Best Cedar Log Home Kits and Log Cabins in Canada and the USA
The log cabin kits are the best solutions homeowners can find when they want to start from scratch. They are inputs from experts that can help some DIYers build their vacation homes in the USA and Canada.
If you’re interested in the kits, know that this is the best option if you don’t want to peel, cut, or notch the logs. This is also ideal for those who don’t have the expertise in carpentry or experience in making cedar log cabins. This solution simplifies the overall process and makes it easier to take ownership of the cabins.
The kits are becoming popular in the United States. Over 30,000 of them are manufactured annually. With the help of the best cedar log home kits, you’re essentially building a world-class house made from tight-grained woods like the Western Red Cedar.
Know that many skilled workers create these homes, and your guests will always be in awe when they choose to take a vacation at your property.
Important Considerations when Choosing the Right Kit
- The different types that the manufacturers can offer you including cedarwood, finish, and notch type;
- Choosing the best manufacturers or providers for your log cabin;
- The things that are included, such as the costs, labor, and materials;
- About the Different Types of Kits.
Various types are available, and manufacturers in the USA and Canada can provide them. You can decide whether you want to use cedar or pine and choose between finished and milled logs. Read more about pine trees in this link. There are half logs and d-shaped ones and the dovetail and Scandinavian saddle notch for the types available.
The first thing that you need to decide is whether you want bespoke or milled wooden materials. Others can offer you more uniform options that will go through the same sizes and shapes. If you’re going to see a more natural characteristic after the house is finished, you could also get this.
Out of over 800 species of trees found in Canada and the US, only two dozen of them are ideal for cabin use. Some of the more available are spruce, cypress, white cedar, and pine. Cedar is one of the premium materials out there, so it’s not surprising that it will come with a higher price tag.
Log cabins in Canada homeowners need to do the next step of choosing the notch, and there are several out there like the dovetail or the saddle. There are also butt and pass notch, tongue and groove, and corner posts.
You may not be able to choose the process of drying the logs, and this can entirely depend on the manufacturer, but others may offer you a kiln-dried variety that will hasten the process.
Others are dried more naturally, but they will take a very long time. You can visit this site to read more about kiln drying: https://www.instructables.com/Kiln-Dry-Lumber-At-Home/.
When put together, all of these components will give you a unique characteristic for your vacation home. For example, there will be a considerable difference between the look of a dovetail bespoke cedar house and a notch pine milled saddle kit.
Choosing the Right Manufacturer
More than a hundred companies are providing these kits in the US and Canada. To help you with your selections, here are several factors that you need to consider.
- Ask if they are registered and accredited by international associations in your country.
- Know if they offer on-site services and installation with the log houses
- See if they provide stamped and graded plans and logs.
You need a company that’s registered by the Home or Log Builders Association. One of the benefits of being registered is that you can ascertain that they follow the rules and guidelines for log cabins. In their operations, they must renew their licenses and certificates every year to ensure that they still adhere to the standards that their products should meet and the quality regulations set by various associations.
You might be an expert builder yourself, and you don’t necessarily need any help or assistance with on-site assembly. However, a company that offers these services means that they care about their other customers and provide high-quality work.
Check if the kits come with a guarantee that has a minimum of 10 years. If they do, then you’ve found the right ones whom you should be able to work with without a hitch.
Log cabins in Canada: Inclusions in the Package
Kits include a wall system, doors, windows, and roofs. Aside from these basics, you may need to call another company to source your interior finishes and foundations. There are various services available in many companies, and they each offer a different level of completion. Some of the primary ones to know about are the following:
- Dry-In Packages
- Shell-Only
- Turn-Key Packages
Shell-only kits typically include logs where you’re expected to pay about $40 to $90 per square foot. The dry-in option provides everything, including the finished exterior, components, and shell, and the price starts from $90 to $140 per square foot.
The turn-key ones may include everything you need, and you won’t have to do anything when you move in. Starting price can be from $150 to $190 per sq. ft. See more info about turnkey on this webpage.
These packages can be customized depending on the budget, the techniques, visually appealing add-ons, and other customizations that you want to do. It’s best if you have an idea about the kind of trees to use and if you’re going to elevate the house. You can also specify the number of rooms that you need and the zoning ordinances in the area.
Getting a kit is a less expensive way of building log cabins than constructing everything from scratch. Working your way from the available kits makes everything more manageable. You already have a framework to follow, and it can be easy even if you don’t have experience as a master builder.
If the kits include solar panels, wood stoves, and composting toilets, then all the better so you can live off the grid at a time but remain comfortable log cabins in Canada
