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Frequently Asked Questions


"How Much does a Log Home Cost?"
There is a little like asking how much a car costs-new, used; Yugo or Mercedes. There are a hundred of variables, many of which will be determined by the contractor's costs and customer's choices (hardwood floors would cost much more than an inexpensive brand of carpet). Some suggestions on how to approach this question are as follows: A local constractor regularly charges a turn-key price. Divide that price by the square footage of the house to get a price per square foot (such as $75 per square foot). If you use this as a pricing guide, it is only a rough estimate for a house using only basic materials. Square footage pricing will vary greatly with the size of the house. A 600 square foot home has a higher price to build per square foot than a 3,000 square foot home, using similar materials. The type of material used inside, such as kitchen cabinets, flooring, etc., can cause amazing price variance in the same house.

Construction Related Costs
There are quite a few questions under this heading. Attempt to recognize which are questions that relate uniquely to log homes, and which would hold true for any type of construction. If the question is universal ("How does the carpet go in?"), a typical answer might be that "It would be the same for a log home as a framed home." Other questions that are "Log Specific" and frequently asked are:

"How Does The Wiring Go In?"
As the exterior walls go up, the second or occasionally the third log, depending on the profile, is notched before it is put into place. The builder than drills through the log and subflooring. The wires are run there. Switches are similarly done and drilled over the door openings where there is sufficient room to run the wire (see construction video). The interior walls are partition walls and are wired like any other home.

"How is The Plumbing Done?"
Plumbing is run through the interior walls which are framed. This is done the same as conventionally framed homes. Bathrooms with joists below are the exception. There are several ways to proceed with over joist bathrooms. Most often the joists are not used in the first floor area, or a raised floor issued in the second floor bathroom.

"What Kind of Foundation Can I Build On?"
The same as any other kind of house - basement, concrete slab, crawl space, etc.

"What Kind of Roof Do Log Homes Have?"
As far as roof coverings (shingles, tin roof, concrete shingles, etc.), it would be the same as any other home. Our roof system, however, is a double roof system that is strong and more attractive than most others. It utilizes the exposed rafters and the tongue and groove as a first roof structure that is supporting. The second part includes sleeper rafters, Bat (pink) insulation and sheathing as a second roof struction. The two combined are extremely long and energy efficient (order a construction video and construction detail sheet for further clarification.)

"Do You Pre-assemble These Kits at the Factory?"
No. Our homes are milled. There are basically two types of log homes; milled and handcrafted. Colonial Strucutres' logs are milled which means that they are planed smooth and are the same diameter. The means that all of the logs that fit in the "A" section on your blueprints are identical and do not need to be pre-assembled (large expense.) Handcrafted log homes have random diameters and need to be pre-assembled and labeled to insure that the house "kit" will work.

"What About Termites and Decay?"
Cedar is naturally resistant to termites and decay. Colonial Structures is proud to offer a lifetime warranty on our logs against structural problems due to termites and decay (see warranty). Cedar does have what is called pencil rot. The tubes, which are usually pencil size, and are where water has run in the living cedar tree and gotten soft and appears to be rotted. The condition will not worsen.

"Do These Logs Shrink?"
As far as shrinkage, cedar has the smallest shrink factor of all wood species used to build log homes. It is a natural product, however, and will settle somewhat. The customer may also be referring to the "strength" and how sturdy the house will be. A Colonial Structures Cedar Log Home is incredibly strong due to the post and beam style of construction. The uprights, normally at the corners and beside doors and windows, support the weight of the house, not the logs. The logs help prevent lateral movement. Post and beam construction is represented in 90% of our homes, the other 10% being a mixture of butt and pass, dove tail, and Swedish cope. Post and beam, however, is our niche and makes our homes stronger and unique. In this type of construction, each log is a toe nailed into the uprights on either end so that it will not move. The tongue and groove on the log, along with the foam gasket and caulking will prevent air infiltration around the logs. There is no need to allow for shrinkage, because the uprights bear the weight of the structure.

"Why Are There Two Kits?"
The "Pre-Cut Log Kit" contains milled items, which must be purchased from Colonial Structures (log home supplier). The "Weathertight Kit" contains additional materials required to finish the shell of the home. (Refer to the "What Comes in a Kit" link and become familiar with it.) The Weathertight Kit materials can be purchased through Colonial Structures, or through a local lumber yard, whichever is more efficient (considering time and money) for you. Many log home companies require that you purchase all materials from them, which may not be in your best interest. When comparing different companies' kits, remember that not everyone has the same materials in their package. Some customers see a "log kit" price that is lower than ours and think it is a great deal for the entire house. Make sure that they are comparing apples to apples. Many companies have kits that only include logs, nothing else. If that is all you want, we will be glad to give a price on logs only. Please note: There is a lot of additional materials needed to finish the house. Most customers understand that there are no windows in the "Pre-Cut Log Kit" and will gradually see that there are many other items such as 2x4's, joists, sub flooring, and other things they must have. Frequently, kits do not include exposed wood rafter and joists. The easiest way to compare prices it to get a written quote from the other companies showing what is offered. Colonial Structures offers one of the most all inclusive, high quality packages on the market.

"Do Cedar Log Homes Catch on Fire Easily?"
No. While cedar is a wood product imagine trying to start a fire with no kindling and only large logs. It is very difficult! The same is true with a log home. Also, there are no "chimneys" in the exterior walls between the 2x6's, as there would be in a framed house. Therefore, the fire does not have an avenue to spread. Most log home fires are relegated to a single area, like a kitchen grease fire that burns some of the logs. The good news is, by using post and beam construction, if the logs are burned, they are replaced more easily than in other log homes because the logs themselves are not load bearing.

"Will I Be Able to Get a Mortage and Insurance on My Home?"
Yes. Years ago, banks were slower to loan on log homes because the modern log industry was unknown to them, and some customers remember hearing this. Today, banks are fighting for the business as the industry grows. Refer to the lending information link on this website.

"What Kind of Insulation/R-Factor/Energy Rating Do I Get With a Log Home?"
Cedar has the highest insulating qualities of any wood; nearly twice that of the highest rated pine log. Also, the National Bureau of Standards has issued a report, which determined the log homes are up to 30% more energy efficient than a framed house due to the high thermal mass of wood. In the winter, the wood absorbs heat on the inside of the house and radiates it back into the room when the temperature drops. So, a cedar log home is a great energy efficient choice. Also, in most states, log homes get the highest energy efficiency rating given by the power company. Check with your local power company to see if they have such a program.

"How Big or Small Can I Build a Log Home?"
From a dog house to a dream house--we can do it all! Our largest structures include an 18,000 square foot Catholic Church in Maryland and condominium units ranging from 20,000 square feet. Recently, we even constructed a 20,000 square foot home for the President of NASCAR. If you can dream it, we can built it! Find out what the customer's reason for asking this is and use it to your advantage.

"How Can I Save Money (or Make Money?)"
The best way for a customer to save money when building their log home is to act as their own general contractor. A contractor will charge the customer 10% to 20% to do his job. In a log home, a large portion of the work is done when the shell goes up (if lending is a problem, contact Waterfield Financial. They may also negotiate with the builder to do some of their own work.)

Please Note: As for kiln drying, we do it to keep the moisture content of the log down. The logs will check, or crack heavily during the process. Kiln drying is intended to remove moisture from wood and cedar has less moisture because the cells are filled with air. Thus, kiln drying is an expense, but needful process. Also, Colonial Structures air dries its logs to 18% moisture content or below before shipping.

"Why Should I Buy a Cedar Home?"
Cedar is generally considered the finest wood for log homes. Even magazines who have 90% of their ads coming from pine companies will hint at that fact. Some characteristics that make cedar sell are as follows:
These points coupled with the post and beam style of construction that Colonial Structures is famous for, makes our cedar log home one of the finest and highest quality homes on the market.

Glossary of Terms
Thank you for your interest in Colonial Structures, Inc.