Already dreaming of your log home? Imagining yourself sipping your coffee in your living room as you breathe in the scent of a crackling fire. While we too hope that your dream comes true as quickly as possible, we also know that before you can take full advantage of your new home, it’s important to start at the beginning: with a solid plan.
PLANNING A LOG OR TIMBER FRAME HOME: WHERE TO START
Harkins conceives each log home plan based on the client’s vision, the land on which it will be built, and the client’s needs and lifestyle. This is why there’s no catalog like you may see for standard homes. Each plan is unique and adapted to the project’s specificities.
A PERSONALIZED PLAN FOR YOUR LOG OR TIMBER FRAME HOME
Before getting into the nitty gritty, it’s important to start with a preliminary plan. This plan is developed based on your ideas, your needs, and your budget. With this plan, you’ll get a general sense of the look and size of the home. From there, the Harkins team will be able to prepare an estimate for the costs of bringing your project to life. Once the proposal is accepted, we’ll be able to get into the serious stuff.
A PLAN FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF YOUR LOG OR TIMBER FRAME HOME
Before moving forward with a detailed plan, the client will have to finalize a few choices like the doors, the windows, the finishes, and so on. Then, our architecture team will take all of those elements and build out a detailed plan for your log home or cabin. This plan will allow the team tasked with building the structure to begin the project and assemble the structure that will be delivered and installed on your foundation.
EXAMPLES OF A LOG HOME PLAN
While we may not have a catalog, it’s possible to take a look at some examples of our plans for inspiration. In the same way photos of our creations can provide inspiration when it comes to finishes and decor, examples of our plans can help give you some ideas for the layout of your log home or cabin. With that in mind, here are some examples of a Harkins plan.
And of course, if you have examples of homes or certain elements you’d like to include, we can use them for inspiration as well and adapt them to your project.
THE COST OF A LOG OR TIMBER FRAME HOME PLAN
The plan makes up the “foundation” of your home or cabin. It’s important that you invest time and money into the process because a well-conceived plan will help you avoid surprises down the line. As a general rule, the amount invested in the plan should be equivalent to approximately 1 or 2 percent of your total budget or between $2 and $5 per square foot. The cost will vary depending on the complexity of your project.
If your project is very complex, these estimates may be revised upwards.
Ready to get started? Take the time to meet with us to build out a solid plan that blends aesthetics and structural quality, in harmony with the land you have to work with.