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Log Homes Made Easy Review

Most books and magazines I've perused on log homes and log cabins are slight on information and full of stunning pictures of great rooms, cathedral ceilings, and panoramic views of wraparound decks starring fancy barbecues and hot tubs. Log Homes Made Easy: Contracting and Building Your Own Log Home is the opposite. Other than a scattering of black-and-white pictures (most showing partially built log homes in various stages of construction), Log Homes Made Easy is heavy on information and light on eye candy.

Written by veteran general contractor and builder of log homes, Jim Cooper, Log Homes Made Easy is a no-nonsense guide appropriate for anyone considering building a log home whether from scratch or from a kit. The book is over 250 pages and has a selling price of $16.95. It covers the whole gamut from first planning your log home to maintenance after your log home is finished. Also included is important stuff such as finding land and getting financing.

The book includes the following sections:

CH 1: Introduction -- "The Secret to a Successful Log Home Project"

CH 2: About Log Homes: Myths and Realities -- This chapter talks about maintenance, shrinking and settlement, and energy efficiency among others.

CH 3: Log Homes: Getting Started -- This chapter talks about architects and compares manufactured log homes (log home kits) with custom-designed log homes.

CH 4: Acquiring Land -- Talks about the differences between building in a rural area and an urban area, along with information on what kind of land is good for what kind of log home, and financing the purchase of land.

CH 5: Defining Your Goals -- A hard look at the financial realities (i.e. how much does a log home cost?) of building your own home.

CH 6: Financing -- Information on financing log home and how the loan process differs from building a traditional home.

CH 7: General Contracting: Where to Begin -- This chapter offers some hints for hiring contractors and discusses the events inherent in building a log home.

CH 8: Sweat Equity -- This chapter discusses work that can potentially be done by the future homeowner, depending on your abilities and inclinations.

CH 9: Construction Process -- This is the beefiest chapter of the book and also contains the most pictures and diagrams. It covers needed tools, site preparation, preconstruction, foundation construction, building a basement, framing, roofing, and finishing.

CH 10: Maintenance -- Dealing with ongoing maintenance such as insect concerns, staining wood, and other reoccurring maintenance requirements.

CH 11: Resources and Supplies -- The last chapter has a plethora of appendices full of worksheets to help you estimate costs, locate land, compare kits, and more. It also mentions further resources for log homes and log cabins.

In conclusion, Log Homes Made Easy: Contracting and Building Your Own Log Home is an excellent resource for anyone thinking about building a log home or log cabin. This is one of the few log home books I would recommend buying instead of just checking out from the library.