Thinking about a log cabin

upnover

upnover

Grumpy, decrepit Old Man
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Mar 20, 2005
Location
Morganton NC
Anyone here ever have one built? looking for a company that will build in Burke County.
Looking for a small one. Would like to see plans, and know the total cost up front. What I have mind is a smaller cabin with half of it having an upstairs loft, built with a full basement, with Chimney from basement, up through the center of the structure.
 
Not stuck on a log home, may be ok with a stick built with a rustic interior and exterior
wrap around porch or maybe just front and back porch incorporated into the structure roof
 
I've lived in one my whole life. Hugh flat cut logs. What you see on the outside is what's inside. Love it other than the bugs bees trying to eat it. Basement with two floors.
244bc0dcd1021e2e20f723ba6630e53f.jpg
 
We are in the process of building a small home with basement and fireplace similar to what you describe. WE decided against the logs but are going for the rustic interior/exterior. I'll try and d some pics but may have to wait for the wife...

I managed to ad a file but lookers will have to click on the file then hit save then hit open...
 

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  • Bragg - Exterior Image 1 (10-19-2016).pdf
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Would love the Dove tailed logs!
I want pretty much three rooms and a bathroom downstairs, Kitchen, bedroom, and and living room.
Maybe a mudroom on back entrance where Washer and dryer will be.
Kitchen will be fairly large, with as much counter space as I can get, breakfast nook(no need for big dinning area)
and as with the counter space, as much cabinet space as possible. Possibility of a walk in Cupboard. Laundry room and bathroom, could be all in one, but do want the mud room too.
 
Ok, I'm in front of a computer now.

First step would be to contact the county and see if they still allow log homes to be built. county that I live in is only allowing new log home construction permits to be pulled till 2018. if your county will allow you to build a cabin, but want a 8" wide log and you want a dove tail cabin, your out of luck no saw mill in a couple hours that build specialized in cabin logs they cant mill thicker than 6" logs. you may be able to find a local provider but might as well plan for having the expense of a boom truck or crane on side while setting the logs.

Then decided what style log home you want. D-log , true dovetail, simulated dove tail, Canadian scribe fit, butt and pass stacked are the most common.

best option for you would be a story and a half with a big dormer on one side, what your wanting is a pretty common set up in a log cabin.

id advise against a "dry in kit" cabin, they leave out a lot of things needed and what sounds like a good deal turns expensive quick.

least expensive cabin would be a square or rectangle. I think last time my dad built one it was something around 20,000 extra for every inside corner, but not sure how other builders would go about it.

if you can and decided to build a cabin a lot of regular builders will say they can build one, don't listen if they haven't built quite a few it will end up being screwed up. also subs that haven't worked on a cabin will screw up the logs. if there is any water or electric that runs in a log wall it has to have holes drilled as it goes up not after the logs are set.

if you don't end up going log cabin there are also board and batten, Carolina siding (I hate it) and then post and beam.
 
Loganwayne said:
Ok, I'm in front of a computer now.

First step would be to contact the county and see if they still allow log homes to be built. county that I live in is only allowing new log home construction permits to be pulled till 2018.
Click to expand...

What county is that? I'd be interested as to if that's even legal...
 
I am currently building a shed/storage building to look like an old log cabin. I am using log siding from Boone Custom Forest Products. I worked with Gary there. He is a top notch guy.
 
I've seen 2x material as siding cut to look like dove tailed logs. It's slick if done correctly and allows modern construction methods which are more efficient with cost savings over logs.

Add some simulated logs/timbers on inside and it can easily look like a log/timber frame both inside and out.
 
shawn said:
They're granting exceptions to allow them to be built. They can't comply with NCBC otherwise, and definitely won't under whatever code gets adopted in 2018.
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Alternative building methods or something like that? We had some questions the other day about a cordwood house. Never heard of them but they look pretty cool. I see no reason to outright prohibit them, just require an engineered design.
 
Macdaddy4738 said:
Alternative building methods or something like that? We had some questions the other day about a cordwood house. Never heard of them but they look pretty cool. I see no reason to outright prohibit them, just require an engineered design.
Click to expand...
From what I understand they aren't baning them just increasing the thickness the logs have to be. 6" thick has been the standard since sometime in the 90s. They are now requesting 8" but with engineer approved drawings of a energy envelope that meets code can still use 6". Like I said earlier the mills we used don't cut anything larger than a 6". I expect they would want a 10-12" wide log next it just becomes non realistic once they get that wide.

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frankenyoter said:
I've seen 2x material as siding cut to look like dove tailed logs. It's slick if done correctly and allows modern construction methods which are more efficient with cost savings over logs.

Add some simulated logs/timbers on inside and it can easily look like a log/timber frame both inside and out.
Click to expand...
I've worked on several houses like this. If done right they turn out really nice.
My dad's garage is done like this to match my dad's house.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
 
frankenyoter said:
I've seen 2x material as siding cut to look like dove tailed logs. It's slick if done correctly and allows modern construction methods which are more efficient with cost savings over logs.

Add some simulated logs/timbers on inside and it can easily look like a log/timber frame both inside and out.
Click to expand...

They are called 'false corners'. I am using them on my storage building/shed/cabin. They are VERY expensive compared to the siding. The false corners were about $4,500, and the siding was only about $2,000 for my 14x24 building.

Here is a random picture I found on the internet to show what I am talking about:
False corners.jpg


I don't have my wood yet, or I would take some pictures of it and post them up. I put in my order about a week after the big snow. It should be ready by the end of February. I paid $1/ft extra for actual hand hewing by a guy who lives up around Boone. Gary at Boone Custom Forest Products can probably put you in touch with some builders who specialize in building log homes. It would definitely be worth your while to go up there and talk with him and tour the place.
 
drkelly said:
They are called 'false corners'. I am using them on my storage building/shed/cabin. They are VERY expensive compared to the siding. The false corners were about $4,500, and the siding was only about $2,000 for my 14x24 building.

Here is a random picture I found on the internet to show what I am talking about:
View attachment 241107

I don't have my wood yet, or I would take some pictures of it and post them up. I put in my order about a week after the big snow. It should be ready by the end of February. I paid $1/ft extra for actual hand hewing by a guy who lives up around Boone. Gary at Boone Custom Forest Products can probably put you in touch with some builders who specialize in building log homes. It would definitely be worth your while to go up there and talk with him and tour the place.
Click to expand...
Maybe it's just me, but it seems like the ends of the false corners would split like the paternity test result just came in.
 
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