by Tom on November 20, 2009
From time to time, we interview log home companies and offer a forum to talk about their company, the log home industry and what makes their company unique. Today, I am pleased to share my interview with Brad Neu, President of…
Tell us about Montana Log Homes.
My partner, Jim Bachofner, actually started the company in 1975 as Pioneer Log Cabins. I joined him in 1981 as the first employee. In 1983 we incorporated as Kalispell Montana Log Homes, Inc. By 1985 I purchased 25% of the company and we bought our first tower crane and band saw mill. We grew slowly and took great care in training our employees to focus on safety, quality and efficiency in that order. Over the years we have expanded to over 20 employees, many of whom have been with us 15 – 25 years. There is something about log homes that gets in your blood, once you’re hooked, you’re hooked for life.
Why do people choose Montana Log Homes?
As a relatively small company it is easy to give each client the attention they deserve. We have always specialized in handcrafted, full scribe construction. Over the years we have listened to clients and contractors to find out exactly what they expect from their log home supplier and have done all we can to exceed those expectations. Specifically, we offer our clients a huge variety of designs and are always willing to modify design to fit their individual wants or needs. We use top quality logs and hand chisel the logs for a perfect log to log fit. We always send two men to assist with the reset of the home; this assures a fast, efficient setup and reduces crane and labor charges. We always do any slotting needed where dimensional lumber meets a log wall and we cut and keyway the door and window openings. Basically, if it takes a chain saw, we do it! Again, this saves the contractor countless hours on the finishing end, saving the client money.
What is your wood of choice?
We primarily use dead standing Lodgepole Pine, but have built many homes with Engelmann Spruce and Western Red Cedar, as well. Every species has its pros and cons and each company will promote their choice as the best. All I’ll say is, after 30 years of building, Lodgepole Pine is still my first choice. It grows straight with minimal taper and it is porous enough to be a good insulator, yet strong enough to work well in most structural applications.
Can you customize the floor plans you display on your site?
Certainly, we do it all of the time. Eric, our draftsman, works with our clients throughout the country either modifying our designs or doing custom designs. Today’s technology has made the process fairly simple and efficient. Just let us know what design changes you want to make and we will work to customize the floor plan while ensuring its structural integrity.
Editor’s Note: You can see 10 of MLH’s most popular log home floor plans here.
What log profiles and corner styles do you offer?
We specialize in full scribe saddle notch construction, but we also offer chink style with saddle notch corners and occasionally dovetail corners.
What does your company recommend for internal and external finishes?
It seems that every year someone comes out with a product that is going to last 10 to 20 years and 2 to 3 years later the customer ends up blasting off a horrible mess. I have always stayed away from these fly-by-night companies. We use and recommend Sashco products with great success. I especially like their transformation stain for exterior use. There is also an all natural product from Land Arc that has a good reputation for both interior and exterior use, but I do not have enough experience with it to know its longevity yet.
What’s the best advice you would give to a new log home buyer?
Do some research. While most log home companies are very reputable, there are always a few “bad apples”. Also, there are so many different styles of log construction and each company seems to offer something different as their “log package”. Make sure you know exactly what is included and more importantly what is not.
How have the changes in our economy affected your company?
The economic downturn of 2008 and 2009 seems to have affected most everyone in the nation and Montana Log Homes is no exception. We did, however, use this slow time to redesign our website and have included many floor plans and photos to really show potential clients our work. By April we were back to running at full capacity and 2010 is already beginning to book up. One benefit of this economy is that material and labor costs have dropped throughout the construction industry allowing our clients to build their dream homes more cost effectively than a couple of years ago.
What has been the biggest change you’ve seen in the log home business over the years?
In 30 years, I would say it is the size and complexity of the average homes we produce. While the 1000 to 1500 square foot “log cabins” are still popular, the more affluent clients have definitely discovered the beauty of logs!
Is your company a member of any trade or consumer organizations?
Trade groups certainly have helped to improve building standards in the industry. While I am not a member of the Log Homes Council, I have always contributed to their cause. I do support and I am a member of several local chambers of commerce.
Has your company won any awards or been recognized for an outstanding product or service?
Over the years we have won several favorite floor plan and great room design competitions in the trade magazines, but our best recognition has come from our clients words of praise at the end of a job.
For more information:
Montana Log Homes Website
Ph: 406-752-2992
Sales: jim@montanaloghomes.com
by Tom on November 16, 2009
As Paul Harvey says, “this is the rest of the story”. .. the second post of a two-part article written by Mike and Sue Lemmon of Cowboy Log Builders LLC. In the event you missed it, read Part I of The Log Home Journey.
OK, you’ve done your job site research. Now it is time to work on a floor plan. Plan books, magazines, and websites are a tremendous resource. Take your ideas to your log home representative and let them work with you to lay out the floor plan. Starting with an existing plan and then modifying it to meet your ideas can save some time. Many companies also have some standard floor plans available.
It is not uncommon to request that your log home rep visits the job site with you. Especially if your dealer also has building experience, he or she will be able to offer insights. For one home in Gallatin County Montana, we recommended adding a walk out basement to the home. This enabled the home owner to almost double the size of his home very economically by putting the lay of the land to his advantage. Even if there is only a slight slope to a site, the drop of even 18” can still allow for a daylight basement on one side of the home.
Moving further into planning the floor plan, consider adding dormers and a loft. This is also very economical square footage. Log homes many times have very high ceilings. This is innate to the structure of log homes and also the desired beauty. When using standard trusses over a home a 5/12 pitch roof is not uncommon. But when choosing a log or timber roof system, the higher pitch is already there. So a loft can be easily added. Many log homes use 2×6 pine tongue and groove for the finished flooring of the second floor. The 2×6 T&G is simply run right on top of the second floor joists. This works well for an open loft or when bedrooms (not bathrooms due to the plumbing) are located on the second level. One home we priced recently was only an additional $8,000 in labor to add a 270 square foot open loft to the home.
Dormers are also another great way to increase the space on the second floor. Either a shed dormer or a gable dormer yields an area of higher head clearance and makes the floor space of the second floor much more usable. Adding one 12’ dormer for example gives more usable space in one place than adding two 6’ dormers. The dormer space also gives a good place for dressers and other tall furniture to stand. If purchasing a home with dormers, most commonly the dormer is framed and then log siding, board and batton, or cedar shakes is installed over the framing. For labor costs, a builder who works in Coeur D’ Alene, Idaho simply adds about $1,500 for each dormer (depending on size).
Another advantage of choosing a log home dealer that is local to where you are building, when you live out of state, is that they should be familiar with local builders, contractors, and lenders. This alone can be one of the biggest time and money savers you will have. If you find people who are knowledgeable they can help to steer you towards the best value. Even if the package price ends up a little higher than expected, be sure to also weigh out the added value that your dealer is giving you. It may be non-existent, or it may be invaluable.
Once a rough floor plan is laid out, the home can be submitted by the dealer to the log home company for pricing. This gives the homeowner a rough idea of what things will cost. If you are adding extensive decks or a garage, consider having that priced separately so that you as a homeowner have some options. You may not choose to build the garage right away, but at least you have a current cost projection.
Log home types include milled log homes and handcrafted log homes. The milled or manufactured log homes are very uniform and typically range between 6”x8” and 8”x8” logs. Log lengths go up to 16’ and are joined if longer. The D-log profile, flat on the inside and round on the outside, is the most common. Round on both sides, or double D, is also lovely. It just depends on what the homeowner prefers. Log stack with a double tongue and groove cut and saddle notch corners. Butt and Pass corners, where every other log end is exposed is not as ideal due to the top of the log ends being exposed to the elements. Swedish Cope logs (though we only offer them upon request) are round on the inside and outside and the bottom of each log is milled concave (or half moon) to fit over the log under it. Square profile logs are also fairly popular. But the most important thing is to be sure that the logs have a way to overlap as they stack. All logs shrink some, so the overlap log to log is vital for keeping the weather out of the home.
Handcrafted log homes are typically constructed from logs with larger diameters and lengths than the milled. Logs are hand peeled with a draw knife and they have random diameters. The handcrafted logs that we offer range between about 12 and 15 inches in diameter and go up to 50 feet in length. (When shipping overseas, the max length is 39’ 6” due to the shipping containers). The corners of handcrafted home are Scandinavian full scribe, where each log is custom cut to fit in either a diamond cut pattern or a full saddle notch. Slots ledge cuts are used for window and door openings to recess them to receive finished material and framing lumber.
If you have found the log home company and representative that you want to work with, have your financing secured, and have purchased your property or know where you want to purchase your land, don’t hesitate to go ahead and make a deposit on your log home. A floor plan can be worked and reworked until it meets your needs and reflects your dreams. So getting started on the final floor plan sooner than later will help you in the long run. Also interview some builders at this point. Some contractors are booked months or even a year in advance. Your log home representative can provide the names of some local builders who are accustomed to building their homes.
Some of your hardest work is done at this point. You have found the professionals that you are comfortable working with, a floor plan is designed, and financing should be in place. So move forward and take advantage of the current decrease in construction costs and select your log home builder.
Written by Mike and Sue Lemmon of Cowboy Log Builders LLC
by Tom on November 14, 2009
The following is a two-part article written by Mike and Sue Lemmon of Cowboy Log Builders LLC. For anyone thinking about building a log home, this will be a great help.
From A Log Home Builder In Montana and Idaho
I sit here on this November afternoon looking out of the large trapezoid windows in my Great Room. Five inches of snow meets my eyes and more is still falling. Summer has faded and the planning season for 2010 has begun.
Building a log home in Montana or Idaho tends to be a long term dream. Perhaps you are one of the future log home owners who have dreamed, saved floor plans, and accumulated multiple shelves of log home magazines. The time has come to move forward. You have a lot of information and ideas, but now to facilitate the HOW- how to turn your ideas into reality with as little stress as possible.
One of your first steps should be to locate a full service log home representative that is local to where you plan to build. This type of log home company will have the most experience that is relevant to your home location. It is an extra plus if the representative is also a builder. If you live in Florida and plan to build in Missoula, Montana, then locate a log home representative Northern Idaho or Montana.
The Rocky Mountains have a great appeal to many, but they also provide extra challenges when building. Though location is very important, here are the factors that contain the most hidden costs. So it is wise to consider them before you purchase your piece of the West.
1) Access- consider if delivery trucks and construction vehicles be able to access the property. Many times log homes are delivered on semis. Also cement trucks need to be able to reach the home site. If logs and other materials have to be unloaded and then brought in on a flat bed trailer behind a pick up truck, then the builder cost will increase.
2) Electric and phone- determine if the property on the electric grid. If solar or other alternative energy will be required, be sure to include an allowance for it in your budget. A call to the phone company is also a good idea.
3) Well depth- research how deep water wells are in the area. Talking with a local well driller can be very helpful. Based on surrounding well depths, and estimate can be drawn on your well depth. This is very helpful, but when drilling time comes be prepared for the well to cost more that projected. We had a well near Billings, Montana, that was projected at $7,000 and ended up costing $12,000.
4) Foundations- excavation costs can vary greatly if large rocks or boulders are found when digging. Lots located on benches can even pose a problem, as rock is never far below the surface. When an excavator provides a cost estimate it is based on ‘normal digging’. If some dynamite blasting or bigger machines are required, the cost will increase.
5) Septic- check for drainage for a septic system. If the projected home location is on the side of a mountain, leech fields may be a problem. Also banks do not typically like to loan on properties that do not have standard septic systems. Holding tanks are not usually acceptable if lending is planned on a project.
These are items that can deplete a person’s building fund before they ever even order their log home. So be smart and research these before you start. If budget concerns arise with one piece of property, consider looking at another subdivision. Even changing to a subdivision a few miles away can change the cost projections. If you have already purchased your land, and then find that some of these items are going to prove to be too expensive for you, remember you can always resell your lot and purchase another one. It is better to go ahead and sell the property, even if it does have a great view, than it is to get started on your project and run out of funds before it is completed.
Don’t miss Part II of this great article, subscribe to the Log Home Blog and get notified when new posts and published.
by Tom on November 10, 2009
The role of a log home manufacturer has changed over the years. Many of today’s major log home manufacturers evolved from local saw mills to corporations doing business internationally. In recent years, manufacturers have adopted numerous value-added services to better serve their customers.
In a press release this week, PrecisionCraft announced its new Log Homes Design Build Center. With this new online resource center, people worldwide can get a complete look at PrecisionCraft’s Total Home Solution, a Design Build approach to building custom mountain style homes. From creating one-of-a-kind designs through the entire construction process, PrecisionCraft’s Design Build center highlights how this unique approach utilizes streamlined processes, aggressive cost controls and cutting edge timeline management techniques to ensure the highest quality build standards at the best price.
As the only company to offer a complete Design Build approach in the log and timber home industry, PrecisionCraft provides clients with a seamless build process achieved through a single point of contact & accountability. Acting as a client’s single source of contact through the entire homebuilding process, PrecisionCraft is able to eliminate the disputes, communication delays and unexpected cost increases that occur when multiple parties are involved. James Banner, General Manager at PrecisionCraft refers to their unique business model as “the industry’s most effective process for controlling cost & quality.”
PrecisionCraft’s web site offers a fresh look at their unique Total Home Solution. From the new Design Build resource center, visitors can navigate and learn more about the individual components of PrecisonCraft’s Design Build approach:
- Conceptual Design: Creating a design that reflects a client’s lifestyle, architectural preferences, budget, and build location.
- A Cost Feasibility Study: Creating a one-of-a-kind design also means ensuring a client is completely comfortable with its cost. PrecisionCraft’s unique Cost Feasibility Study, delivered with the Conceptual Design, affirms that a client’s home can be built within the stated budget.
- Pre-Construction Planning: From specific cost information to a detailed project schedule, PrecisionCraft’s Pre-Construction Planning ensures each project is a success.
- Highest Quality Construction: From site preparation to completion, PrecisionCraft focuses on delivering the highest quality build, meeting a client’s target budget, and maintaining the scheduled timeline.
According to Jim Young, President of PrecisionCraft Log Homes & Timber Frame, “The primary advantage of such a unique approach in the log and timber home industry is the client’s ability to see every detail of his or her project thought through and planned for before committing to construction. This means every client has the right design for them, feels completely comfortable with its cost, and enjoys the security that comes from such in-depth planning prior to making a commitment to construction.”
Check out their Design Build Center or contact info@precisioncraft.com
