BASIC COST ESTIMATING
HANDCRAFTED CONSTRUCTION
HANDCRAFTED CONSTRUCTION
HANDCRAFTED CONSTRUCTION
For handcrafted construction, a basic rule of thumb is that the cost of the log shell should be around 1/3 of the total turn key project. A
budget of around 450.00 per square foot is realistic. The log shell should make up 1/3 rd the budget, bringing the cost to 150.00 per square foot. This is just a reference guide to help in the plan
For handcrafted construction, a basic rule of thumb is that the cost of the log shell should be around 1/3 of the total turn key project. A
budget of around 450.00 per square foot is realistic. The log shell should make up 1/3 rd the budget, bringing the cost to 150.00 per square foot. This is just a reference guide to help in the planning stages of your project. Our final contract quote is based on the final drawings that the owner provides to us. The minimum project size for a handcrafted home is around 1,000 sq. ft. on the main floor. The handcrafted home is suited for white collar professionals , investors and business owner's who want and can afford only the very best. The handcrafted home offer's to the owner's the highest return on investment.
For planning purposes, a budget of 150.00 per square foot is a good starting point for a pine log shell. See the log shell package page for more info on what is and is not included.
MILLED CONSTRUCTION
HANDCRAFTED CONSTRUCTION
HANDCRAFTED CONSTRUCTION
Milled log construction is an affordable alternative to the high end handcrafted home. In the home building industry, a log building is going to cost about 60 % more than a typical conventional stick frame home. On the flip side is the higher return on investment when you sell a log home. Here are some basic budget planning figures.
Cab
Milled log construction is an affordable alternative to the high end handcrafted home. In the home building industry, a log building is going to cost about 60 % more than a typical conventional stick frame home. On the flip side is the higher return on investment when you sell a log home. Here are some basic budget planning figures.
Cabins up to 500 sq. ft.................175.00
Cabins over 500 to 1,000 sq. ft.....238.00
Homes over 1,000 sq. ft. & up.......300.00 The biggest difference is always the quality of materials chosen. The log shell should be around 25 - 33% of your total turn - key budget. For example: if your log shell is around 75,000 then your budget should be around 300K. For smaller sized cabins in the 500 sq. ft. range, the 9 & 10 inch diameter logs or the 6 x 6, 6 x 8, square milled logs are suitable. For larger sized project's around 1,000 sq. ft. or more, using 10 or 12 inch diameter logs is recommended. Owner's that are able to do a lot of the finishing work themselves can save around 40 - 60 % on the cost of their project.
Square footage is based on the area of the main floor plus the area of any loft space or a full second story.
Exterior porches, log railing, stairs, log floor joist, log roof framing pieces, add to the total contract price, based on the final drawings.
THE DIFFERENCE
HANDCRAFTED CONSTRUCTION
THE DIFFERENCE
- Handcrafted logs are each unique and one of a kind and are much larger in diameter. Milled logs are uniform in shape and size and are smaller in diameter.
- Handcrafted logs involve more extensive labor and skill to produce.
- Milled logs are uniform in size and shape and are much faster to produce.
- Milled logs come in a variety of profiles
- Handcrafted logs are each unique and one of a kind and are much larger in diameter. Milled logs are uniform in shape and size and are smaller in diameter.
- Handcrafted logs involve more extensive labor and skill to produce.
- Milled logs are uniform in size and shape and are much faster to produce.
- Milled logs come in a variety of profiles and log sizes. See the milled construction page for more details.
- A handcrafted home will have a higher re - sale value than a milled home.
- Milled logs will require chinking.
- Splice joints are common in a milled log wall.
- Handcrafted log walls utilize full length logs.
Additional Information
Over the last 15 -20 years, a common trend in home design is to have at least one bedroom on the main floor. For smaller homes and cabins having one bedroom on the main floor, we recommend a minimum size of around 728 sq. ft., or 26 ft. x 28 ft.
For a cabin with two bedrooms on the main floor, you should be around 1008 sq. ft. or 28 x 36 ft. Keep in mind that with a basement and a loft, more bedrooms can be added for additional living space. For cost efficiency, it is cheaper to build up rather than to build out.
SMALL HOUSE VS. LARGE HOUSE
Many folk's don't understand the cost difference with a small house as compared with a large house. The bottom line is simple. A large house will have a larger price tag and a small house will have a small price tag. What is tricky here is the cost per square foot. A small house will have a small square foot living area. The problem is that folk's want the same high priced items that are found in larger sized homes in their small home. Examples would be a field stone fireplace, luxury kitchen / bath items and flooring, etc. So having big expensive items in a small home will create a higher price per square foot. A larger sized home is able to spread the high ticketed items over a larger square foot area making the overall price per square foot lower than a small home.
COST EFFICIENT
The most cost efficient building to build is one that has four square sides. Adding extra corner's and each change of direction increases the overall cost of the home. For example; a main floor of say 1500 sq. ft. with 8 - 10 corner's will cost less than a 1500 sq. ft. main floor with 21 corner's.
