For many people building a log home may seem like a complicated and challenging effort. We disagree – in fact, we feel that building your home should be a rewarding experience. At Katahdin, we have the knowledge, capabilities and experience to make the process of building your home as uncomplicated and enjoyable as possible.
Katahdin has all the tools. Our in-house design team is able to meet your design needs, with unique solutions to your dreams. We’ve applied the latest interface CAD technology to take your ideas from paper to pre-drilled and pre-cut logs produced on our state-of-the-art house line.
Because we’ve worked hard to streamline the process of building a Katahdin Cedar Log Home, we are able to keep it to a simple seven steps.
1. Define your lifestyle.
Before you begin the process of designing your home take stock of what your present and future needs will be. Start a notebook with a list of lifestyle factors and requirements you can review with your Katahdin dealer or representative before you sketch out a plan. Families with young children will have different needs than a couple building a retirement home. A second home or a vacation rental has other necessities.
2. Find your local Katahdin dealer or representative.
Once you’ve reviewed your lifestyle and made a list of your needs, it’s time to find a Katahdin Cedar Log Home Dealer or Representative. Use our Dealer Locator to identify the dealer in your area. Or if there’s no dealer in your area, you can contact our corporate offices to reach a Katahdin representative to assist you. If you prefer, you can also use your own builder or build it yourself – Katahdin is a “Builder Friendly” log home manufacturer, which means you or your builder can receive special training and support from our team of experts to help master the techniques necessary to erect your Katahdin Cedar Log Home.
3. Find your land.
Your land will complement the design of your home. Once you have chosen your building site, ask your Katahdin Dealer or Representative to review the property with you to determine if there are any topological features which may affect the design of your home. He or she may also have suggestions to orient the house to maximize views, solar exposure and other natural features on your land. Your Katahdin Dealer will also have local knowledge about building regulations, setbacks, zoning and other factors which can affect the size and location of your home.
4. Sketch out a plan and develop a budget.
Working with your Katahdin Dealer or Representative, you are now ready to sketch out a plan and develop a budget for your Katahdin Cedar Log Home. Your Dealer or Representative will review the options you can consider: using an existing plan design, modifying a plan or creating a new custom design for your home. Provide as much detail as possible at this stage – selecting all the components: decks, garages, interior trim, appliances and fixtures – so that the your budget estimate will be as accurate as possible. Don’t forget to include stain and topcoat finishes as an important part of the overall construction plan.
5. Consider the savings from a “green” approach.
While the cost of energy is a big consideration, many people don’t realize how cost efficient it is to add environmentally friendly features to your home. You’re already ahead of the game with Katahdin, as we use naturally sustainable Northern White Cedar and our zero waste manufacturing process utilizes every bit of the cedar log. Your Katahdin Dealer or Representative can help you identify additional energy savings available that can make your home greener without costing any more “green”.
6. Finalize your house plans.
Once you’ve had a chance to review initial house plans, you’ll want to ensure you haven’t forgotten a detail or feature. Review your lifestyle notebook and compare your initial wish list with your final design. Once the plans are satisfactory, you will need to approve them and sign off. Then your Katahdin Cedar Log Home will be cut, drilled, packaged and loaded onto trucks for delivery to your building site.
7. Build your home.
Whether you’re using a contractor or doing it yourself, you’ll find Katahdin has made building your home as efficient as possible. We provide a detailed Building Manual, training and support. Our precise barcode system enables your builder to locate components quickly and easily. In fact, we’ve made it so easy for you that we’ve been named one of the few “Builder Friendly” log home manufacturers in the nation.