Building a custom handcrafted
home can be very overwhelming, especially a log
home. This is why it is very important to work
with a company that specializes in this type of
construction. It is important to understand that
most log home manufacturers do not build homes;
however, they do assist with home design, provide
a materials list, and deliver the log home package
components to the building site. It is important
to ensure that you have someone with the experience
required to complete the home and who has experience
in this type of construction. South Mountain Construction,
Inc. can provide all the services required to
complete your home and to ensure that it is built
properly and in accordance with local building
codes.
A Custom-Built Process
Log homes are the fastest growing segment of the
custom home real estate market, appreciating and
selling well. The principles of log home construction
are the same as a conventional home, except for
the log walls and log framing members. The plans
are designed to defined/submitted building codes
and wind/snow loads in the area, and the components
are shipped to the building site where they are
assembled on a conventional foundation.
Costs for a log
home include, but are not limited to: log home
materials (from the log home manufacturer), site
work, foundation, heating and cooling, electrical
and plumbing, cabinets and final finishes, and
actual labor construction costs.
Log homeowners will pay the same or slightly more
compared with a similarly constructed conventional
house of the same design. South Mountain Construction,
Inc. can help provide an estimate of the final
cost in order to plan a budget, secure financing
and decide how much of the final home will be
owner finished.
What services do you
offer?
This is important due to the fact that you may
have to work with more than one person/company
when building these types of homes. We offer everything
from supplying the material, custom designs, shell
erection, and turn key construction. We also help
with financing as well. This simplifies the process
as you only have to work with one person rather
than several different contacts.
What types of warranties
are offered?
This is important when building these types of
homes. You need to determine what type of warranty
is offered and who is it offered by. All the log
and timber components we use are backed by a lifetime
warranty offered by the log/timer manufacturer.
You also need to ask if the log and timber components
used are certified by a type of grading system.
This is very important in determining if the actual
component is suitable for structural areas within
the home.
Can you show me 3-5
year old homes that you’ve worked on?
Ask to see homes that are at least 3-5 years old
or older. This is important due to the fact that
most problems related to poor quality and craftsmanship
will arise within this time frame.
Can you send me a list
of your past customers?
Ask for a list of references of past customers.
This will give you an opinion from the homeowner’s
perspective and also will give you an idea of
the level of satisfaction throughout the entire
process as well as the final product.
Are the components kiln
dried? If so, to what standard?
This is important as well due to the fact that
there is a vast definition of “kiln dried”
components. The components we use are guaranteed
in writing to have a moisture content level of
15% or less.
Are their any special
considerations to address settling or shrinking?
All the homes we build require no special considerations
to address this issue. This is important because
other homes that have a higher level of moisture
content will require a special type of building
system. This will also determine the type of warranty
offered and how much maintenance is required once
the home is complete.
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