You can save money on log houses by buying a semi load of logs and paying a small sawmill to custom cut them.
I work for a sawmill and if you buy a kit for say, $10,000 my boss pockets around $4,000. You could save about forty percent by fronting the money for the logs.
Another benefit is YOU can say what kind of logs you want. For example A regular 7 inch D style log (flat on three sides) has about 5 to 6 inches of flat. If I was cutting for my own house I would want to go 7 to 8 inches of flat for more insulation value.
Another benefit is that you would get boards (one inch thick) and planks (Two inch thick) from the edgings. These could be used for your own construction, sold to raise immediate cash to offset construction costs, or stockpiled for barter supplies.
Any questions can be sent to Box 742 Montello, WI 53949. Please send a SASE for a quicker response.
Chad,
Thanks for the info. Where would I go to get a semi load of logs? What about "Burned" forest logs. I have heard that they will last longer and are very inexpensive. For a 2500 sq ft home, would a single semi be enough? would it pay to mill them myself? How much would it cost (roughly) to get all the lumber milled?
Sorry for the delay. I just lost my job at the mill due to getting the flu for a week. In Wisconsin I would just call a logger, even in South central Wi we have logging companies.
In a month or two I will be relocating to Lincoln Montana. I have a friend that owns a mill up there. He told me that mills there do not want to cut burned pine. I believe that the reason is that the pine is already dry. Being dry it is harder on the mill blades, so they try to avoid cutting it. We will be cutting it.
Here in Wisconsin we charged between a dollar a cut and a dollar and a quarter per slice for cabin logs. And we charged 20 cents per board foot for cutting boards, planks, and beams.
Ponderosa Sawmill near Lincoln Montana will be opening soon. One of their employees has read Secure Home and likes working with people on survival projects. His name is Chad Zimmerman. His email address is bookman392@yahoo.com.