FAQs

The cost to build a Lodge Log and Timber Products Home will vary depending on the area where you live, for materials and labor costs. Generally a log home cost will be about the same as any good quality custom site-build home in your area. Where the costs go up is what you do to the ceiling. Most conventional frame homes have sheet rock ceilings whereas most log homes have a log ridge beam, log rafter and T&G instead of sheet rock. This is what drives the costs up but gives your log home a better look inside.

Our prices are for logs only, and the cost will vary depending on the diameter of log you choose. We offer 7, 8, 9, 10, and 12 inch diameter log packages. They can have a smooth finish or a hand hewn look. You can purchase the exterior log wall only package which is log walls only. You can then pick and chose what other log items you want in your log home. You can also purchase our log shell package which includes the exterior log walls, log gables, log loft floor joists, ridge beam and rafter system. We feel you can buy your lumber materials from a local lumber yard cheaper than we can put it into a package and ship it to you. You can give your plans to a local lumber yard and they will give you a price for free. Many competitors offer a random length package so make sure you are comparing apples to apples as a random length packages requires a lot more field work which can cost a lot more money in the end.

Yes, we can modify a standard plan or design a custom home to fit your needs. Our standard floor plans often provide a starting point for our customers in deciding what they want in their homes.

Lodge Log and Timber Products manufactures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 12-inch diameter logs. Log size depends on your budget, preference, and the size of the home, as well as the climate, and requirements of local building agencies.

All of our logs are harvested green in Idaho by local loggers working directly with Lodge Logs and Timber. This allows us to offer a higher quality product at a competitive price. Most manufacturers buy their products through a broker or another mill and have limited control over their quality of logs used to manufacture their log packages.

R-factor is not a reliable indicator of the energy efficiency of solid wood walls because it ignores what’s known as the “mass effect.” That effect has shown in a couple of different studies that the log walls act as a heat bank, storing energy that can be released back inside (or outside) as temperatures change. For example, during a winter’s day the logs will actually store heat and release that heat back into the inside of the home in the evening; a framed wall simply passes that daytime heat through its various layers until it ends up outside. Of course, air infiltration is the primary culprit in heat loss. In a study performed by the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) Research Center, the low log home air infiltration rate contributed to a predicted annual heating energy use comparable to that predicted for a conventionally framed home with 2×6 framing. Your home will only be as efficient as the way your home is put together and how well the logs are dried for less shrinkage and settling. We feel that by using our thru-bolt system and drying our logs down below industry standards, we produce one of the best log homes on the market.

We offer Lodge Pole Pine, Ponderosa Pine, Spruce, and Douglas Fir. These wood species provide excellent structural and insulative characteristics. When maintained properly with a high quality wood preservative, they will last indefinitely. We do not mix species of wood in the wall package; different species of wood react differently to the surrounding climate. With mixed species walls you may encounter stability issues.

During summer months, we will coat our ponderosa pine logs in a mildicide designed to control bluing while the logs are in our yard. Some people have even proven to be allergic to the chemicals used for treatment. Therefore, we recommend that the exterior log walls be treated right after they’re erected (usually within 60 days or so of delivery) and then apply a preservative on your log home every 3 to 5 years.

If your area is prone to termite attack, you should treat your building site before you begin construction. In addition, you should make sure that your builder installs a termite shield all the way around your home between the top of the foundation wall and the sill plate; this is simply a continuous piece of flashing material bent downward so that termites tunneling up the outside of your foundation wall can go no farther. Also make sure that deck or porch posts in contact with the ground are salt or pressure-treated or have a piece of pressure treated plate so the post does not touch the ground. If you are in a termite area you should mix a product in your stain when you apply it to your home. Finally, be certain not to store any piles of wood around the outside of your house.

No, log homes utilize the same type of foundation as a conventionally-built home.

We have been trained by professionals from Timber Products Inspection (TPI) to grade logs in accordance with the grading standards of TPI grading. TPI makes unannounced spot inspections at our plant to make sure we’re following those standards.

No, with our Kiln drying process and Thru-bolt system our homes never require chinking. Chinking cost on average $5.50/Lft of log. If your home has 2000 Lft of log this can cost you $12,000+ and will require ongoing maintenance for the life of the building.

Homeowner’s insurance is no more expensive for a log home than for any other type of wood or wood framed home (that includes brick homes). The cost of homeowner’s insurance will be more a function of the history of your area, what sort of fire protection service is available and how far away from your house it is and, of course, your own claim history. Log homes burn much more slowly than conventionally framed homes and damage can be substantially less than a stick built home by the time the fire is discovered and extinguished. The Ponderosa Pine logs will burn at a rate of 2.1″ per hour at temps of 1200 Degrees. The reason for this is due primarily to the size of the logs (if you’ve tried to start a campfire without kindling, you know what we mean) and the fact that no cavities exist in the walls. In stick built homes, the space between each stud can act like a fireplace flue when there’s a fire, creating a draft that sucks the fire upward.

Since 1975, Lodge Log and Timber Products has designed log homes and manufactured log packages for thousands of satisfied customers all over the world.

Our Warranty assures you that your log materials are free from manufacturing defects when you receive them. The warranty extends for the lifetime of the original owner! Of course, it doesn’t mean that the logs won’t undergo their natural processes and it does require that you treat the exterior walls on a regular basis with a recommended preservative. A warranty is a big part of the log home industry but it is only as good as the company that is giving it! There are many brokers and even manufacturers who state they give a warranty, but can they back it. Your log home could be the biggest investment of your life so it is important that you deal with a company that can take care of you. Go look at the manufacturing facility to see that if they are credible and if there are ever any issues that they can take care of them. We feel confident that after you see our manufacturing facility and office that you will feel if any issues ever occur, Lodge Logs will be able to take care of you.

This was the major concern that Lodge Log and Timber Products addressed when going into business in 1975. We felt by using the Thru-bolt system and Kiln drying the logs to 15% or less was a way to fix the problem with shrinkage and settling. These two things reduced shrinkage and settling from 6″+ to less than 1″ in an eight foot wall. Lodge Log and Timber Products found that by using the thru-bolt system and drying the logs down below industry standards that no settling jacks or slip joints were needed in the manufacturing process.

We certainly can, our premium package includes log rafters through-out the roof system. We can also supply rough or planed beams for your roof and floor system if you want the square beam look.

All of our homes are designed to meet or exceed the minimum standards established by CABO (Council of American Building Officials), a national building code agency. Generally, most localities and municipalities will utilize the same or similar standards for their building codes, if they actually have any. Where local requirements are more stringent (high wind or snow load areas typically), we’ve always been able to meet such requirements by making the changes specified by an engineer familiar with the local code.

Yes, our 7″, 8″, 9″, or 10″ logs can be milled to what we call our “D Log” profile. Since this requires running the logs through another process at the mill, there is an extra charge. Our “D” log profile has full saddle notched corners, not but and pass corners.

We have control of our logs from the woods to the finished product. By having this control we feel you will get the best quality log produced in the industry. Check to see if there are any other log home manufacturers in the industry who goes through the drying process of the logs, uses the Thru Bolt system and offers as good a warranty as Lodge Logs does. We have been producing log homes for over 30 years and feel we can fulfill your dreams of owning a log home with our variety of wood products and experience.

Absolutely not! Log home and Timber Products compare with the price of a custom home in your area.

We understand your point but our philosophy calls for us to keep our overall costs down so that those who do buy a log home from us get our very best price. We couldn’t do that if our actual customers had to cover the costs of our giving away expensive literature to everyone who was interested. We may be asking you to spend a few dollars for our planning guide but I can promise you that once we start talking about the price of your log home package, you’ll see that it was well worth it! Our planning guides are sold at our costs.

Generally, our production time for a log package is six to eight weeks from time of order. After we have received signed drawings, production deposit, and all the Lodge Log and Timber Products order forms have been filled out and signed.

The truck drivers make the final call regarding site accessibility at the time they arrive. They are professional drivers but they won’t risk their equipment unnecessarily. So, if you have any concerns that they might consider your site inaccessible to a tractor-trailer, you should have an alternate unloading site selected before delivery occurs. Make sure any site issues are discussed before the log package is shipped.

Log package prices do not include shipping. Either the factory or your nearest Lodge Logs dealer will make arrangements for your shipment and will quote a price based on distance from the factory, FOB Boise, ID.

We feel that other products used in the construction of your home are better purchased from a local lumber yard, saving you time and money.

We’ve shipped thousands of log homes over the past 30 years and we haven’t done it by not delivering on our promises. Certainly, we can make mistakes and if we happen to leave something off your truckload of materials, all you have to do is call us and we’ll either get it to you or, have you obtain it locally and you will be reimbursed for the cost.

Probably not, but unless you’re a capable, professional carpenter yourself, we recommend that you get someone who is to assist you. Your home will likely be one of the largest investments you’ll ever make and having an experienced professional involved in its construction can insure that it’s a solid investment. We have a list of professional contractors who might be in your area.

Our log walls are pre-cut, pre-notched and pre-drilled for the provided thru-bolt system. This will save you in labor costs and speed up the stacking of your log walls. Log gables, roof members, floor joists, post and log railing will require some onsite manufacturing by the contractor.

Contact your log home professionals at Lodge Log and Timber Products: (click here)