Observations from a Newbie . . . About a Self-Destructive Industry

[Michael Boomgarden]

I thought I'd throw this out there for general discussion and, perhaps, to invoke a bit of introspection among builders. But, first a little bit about me, lest you think I'm a complete nut: I've just been a participant here for a few weeks. I'm a reasonably educated guy--a retired Air Force officer with a professional post-grad degree--and have dealt with a variety of executives across a large array of industries.

My wife and I at long last find ourselves in the position where we can seriously consider building a log cabin. So, we've been exploring the options, doing a fair amount of research, reading up on the subject, and discussing our options with suppliers and builders. The last year, during which time I've devoted a lot of time to research, has gotten me up to speed as we approach the time when we're actually going to start building. However, we attended the Indianapolis show this weekend and it finally struck me why so many people who explore building a log home don't do so: it's because those in the business are apparently pretty sour on log homes in general.

Why do I say that? Well, it's because the pitch I've heard time after time seems to come down to this: "[Name the competitor]'s way of doing things is horrible. It's expensive, takes forever, and will leave you with a home you'll regret owning. It will warp, settle, attract bugs, develop drafts, and generally rot away beneath your feet. And that's if they don't walk away before your home is finished, leaving you financially ruined. Even if none of those things happen, you'll end up paying through the nose for an inferior product. My price? Well, I can't really say."

Just something for those of you in the industry to mull over: This leaves a guy like me with a number of choices, but the easiest is to just walk away from the whole notion of a log home. You and your competitors are certainly doing a bang-up job of instilling distrust of log homes and of those in the industry. I'm not suggesting that the answer is to gather in a circle and begin singing "Kumbaya," but it might be beneficial to the entire industry if it were to embrace an attitude of aggressive competition that didn't rely on bashing everyone else's way of doing things.

How you accomplish this, I can't say. But, I can tell you that my honest appraisal is that there's a deep rot in the industry, and it manifests itself in a pervasive sales pitch that most log homes should be avoided by the plague. It ultimately instills in many a serious fear of owning a log home.

Having said all that, I continue my search. But, guys . . . there's got to be a better way.

/rant.

[Tim Bullock]

Dolly, "partner company sells log homes".....what the heck does that mean? Who?

"I don't know of any home that is not expensive"....what the heck that does that mean?

"Every company has good points and bad points".....I am sorry but I have no bad points other than being more costly than machined log homes. Do you have bad points? Does your partner company have bad points?

Post with thinking or not at all as you have not added to the discussion in any meaningful way at all.

Tim Bullock www.tamaracklogandtimberhomes.com

 

 

 

[WRLH]

Excellent post and I've heard the same from many of the people I have worked with. Too many people get confused with the terms such as packages, half log, full log, hand scribed, hyrbid, etc... No two companies offer the same inclusions in their package so they tear into the competition and take what they perceive as the easy way out by being negative on other companies rather than selling their own product. I blame the log home companies for a lot of it. Their dealer networks are diluted with part time hobbyist dealers. These part timers became dealers because they had their own log home built and think its an easy business to be in. Some are retired while others have full time jobs. They haven't been properly trained and many have zero sales and business experience. But...they are self described experts because they went through the building process once. Too many milled log home companies think that they more dealers they flood certain regions with the better their sales will be. They are wrong. If they don't know the product and build process they do the whole industry wrong because they will turn people away from log homes completely. As some use negative tactics they seem to forget no one "made" the log they are trying to sell. It used to be a live, growing tree that was cut and milled. Or cut and scribed for the hand crafters.

[shanny]

Sometimes...I like the "little guy".

Some of them actually live in what they make, and are family businesses, so their reputation is important.

It means alot when a person who wants to build a small trapper cabin, is treated the same as someone who wants to build a 5K log home.

 

 

[shanny]

One of the big topics, and arguments,  is proper overhangs.

Here is a small company (I am not affiliated in any way) that did a perma chink makeover on their office, which was over 30 years old.

This is a D style white cedar style log...its sawn.

Look at the overhangs and porch?

No doubt this has helped tremendously preserve the structure.

 

http://www.goodridgelumber.com/extreme_makeover.htm

[Victoria Smith]

My boyfriend and I built our own cabin. Started in July, 2010. We are at the sanding inside walls and plumbing stages. I highly recommend, if you do build. Hire someone you know. We had to hire someone to build the roofing system. Our log home distributor gave us a name. The guy showed up 1 weekend with his 2 sons.  1/3 of the way finished. couldn't come back. I was so mad. And coventry did nothing for us. and the "gentleman" did not return phone calls or emails.  Any ways..I found a local guy, lives 1/2 hour away. He was awesome. He had to totally take apart when the first guy started, it was so messed up!  I highly recommend less research, even on here, there are too many different opinions.!!! Find a style you want, find a reliable builder and do it!  Good luck. The reward of walking into my log cabin is unreal. I seriously kiss it good bye when i leave it........vicki smith

[Tim Bullock]

Victoria, It seems like the Coventry name comes up a lot here.

Tim Bullock www.tamaracklogandtimberhomes.com

[shanny]

Thats why research is important.

Sometimes you get what you pay for, and sometimes you pay more then you could have for what you get.

The term "kit" is so deceptive, since sometimes a person has to put so much extra work into the kit, they could just buy lineal foot D logs at a local yard and save a ton of money, as opposed to buying the "kit".

 

If a person looks at actual trees with a 12"-18" stack height / face width, they might cost more at first, but it might be money well spent.

[Victoria Smith]

they were a great company to deal with, until they recommended the ass that messed up my roof!!  lol. i would recommend them for the customer service and their package deal...

[shanny]

Wellllll...its not to good for a company who recommends a contractor, and they do bad work, or don't finish the job.

 

[G Jones]

"Coventry name comes up a lot here."

What does that mean?

[Tim Bullock]

Michael, I have come across a new phenomena in the past two weeks which I find interesting and worth noting. We have a kit log home manufacturer directly across the interstate from our site with a model home which is actually quite nice at 70mph. People go to both places and people comment that they do not like the kit log home due to excessive checking and small d-logs BUT they like our homes BUT don't like the price. They seem to opt for something else and never the twain shall meet.

Tim Bullock www.tamaracklogandtimberhomes.com

[David Fanning]

Tim;

What you are describing is a fairly natural phenomena. They know quality but want to buy it on the cheap. They have a hamburger budget but have prime rib tastes. I can't tell you how many times my wife and I have looked at a number of lights, plumbing fixtures, phones, shirts, etc. and the one we liked was the most expensive one.

Dave
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