Small cabin get-a-way for your consideration

Your get-a-way

Need a place to ...

Hide out from the world

Relax

Fish & Hunt

Take the kids

I am posting this for those of you who are interested in small cabins. I will share this [tiny?] 22x28 get-a-way cabin with you. We finished it about two years ago in Virginia. The owner built it on his property as a Man Cave, a short walk from their home. I would be glad to share my photos of it with you.

I worked up an estimate for a cabin like this for a client a short time ago. This cabin has a great room on the right . Bedroom and bathroom on the left . Large screened in back porch . Full basement.

The material package "estimate" for this small 22 x 28 cabin is .... $34,000. Add in a shipping estimate, sales tax and dry-in construction and this figure comes to around $53,000.

To receive a PDF copy of this material package, send an email to Jack@LogHomesByJack.com.

Pricing for this cabin is slightly different from the version shown in the accompanying photos.

The photos shown …

- has a dormer over the front door [not provided in this estimate],

- a heavy timber exposed beam roof system [more economical trusses used in this estimate],

- a 12' back screened in porch [a smaller deck is used in this estimate], and

- a finished basement [not in this estimate]. The dry-in labor costs are estimated.

This will give you some Food for Thought for your little "get-a-way" when the time is right. It should be noted that this could appreciate in value ... under normal economic conditions.

Basic model described above. 

Material package is $34,000. Package plus shipping, sales tax and dry-in construction is around $52,000. Finishing materials and labor not included. Estimated total cost is under $100,000 for a memorable and solid get-a-way.

More Luxurious Heavy timber options shown in the photos

Material package is $44,000. Package plus shipping, sales tax and dry-in construction is around $70,000. Finishing materials and labor not included. Estimated total cost is around $100,000 depending on your finishing tastes for an unforgetable and solid get-a-way.

Let me know what you think. Thanks ... jack

LogHomesByJack.com . Graves Mill Shopping Center . 18013 Forest Rd, Ste E06 . Forest, VA 24551 . www.LogHomesByJack.com . 800 767-4916 . Jack@LogHomesByJack.com

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This information is brought to you by LogHomesByJack.com. Serving Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia, Florida and the Southeast plus any under-served area from Forest and Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia and North Carolina from the Piedmont Triad. Offering a very good combination of price, quality of materials and service. To ease your doubt, give Jack a shout. 800 767-4916. 

What is the turnkey cost for a log home?

Turnkey Cost Estimating 

I can only get in trouble with builders by putting the cost answer you are seeking, in writing, but I am still smiling as I write this. 

Caution: These estimates ARE estimates that do not apply in all areas

Precise turnkey costs to build a log or timber frame home are not easy to nail down without floor plans. However, many log home and timber frame home companies will not produce floor plans for you to use for estimating purposes without first having you place a deposit on the material package.

• There are a number of items that go into the material package for a log home.
• Then, there are the costs of the materials NOT in the package.
• Finally, there are the construction costs.

Actually, there are a few "Other Considerations" that go into the total home cost before it is completely finished. These costs generally do not have anything to do with the cost of the material package. They include:

• permits,
• erosion plans,
• rough construction driveway,
• site preparation, 
• foundation, 
• well and septic system,

• then there are special requests like
- unique floor coverings
- a massive tree trunk in great room
- spiral staircase
- chef's kitchen
- antler chandeliers
- overhanging balconies
- large outdoor porch areas

• finished landscaping,
• lighting and security systems,
• trees and shrubs, and the 
• finished driveway. For steep lots, sub-basements and retaining walls are added considerations.

Here is an example of Turnkey Cost Estimating using the Darlington model cape cod by Honest Abe Log Homes.

Darlington, a cape cod without garage. 1892 sf

Material package cost is $91,412 using the existing 2016 standard price figures
= This comes out to $36.61 per square foot, not counting a garage **
= You may select package options that can change this figure. **

Options include: **

• Style of log. Not all logs have the same retail value. Our chinked 10 x12 log system, 8x12 log and 10 to 11 inch round logs are more expensive than are our 8x8 and 6x12 logs. Our 6x8 D logs are the least expensive.

We offer other options that can influence material package pricing:

• 3 or 4 subfloor option
• a variety of exterior doors
• 4 window style options
• 5 roof system options
• options for added T & G wood for interior walls
• basement, walkout basement, crawl space, slab
• garages, breezeways and carports.

To the figures above, add:

• Your Land
• site prep, foundation, well, septic, driveway
• applicable state sales tax and shipping
• finishing materials NOT in the material package
• permits and construction fees

A total turnkey price estimate may range anywhere from $125 - $150 - $175 per square foot and even higher. This too depends on where you build and the contractor. Contractors have their own set of financial needs. So, not every contractor builds for the same home for the same price in the same area. Similarly, it can vary from area to area and state to state as to what the going rate is for log home construction.

In 2004 dollars, our 3,500 sf log home with a loft and finished basement came in at $105.00/sf. That was then. This is now.

The bottom line is ... your final turnkey price will depend on your tastes and how you wish to finish the interior of your home. In fact, your tastes and requirements can double the estimated turnkey costs. That is extreme but it can happen. Some of those cost factors are:

• Stone on foundation
• Drywall or log siding interior
• Porch and Deck size

• Type of Fixtures
• Flooring - carpet, wood, tile, linoleum
• Sinks

• Tubs and jacuzzi
• Counter tops
• Cabinets

• Fireplaces
• Basement finished or unfinished
• Patios and other stone work

• Garage
• Garage with room over
• Breezeway and/or carport

Give us a call when you come to Smith Mountain Lake. You are invited to come to our Showroom and our home. Kick the tires. Ask questions. See what we have to offer.

So now, where are we on costs?

For a quick "estimate" you can multiply your square footage "needs" or "wants" times $120.00/sf, $135/sf, $150/sf, $175/sf and even $200/sf.

$120/sf x 2000 sf = $240,000
$135/sf x 2000 sf = $270,000
$150/sf x 2000 sf = $300,000
$175/sf x 2000 sf = $350,000
$200/sf x 2000 sf = $400,000

This will provide you with some basic turnkey cost estimates for budget purposes. If these turnkey cost estimates send you into shock, then rethink your needs, plans, size, style, etc.

Two cautions:

1. Be aware of what you are getting [i.e., buying] in your material package. What is in it and what is NOT in it. Get it in writing like we provide.

2. Be very aware of what your contractor is providing for you before you sign any contracts. Ask them to spell it out in detail. Get them to put it in writing as we do. 

You do not want to hear: "Oh, we did not include this or we did not include that." Still, be aware that there may be some "unknowns" that can come up during construction, not to mention changes** that you might like to make during construction.

**Change orders are not FREE. It will cost you time and materials to move walls, add closets, enlarge decks, et cetera. A change order is a contract with your builder within your contract. Please do not expect changes to be FREE. It does not work that way.

For more information, contact Jack to set up an appointment. We can work on a floor plan that you like and a home style that is appealing to you. Once we do that, we can crunch the numbers to see if what you want is in your budget range.

Our Showroom is open Tu-Wed-Th-Fri-Sat from 11:00 to 5:00 pm during the year. Christmas season hours vary. We are always available By Appointment.

Jack Hutslar is an authorized dealer for Honest Abe Log Homes, Sansin Enviro Stains and Eagle Panel Systems.

See Jack Hutslar on Facebook, Twitter and PInterest.

Prepared by
Jack Hutslar, owner
www.LogHomesByJack.com

800 767-4916
Jack@LogHomesByJack.com

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This information at "News from Jack" is brought to you by LogHomesByJack.com. Serving Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia, Florida and the Southeast from Smith Mountain Lake and North Carolina from the Piedmont Triad. Offering a very good combination of price, quality of materials and service. To ease your doubt, give Jack a shout. 800 767-4916.

We Offer Options

LogHomesByJack.com ...

We Offer Options

Log & Timber Frame Homes

Loads of Floor Plans

Use our plans
Use your plans

Modify other plans to your tastes

Eastern White Pine Logs and others

Many Log Styles

Roof systems = five

Windows systems = four

On Basements  Crawl Spaces  Slabs

Add:
Rooms. Porches. Decks.
Garages. Breezeways. FROGs.
Finished Walk Out Basements.

70 Stain Color Options
Exterior. Interior. Decks. Cement.

Madison Model Shown

 Construction in Progress

  Five different roof systems

Heavy Timber Shown Above

Matching log siding is applied to the gable ends and garages. Why log siding? Siding is less expensive than logs. It looks like logs and saves you money. Still, we can use logs if you wish. They just cost more than siding. 

See "News from Jack" at www.LogHomesByJack.com. 

For more information about log & timber frame homes, contact:
Jack@LogHomesByJack.com at 
800 767-4916

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This information is brought to you by LogHomesByJack.com. Serving Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia, Florida and the Southeast from Smith Mountain Lake and North Carolina from the Piedmont Triad. Offering a very good combination of price, quality of materials and service. To ease your doubt, give Jack a shout. 800 767-4916.

Material package contents & NOT list

Honest Abe Log Homes Material Package Contents

Not all material packages are created equal! They can differ substantially in price, content and quality of materials ... and then there is service during and after your purchase.

What's in your material package?

The material package for your log home or timber frame home is a core purchase. It may represent one-third, more or less, of your home costs. It is a vital financial necessity for you to know exactly what is provided in the package you are about to purchase.

Do you know? Is it presented to you in writing?

If you are uncertain, bring your floor plan ideas or drawings to Jack and we will help you sort it out.

Have you been provided with a line item listing of the contents? If not, ask or tell the dealer with whom you are working to give you an itemized list of materials in writing. You need to know this and your builder needs to know this. Otherwise, you absolutely do not know what you are buying.

Scroll down to see one such material list that Honest Abe Log Homes provides. We also provide a line item listing, by category, of what is in your material package.

See Honest Abe Living magazine diagram on page 24. If you do not have a copy, you may request a copy by sending an email to Jack@LogHomesByJack.com with your name, complete address and telephone number to:

Jack Hutslar
LogHomesByJack.com
P O Box 140
Huddleston, Virginia 24104
800 767-4916 or Jack@LogHomesByJack.com

= = = = =

Material Package list from Honest Abe Log Homes

Subfloor System

1. Foundation [by owner]
2. Treated Sill with Termite Shield
3. Joist [2” x 10” at 16” on center]
4. Double Header
5. Subfloor Girder
6. Decking [3/4” T&G Advantec OSB]

Log Wall System

7. Log Walls [includes all fasteners, caulk, gaskets, etc]
8. Window and Door Rough Opening Frames

Second Floor System

9. Support Posts
10. Ceiling Beam Girder
11. Ceiling Beams
12. Header
13. Tongue & Groove Decking [2” x 6”]

Roof System

14. Heavy Timber Rafters [4” x 8” Douglas Fir]
15. Heavy Timber Ridgepole [3” x 12”]
16. Collar Ties
17. Tongue and Groove Decking [2” x 6”]
18. Insulation [R-30 or better per code]
19. Sheathing [7/16” OSB]
20. Felt 30#
21. Fascia [cedar]
22. Trim – not shown
23. Conventional Rafter [2” x 10”] at 16” on centers with T&G ceiling
24. Overhang Rafter [2” x 6”] - not shown
25. Conventional Ridgepole [2” x 12”]
26. Soffit Framing
27. Soffit Vents
28. Dormer Framing [2” x 4”]
29. Gable End framing [2” x 4”]
30. Gable End sheathing
31. OSB Nail Base [log siding] – not shown
32. Log Siding for Gables [standard on Milled-D, Genesis, Round, Original]
33. Cedar Lap Siding [standard on Timber Frame] – not shown
34. Roof Truss with Tongue & Groove Ceiling

Porch and Deck System

35. Porch and Deck Piers [by owner]
36. Porch and Deck Framing [treated]
37. Decking [treated or Trex **]
38. Porch Post/Plate/Angle Braces [6” x 6”]
39. Porch Rafter [4” x 6”]
40. Porch Roof decking [2” x 6” Tongue & Groove]

Window and Door Units

41. Insulated, Double Hung, Tilt-Sash Wood Windows
42. Insulated, Wood Grained, Fiberglass Doors Exterior

Interior Items

43. Interior Wall Framing
44. Stair Stringer [2” x 12”]
45. Stair Tread [2” x 12”]
46. 1” x 6” Tongue & Groove for Interior Walls ** - not shown
47. Baseboard and Ceiling Trim [1” x 5”]
48. Interior Wood Doors

Items Not Shown

- Ventilated Roof Components
- Interior Gable Siding
- Porch Rails and Spindles
- Exterior Finish
- Borate Wood Preservatives
- Premium Wood, Clad and Casement Windows **
- Engineered I-Joint and Beams **
- Web trusses for subfloor **
- Heavy Timber Stair Package **
- RuSTICK stick built homes with rustic exterior and interior log siding

** These items are not included in the standard material package price and are available as optional purchases.

=
= =
= = =
= = = = NOT List below

Jack's NOT List

Below is a list of items NOT in our Legacy material package. Do you know what is NOT in the material package you are considering?

The material package from Honest Abe is a rather complete dry in package. See the list and options on page 24 in the Honest Abe Living magazine. Add this list to our estimate for your material package and you will have a very precise picture of what you are buying when you deal with Honest Abe Log Homes. You will get no shell games from us. Here is what is NOT included in our material package:

Boards and OSB for mud walks
Basement framing unless ordered from us
Support studs for bracing one thing and another

Railings, spindles and posts for lofts and decks
Stairs from porches and decks to the ground
Spiral stair cases

Posts from the porches and decks to the ground, usually pressure treated
Insulation for interior walls
Insulation for 2x10 and truss roof systems

LVL to clear span basement – can be ordered from Honest Abe
Sheetrock for interior walls and ceilings
Fireplaces and gas log set-ups

HVAC
Plumbing, sinks and tubs
Electrical wiring and fixtures

Appliances, washers, dryers
Bathroom moisture barrier wall material
Linoleum and tile unless ordered through Jack

Matching doors and windows for basement - usually ordered from us
Flooring [carpet or wood] for main floor unless ordered through Jack
Cabinets and counter tops

Matching T&G for interior walls unless ordered from Honest Abe
Matching gable end interior wall material IS provided
Interior stain unless ordered from us

Shingles or metal roof
Rough in lumber and posts for the basement unless ordered from Honest Abe
No Tyvek or Green Guard wrap

Fire doors separating garage from home or mud room
Garage car doors
Guttering

Trex decking is an option in the package – others ordered from Jack

The list of materials above will be provided by the contactor or you may provide them for the contractor. The materials you provide should be approved by the contractor.

Customers may ask manufacturers to provide the contents of the material package along with what needs to be purchased by the builder or the customer.
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This message is brought to you by LogHomesByJack.com. Serving Virginia from Smith Mountain Lake and North Carolina from the Piedmont Triad. Offering a very good combination of price, quality of materials and service. When in doubt, give Jack a shout. 800 767-4916.

Handcrafted Big Log Homes

Average Big Log size is 14 inches.
Some larger. Some smaller.

For more information, contact Jack at 800 767-4916 or Jack@LogHomesByJack.com

• Handcrafted at the manufacturing plant

• Dis-assembled and loaded directly onto trucks

• Delivered to your job site

• Built with logs never having touched the ground

Handcrafted Big Log materials include:

log walls, purlin roof system, posts, porch beams, framed gables, 2^nd floor log beams, log stairs, construction by manufacturer, other options include interior log walls, garages and more

Remaining items in the basic material package for dry in construction provided by LogHomesByJack.com and the contractor.

Cost varies with big log home style, material package content, sizes and types of windows and doors, foundation covering, roofing, garage, et cetera.

LHBJ Showroom:

Smith Mountain Lake on Rt 122
13699 BTW Hwy, Suite 201

Moneta, Virginia 24121
800 767-4916

Jack@LogHomesByJack.com

LogHomesByJack.com
Jack Hutslar, owner

P O Box 140 [for business]
Huddleston, Virginia 24104

Differences between log homes and timber frame homes

Differences and Similarities












Timber Frame Bent [above] ... a 2nd type of timber frame

Homes tend to be categorized as

[1] stick built
[2] brick or stone built
[3] log
[4] Timber frame homes can fall in all of these categories when people consider "hybrid” homes involving a variety of construction materials and techniques. 

Commercial construction involves other materials such as cement and metals that are not commonly found in residential housing.

In my world, log and timber frame homes represent two different styles of homes and different methods of construction. Many contractors are NOT comfortable building log and timber frame homes.

Many of us are familiar with log homes. They are built by stacking one real log atop another, usually about 13 courses high depending on the size of the logs. The logs are of different sizes and are the wall insulation, to answer a frequently asked question. 

Log walls come in several common species of wood with several different styles of corners depending on the type of log – notch and pass, dovetail, saddle notch and Swedish cope. Eastern white pine is the most common log species used in log homes. It is the most stable and economical log.

Timber frame homes are composed of vertical uprights called posts and horizontal cross members called beams. The beams connect the posts together to form a very solid frame. Think of this as a skeleton, the bones. Next the roof system is assembled.

Timber frame walls are usually composed of what are called SIPs or structural insulation panels. SIPs are a three-layer material composed of a core of insulation with OSB on the outside and sheetrock, an option, on the interior portion. SIPs can be thought of as cookies with a cream filling.

After these SIPs are fixed in place with glue, caulk and screws, the outside is ready to be covered. The exterior can be finished with wood siding of any type, composite siding, brick, stone or vinyl. The interior side of the SIPs are ready to be painted.

The roof systems for both log homes and timber frame homes can be composed of trusses, conventional materials, or exposed beams. As a rule, timber frame homes are considered more elegant than log homes. I call it "rustic elegance."

There is a second timber frame system for your consideration. The timber frame shell is composed of “bents” that are usually assembled as a frame using olde world mortise and tenen crafting. See the photo above or conduct an internet search on “timber frame bents” to find other examples.

These bents include the side posts and roof system beams. Bents allow the floor space between posts to be expanded. You can see this system in old barns.

LogHomesByjack.com offers log homes and both styles of timber frame homes.

Begin your study process by looking at the floor plans on our web site - www.LogHomesByJack.com. We have material package pricing for all of our models, in both log and timber frame.

You can also send an email to Jack@LogHomesByJack.com with your basic "Detail List" of your preferred home style and floor plans, if you have them. Please note your initial ideas about square footage, number of bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, dining room, porches, decks, basement or crawl space. Mention also your budget and your timeline. 

Call Jack at 800 767-4916 to discuss your ideas or to set up an appointment.
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This message is brought to you by LogHomesByJack.com. Serving Virginia from Smith Mountain Lake and North Carolina from the Piedmont Triad. Offering a very good combination of price, quality of materials and service. When in doubt, give Jack a shout. 800 767-4916.

New Year's Sales Promotion - ENDED

ENDED - IT'S OVER

2015-2016 New Year's Sales Promotion

on Log & Timber Frame Homes

50% off on shipping with a minimum $1000 deposit by January 31, 2016 ... 

and the Material Package delivery is taken by June 30, 2016. 

Plus ...

Locks in current price structure until November 30, 2016. 

This Promotion ends January 31 2016. 

Price change February 1, 2016. 

See "News from Jack" at www.LogHomesByJack.com
for more info. 

Contact Jack@LogHomesByJack.com at 800 767-4916
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This information is brought to you by LogHomesByJack.com. Serving Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia, Florida and the Southeast plus any under-served area from Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia and North Carolina from the Piedmont Triad. Offering a very good combination of price, quality of materials and service. To ease your doubt, give Jack a shout. 800 767-4916.