When you are building a custom log or timber home the custom extends into how you want your home to look on the inside and outside. The selection of certain materials allows your general contractor to build ‘live numbers’ into your turnkey contract instead of just estimates the builder estimates and then includes. So let’s look at the building material for log homes that are vital to customizing the home to the owners preferences.

First let me explain about allowances. Allowances are preset amounts of money that are set aside for the owners within the turnkey contract. Instead of buying a “cookie cutter” home you obviously want to have input into how the home will look and feel as you move forward. The allowances are amounts for items that you can choose. A line in your contract may read, “Kitchen Cabinets, Allowance Amount $8,000.” This means that based on talking with you your builder thinks you will probably want a set of kitchen cabinets that are going to cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $8,000. If you go over this amount then you have to pay the contractor the balance.If you are under that amount then it is credited back to you at the end of the build.

Recessed Lighting Fixtures for Log Home

Back to our example of $8,000 for cabinets. If you take the time to go shopping you can see if the $8,000 is sufficient or if you will need more funds or if the number is too large. When we do a contract we keep track of what the owners desire to order, what they end up ordering when it comes time to hang that light or install the floor, and what the cost is. Then I provide a reconciliation and either credit the contract or bill the balance to the owners.

Finish Material Selection List for Log Homes

Here are the items we like to provide allowances on. Some of these items you might want to have us help you select or make recommendations on, which we are happy to do.

1. Make a spreadsheet, a hand written list, or a fancy file on your smart phone and mark down this list:
2. Include in the list: Name of Item, Name of Store (where you are satisfied shopping), Name of Item you Like, Price of  Item or Price per Unit.
3. List of finish materials: Once you have the headers with the titles above then write down these items down the left side of your tablet:
   1. Type of Roofing– Shingles or Metal Roofing
   2. Windows– Vinyl or Metal Clad
   3. Window Opening– Casement, Double Hung, Sliders
   4. Exterior Doors
   5. Decking Materials
   6. Exterior Railing (if any)
   7. Soffit Materials
   8. Stain Color for Exterior
   9. Interior Materials:
   10. Interior Doors
   11. Flooring for Home
   12. Flooring for Baths and Kitchen
   13. Flooring for Other Areas Laundry/Entryways, Foyer, etc.
   14. Kitchen Cabinets
   15. Kitchen Counter Tops
   16. Appliances
   17. Light Fixtures Broken Down by Room–ceiling fans, hanging lights, chandeliers, ceiling lights, closet lights, any track lighting, recessed lighting, ceilings fans, etc. [NOTE: Any recessed lighting locations and fixtures should be noted to the electrician and in the electrical schedule of your blueprints and you should let the electrician purchase them.]
   18. Plumbing Fixtures — this includes kitchen faucet, garbage disposal, tub inserts, bath faucets, etc.
   19. Paint Colors for Interior Walls and Brand Name
   20. Interior Finish for Ceilings — tongue and groove, drywall, something else??
   21. Interior Stain Color for Logs, Timbers, Posts, Etc.
   22. Fireplace, Fireplace Insert, Type– wood burning, propane, pellet stove
   23. Stone Work Around Fireplace
   24. Fireplace Mantle
   25. Closet Shelving Materials
   26. Interior Trim
   27. Cabinets for Laundry Room
   28. Any Special Requests — claw foot bath tubs, dressers to be converted into bath vanities, etc.

With this list break out things by bedroom, by bathroom, by location. If you want help with something just tell us. For big items like kitchen cabinets, visit a store and write down whatever cabinets appeal to you. At least get the brand name, name of kitchen cabinets, and the store name. Then your builder can research what those cabinets will cost. Or write down a wood species you thought was attractive.

For some of these log home items, or all of them, you can even just sit down and discuss with your builder things you like and let him do more of the recommendations and selections for you. This is just a broad group of items. You as the owner can have as little or as much to do with the selection of this list as you would like. So don’t let this list overwhelm you. Its fine to mark down a ? mark if you just don’t know, don’t want to make the choice, would like the builder to make a recommendation or even a select for you, etc. If there are blanks on the spread sheet, that’s fine. This is just a list to get your thoughts tuned into what you will be needing to think about, make decisions on, or realize you might prefer to delegate to someone else.

And if you when you look at this list you feel like you wouldn’t know a light fixture if it bit you, then that’s ok too. Certainly don’t stress about it, but realize if you don’t make these decisions, someone will have to. I have even taken a few days and gone shopping with homeowners and just charged them a consulting fee for the time we were traveling and shopping. I always enjoy doing that with customers.

Interior Wood Doors Delivered For Log Home

Here is a load of finish materials being delivered to the Bear Creek log home plan when we build it. Let your dreams make this type of selection enjoyable. Log homes are fun to outfit as it is a unique type of construction, owners like to match the decor to the location or their personal tastes or a combination of both.

Cowboy Log Homes