Another Blue Ridge Log Cabin thread! (Star: for sale, real estate, rental)
Western North CarolinaThe Mountain Region including Asheville
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Has anyone recently, say within the last year or two, purchased an off frame modular home from Blue Ridge Log Cabins? I'd love to know your experience. *Particularly if you live in your home full time*. Seems to me, if you are setting it on top of a basement, and wanting a different roof than what they offer, like we are, that you are basically buying a half a house. The prices don't seem so bad. However, I found out today that the floors are unfinished and the homeowner has to buff, stain and poly them. The list of what the homeowner needs to do seems a bit long. Anyway, I love the homes, especially the new Mountain Architecture series. Just wondering what others experiences are...I have only heard good things about this company and they have been patient with my long list of questions...
Last edited by staciarmb; 07-10-2015 at 01:15 PM..
Reason: to get notifications of comments
I am moving to the WNC area soon and am glad you posted this thread. After researching more about the company, I am now going to their factory on Friday. They have models to tour and a seminar in the afternoon. They do big factory tours every other month, and I just missed one, but what I'll see will help me consider them if we decide to build in WNC.
Hope you get more info from owners, but for me, this was a helpful post!
No experience with that log home builder, and not pushing 'existing' log homes, but there are dozens to hundreds of that kind of home for sale, in the 'western NC area' market, imo.
Variety is from total log construction to log exterior/more sheet rock interior.
They range from 5,000+ sq ft mansions to <1000 sq ft serious fixer uppers...
GL, mD
Check into maintenance issues with log homes. Newer log homes will undergo logs shrinking, no matter how kiln dried, over time that can result in gaps. I had a log home that 7 years after new had wood borers hatching out creating exit channels. Log homes have a certain visual appeal, but that can wear off. They are also hard to add on to as well as later additional interior electrical needs. The log home I had was drafty at the corners.
^^^ Totally agree. That is why there are always many for sale; OP should check www.Realtor.com for areas they are interested in. Especially here in Western NC, there are many log home 'builders', and not all are created equal. I'll take a solid well built brick home here any day of the week. Unfortunately, they are too expensive to build anymore.
Went to Blue Ridge Log Cabins facility yesterday. Took a factory tour, which was impressive in scope and efficiency. Toured all the models and liked the fit and finish of the product. I'm actually just researching and have lots to learn about log cabins, but the exploration process is interesting. Hubby and I don't know what we want to do for housing in WNC, but we are considering all options. Renting will likely be our first course of action so we can truly learn the area and housing opportunities. Love the WNC area!
I have clients with a BRLC. They built it in ’06. There were major issues with the contractor, according to them that contractor was fired as a result. The floors were unfinished, they have since put down hardwoods and also ripped out the original kitchen. The decks were a mess and had to be rebuilt at their expense. The stone mason who did work for BRLC put down stone meant for siding, they had to rip it out and install new sidewalks. The carpenter bees constantly bore and the woodpeckers are right behind them. I can spot a BRLC a mile away because of the roof!
I planned on building a log cabin in the mountains, after taking a class for home building for non contractors I opted not to build a log cabin. They are very high maintenance. I ended up buying an incredible 1927 mountain cabin on a wonderful street surrounded by some of the best neighbors! No regrets. If I were building today I would choose a timber frame hybrid home.
Think long and hard about a log house. Do the research on maintenance issues and expenses. I am currently renting a large log house. To look at it, you'd think it was very nice, and it is nice to look at. But here's the reality . . .
The owners are from overseas and evidently were romanced by the idea of log homes. So they purchased 20 acres and built three log houses. They sold the largest one at a loss, returned to their country, and are now renting the other two as long-distance landlords. When we first looked at this house, we almost walked away. The house was only 7 years old, yet the exterior logs were already cracking and peeling. The owner assured us that she was going to have it re-stained, so we signed the lease. She was quoted $10,000 to $15,000 to re-stain, but she found someone for the rock-bottom price of $7,000. She complained that when the house was first built, she was advised that the stain would last 10 years.
Yeah, right.
Prior to moving in, we talked to the people who were re-staining the house. They said that because the house hadn't been re-stained and sealed earlier, there was damage. The west facade could not be restored as well due to sun exposure and the chimney logs would need to be completely rebuilt sooner rather than later. They also said there needed to be some ongoing maintenance every year, or else it would get worse. The staining people were also asked to go look at the condition of the other rental house, and discovered it was so far gone that nearly ALL of the logs need to be removed and replaced. Re-staining can't fix it.
We moved in because the interior has an amazing floor plan and the whole house captures a beautiful diffused light all day due to perfect placement of the huge windows.
Last month the owner placed the house on the market. The real estate listing photos look great and attracted buyers right away. After only five showings, there is an offer, but it's a low-ball one. The prospective new owners and a building inspector spent three hours combing over the place. The inspector said the interior has no problems, but the exterior is another story. He was able to poke right through some of the posts on the porch, and he found dry rot.
The buyers are very experienced with log houses and know that you have to keep on top of maintenance. As they said, if you let up on maintenance at all, you can lose your house! They really want the house, but only if the structural issues aren't too great.
A few days later, the two realtors involved came to the house with a construction guy and went over everything in the inspection report. They placed tape on the railings of the downstairs deck and the upstairs deck as a warning not to lean on them if you don't want to tumble to your death. They look beautiful, but dry rot has completely destroyed their stability. Underneath the front porch/deck, rainwater has washed away most of the earth and it's a serious problem. Dry rot has compromised the chimney and some walls.
Now the owner has decisions to make. She can either fork over a lot of money to rebuild parts of the exterior, or lose the sale. The problem is that she has no wiggle room because the buyers gave a low offer and it's barely enough to pay off the mortgage. The realtor who listed the house turned to me and said what I already knew . . . "What a shame. This is such a beautiful house inside, but the exterior is a major problem. Don't ever ever ever buy a log house."
This is the third log exterior house we've rented. The other two were newer and hadn't had the chance to deteriorate yet, but you could literally watch the wood stain wearing rapidly in just one or two years. Now if you have a solid builder and deep enough pockets for ongoing maintenance, go ahead with your log home plans. But if you don't have a continual $10,000+ lying around for re-staining every few years, just build your house with Hardiplank, paint it a rustic color and call it a day. You can still have a gorgeous wood interior and a rustic look without heartache.
Last edited by Shooting Stars; 08-04-2015 at 12:56 PM..
Shooting Stars: An excellent overview of what to expect with a log home. My log home experience is long now in the past and like you I would never consider one again. Log homes are a mystique that fades into a sad reality.
Shooting Stars: An excellent overview of what to expect with a log home. My log home experience is long now in the past and like you I would never consider one again. Log homes are a mystique that fades into a sad reality.
Thank you. I wish there were billboards all around the edges of the mountains saying "RETHINK THE LOG HOME YOU'RE CONSIDERING!" for all inbound traffic to see.
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Unfortunately, they are too expensive to build anymore.
