“Log package” refers to the handcrafted log (or timber) portion of your log house. A building contractor of your choice will finish the remainder of the project. We take pride in our craftsmanship and premium quality raw logs You’ll be proud of your new log home!
No. The prices you see are for the complete log work or the “log package” which includes any log walls, log loft support beams, the log roof support system etc.
We will work with a general contractor that you select in your area who will oversee the construction of the foundation before reassembly, then schedule the sub-trades (roofing, plumbing, electrical etc.) in the same way that he would handle a conventional frame home project.
Over the years we have found that this is the most cost effective way for you to achieve the finest quality home. With experienced local professionals in place at every stage of construction, you can be assured of superior results. We work closely with your contractor and we’re available for consultation as long as you need us.
We ship our handcrafted log homes all over the world. We are based in the Southern British Columbia interior where Douglas Fir and Western Red Cedar grow abundantly. Our building site is a small acreage in Scotch Creek where we have a large open area to store logs, organize wood waste, and manoeuvre long logs with the large equipment required. Being close to the raw materials is cost effective for us and for you. The climate of this mountainous region on the north side of Shuswap Lake, gives us hot summers and moderate winters, allowing us to actively build all year long.
Our highly skilled log builders are avid outdoorsmen even on their days off, and love this area for hunting, fishing, boating and snowmobiling. Authentic woodsmen, they enjoy exploring the backcountry and campfire cooking with friends and family.
The price of a log home is determined by more than a simple “per-square-foot” formula although you can expect the cost of the log work to represent 25%-35% of the total cost of your finished home depending on the type of finishes you choose. The key elements in a log home are top quality logs and meticulous log construction: both standard in all our projects for over 40 years. Factors that typically influence the cost of a log package are:
Most of our projects are custom log homes and each is priced individually, but our sample log home plans help give an idea of how much a certain size or style of log house might cost. The final cost of your home will depend a great deal on your choice of windows, doors, roofing materials, cabinetry, flooring, and fixtures etc.
After your home leaves our yard log builders travel to your home site and set each log in place with a crane as it is unloaded from the truck. They are usually assisted by labourers from your area hired by your general contractor.
We are proud of our friendly and professional employees and we regularly get calls from customers who tell us how much they enjoyed meeting and working with them.
In extremely cold climates, chinking can be used as an additional physical barrier, although a client will often choose to chink simply because they like the look.
Advanced chinking techniques are far superior to previous methods and new synthetic products expand and contract with temperature fluctuations.
The many color options available allow you to create the finished look you desire; a color matching the log finish will make the chinking blend in so it virtually disappears, while a contrasting color adds heritage charm.
Not anymore! Pioneer log cabins often had very small windows (glass had to be transported many miles in wagons or on pack animals) and large windows were not always desirable when the single pane glass could result in heat loss.
Today there are many energy efficient windows to choose from and people value the practical advantages and mood-lifting benefits of natural light. Many of our clients build log homes on land with amazing views, and design their homes and window placement to showcase the scenery with high ceilings and soaring windows.
Open concept log home floor plans keep interiors bright while dormer windows add space and light to loft areas. Some people crave cozy log interior walls while others choose frame walls, giving them additional flat surfaces for art, mirrors and painted accent walls.
Your modern log home or cabin will reflect your taste in flooring and cabinetry and there have never been more options available! The choice of light fixtures and furniture will be up to you…your log home can be as bright as you like or as cozy as you want it to be!
Not when constructed properly! Correctly fit together with full scribe hand crafted construction, your home will be warm in the winter and cool in the summer. If you want to add expandable foam gasketing or chinking, these are additional options for you to consider.
Here at our site it takes an average of six-eight weeks for the construction of a 1200-1500 square foot log package although it will vary based on the complexity of the design.
A small cabin will take less time, and a very large estate home or lodge would take longer.
We prefer to use Douglas Fir and Western Red cedar because their physical characteristics make both ideal for log construction.
The choice of species is up to you, although each has unique advantages: Douglas Fir, for instance, offers superior roof strength under heavy snow load and Western Red Cedar is an international requirement in places such as Europe or Australia.
We have used many types of wood over the 40 years that we have been building log homes and we have found that Spruce has a tendency to spiral grain (which causes the log to twist) and Lodgepole Pine is prone to “pocket rot”. We are happy to discuss the pros and cons if you have any questions.
We are located in the Southern British Columbia interior where Douglas Fir and Western Red Cedar grow abundantly. Being close to the raw materials is cost effective for our us and for you. This lush and mountainous region on the north side of Shuswap Lake, is popular for its hot summers and moderate winters, allowing us to build log homes all year long.
Our site is a small acreage in Scotch Creek where we have a large open area to store logs, organize wood waste, and manoeuvre long logs with the large equipment required.
This is quite common! Some couples find that log exterior walls combined with framed interior partitions help give them the best of both worlds.Others explore the post and beam option which features a hand peeled log framework and roof system with conventionally framed exterior and interior walls.Timber frame is another choice where milled beams work together with standard walls adding strength and character. You can see examples of each of these styles here in our website. Not everyone wants a full log home and we can discuss ways to accommodate a variety of tastes!
Like a fortress! A home we built in Kiln, Mississippi sheltered many people during flooding after hurricane Katrina when many nearby homes were completely destroyed. The sheer weight of a log house makes it stand strong against high winds. Solid log walls constructed in our tight-fitting hand-scribed method are also extremely difficult to ignite as long as the roof is not cedar shakes. Forest fire-fighters in California actually took refuge in a hand-crafted log home when they became trapped by a forest fire which swept around them without destroying the log house.
We won’t be asking you to commit to anything right away. You will probably want to modify an existing home plan or work with a draftsman on a custom design. When you have finalized your log home plans, we can give you a price and a working agreement which will outline a series of progress payments.We know that you are dedicated to the construction of your log home when we receive a payment to secure your position in our building schedule. This might be the first installment of your progress payments or a small non-refundable holding deposit if you wish to have your project scheduled while your plans are being drawn. The holding deposit will be deducted from your working agreement when your plans are complete.
You don’t have to pay anything until you are ready, but we can’t schedule the log construction until we receive a payment from you. We will be clear about time available in our schedule for your project. We speak with many people, some who choose to build right away and some who don’t build at all. If you place a holding deposit and, for some reason, we cannot begin your project your deposit will be returned. (This has never happened.) Otherwise, this deposit is non-refundable. Once the time is allotted for the building of your log home, it affects our ability to schedule other clients.
A log home will easily last several hundred years with a good roof and basic maintenance of the log finish.
Yes! Careful numbering of every log by our experienced builders ensures that this process goes quickly and smoothly.
We calculate the shipping and reassembly costs for your log home based on the factors involved for your specific job. All this will be agreed upon prior to entering into any contract. We ship all over the world. Shipping prices are based on your location, and the method of transportation required to deliver a log home package to you.
In North America a log package is shipped on trucks. A reliable transport company will provide a price based on the number of trucks required and the distance that the trucks will travel. If you are building overseas, your log home is loaded into a container (logs numbered and in order). A truck takes the container from our building site to the nearest port where it is loaded onto a ship for ocean transport. Reassembly is scheduled when the ship nears port in your country.
Travel costs for the log builders who reassemble the home including transportation, food and accommodations vary according to location. The factors involved in each home are unique (some clients can offer room and board to the builders or help with transportation arrangements) so these details are addressed specifically.
Take your time exploring our website, then contact us! Call 1-877-955-2485 (toll free) to leave a message or click on the “contact us” link and include your information, phone number, and the best time for us to call you. We will reply to your email as clearly as we can but, if you have a lot of questions, a telephone conversation is the most efficient way to get answers quickly.
We understand that everyone has different concerns, different time frames, different budgets and it’s always interesting to talk to people who contact us from around the world. In fact, it’s the people that we meet over the years that are the most rewarding part of this business.
Just call or send us a note and we can go over any questions you have! Your name will never be added to a mailing list, we don’t send automated replies, and we will never share your information with anyone else.
Sometimes. We build custom log homes and a finished home is usually someone’s private dwelling. We understand that, while some clients are kind enough to share finished photos of their homes, not everyone wants pictures of their living spaces on display. When a home sells, we occasionally have permission to use realtor photos.
While viewing finished photos of a log home can be helpful, it can also be distracting because everyone has different tastes. The interior character of any home is influenced strongly by the choice of colors, flooring, furnishings, decor, cabinetry etc. What is appealing to one person might be unpleasant to another. Whenever you see finished photos of a log home interior, try to picture it finished in your personal style.
Yes. Twice! We will send you progress photos as we build your log home in our yard. After it is shipped to your home site, you can watch each log placed in its final position. It typically takes four-five days for the reassembly of a 1200-1500 square foot log package.
This depends on a variety of personal factors of course, but you should find the property you want to build on and obtain the services required: power, water, septic, road access etc. We often build in rural areas where people choose to enjoy recreational opportunities, simplify their lives or practice more environmentally sustainable living.
The desire to spend more time outdoors with children and grandchildren often provides the motivation to return to a more traditional, family centered way of life and we love to hear how a log home we build helps bring a family together.
A log cabin near a lake or a ski hill encourages you to find an escape from the pressures of work. If you think that it might be the right time for you to build your log home, we can help you work within your budget.
We do offer the service of applying a finish here during the initial construction stage if you choose. Alternatively, you can decide to finish it later when it is reassembled. Finishing the logs earlier does help protect them from the elements during fabrication and transportation.
There is an excellent selection of shades and colors available in wood finishes today: more than ever before! We can send you samples to help you find the look you want.
We currently use a product called “Sansin” that consistently provides superior results, but we are always keeping an eye out for the latest in high quality finishes.
we would love to hear from you
Phone: 250-955-2485
After Hours Contact: 250-682-2485
Toll Free: 1-877-955-2485
Email: info@namericanlogcrafters.com
OFFICE LOCATION:
PO Box 24031
Scotch Creek, BC, Canada
V0E 3L0
