Austin Log Home Builders

by Marcus Pickett

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It's not hard to sell people who have driven by log homes on their beauty. It may surprise you to learn that along with their curb appeal, log homes are also some of the most durable and energy-efficient homes that you can build. You can find log homes and log cabins that have been around for one hundred years or more and are still in livable condition. Plus, traditional insulation notwithstanding, logs make for a great insulating barrier, creating naturally cool homes in the summer and warm homes in the winter. Also, apart from any preconceptions, log homes can easily accommodate traditional heating and cooling systems and any modern home amenity.

Log Homes in Austin, TX
Although no log home construction project could be called easy, log homes in Austin have several things going for them right out of the gate. The biggest obstacle for log home construction is the weather, especially rain. Averaging 300 days of sunshine a year, the Austin climate circumvents this obvious roadblock. Secondly, log home construction is greatly simplified when the necessary machinery has access to the property. Much of the area surrounding Austin, especially in the hill country, has undeveloped land available for residential construction that is still close enough to the beaten path to accommodate this type of machinery. This affords prospective Austin homeowners a lot more design options for more reasonable costs than in many places around the country.

Austin Log Home Construction
There are three main types of log home construction: timber-framed, milled logs, and handcrafted logs. Timber-framed homes have a traditional post-and-beam construction and often bare little resemblance to the luxury log homes you see off country roads. Milled log homes are factory-milled logs that create an efficient log home that can be built by DIY log home kits, modular log home construction, or more traditional on-site, home building techniques. Handcrafted logs are fabricated by skilled craftsmen, typically use a customized house plan, and result in stunning, luxury homes.

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Cost of Hiring an Austin Log Home Builder
Though this is the most common question prospective homeowners ask, there is no one way to build a log home and no one way to estimate its cost. Depending on who you ask and what you're looking for, log homes can be cheaper, the same price, or considerably more expensive than a more traditionally-framed house. Luxury log homes that inspire "oohs" and "aahs" from people who drive by are nearly always handcrafted, and will cost considerably more. For people who like the look of log homes but don't have a bunch of high-end demands, a beautiful and efficient log home is well within your grasp. One thing is for sure, though. You should talk to several Austin log home builders before you dismiss the idea as implausible.

Project Length of Austin Log Home Construction
Depending on the method of construction, your log home can take longer or shorter to build than more traditional style homes. Unless you select a modular log home or a large, custom, luxury log home, figure construction to take about the same five to eight months as other home building projects. Again, due to the likelihood of favorable weather, your log home has a good chance of coming in on the shorter side of this estimate. Still, large projects of any kind are susceptible to unforeseen problems, regardless of the quality and professionalism of your Austin log home builder. When the need arises, try to be patient, and trust that your new dream home will be worth the wait.

Marcus Pickett is a professional freelance writer for the home remodeling industry. He has published more than 600 articles on both regional and national topics within the home improvement industry.