<p>Although we’ve spent our entire lives in the burbs, DH and I have this romantic notion of building a comfy log cabin in the outskirts of Asheville, NC (which we’ve never visited). Anyone here ever built a log cabin, perhaps as a vacation home, or have a close friend or relation who has? I’d love to know the process for finding an experienced contractor – I’m guessing through the kit manufacturer-- and an appropriate lot location and everything else that comes with it. I could definitely see my DH who is extremely knowledgeable about construction as the GC on our retirement home. Anyone?</p>
<p>We seriously considered it but the more research we (H) did, the more he decided it wasn’t the best construction. There are a lot of issues- running wires being just one. H thinks timber frame is better.</p>
<p>Yep, post and beam makes more sense: cheaper, easier, lower maintenance.</p>
<p>Well yes … a log cabin will extra planning and will cost more too. BUT if you two are truly romantics at heart, you might be the absolute best candidates to tackle one. A friend’s family has a lakeside log cabin with an attached rustic stick-built addition for the kitchen, bathrooms, storage and garage. Very, very nice … and practical too.</p>
<p>Straw bale - that’s where it’s at! ;)</p>
<p>I was totally in love with the idea of a log cabin…untill my husband (among others things has a builder’s license) started telling me about all the differences to stickbuilt - not only the things you have to accomodate in construction but in years going forward. You can, however, do some nice things with half logs, or post and beam etc. If you do go the log home way do your research. I still love log cabins, always will.</p>
<p>My brother did one from a kit. He hired a contractor to put the kit together and did a lot of the finish work himself. The manufacturer found the guy who put the kit together. The house is beautiful.</p>
<p>We were seriously pursuing a post and beam project , but it never materialized. We had a choice of building on our existing property ( never liked that location ) or on a lot we had put a deposit on that needed some review for wetlands deliniation…never happened though I still dream someday we might build somewhere else</p>
<p>When we bought our present house I looked at a log cabin type house. It was really beautiful inside and out. The only problem was that it was so dark on the inside. I viewed it on a sunny day in the summer and it was very dark from all of the wood. I thought that it would be very deary in the winter and that it would be depressing. It had tons of windows also and the entire back was a wall of windows. I bought a conventional built house and it is very light even on cloudy day. JMO</p>
<p>My SIL has a vacation home and near her they have built many new homes. Sadly, maybe I shouldn’t admit it but we will look at the construction sites. There was a log home and a timber frame home built around the same time. These were big homes on a lake. I thought the timber frame beat the log home in every category. Much lighter, much better views of the lake. I would suspect that both were around the same cost to build.</p>
<p>"These were … homes on a lake. "</p>
<p>Yeah, I probably should mention that the choice of home site is important. There’s a lot of reflected light when a home is sited on a lake.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for making me aware of some potential issues of a log home. You’ve given me some additional things to think about as I research this.</p>
<p>WW, I guess it depends on your definition of log cabin. 
I know two families who have had log homes built through this company.</p>
<p>[Manufactured</a> Homes < About Us | 1867 Confederation Log Homes](<a href=“Home - 1867 Confederation Log and Timber Frame”>Home - 1867 Confederation Log and Timber Frame)</p>
<p>I haven’t seen them in person but I’ve seen photos and they are spectacular. A log home does not have to be dark and dreary, as you can see from the gallery photos on the website. A family friend has a log ‘cottage’ in northern Ontario that is lovely, too. It’s built on a hill, surrounded by tall pines, overlooking a lake. It, too, is not dark nor dreary. So, it can definitely be done so that it’s inviting, bright, and airy!</p>
<p>Asheville is a charming town, by the way. Good luck!</p>