Should I Build or Buy a Log Cabin?

Should I Build or Buy a Log Cabin?

A log cabin is great for weekend get-aways, vacations, rental property, and of course full-time living. The daunting question most people have is whether to buy a new or pre-owned cabin or build one. The best way to decide is by examining the pros and cons of each choice.

Building a cabin has the advantages of choosing its location and designing it yourself. Buying a log cabin has the advantage of moving in much sooner than building one. Lots for building tend to be more readily available than suitable cabins for purchase. Another thought is do you want a log cabin or a log home?

Pros of Buying a Log Cabin

The strongest advantage of buying a log cabin is moving in sooner than later. You may want to do some minor remodeling before or after moving in. Once the purchase is complete, and you give the seller time to move out, you are ready to go.

You may have the options of buying a newly-built cabin or a pre-owned one. If you live in one of the states that have the most cabins, you will have more options. Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Texas have the most. Other advantages of buying instead of building include:

• You may be able to negotiate the price with the seller
• The landscaping in typically already in place
• It may be in an ideal location such as near a lake, river, or wooded area
• No stress dealing with a building contractor

Now, let’s take a look at some cons of buying a cabin.

Cons of Buying a Log Cabin

The most significant issue of buying a log cabin is that you may be buying someone else’s problems. Sometimes you don’t know what you are getting because there are hidden problems the seller doesn’t tell you about. The seller should be completely honest, but this is not always the case. You may like the cabin overall but some significant cons may exist:

• The cabin you want may be in the wrong location that raises the price or makes it undesirable to buy
• It may need some immediate repairs like an HVAC system or plumbing
• Some updates may be in order because the interior may be out of style
• There may be some environmental concerns with the cabin or neighbors
• Even a good home inspection before purchasing may overlook some issues

An old saying warns us that you may be buying someone else’s mistakes – so be careful.

“The daunting question most people have is whether to buy or build a new log cabin.”

Pros of Building a Log Cabin

Building a new cabin is like painting on an empty canvas. You get to plan it yourself instead of living with someone else’s design and perhaps outdated themes. You create the style, layout, and décor and put your personal touches on everything. The pros for building include:

• You can save money by building with log siding instead of full logs
• Little to no maintenance and repairs in the immediate future
• New homes tend to be more energy efficient that saves money
• The cabin is constructed with current building codes
• Everything is brand new that is pleasing

Cons of Building a Log Cabin

The thing most people think about is waiting for the construction to be complete so they can move in. On average it takes five to six months to build a log cabin depending on its size and style. If you are OK with this, there is no problem. Here are a few cons of building:

• You typically cannot negotiate the cost with the builder
• It can be stressful when there are some material shortages or delays
• The cost may end up higher than you expected
• It may be difficult to find the right location that meets your needs

Now that you know more about buying versus building a cabin, give this more thought. Talk to a few people who have done both to help make a decision.

Materials for Building or Remodeling a Cabin

Whether you decide to buy or build, you may need some materials to finalize your plans. High-quality log siding cabin materials can be purchased online for one of these applications:

• Build a cabin from scratch
• Remodel an existing log cabin
• Convert a conventional cabin into a log cabin

The beauty of using pine or cedar log siding is that you can use them for all three options. The Log Home Shoppe has log siding, corner systems, trim, stains, sealants, finishes and much more. Talk to one of our log cabin experts about your needs.

References and Resources:

• Buying vs. Building
  
• Home vs. Cabin