Will you have unexpected issues during your build?

The short answer is “yes.”

Building a log home is a complicated process. Regardless of how well you have planned, unforeseen issues will arise along the way. The most common problems involve the weather.

Whether you are dealing with violent spring and summer storms or inches of the winter white stuff , the weather is able to derail even the best-laid plans. Bad weather can mean a decrease in the supply of building materials, and, in turn, an increase in materials’ costs.

Dealing with issues will be easier if you have realistic expectations for your build, and you communicate openly with your contractor throughout the construction process.

Here are some common areas where unexpected problems and oversight often occur:

Financial Areas Often Overlooked:

Expect the lending institution to take more time than you think is necessary.

Budget for unexpected expenditures in your original loan. It is much easier to set up access to money you don’t need, than to need more money than you have easy access to from the bank.

If you are using a bank or credit union, have you allowed for the construction roll-over costs, or the extra closing associated with some loans?

Getting Ready to Build Your Log Home:

Keep all of your building documents in an easy-to-access location for quick reference. This can make those unexpected question calls from your contractor much easier to understand.

Take into account the possibility of hitting rock in the foundation excavation process.

As simple as it sounds, most people fail to take the time to read their contract. Make sure you have a clear understanding of what the contract says. If it is too long to read quickly, or if you feel uncomfortable while reading over the info, it could be a sign of a bad situation.

During the Building Process:

As we noted above, be prepared for weather delays.  Knowing these delays are likely will lessen your stress if or when they occur.

Construction delays often occur because needed materials are unavailable.  Especially during the summer months, demand for building supplies can overwhelm local retailers.  Sometimes, you may have to be patient and wait for the building materials to arrive.

Other delays could occur due to sub-contractors’ other projects.  While contractors try very hard to schedule sub-contractors in a timely fashion, sometimes unexpected issues may arise on a different site, requiring that person’s expertise.  If this occurs, don’t take it personally.  It is important in the construction business to have more than one project going at once, so that the workers can receive paychecks.  Also, remember that your project might be the next one to have an unexpected issue that takes a sub-contractor away from someone else’s project.

Understanding and patience will help you deal with any unexpected occurrences on your job site.  Trust your contractor to work things out (after all, that’s why you hired him), and remember that it will all be worth it in the end.