right away. They had a guest couple who they thought were staying for a weekend stay for a week. The guest suggested that they get a coffee pot for their room so they wouldn't have to come downstairs in the morning. When our neighbor said she was doing laundry, did they have any towels to wash, the guest lady said yes they were upstairs and stared at her. They now use the "time out" system.

We had one couple who we really liked, arrive for dinner, spend the night and leave the next morning, all to our surprise. We really felt like a motel.

Boats, like some log homes, have unique problems like holding tanks versus septic tanks and limited heated water supplys, etc. We solved this problem long ago by sending a map that also contained the "captains list" on the back. This simply explained what to bring and the limitations of the boats systems. You can use the map to show where the local stores and restaurants are in distance which really emphasis's that they are a long ways off in many cases. Our list was very friendly and humorous but it got the point across. Jokes like shower together to save water hits home. Rules such as remove shoes, immediately gets people into the neatness mood. As you have already heard, people forget these are your homes and start thinking they are in hotel. We found it really helped control the drop in guests and bring sanity back into our lives.

When people ask what they can bring don't be embarrassed to suggest things unless you want to have an endless supply of champaign or wine that you don't drink. I read recently that the old fashion bring your booze (BYB) parties are back again. In the end guests are more comfortable when they know your parameters in advance and then can sit back and relax. If they don't like the rules and decide not to come, better yet.

Joe

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Permalink Reply by Kathy on August 10, 2008 at 7:42pm

Hey Joe,

Thanks for the suggestions! I don't want to sound like I am complaining because it is mainly family. We have always been the "entertainers" but as you probably know, it gets really expensive providing all the food and adult beverages for 3 or 4 days at the time at all the family get togethers. I am just going to have to do you as suggested, when they ask, tell them to bring something!

Kathy

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