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[ID2]

I live in northern Michigan and never wanted to build a cabin in the woods. I'm a lake person so we built a lakehouse that we now live in full time. We had this property since 2000 that had a cute little shack on it. 4 years ago we tore it down and build our dream cottage on our favorite lake. I've seen some nice log cabins in the woods nearby but its never been an attraction for me.

[gardenman]

Slightly off topic, but there's a pretty impressive young couple on YouTube who are building a post and beam house as they try out self-sufficient living. Their videos are posted under the name "Pure Living for Life." Every few days they pop up a new video showing the progress they've made. They've been milling the logs for their new post and beam house lately so we haven't gotten many new videos, but they're still hard at work. They have a cat named Bugaboo who manages to sneak into the footage whenever possible.

As to living in a cabin, counties and states have gotten a bit intense about proper septic systems these days. Installing a septic system can be a huge financial hit. The same can be true of a well. You can pay a small fortune to have a well drilled.

[ccassaday]

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@gardenman wrote:

Slightly off topic, but there's a pretty impressive young couple on YouTube who are building a post and beam house as they try out self-sufficient living. Their videos are posted under the name "Pure Living for Life." Every few days they pop up a new video showing the progress they've made. They've been milling the logs for their new post and beam house lately so we haven't gotten many new videos, but they're still hard at work. They have a cat named Bugaboo who manages to sneak into the footage whenever possible.

As to living in a cabin, counties and states have gotten a bit intense about proper septic systems these days. Installing a septic system can be a huge financial hit. The same can be true of a well. You can pay a small fortune to have a well drilled.

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The well in our builders contract is 3k to 6k. If your paying cash for this project and won't have a construction loan it's a huge chunck of change.  To run sewer lines I think it was a few grand.  So if these items aren't in a builder bid already it can add up.

[Fressa]

Our family has land and a cabin out West. It's very rustic but  a great vacation spot. I started watching those programs on the DIY channels like "Barnwood Builders" etc. I think there's "Log Cabins" on HSTV but they are very expensive. I know thee are few companies that build the cabin off site and construct it on your property. "Tiny Houses" fascinate me as well.  These programs caught my eye just for updating the one the family has. You should set a budget so you don't get over whelmed with options. Good Luck! 

[qualitygal]

I've loved log cabin homes since I don't know when.  Read any magazines you can lay your hands on to learn about log cabins.  There's things you wouldn't think about just because it's a different kind of home.  

You can inquire at some of the companies listed in the back of some of these magazines.  Magazines have lay-outs you might want to see.  

Now you can check on line, where I couldn't at the time I was in love with them.  I always said, if I ever won the lottery, I'd be building a log cabin home, just like a lodge out west. 

[KCFoxy]

@qualitygal, We have long dreamed of building a log home, especially a cabin in the woods.

Attending log home shows, purchasing magazines to help live the dream, as well as watching many of the recent log cabin type shows now available for viewing has been an enormous help.

There is one book I would highly reccommend, by Jim Cooper, one of he foremost authorites/builders around. He had an excellent advice column in Log Home Living magazine, where my dream begain way back in 1995. This was the year my brother gave me a log home calendar after helping my brother-in-law construct a log home (kit) for a client. I believe the company used was Real Log Homes.

Here is a photo of the super helpful book, great for anyone considering building such a home, either themselves or having one constructed. It goes into all the stuff previously mentioned such as land, utilities, building sites, codes, liens, perc tests, terrain, materials, being your own contractor, (or not), type of siding, logs, roofing, maintenance and so on. It really helps you zero in on exactly what you need.

BTW: We have already narrowed down our building site but have not yet been able to purchase it. But in the meantime I have made it my hobby to design energy efficient smaller log cabin floorplans in the range of 1,200 to 1,800 square feet. No, not a business at all, just an enjoyable and useful passtime where I see just how much storage, and cozy features I can manage into a 1 or 1 1/2 (think chalet) story footprint.

Here's a simple model, modest in size, of my own design that I am happy to share with our QVC family. Wishing you all the best!

[qualitygal]

@KCFoxy, Ahhhhhhhhhhh, how wonderful.  Even with the plans in front of you, you can imagine and play in your head about that home.  All wonderful, know of the magazines you mentioned.  I use to read those over and over.  Wish you the best with your home.

[Carmie]

My husband and i have a camper on rented land here in Pennsylvania by a lake. We have been looking for a cabin or for land to build on In the same area.

There are many log cabins here in PA in the area we are interested in, but they are cost prohibitive.  We already have a primary residence and are only looking for a place to get away. They are way too costly.  The land would need a well and septic and electricity, but the log home itself is what is truly expensive... even for a small cabin.

We have just “purchased a farm house” with a two car detached garage with a second story loft, a shed and a working outhouse on an acre and a half for far less then what we could build or buy a log cabin. ( the house has a modern bathroom)  We are waiting for a septic inspection....if all is okay, we will continue with the sale.

i love the idea of vacationing in a log cabin, but it I still only a pipe dream for us.  It’s too expensive for a second home... now, if I won the lottery.....

[Tigriss]

I have several cousins that have built log cabins with kits from log cabin companies.  I imagine if you google log cabin companies in your area, you will find several that do kits for your area.  They give you design options and can arrange for them to be assembled to varying degrees or all the way.  My cousins just had the kit delivered, and the extended family all helped to assemble it.  We have access to heavy machinery and many hands that are skilled in constructions, so we tend to do those things for ourselves.  The company had lots of options for making your log cabin come true.  These companies have skilled laborers that will do the whole thing for you.  You just pick the floor plan and the decor details.  You can even have the inside finished with drywall or with logs.  My family opted for the real log cabin way of logs as the interior walls.  Those companies are very, very helpful, so just google a few and call.  They have many floor plans of many sizes.  It will be much easier than you think.  The hardest part is finding the money for it all.

[Julie928]

Thank you for all of your responses!  So many good points, and I appreciate them all! 

This would be a second place for us, not our primary residence.  I have been researching land about an hour away and it's so darn expensive, then there's the building costs to keep in mind.  I don't know why, but Tennessee keeps calling my name.  Maybe it's the mountains, or maybe it's the fact that you can get a lot for your money.  The problem is the time it would take me to get there.  An 8 1/2 hour drive one way would get old really quick.  But wow, I found a place (in TN) on 38 acres (yes, 38) on a lake surrounded by woods.  It's gorgeous ~ from what I can tell it's what I'm looking for but again, the drive time.

I'm not in any hurry so I definitely want to take all your points into consideration and take my time finding the right land and/or ready to move into cabin.  I think it might be a long journey for us...  :-)