Do It Yourself Log Home Floor Plans

There are several ways to approach designing your own log home floor plan. You can use home design software, or simply use pencil and paper.



You could start by modifying existing plans that you might find in a log home magazine, from a log home manufacturer or from an architectural design firm specializing in plans for log homes.



Doing your own floor plans should not be confused with doing your own construction plans or blue prints. These are the detailed plans required for a building permit and used as the instructions for the builder on how to build the home.

Things You'll Need

• Computer design software

Instructions

Determine Your Budget

1. Talk about what you can afford. Surprisingly, your budget and your plan are tied directly together. Think of it this way: "Budget and Plan Go Hand in Hand."

2. Talk to a lender to determine how much you can borrow for a new home.

3. Include everything in your budget: land, site development, complete construction, interior finishing and both hardscaping and landscaping.

4. Talk to some log home manufacturers and dealers about the average cost per square foot for construction of a new log home in your area.

5. Estimate how many square feet you can build within your budget.

Organize Your Ideas

1. Start a file with ideas from floor plans that you find in magazines and online.

2. Include photos of features that you like, including exteriors, kitchens, great rooms, bedrooms and baths.

3. Make separate lists of your "needs" and your "wants," in order to determine what is necessary and what is possible within your budget.

Start Work on Your Dream Floor Plan

1. Use computer software, such as Punch Home and Landscape Design, to design your ideal floor plan. Alternatively, you can simply use pencil and paper to sketch out what you want with general dimensions.

2. Select the manufacturer that has the log style you prefer early in your floor plan design process, if you can. This can save you time and money later.

3. Review the standard floor plans from your preferred manufacturer to see if a plan exists that is similar to what you have drawn. If they have one and they are able to modify their plan to suit your needs, that will be a cost savings.

Turn Your Floor Plan Into a Construction Plan

1. Have the log home materials manufacturer turn your floor plan into a floor plan based on their materials.

2. Review the manufacturer's floor plan for any changes that you would like to make. Now is the time to do that review because you will incur extra design charges if you decide to make changes after your final construction documents are completed and turned into a manufacturing order.

3. Take a copy of your final construction documents to your lender for final loan approval.

4. Review a final construction bid from your builder and make sure it is within your budget.

5. Sign contracts with your log home manufacturer and builder based on your plans.

Tips & Warnings

• It is not legal to copy a floor plan from a manufacturer or design company without permission. Most plans with even some changes are copyrighted.

• Most manufacturers will not provide you with complete construction drawings based on plans, or modified plans, from another manufacturer without permission.

References

• Punch Software: Home and Landscape Design