Log Home Buyer's Guide: 12 Tips
1. Develop a Budget
A solid budget is the essential first step in building your new Cedar or Pine log home. Include as many factors as possible, including allowances for purchases and clearing of land, drilling wells, septic systems, interior decorating, landscaping, etc. Once you have a firm dollar amount in mind, secure your financing. You can consult your local financial institution, or seek out the many national mortgage companies that specialize in financing log homes. Cedar Knoll Log Homes, Inc. can assist you with needed mortgage information.
2. Acquire Your Land
The layout of the land on which you intend to build should help determine the orientation and floor plan of your log home. Take into consideration the direction from which the home will be approached, views from each room, exposure to the sun, neighboring structures, and driveway entrance.
3. Explore
If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to explore log home floor plans. Review our brochures, literature and catalog of homes. Choose a home style from our standard models, modify our standard plans, or customize from other log home planning publications. Start a “dream log home” portfolio. Make sketches and jot notes concerning the things you desire. Visit our model log home in Plattsburgh, NY or Cedar Knoll Log Home Dealer in your area, attend log home shows, and gather magazine and catalog pictures. Then discuss your project with one of our sales representatives.
4. Rough Draft
By sketching a layout of your plans you can expedite your log home progress. Take the liberty of moving rooms around, changing measurements and making interior alterations, until you arrive at a plan that will fit both your current arrangements and future lifestyle plans. With this basic floor plan information, Cedar Knoll can offer a general cost estimate. Our sales representatives can assist you with designing your rough draft.
5. Assistance
Call your local Cedar Knoll sales representative (518-563-3880) with any questions you may have. Our qualified dealers can guide you through the entire process. They are available to help you from that first rough draft design to the day you move in to your new Cedar Knoll dream home. Visit our website at www.cedarknollloghomes.com for information and our nearest representative.
6. Plan Approval
Cedar Knoll will arrange for drawing of blueprints. We will go over them with you in detail, making any changes or additions accordingly. Unlike some other manufacturers, we encourage homeowners to stay involved in the plan design process. Personalizing you new home is part of what makes us good at what we do. We realize that it is, after all, YOUR new home, and our goal is to incorporated our quality workmanship into your plans.
7. Builders
Cedar Knoll Log Homes, Inc. offers flexibility. You can build the home yourself, act as your own general contractor and hire subcontractors, or your Cedar Knoll log home representative can help arrange for a qualified builder to construct your home. If you plan to act as your own general contractor, this is the time to get quotes from subcontractors. To do this, your blueprints will need to be finalized. Construction timeline and cost analysis worksheets are available for your use.
8. Finance
Once all your blueprints have been completed and your construction costs are in writing, you will be ready to make final arrangements for financing your project. Make sure you discuss Cedar Knoll’s Terms of Sale and your builder’s construction draw schedule for payment installments when consulting with your financial representative.
9. Cedar Knoll Log Homes Terms of Sale
A deposit of 25% of the package price is required before we begin ordering materials and milling your custom logs. The balance is due and payable upon delivery to your job site. Payment can be made by wire-transfer, or certified funds paid to the carrier on delivery day.
10. Building Site
Your building site should be cleared, foundation work done and “capped”, and the access road prepared prior to the arrival of your log home materials. The site must provide room for maneuvering a tractor-trailer and a forklift. If the site is inaccessible, you should arrange for alternative delivery to the job site from an accessible unloading point nearby.
11. Delivery
Unloading of goods is the responsibility of the buyer. Most often, the buyer arranges for the builder to oversee the proper unloading of the kit. You will need sufficient help, and a forklift or backhoe with forks is recommended to unload the logs and beams. Materials and quantities received should be double-checked and noted on the delivery report sheet provided. Builders should be on the job site when materials arrive.
12. Commitment
Cedar Knoll’s experienced and knowledgeable staff are here to assist you throughout the entire planning and construction phase. Your pace will determine ours. Whether your dream home comes together quickly, or you choose to plan now and build later, we will be there for you to answer any question and help facilitate the entire process. Please call us should you have any other questions, and thank you for your interest in Cedar Knoll Log Homes.
