When we bought our property 4 years ago. (Raw land in the mountains) I thought I could build with my determination and hard work alone. Much of it I have but it still does take some money. The Septic system took me a year but I did it all myself. Total cost for Pipe, Tank, Leach field components and Backhoe rental? $4800. I am building a Timber Frame Lodge Cabin (640 sq. ft.) Total cost of the Timber and lumber for the Cabin $0. I am a Blacksmith and I bartered for all of it. The friend with the Mill got ...Hunting Knife, Fire tool set, Acacia Slab table, Hand Forged Axe and a set of railings and handrails for their home..All worth about $20,000 at retail Lumber prices........ I made all of the Chisels and Slicks for doing the Timber Frame joinery cost $0. We bought an acre and a half of forested mountain land, cost? $15,000.......I live frugally, I love what I do. It's not about the money, it's not about Fame. Find something in your life that gives you that "moment". I am raising our Timber Frame in October (six weeks) Oh, and I am 64 years old.....It's NEVER too late. Now go out and just make it happen. Global Pandemic, Fires, Economic collapse be DAMNED! Be your own Hero before it's too late............
Wow wow, we need people like you here in Congo to bestow the knowledge to us here. We need Blacksmith and carpenter etc to improve our lives and develop our country.
@@nanouekonzo5581 I learned how to do the Timber Framing from two sources. Books "A Timber Framers workshop" by Steve Chappel and TH-cam videos. The rest was just hard work. I found a guy with a portable Mill and then traded for the wood. The basics of Blacksmithing can be learned the same way. I know there are Blacksmiths in your country or nearby. There are several in South Africa (I know it's not very close). You could maybe make a trip there to meet with them. My friend Conrad Hicks is a South African Blacksmith. One of the most talented Blacksmiths in the world. Remember there is always hope if you have courage.
Four years later.... But thank you. For both your time and effort. I'm new to your content, but looking forward to using what I've learned from you to build my own cabin. Your knowledge is appreciated here. Again ... Thank you.
Although I'm planning 3-4 years before building, does it make sense to gather materials? For example, finding old windows at a yardsale that in my convenience I can de-&-re construct to be good windows (I really like the wavy old glass), or a Facebook marketplace 50+ year old porcelain barn sink at a good price. - I feel like I'm being a pack rat
We're restoring a small (450 sq. ft.) rundown cabin on our property and wanted to get a ballpark idea of how much we should budget, so we went to the manager of the local lumber supply where all the local contractors go to get their materials and explained what we had in mind (enclosed masonry foundation, wood stove heat, no A/C, steel roof). He was able to give us a range of costs for our area, depending on how much of the cabin was salvageable and how much labor we could contribute. He was also able to provide a short list of contractors he felt comfortable recommending. In our case, that got the project going, because even his high-end figure was much more affordable than we had thought originally.
Excellent video. I like how you spell out that there are so many variables and not just one set price for making a home like this cost. People see a primitive cabin and make all sorts of different assumptions regarding features and benefits. Thanks for taking the time to put this together...
I love the Flexibility of building your own cabin, and then hiring the people you need for projects you don't want to do, or don't know how to do. Then you watch the ones that know how, and then can learn to do it yourself. There are large amounts of resources, if you're creative in seeking those out. All the very best to everyone that is going to give this a shot. We are, but have to wait until the husband retires in just a few short years! I can't wait!!!
Thanks Noah. I love this series. I am a State of GA Cert Res Appraiser and always on the lookout for information about log homes. I hit the motherload when I found your videos. Thanks.
Really enjoying your videos, Noah, and planning to purchase your entire program. I just purchased a piece of property in Montana, and am in an RV on the property, getting ready for Winter now, and planning on starting the foundation in the Spring, and seeing how far I get by this time next year. I’m drawing up the plans myself, and having a friend who is a builder do a once-over on them. I have 20 acres, 95%+ is dense trees, primarily Douglas Fir and Lodgepole Pine. Labor will be me, myself and I. A challenge is the building site: a slope grade that equals approx 7-8 feet over the 30-35 feet depth of the house, and much on rock. Challenges, but I’m excited to start and I’m not one of the “how much” folk. It’s going to be built, and I’m going to live in it. That’s that. After purchasing the property and all the moving costs, I don’t have a lot leftover now, but I’m going to get it done. That is again for such informative videos, I appreciate your willingness to help and teach others. A true legacy.
Thanks Freedom Panda for kind words and for following along! Sounds like you have a heck of project coming up! We'd love to have you in the Handmade House Guild and see what you have planned. Best, --Noah
Thanks for the encouragement. Just got my dream car. Dream house next. Guard your dreams carefully. Many people, even friends and family, will try to talk you out of your dreams.
Just found your channel and I’m so happy I did! You are so articulate and provide such useful information. Your work looks amazing......I hope I can get you to build us a log home 😊😊. It would be a dream come true!
Feeling so discouraged.. dream is to do this . We've been trying for a long time. Here in ontario Canada it's so impossible to get ahead. 😫.....everything's up in price . How are young families suppose to get anything these days ? Even if we got the land we couldn't afford the types of wood to make the log cabin. I've been researching for a year it's hard . We have two toddlers we want to get to safety away from the Tyrannical regime . These videos make me feel better yet I still will never know how to get there. My husband makes almost 30 and hour in a union and I have a small ebay side business and we just can't see where all the money will come from to do this . Makes me so sad
It's hard to say Jess. Thank you for your comment. If you are determined and can start small and follow a plan, you may be able to create an opportunity...it just may require more time and work than the average "home" of today.
I guess what we are asking is, what is the price of dimensional lumber in the floor and roof, chinking and hardware. Windows, doors and fixtures are pretty easy to figure out for ourselves. Logs and labor may be free.
Where on earth do you get free logs ? Things are tripled here in ontario Canada. Wood is ultimate high priced. Land doubled during this plandemic . It's sad for young families as we are to do anything now . 😞
My father bought a log cabin that he moved to a site on a lake. In the 1950's he paid $10 for it. Cost today, it greatly depends on materials used and features. Just upgrading windows can add 10's of 1000's of $$$. The ICF home I had built has a barn beam for a fireplace mantle, amazing 13 x13" x 5 1/2 foot long. Used antique red brick to the ceiling. Has a wood burning zero clearance unit with glass and screen doors. I like to burn with the doors open and slid in out of sight. A wool rug is best in front of a wood fireplace, does not melt when a spark lands. The iron log grate was not the best and warped/cracked. I used solid 1' square steel stock and welded together a good wood grate. The hearth is polished stone, a piece from a kitchen counter job that has green stone matching the light green interior walls. Since I like log homes all I could do with ICF is use pine siding which looks like small log. It gave my home a very warm colour and at night with the overhang with built in lights looks fantastic. I also had the 9 foot glass door framed with log beams and have the vaulted ceiling with a beam cut 5 inches thick, quite heavy. Took 3 large hole cutters to cut through for a ceiling fan. A dream home you can have with a builder who knows his pricing and where you can add and subtract for a final price which will rise before it's finished.
Great insight Noah! Very interesting that people who ask "How much does it cost?" essentially go into that bucket in your brain that tells you they'll never build one. Prioritizing the list of desires and telling people that this question has to fall lower on that list is great insight. Love watching your videos and learning from your massive experience. I've owned rentals and gutted and remodeled homes, but seriously following you here now to learn as much as I can about your process. I live in Colorado and looking at my options for something like this in the mountains.
Thanks for the great feedback Jimmy. Yeah... it's a funny thing but I've seen a lot of folks who have come to the point that they want a handmade house and just dive in (whether wealthy or poor) and every one of them has succeeded in getting that dream home. While on the other hand, those who first ask "how much?" (whether wealthy or poor) have failed to move any further. I have great respect in seeking information... and in being frugal... but "how much?"often prevents many from having a great home... or a vacation... or a fine meal.
Thanks for the great response! The right perspective is always going to make life easier or harder, depending on which perspective you choose. Thank you and looking forward to continuing to watch all your videos! :) Thanks!
Assuming a family of four, 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, kitchen, great room, porches, no garage, ample closet space, wood burning stove ( Vermont castings) or fireplace, 9" ceilings and ceiling beams and t&g 2x6 ceiling boards with chinking between logs, i.e. hand hewn logs, start at $200.00 per square foot BEFORE you get an itemized takeoff from a QUALIFIED builder. A labor of love. Once you have spent a Christmas season or Thanksgiving in a hand hewn log home, your life will be changed forever.
You have singlehandedly pushed me over the edge. I was teetering on the edge of building my own home or buying one, but that decision has now been made.
22.30 min. to avoid a relatively simple answer....... I don't get it ???? I like a what you do a lot and although your videos are a little long winded there is a lot of great information in there and it's time well spend watching them so why avoid giving this simple answer? No you can't please them all and you can't see all situations or setup's, But you can please 90% of your viewers by creating a fictional situation and design with average parameters and work out a cost and time schedule. Then everyone would have what they desire and a starting line to work from !!! you could even throw in a few variables like contractor labour hrs but no $ because that would depend on location. Or wood cutting list but not cost (or just for one species in one area) since that varies with species and area). All this can be done relatively simple even from one off your recent builds (with a few minor changes maybe for anonymity) and no one needs to give up their privacy ! I am a custom woodworker (mostly furniture) and I have done construction and have had to do the same kind of quotation for different area's and material, this is how to get around it without having to do it all over again each time from zero!!!! Hope this may help.
Thank you for your feedback. :) I'd love to have a simpler shorter answer... one that would satisfy the person who asks the question... without offending them... and tells them why the question can't be answered. I get asked this question from someone now just about every day (sometimes multiple times a day) Every short answer I've come up with has failed to satisfy, some get upset with me, some follow up with more questions. This video has been a huge time saver for me and a few have now gotten back to me thanking me for the great explanation. If you can come up with a shorter answer that covers all the bases I'd be so appreciative!
Even to get a bank loan to get the land . Down-payments here are 20 percent at least for first time owners ....its so hard. With the harsh winters here we couldn't live in our trailer with two kids under 4 safely I don't think. Send prayers please 🙏 For us we don't want to rent forever we want to farm and be self sufficient. We are half way there in that respect in our rented farm but it's not the same. How do people actually have all this money to do all this . Land then the wood would take us 2 years to be able to afford . Septic , well etc ... just so discouraged somethings got to give here in Canada... this can't be the way . Working to survive never getting ahead much 😭 Anyone else here form onatrio and get what I mean. ? It's so unfair
No HOA crap - dead restriction nonsense. 100% Fee sample absolute property. Totally of grid & Completely in the sticks. Absolut seclusion. ANY cell phone signal would be in an immediate disqualified location. Accessible to plentiful running stream. 4 walls - tin roof - 850sf. No electricity-no running water- with a composting toilet. Wood burning stove - oil lamps & candles for light. Would have to have plans for a very effective root cellar. Is what I want - not clear of how it’s possible. I do own out-right, a homestead real property in northern Florida.
Lol... After listening to your answer, I realized it's an unanswerable question... Kind of like asking , "how much does a home on the real estate market cost?" Also, good insight about those who ask about cost first.
Thank you! I have found that there are no quick answers to "how much?" and that those who ask this question are never satisfied with anything other than a number... they either walk away feeling insulted or respond as if I'm trying to be evasive or, that I want to keep the answer to myself... or, they keep pushing for a fixed number, which of course there isn't one. This video has saved me countless hours of repeating this thorough answer to this most dreaded question, one which so many in the custom home field are asked.
I have looked into some of pricing. For city homes and they can be outrageous $153,000. to me that crazy, I desire a handmade log cabin home. I desire a handmade log, that's small size and in the shape of the letter L.
You nailed something. In some antique stores there are not prices. If the potential buyer asks, "How much is it," they can't afford it. But I don't think 100% of the time -- maybe people have to adjust their dream and might get back - say, maybe, 5% of the time.
Frankly and please forgive my straightforwardness but when it comes to building a log cabin I personally feel like your answer is horrible its like you cant see the forest from the trees. People want to know basics like what would it cost to build with simple materials logs and mortar with nothing inside no plumbing no electric just the frame and the main guts of a home aka a real idea of a log cabin. When you start talking about land and landscaping and features you sound like a real state agent and not a builder. Nobody really cares about the size of sidewalk or driveway or if you built in the house a oak cabinet they want to know about basic framing cost that would allow the inside to be roughly livable where they can envision how far they want to go concerning doors and wiring and so forth. So for one, logs if you gave a rough idea of timber and how much would be needed roughly for a rectangular 2000 sq ft 1000 sq ft 500 sq ft with out a basic chimney with a basic stone chimney with no windows but just the empty spaces for one as well as door frames with a loft or second story and basic shingles you know how to give a basic idea come on you make this more complicated then it is. You sound like a manager in TOYS R US who cant make up his mind what kind of toy you sale there. I'll never forget something I learned in the Marine Corps which was K.I.S.S keep it simple stupid. People who are serious about building a home and are sincerely wanting to know about cost don't get told the truth by most. I helped build a 3000 sq foot two story home and just the framing cost 15,000 knowing that gave me a rough idea of what the house would cost and I could fill in the blanks concerning all the things I would want. Get my drift ;)
Hi! Thank you for your feedback! I SO appreciate your straightforwardness and desire to not offend. I hear what you are saying... but my experience after decades of doing this is that the people I talk to, and have built for, are "all over the map". I have built primitive cabins for people who desire to live off grid, and I have built cabins for millionaires and even... one billionaire. Trust me, everyone of them has had a different vision for the finished product and I don't know what that is until I spend a lot of time with them and we go through everything detail by detail. The small cabin featured in the next video of this series has no plumbing, electric, nor heating system... people will see a photo of it and ask me "how much?"... but likely I know they want those systems in place in their cabin... and they might live near me... or in Alaska. And I get this question nearly every day. Some people have a piece of land and want to know how much to put a cabin on their property... not just the house... but the ability to get to it, the well that supplies the water and septic that gets rid of the waste... and if I give them a price without it, they start imagining the price I give them is all that will be needed to start living the dream. I guess the point of this video... the point I'm trying to make here... is that a number can't be tossed out over the internet after seeing one photo. It require a long conversation and many hours of number crunching to work up a price. I hope this helps... and thank you again for your comment. I love a good dialog... and hearing from other cabin enthusiast such as yourself! Noah
Thank you for your response as I know I appreciate those who actually dialog as appose to those who just take your answer and have no thanks in mind. I personally have no desire to know about plumbing or electric nor septic issues as these things are more of todays version of living as opposed to my self who would seek out a well on the land and use my own alternative ideas in doing those things. I frankly just want to mere materials cost with out the 70-80 generation of living ideas which failed miserably our generation who should have been taught to buy land and build a home rather than this stupid keeping up with the Jones idea of living. Personally I just want to know how much to frame a log cabin no doors no plumbing no electric just a roofed cabin that sits 2000 sq ft. with a fire place very basic I can do the rest of the filling in the gaps from there on. I always have wanted to know just the basics and figure the rest out based upon my own wants. So if you can give me a idea I would love to hear it.
Gotcha... and that is part of my goal in all of these videos that I'm now putting out. I just put up a video on a little house I built 20+ years ago and how much I thought I could build it for today... and in the coming couple of years I will be designing and building a home for myself and will be showing how I do it... and how much money everything costs as I go along. (in the past my focus has been entirely on building, not on sharing what I know... so all this is new territory for me) I hope you'll come along for the ride!
Before even watching your answer, I figured labor is huge factor because a) takes time to build traditional, and b) folks with skills to do it right are rare. Since the 21st century is mostly based on hourly wage, instead of say bartering, then (a) is a very large quantity of hours and skills for (b) drives up value of that wage. The "parts", so to say, I assumed are low cost because we're talking wood, stone, and basic materials that aren't as rare as the kind of skills needed. With that said, I'll watch your answer now but I think I'm right because your Academy is meant to enable people with the time to learn the skills so they can control the labor costs that a builder would charge by doing the sweat work themselves.
Well said! ...on all counts. Assembly line practices have so distorted costs that anything handmade now seems ridiculously expensive. That leaves us with the option of living in manufactured housing, or cutting a big check to get something handcrafted, or taking on the project ourselves (which is oh so rewarding in many ways). I am SO thankful for the patrons of the arts... those who can and do hire craftsfolks to practice their art... but my mission in most of these videos is to point out that anyone can have a really special home... it just requires some sweat equity.
I'm retired Army but grew up with parents in the real estate business and have extensive real estate experience myself, and I'll stand with you and agree with what you say Noah. if someone is serious about getting a hard number on the cost, reach out to a real estate appraiser in the area you want to build. Ask local mortgage lenders and Realtors for appraiser names. If homes like Noah builds are common to the area you will most likely find an appraiser who has an interest in and larger knowledge base then others about that type of home. For the cost of a couple hundred dollars he will most likely sit down and help you price out a building project. As an appraiser I would have done that.
Thanks Gregory! There are just so many variables, so many options and add-ons, and so many unknowns... much more so in a uniquely crafted home where the cost of materials can vary tremendously. For modern homes... homes that are built over and over again, nearly identical, prices can be thrown out... but not so with a handmade house based on one photo with no more information provided than the question "how much?"
Good Post Gregory! Thank You! I was talking about Noah Bradley, at the dog park about a week ago. There was a fella there saying that there is no way we could do it without a Contracting Firm. I said sure we can, and told him to look up Noah Bradley on his iphone. He came back over and talked a little more. Then gave me his card, he's an Independent Contractor that built up in Alaska. And from the same area that we're from. He said he would love to work on that Project. Ours....lol It isn't difficult if people just share, and talk with each other, being congenial and, It will get done! :-D
After having build my own straw bale house and looking chiefly for an inexpensive home I discovered that the cookie cutter homes are the cheapest. One thing about putting your own time in is the opportunity cost of not earning money the amount you would have if you had not worked on the house yourself. These are very expensive homes if you add in all costs externalized, and money not earned. That being said I highly recommend people go ahead with it but plan for these aspects. I was fooled into believing that the cost would be low and was very much dismayed when it nearly sunk me. Building codes vary between jurisdictions and here the only way to build a home like this is to hire an engineer which is very expensive or build it anyway and hope they don't force you to tear it down. Again I encourage people to go forward with it and be brave, with eyes wide open, and know all aspects of what you are getting into.
Subscribed. You mentioned that you will have log home plans on your website, will there be plans for the house that is in this video? We are planning for our retirement home. I work at an industrial sawmill and get logs for $5.00 a ton, Purchased a sawmill last year and can cut 16 ft 6 in logs. still have 20+ year before we retire, so we have the time and most of the resources. Thanks
Good morning Noah! Our 8" thick hand-hewn log walls are 9 logs high now. The roof is scheduled to go on July 1st so we're almost done laying logs. I'm trying to decide on the chinking dye color. The Flamingo C74 is no longer available. We really like the color of the chinking you use. I know you asked your viewers not to ask this question but shoot, I have to ask because it's kind of a big deal to me. Noah I'm wondering if you've found another color like the golden tan hued Flamingo C74 in the years since it has been discontinued?
I understand that the price of a house has a 1000 variables. What I would like some help with is how do I find out what it costs in my area to have a have something done. If I have a design for my structure, how do I find what it will cost to put in a septic system. Are there any tips you can give me help me find the information I need. Even this is a complicated request. I have gone to the library, bought books, Googled for clues. But I am kind of stuck.
Dan, the best advice I can give you is to start calling those individuals who you might hire to do the work... start picking up business cards at building supply outlets.... stop in at any house construction site, see who is working there, ask for recommendations.
Yes indeed... I find that every saved item very handy when the time comes to start the design and building process. My favorite clients have always been those who walked in with a box of notes, magazines, and clippings. Some say that business cards are outdated... and that might be true in some industries... but they are the way to go in construction.
I disagree with some of the comments regarding you being too long with your answer. I think if you give a ballpark cost, most people will hold you to that. These days people need more of an explanation because they possess no common sense. They don't realize the very good points you bring up regarding land , hitting rock, and other unforeseen costs. They just blame the builder. I think your video was well done and at the end you did explain that this is a custom made home and that is what you're paying for. Thank you for the video.
Thank you Craig! The creation of this video was one of the smartest things I ever did. I just reference folks here when they ask... "How much?" I have also found that I if give people a range of costs "$XXX to $XXXX" that they will remember the low figure and deny ever hearing the larger one. And If a fixed price is required that builders are expected to take the loss if a project goes over budget... but expected to give a refund if it comes in under. It's not easy being a builder. It's no path to wealth... for sure. But building is in one's blood, overall it is well worth it.
Thanks for the video. My next house is going to be a log cabin. I live near the coast and would like to get waterfront land. Is this a good idea, does the log cabin wether well in a saltwater environment?
Handmade Houses with Noah Bradley Thanks, I am looking forward to building my dream house. What I envision is a house by the waterway, with some trees around the house.
Noah, I love your videos! Thanks so much for sharing your wisdom and knowledge! In regards to your reply below to Richard's Homestead, quote: "I end up with a much nicer home, a handmade home, just the way I want it to be, at far less than I could buy some poorly made vinyl box." I realize that building your own home with your own hands and materials like our ancestors did, is really cheap, but once you add in all the additional costs of permits, inspections, leveling the land, pouring the foundation, hooking up to the grid, etc, is it really cheaper than a cookie-cutter vinyl-sided home that already has all of those things hooked up and streamlined? And if so, what percentage might I save?
Thank you! That's a great question!... There are way too many variables to give you a fixed percentage (see my video Handmade House TV #2 where I dive into "how much does a handmade house cost" to learn more. But I can give you some insights... First, it is almost always the case that a used home is cheaper to buy than it is to hire a builder to build a new home just like it. The problem with used homes is that they almost never... "fit... feel like home... are what we want". Neither you , nor I, can build a vinyl cookie-cutter home as cheap as those who build the.. one after another... they have their system down and obtain discounted prices for bulk materials and labor contracts. But when it comes to building a handcrafted home that fits us perfectly... the home of our dreams... no one can build it better, or cheaper than we can. My one BIG message that I do my best to get across is that... a handmade house is a wonderful thing to have (life changing)... that if we have the itch to do it, we need to do it, and we will never regret it... our focus in designing and building it should be on quality, on getting what we want, on living the dream, not on getting it at a low price (we get it at a lower price, but that's a perk, not the goal)... if we focus just on the price we end up with a house that we are less than pleased with when finished, and if that happens what was the point in all the effort?... there are ways to build a home within a budget... that's what I share here on TH-cam... and to a much higher level with those in the Handmade House Guild. Check out the free video here... noahbradley.leadpages.co/handmadehouseacacemysignuppage/ I hope one day to get a few photos from you of that future home of yours!
Noah, thank you so much for taking the time to answer, I really do appreciate it! I definitely see what you're saying. We want a piece of land about two acres, but we are trying to decide if we should buy a lower quality house on the land and then remodel it/add on to it to our liking, or build one from the ground up. As much as we want the experience of building a custom house, we also really want to pay off our mortgage as quickly as possible and be debt free so that we can afford to build outbuildings, additions, etc. This would require my husband working full time for the first few years and us getting the lowest mortgage possible (while not living in an RV or camper--we have two small children). My husband is an advanced woodworker hobbyist and overall handy, and so we wanted to put his skills to good use and possibly save a load of money by building our own house and not hiring out the labor. However, based on our situation and goals, it sounds like that might not be in our best interest. Do you agree?
Often, dollar-wise a person can come out ahead with a lower priced home by starting with something already being there and fixing it up. Cheaper and easier, but almost never... better. But. rarely is that home any one's dream home. I've seen it many times where folks will pour money and labor into a home that they really don't care for. They either live their lives there in misery or they eventually sell it and then build their dream home. Life is short... go for the dream... do it right the first time. Or not, Lord knows I've done my share of "learning it the hard way"... lol The real success stories in building a dream home are those who spend the time to discover exactly what they want then figure a way to get it. That was my big "learning things the hard way" lesson... the second home I built for myself turned out pretty ugly and disappointing... I didn't focus enough on design... classic, timeless design. I hadn't learned the lessons of "focus on the elevations not the floor plan"... and just because the home is built with xxxxx doesn't guarantee it will be great.
It seems like it should be easy to understand that these are customized homes, so there cannot be a cookie cutter price quote. There are simply so many variables. For example: A key piece of the cost puzzle would be the land you plan to build on. If you have land that is filled with hardwoods and stone, it could cost you very little to build your dream home. If you have a piece of land that has been cleared, it will probably cost more for you to build that same home because needed resources have been removed. Although it is extra work to clear the land, it is also a means to reduce your costs. Thank you Noah for giving us the incredible opportunity to learn from you!
Thank you! I agree... and you give yet another great example. I guess part of the expectancy of quick number from many folks is that has been their experience... they pull into a developed subdivision with hundreds of nearly identical units all with a fixed prices and they think that there is not much to be considered.
Noah really sounds like he knows his stuff. A friend of mine built my place and he shares the same ideas as Noah. Noah is correct size is not as important. Mine is not large but being a bungalow with walk out basement gives me the lower floor with high ceiling. For a few more $$$ I had a room built under the 2 car attached garage, 24.24 foot. Thats a lot of room for a few $1000 extra over footings. Mine is not a log home but some of this applies to any home. I supervised my home being built and have a corner jacuzzi tub with windows almost level to it. I can soak and look out the back into the woods. I've seen deer, wild turkey etc. Very relaxing to look out from the tub onto the flat limestone then woods. The limestone is smooth without open fissures and creates a wonderful 85 year deep patio which slopes slightly and this creates a pond since all the water hits the limestone and has no place to do but follow the grade.
The question I would ask you sir and the one I think most of your audience would like for you to answer is if you compare a log cabin to a modern-day home that is not built out of logs but both of them have similar features and dimensions and both of them were built by the home owner, which of these two would be more or less expensive to build? And I'm not discussing any freak variables just generalities. And if you can answer that question can you give me a general about how much more or less expensive would that particular build be? To give you an example I'm trying to determine the cost of myself building a log Garage on my own property using my own logs compared to a conventional garage where I would have to purchase planks from a lumber yard. Thank you for your time.
Great point. For those who will never be satisfied unless they receive a number, they need to change their question from, "How much does a handmade house cost?" to "What was the cost for some of your lowest and highest cost builds?"
Hi Jim, Sorry it has taken so long to answer your question... but it just popped up now for me... I've never seen a species of wood that wouldn't work for a cabin. I've seen some cabins that had as many as eight different ones in a single home! It's all a matter of size... straightness and the method that is used... I'm a big fan of traditional, hewn logs. BTW I've since created a video that addresses this very question here on youtube...
I appreciate your video and series so thank you. It would be helpful, and I think reasonable to publish a table of price per sq ft using the common routes you mentioned (builder, owner builder, DIY) cross referenced with some sizes (small, medium, large) and listing common handmade construction types (log, timber, stone). Then perhaps a range of prices for things like a sceptic, well, solar system etc. for example, I want to build a small cabin like the one in the first of these video series. Can you estimate what it would cost for DIY and OB? Perhaps give an estimate sq ft price or total price for structure only (I'm assuming that house is around 400 sf) with a note that the price will vary depending on regional costs etc.
I'd sure buy that book is someone would care to write it! If there were only five or ten variables to consider, something like this might be possible (and if prices weren't constantly changing and fluid from one area to another. But there are an infinite number of options where each affects the other.
At least give a range based certain criteria - you purchase the raw logs from a local sawmill, you do all the labor yourself, tools range, no interior work done, exclude land prep , etc.- everyone has a different situation but before we commit to this large a project, we should roll up the estimated costs before we begin. who would start on a project that will take so much time and effort without a budget ?? Or just show us the one that you built for someone (you don;t have to share their information) and what the estimate would be.
I hear what you are saying. And appreciate it but your clients must have an endless money pit . What if someone like me said for example , I only have $120,000 ? How do you get along then ? Kind regards and very interested Pat NZ
Another great Video. Thank you sir. My dream is to go back home to the Ozarks and build my home from the wood on the property, and hopefully have enough stone to use also. Getting back to nature and Homesteading.
I see it like this. If you purchase a good piece of land that has all that has all the material that you need. And are willing to harvest these materials. The cost can be driven down to almost nothing if not nothing but your time.
You are correct! I once built a home for myself for around $500 using gathered materials from my own land and nearby salvaged resources. The same thing has been done for centuries and by hundreds of thousands of others before us. It's paying someone else to do all the work, and all of the added refinements, that cause a home to skyrocket in cost. My focus on building, after "trying it all", has since been to build the nicest, highest quality home that I can using my own labor. I end up with a much nicer home, a handmade home, just the way I want it to be, at far less than I could buy some poorly made vinyl box.
Answering this question is just as difficult as if someone ask what color their house should be. They are asking for a constant in a world where no constants exist.
So true... and even with something as simple as paint there are many variables. What brand of paint? and how many coats? I've priced cabins where owners said they would take care of the painting, and then when the time came they passed on it... or one couple who painted all the windows closed with a heavy coat and no one could open them after... sigh.
Thank you for answering these questions, however I think it depends on your Knowledge on the Building and the intensity of the design and available materials vs what you have to buy
Just do it ! If you people think too much about the costs, then you are either too poor or to "cheap" or both and you should not do it - i don't know of anyone who has started this kind of project and ran out of money - they might run out of time or patience, but not money. In most cases, you can take as long as you want or need to build these houses depending in your own situation. If you think you might want to build your own home and the main reason why you are doing it is to save alot of money, then just buy a kit or pre-fab.
Back in the day, people used to 'build' a house.that,s to say they hired craftsman to put together their home.people saved up or had the cash to do it. In the 20th century you must buy that house from the banks.no one with any scene builds their owe home now.it,s much too aggregating...if your building a house in a neighborhood.
Wowzers Mr Bradley! Look what I found... was pondering how come the log cabins look so different in Finland... obviously different climate and all - and found this old school start to finish building project. Using moss and tarred wool (I think!) as insulation - and what not. What say you of these techniques? :-) th-cam.com/video/HNTfLGt59qo/w-d-xo.html P.s. I will post this on your newer video as well - just in case you don't read comments on older videos. We just found you some days ago (my 7 y old son is a HUGE fan and is planning the house he will build for me! :-) and have been watching your videos LOTS. Very inspiring. Thank you!
Part of it is log... one section of the home. And the same was true of my last home. I'm a big fan of what I call blended homes... a home where two or more types of construction come together. I wouldn't want to live in a home that is all log... but equally so I wouldn't want to live in a home that didn't have a log den, or bedroom to retreat to.
Pine is a fine wood to build a cabin out of.... and poplar is one of my favorite species. Every species of wood has it's pros and cons. When building a log home it's all about how it's built (the traditional method is by far the best way) and the quality of the logs you use... straight, knot free, and as large as you can find.
Start with a small place, and as Noah suggested, you CAN add on to it. Bottom line, this one you've got to do a lot of it on your own. Even if it's just researching Contractors and hiring them for whatever. It does not mean the "contractors are there to do the whole thing, and take your first born in the end, (so to speak). lol
go out and salvage your house or buy it used.find a good peace of land cheap.use a simple heating and electricity.put few panels from multinational company.make a well yourself.yust do it.if you are waiting for sombody it will be never done.learn and try skills.dont make it huge.thats the way.goverment make you belive that you cant do it.yes you can.all our ancesters did that.
Yep! that's a good one! And I've tried it... and people take offense that I'm just brushing them off... and then I spend a half hour of my time explaining it in a long winded version. And people walk away without a word of thanks for my time. You can't win... so... I put up this video with the best of intentions to answer this question and save me a chunk of time out of every one of my days. Thanks Ronald! Noah
I live in a communist town in Iowa. ALL drawings MUST be made by one of three architectural firms or they will not be approved for construction. ALL contractors, builders, electricians, plumbers, HVAC installers and drywallers MUST posses a CITY issued licence. It takes longer to get a plumber's licence than it does to get a doctor's licence (unless you are in the union). Some work can be done by owners under observation (inspection) of city codes/inspection dept.
Hi Abyssic1 The United States is not a "Democracy". It's a "Constitutional Republic". There's a big difference. Look it up and find out what it means. The most important difference, is Freedom. There are many people around the world, that want to take that away. We aren't going to let that happen.
Thank You!!!! I can't be all things to all people. If you find no value in what I have to offer.... by all means... move along... I hope you find what you are looking for.
@@HandmadeHouseswithNoahBradley Think of it this way -- your video was 22 minutes and only 4 were wasted. He unsubbed for 4 minutes out of 22. LOL. I like your answer and would write that if it were I.
When we bought our property 4 years ago. (Raw land in the mountains) I thought I could build with my determination and hard work alone. Much of it I have but it still does take some money. The Septic system took me a year but I did it all myself. Total cost for Pipe, Tank, Leach field components and Backhoe rental? $4800. I am building a Timber Frame Lodge Cabin (640 sq. ft.) Total cost of the Timber and lumber for the Cabin $0. I am a Blacksmith and I bartered for all of it. The friend with the Mill got ...Hunting Knife, Fire tool set, Acacia Slab table, Hand Forged Axe and a set of railings and handrails for their home..All worth about $20,000 at retail Lumber prices........ I made all of the Chisels and Slicks for doing the Timber Frame joinery cost $0. We bought an acre and a half of forested mountain land, cost? $15,000.......I live frugally, I love what I do. It's not about the money, it's not about Fame. Find something in your life that gives you that "moment". I am raising our Timber Frame in October (six weeks) Oh, and I am 64 years old.....It's NEVER too late. Now go out and just make it happen. Global Pandemic, Fires, Economic collapse be DAMNED! Be your own Hero before it's too late............
Wow wow, we need people like you here in Congo to bestow the knowledge to us here. We need Blacksmith and carpenter etc to improve our lives and develop our country.
@@nanouekonzo5581 I learned how to do the Timber Framing from two sources. Books "A Timber Framers workshop" by Steve Chappel and TH-cam videos. The rest was just hard work. I found a guy with a portable Mill and then traded for the wood. The basics of Blacksmithing can be learned the same way. I know there are Blacksmiths in your country or nearby. There are several in South Africa (I know it's not very close). You could maybe make a trip there to meet with them. My friend Conrad Hicks is a South African Blacksmith. One of the most talented Blacksmiths in the world. Remember there is always hope if you have courage.
Four years later.... But thank you. For both your time and effort. I'm new to your content, but looking forward to using what I've learned from you to build my own cabin. Your knowledge is appreciated here. Again ... Thank you.
Glad it was helpful! Glad to have you here Joshua!
Although I'm planning 3-4 years before building, does it make sense to gather materials? For example, finding old windows at a yardsale that in my convenience I can de-&-re construct to be good windows (I really like the wavy old glass), or a Facebook marketplace 50+ year old porcelain barn sink at a good price. - I feel like I'm being a pack rat
We're restoring a small (450 sq. ft.) rundown cabin on our property and wanted to get a ballpark idea of how much we should budget, so we went to the manager of the local lumber supply where all the local contractors go to get their materials and explained what we had in mind (enclosed masonry foundation, wood stove heat, no A/C, steel roof). He was able to give us a range of costs for our area, depending on how much of the cabin was salvageable and how much labor we could contribute. He was also able to provide a short list of contractors he felt comfortable recommending. In our case, that got the project going, because even his high-end figure was much more affordable than we had thought originally.
That is good to hear. This was a great way to proceed.
Excellent video. I like how you spell out that there are so many variables and not just one set price for making a home like this cost. People see a primitive cabin and make all sorts of different assumptions regarding features and benefits. Thanks for taking the time to put this together...
I love the Flexibility of building your own cabin, and then hiring the people you need for projects you don't want to do, or don't know how to do. Then you watch the ones that know how, and then can learn to do it yourself. There are large amounts of resources, if you're creative in seeking those out. All the very best to everyone that is going to give this a shot. We are, but have to wait until the husband retires in just a few short years! I can't wait!!!
So no idea of a starter price and size ?
Thanks Noah. I love this series. I am a State of GA Cert Res Appraiser and always on the lookout for information about log homes. I hit the motherload when I found your videos. Thanks.
That is awesome! Thank you!
Thank you for your words!!!
Really enjoying your videos, Noah, and planning to purchase your entire program. I just purchased a piece of property in Montana, and am in an RV on the property, getting ready for Winter now, and planning on starting the foundation in the Spring, and seeing how far I get by this time next year. I’m drawing up the plans myself, and having a friend who is a builder do a once-over on them. I have 20 acres, 95%+ is dense trees, primarily Douglas Fir and Lodgepole Pine. Labor will be me, myself and I. A challenge is the building site: a slope grade that equals approx 7-8 feet over the 30-35 feet depth of the house, and much on rock. Challenges, but I’m excited to start and I’m not one of the “how much” folk. It’s going to be built, and I’m going to live in it. That’s that. After purchasing the property and all the moving costs, I don’t have a lot leftover now, but I’m going to get it done. That is again for such informative videos, I appreciate your willingness to help and teach others. A true legacy.
*Thanks again for such informative videos (typo)
Thanks Freedom Panda for kind words and for following along! Sounds like you have a heck of project coming up! We'd love to have you in the Handmade House Guild and see what you have planned. Best, --Noah
Thanks for the encouragement. Just got my dream car. Dream house next. Guard your dreams carefully. Many people, even friends and family, will try to talk you out of your dreams.
Just found your channel and I’m so happy I did! You are so articulate and provide such useful information. Your work looks amazing......I hope I can get you to build us a log home 😊😊. It would be a dream come true!
Thank you for the kind words and for following along! Glad to have you aboard!
Feeling so discouraged.. dream is to do this . We've been trying for a long time. Here in ontario Canada it's so impossible to get ahead. 😫.....everything's up in price . How are young families suppose to get anything these days ? Even if we got the land we couldn't afford the types of wood to make the log cabin. I've been researching for a year it's hard . We have two toddlers we want to get to safety away from the Tyrannical regime . These videos make me feel better yet I still will never know how to get there. My husband makes almost 30 and hour in a union and I have a small ebay side business and we just can't see where all the money will come from to do this . Makes me so sad
It's hard to say Jess. Thank you for your comment. If you are determined and can start small and follow a plan, you may be able to create an opportunity...it just may require more time and work than the average "home" of today.
How can someone undertake a project without having a budget?
I guess what we are asking is, what is the price of dimensional lumber in the floor and roof, chinking and hardware. Windows, doors and fixtures are pretty easy to figure out for ourselves. Logs and labor may be free.
Where on earth do you get free logs ? Things are tripled here in ontario Canada. Wood is ultimate high priced. Land doubled during this plandemic . It's sad for young families as we are to do anything now . 😞
Still no reason for not having a basic "traditional log homes I build start at $$$$". Majority understand the flucuations in pricing new construction.
My father bought a log cabin that he moved to a site on a lake. In the 1950's he paid $10 for it. Cost today, it greatly depends on materials used and features. Just upgrading windows can add 10's of 1000's of $$$.
The ICF home I had built has a barn beam for a fireplace mantle, amazing 13 x13" x 5 1/2 foot long. Used antique red brick to the ceiling. Has a wood burning zero clearance unit with glass and screen doors. I like to burn with the doors open and slid in out of sight. A wool rug is best in front of a wood fireplace, does not melt when a spark lands. The iron log grate was not the best and warped/cracked. I used solid 1' square steel stock and welded together a good wood grate. The hearth is polished stone, a piece from a kitchen counter job that has green stone matching the light green interior walls. Since I like log homes all I could do with ICF is use pine siding which looks like small log. It gave my home a very warm colour and at night with the overhang with built in
lights looks fantastic. I also had the 9 foot glass door framed with log beams and have the vaulted ceiling with a beam cut 5 inches thick, quite heavy. Took 3 large hole cutters to cut through for a ceiling fan.
A dream home you can have with a builder who knows his pricing and where you can add and subtract for a final price which will rise before it's finished.
Great insight Noah! Very interesting that people who ask "How much does it cost?" essentially go into that bucket in your brain that tells you they'll never build one.
Prioritizing the list of desires and telling people that this question has to fall lower on that list is great insight. Love watching your videos and learning from your massive experience. I've owned rentals and gutted and remodeled homes, but seriously following you here now to learn as much as I can about your process. I live in Colorado and looking at my options for something like this in the mountains.
Thanks for the great feedback Jimmy.
Yeah... it's a funny thing but I've seen a lot of folks who have come to the point that they want a handmade house and just dive in (whether wealthy or poor) and every one of them has succeeded in getting that dream home. While on the other hand, those who first ask "how much?" (whether wealthy or poor) have failed to move any further.
I have great respect in seeking information... and in being frugal... but "how much?"often prevents many from having a great home... or a vacation... or a fine meal.
Thanks for the great response! The right perspective is always going to make life easier or harder, depending on which perspective you choose. Thank you and looking forward to continuing to watch all your videos! :) Thanks!
Assuming a family of four, 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, kitchen, great room, porches, no garage, ample closet space, wood burning stove ( Vermont castings) or fireplace, 9" ceilings and ceiling beams and t&g 2x6 ceiling boards with chinking between logs, i.e. hand hewn logs, start at $200.00 per square foot BEFORE you get an itemized takeoff from a QUALIFIED builder. A labor of love. Once you have spent a Christmas season or Thanksgiving in a hand hewn log home, your life will be changed forever.
You have singlehandedly pushed me over the edge. I was teetering on the edge of building my own home or buying one, but that decision has now been made.
Maybe that's a good thing?! Wishing you all the best with what you decide...
I wish I were able to get you to do my house, but by the time I’ll be able to, you’ll be in the better place.
LOL.
@@HandmadeHouseswithNoahBradley Have you tried to develop a national network of builders who adopt your methodologies?
22.30 min. to avoid a relatively simple answer....... I don't get it ???? I like a what you do a lot and although your videos are a little long winded there is a lot of great information in there and it's time well spend watching them so why avoid giving this simple answer? No you can't please them all and you can't see all situations or setup's, But you can please 90% of your viewers by creating a fictional situation and design with average parameters and work out a cost and time schedule.
Then everyone would have what they desire and a starting line to work from !!! you could even throw in a few variables like contractor labour hrs but no $ because that would depend on location. Or wood cutting list but not cost (or just for one species in one area) since that varies with species and area).
All this can be done relatively simple even from one off your recent builds (with a few minor changes maybe for anonymity) and no one needs to give up their privacy !
I am a custom woodworker (mostly furniture) and I have done construction and have had to do the same kind of quotation for different area's and material, this is how to get around it without having to do it all over again each time from zero!!!!
Hope this may help.
Thank you for your feedback. :) I'd love to have a simpler shorter answer... one that would satisfy the person who asks the question... without offending them... and tells them why the question can't be answered. I get asked this question from someone now just about every day (sometimes multiple times a day) Every short answer I've come up with has failed to satisfy, some get upset with me, some follow up with more questions. This video has been a huge time saver for me and a few have now gotten back to me thanking me for the great explanation. If you can come up with a shorter answer that covers all the bases I'd be so appreciative!
I like your videos and that was a great answer to an unanswerable question
Vancroft, you are a melt.
Going through a hypothetical situation sounds like a good idea!
"Long winded"? I actually find his videos to be really to-the-point.
Even to get a bank loan to get the land . Down-payments here are 20 percent at least for first time owners ....its so hard. With the harsh winters here we couldn't live in our trailer with two kids under 4 safely I don't think. Send prayers please 🙏 For us we don't want to rent forever we want to farm and be self sufficient. We are half way there in that respect in our rented farm but it's not the same. How do people actually have all this money to do all this . Land then the wood would take us 2 years to be able to afford . Septic , well etc ... just so discouraged somethings got to give here in Canada... this can't be the way . Working to survive never getting ahead much 😭 Anyone else here form onatrio and get what I mean. ? It's so unfair
Thanks for the comment Jess! Hang in there. Where there's a will, there's a way. Land is pricy right now, that's for sure!
Near me the Interstate has a mile wide median that is heavily wooded, I’m going to cut down, mill and build me a 12x24 log cabin.
Good luck!
No HOA crap - dead restriction nonsense. 100% Fee sample absolute property. Totally of grid & Completely in the sticks. Absolut seclusion. ANY cell phone signal would be in an immediate disqualified location. Accessible to plentiful running stream. 4 walls - tin roof - 850sf. No electricity-no running water- with a composting toilet. Wood burning stove - oil lamps & candles for light. Would have to have plans for a very effective root cellar. Is what I want - not clear of how it’s possible. I do own out-right, a homestead real property in northern Florida.
I hear you on the HOA. It's good to be free!
❤❤❤thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience. Thank you for inspiration.🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Where do I buy a set of plans?
Thank You! Very interesting!
Lol... After listening to your answer, I realized it's an unanswerable question... Kind of like asking , "how much does a home on the real estate market cost?" Also, good insight about those who ask about cost first.
Thank you!
I have found that there are no quick answers to "how much?" and that those who ask this question are never satisfied with anything other than a number... they either walk away feeling insulted or respond as if I'm trying to be evasive or, that I want to keep the answer to myself... or, they keep pushing for a fixed number, which of course there isn't one.
This video has saved me countless hours of repeating this thorough answer to this most dreaded question, one which so many in the custom home field are asked.
I have looked into some of pricing. For city homes and they can be outrageous $153,000.
to me that crazy, I desire a handmade log cabin home. I desire a handmade log, that's small size and in the shape of the letter L.
You nailed something. In some antique stores there are not prices. If the potential buyer asks, "How much is it," they can't afford it. But I don't think 100% of the time -- maybe people have to adjust their dream and might get back - say, maybe, 5% of the time.
Frankly and please forgive my straightforwardness but when it comes to building a log cabin I personally feel like your answer is horrible its like you cant see the forest from the trees. People want to know basics like what would it cost to build with simple materials logs and mortar with nothing inside no plumbing no electric just the frame and the main guts of a home aka a real idea of a log cabin. When you start talking about land and landscaping and features you sound like a real state agent and not a builder. Nobody really cares about the size of sidewalk or driveway or if you built in the house a oak cabinet they want to know about basic framing cost that would allow the inside to be roughly livable where they can envision how far they want to go concerning doors and wiring and so forth. So for one, logs if you gave a rough idea of timber and how much would be needed roughly for a rectangular 2000 sq ft 1000 sq ft 500 sq ft with out a basic chimney with a basic stone chimney with no windows but just the empty spaces for one as well as door frames with a loft or second story and basic shingles you know how to give a basic idea come on you make this more complicated then it is. You sound like a manager in TOYS R US who cant make up his mind what kind of toy you sale there. I'll never forget something I learned in the Marine Corps which was K.I.S.S keep it simple stupid. People who are serious about building a home and are sincerely wanting to know about cost don't get told the truth by most. I helped build a 3000 sq foot two story home and just the framing cost 15,000 knowing that gave me a rough idea of what the house would cost and I could fill in the blanks concerning all the things I would want. Get my drift ;)
Hi! Thank you for your feedback! I SO appreciate your straightforwardness and desire to not offend. I hear what you are saying... but my experience after decades of doing this is that the people I talk to, and have built for, are "all over the map". I have built primitive cabins for people who desire to live off grid, and I have built cabins for millionaires and even... one billionaire. Trust me, everyone of them has had a different vision for the finished product and I don't know what that is until I spend a lot of time with them and we go through everything detail by detail. The small cabin featured in the next video of this series has no plumbing, electric, nor heating system... people will see a photo of it and ask me "how much?"... but likely I know they want those systems in place in their cabin... and they might live near me... or in Alaska. And I get this question nearly every day. Some people have a piece of land and want to know how much to put a cabin on their property... not just the house... but the ability to get to it, the well that supplies the water and septic that gets rid of the waste... and if I give them a price without it, they start imagining the price I give them is all that will be needed to start living the dream. I guess the point of this video... the point I'm trying to make here... is that a number can't be tossed out over the internet after seeing one photo. It require a long conversation and many hours of number crunching to work up a price. I hope this helps... and thank you again for your comment. I love a good dialog... and hearing from other cabin enthusiast such as yourself! Noah
Thank you for your response as I know I appreciate those who actually dialog as appose to those who just take your answer and have no thanks in mind. I personally have no desire to know about plumbing or electric nor septic issues as these things are more of todays version of living as opposed to my self who would seek out a well on the land and use my own alternative ideas in doing those things. I frankly just want to mere materials cost with out the 70-80 generation of living ideas which failed miserably our generation who should have been taught to buy land and build a home rather than this stupid keeping up with the Jones idea of living. Personally I just want to know how much to frame a log cabin no doors no plumbing no electric just a roofed cabin that sits 2000 sq ft. with a fire place very basic I can do the rest of the filling in the gaps from there on. I always have wanted to know just the basics and figure the rest out based upon my own wants. So if you can give me a idea I would love to hear it.
Gotcha... and that is part of my goal in all of these videos that I'm now putting out. I just put up a video on a little house I built 20+ years ago and how much I thought I could build it for today... and in the coming couple of years I will be designing and building a home for myself and will be showing how I do it... and how much money everything costs as I go along. (in the past my focus has been entirely on building, not on sharing what I know... so all this is new territory for me) I hope you'll come along for the ride!
Before even watching your answer, I figured labor is huge factor because a) takes time to build traditional, and b) folks with skills to do it right are rare. Since the 21st century is mostly based on hourly wage, instead of say bartering, then (a) is a very large quantity of hours and skills for (b) drives up value of that wage. The "parts", so to say, I assumed are low cost because we're talking wood, stone, and basic materials that aren't as rare as the kind of skills needed.
With that said, I'll watch your answer now but I think I'm right because your Academy is meant to enable people with the time to learn the skills so they can control the labor costs that a builder would charge by doing the sweat work themselves.
Well said! ...on all counts.
Assembly line practices have so distorted costs that anything handmade now seems ridiculously expensive.
That leaves us with the option of living in manufactured housing, or cutting a big check to get something handcrafted, or taking on the project ourselves (which is oh so rewarding in many ways).
I am SO thankful for the patrons of the arts... those who can and do hire craftsfolks to practice their art... but my mission in most of these videos is to point out that anyone can have a really special home... it just requires some sweat equity.
Handmade Houses with Noah Bradley finding handmade more and more rewarding. We're early in planning a house but Ty for your videos.
Thank you for this video.
I'm retired Army but grew up with parents in the real estate business and have extensive real estate experience myself, and I'll stand with you and agree with what you say Noah. if someone is serious about getting a hard number on the cost, reach out to a real estate appraiser in the area you want to build. Ask local mortgage lenders and Realtors for appraiser names. If homes like Noah builds are common to the area you will most likely find an appraiser who has an interest in and larger knowledge base then others about that type of home. For the cost of a couple hundred dollars he will most likely sit down and help you price out a building project. As an appraiser I would have done that.
Thanks Gregory! There are just so many variables, so many options and add-ons, and so many unknowns... much more so in a uniquely crafted home where the cost of materials can vary tremendously. For modern homes... homes that are built over and over again, nearly identical, prices can be thrown out... but not so with a handmade house based on one photo with no more information provided than the question "how much?"
Good Post Gregory! Thank You! I was talking about Noah Bradley, at the dog park about a week ago. There was a fella there saying that there is no way we could do it without a Contracting Firm. I said sure we can, and told him to look up Noah Bradley on his iphone. He came back over and talked a little more. Then gave me his card, he's an Independent Contractor that built up in Alaska. And from the same area that we're from. He said he would love to work on that Project. Ours....lol It isn't difficult if people just share, and talk with each other, being congenial and, It will get done! :-D
After having build my own straw bale house and looking chiefly for an inexpensive home I discovered that the cookie cutter homes are the cheapest. One thing about putting your own time in is the opportunity cost of not earning money the amount you would have if you had not worked on the house yourself. These are very expensive homes if you add in all costs externalized, and money not earned. That being said I highly recommend people go ahead with it but plan for these aspects. I was fooled into believing that the cost would be low and was very much dismayed when it nearly sunk me. Building codes vary between jurisdictions and here the only way to build a home like this is to hire an engineer which is very expensive or build it anyway and hope they don't force you to tear it down. Again I encourage people to go forward with it and be brave, with eyes wide open, and know all aspects of what you are getting into.
Thanks for a great comment Ed!
Thank you ❤️
You’re welcome 😊
Subscribed. You mentioned that you will have log home plans on your website, will there be plans for the house that is in this video? We are planning for our retirement home. I work at an industrial sawmill and get logs for $5.00 a ton, Purchased a sawmill last year and can cut 16 ft 6 in logs. still have 20+ year before we retire, so we have the time and most of the resources. Thanks
Good morning Noah! Our 8" thick hand-hewn log walls are 9 logs high now. The roof is scheduled to go on July 1st so we're almost done laying logs. I'm trying to decide on the chinking dye color. The Flamingo C74 is no longer available. We really like the color of the chinking you use. I know you asked your viewers not to ask this question but shoot, I have to ask because it's kind of a big deal to me. Noah I'm wondering if you've found another color like the golden tan hued Flamingo C74 in the years since it has been discontinued?
I understand that the price of a house has a 1000 variables. What I would like some help with is how do I find out what it costs in my area to have a have something done. If I have a design for my structure, how do I find what it will cost to put in a septic system. Are there any tips you can give me help me find the information I need. Even this is a complicated request. I have gone to the library, bought books, Googled for clues. But I am kind of stuck.
Dan, the best advice I can give you is to start calling those individuals who you might hire to do the work... start picking up business cards at building supply outlets.... stop in at any house construction site, see who is working there, ask for recommendations.
I can often get a fixed price from someone to install a septic system... after I have my perk permit and septic design from the county.
Thank you. I also like your tip to start a "scrap book" of things you like. Might need several of those pages that hold business cards.
Yes indeed... I find that every saved item very handy when the time comes to start the design and building process. My favorite clients have always been those who walked in with a box of notes, magazines, and clippings. Some say that business cards are outdated... and that might be true in some industries... but they are the way to go in construction.
I disagree with some of the comments regarding you being too long with your answer. I think if you give a ballpark cost, most people will hold you to that. These days people need more of an explanation because they possess no common sense. They don't realize the very good points you bring up regarding land , hitting rock, and other unforeseen costs. They just blame the builder. I think your video was well done and at the end you did explain that this is a custom made home and that is what you're paying for. Thank you for the video.
Thank you Craig!
The creation of this video was one of the smartest things I ever did. I just reference folks here when they ask... "How much?"
I have also found that I if give people a range of costs "$XXX to $XXXX" that they will remember the low figure and deny ever hearing the larger one.
And If a fixed price is required that builders are expected to take the loss if a project goes over budget... but expected to give a refund if it comes in under.
It's not easy being a builder. It's no path to wealth... for sure.
But building is in one's blood, overall it is well worth it.
I get it, just like anything else in life, start small and learn as you go and be as involved as possible! OK let’s go!
Thanks for the video. My next house is going to be a log cabin. I live near the coast and would like to get waterfront land. Is this a good idea, does the log cabin wether well in a saltwater environment?
I have seen them in beach environments... they appear to hold up just as well... but... they do look a bit out of place.
Handmade Houses with Noah Bradley Thanks, I am looking forward to building my dream house. What I envision is a house by the waterway, with some trees around the house.
It doesn't get any better than that!
I agree with others that more info could have been given. I suggest what it might cost to build design 1 in a specific location near you, today.
Noah, I love your videos! Thanks so much for sharing your wisdom and knowledge!
In regards to your reply below to Richard's Homestead, quote: "I end up with a much nicer home, a handmade home, just the way I want it to be, at far less than I could buy some poorly made vinyl box."
I realize that building your own home with your own hands and materials like our ancestors did, is really cheap, but once you add in all the additional costs of permits, inspections, leveling the land, pouring the foundation, hooking up to the grid, etc, is it really cheaper than a cookie-cutter vinyl-sided home that already has all of those things hooked up and streamlined?
And if so, what percentage might I save?
Thank you!
That's a great question!...
There are way too many variables to give you a fixed percentage (see my video Handmade House TV #2 where I dive into "how much does a handmade house cost" to learn more.
But I can give you some insights...
First, it is almost always the case that a used home is cheaper to buy than it is to hire a builder to build a new home just like it.
The problem with used homes is that they almost never... "fit... feel like home... are what we want".
Neither you , nor I, can build a vinyl cookie-cutter home as cheap as those who build the.. one after another... they have their system down and obtain discounted prices for bulk materials and labor contracts.
But when it comes to building a handcrafted home that fits us perfectly... the home of our dreams... no one can build it better, or cheaper than we can.
My one BIG message that I do my best to get across is that... a handmade house is a wonderful thing to have (life changing)... that if we have the itch to do it, we need to do it, and we will never regret it... our focus in designing and building it should be on quality, on getting what we want, on living the dream, not on getting it at a low price (we get it at a lower price, but that's a perk, not the goal)... if we focus just on the price we end up with a house that we are less than pleased with when finished, and if that happens what was the point in all the effort?... there are ways to build a home within a budget... that's what I share here on TH-cam... and to a much higher level with those in the Handmade House Guild. Check out the free video here... noahbradley.leadpages.co/handmadehouseacacemysignuppage/
I hope one day to get a few photos from you of that future home of yours!
Noah, thank you so much for taking the time to answer, I really do appreciate it! I definitely see what you're saying. We want a piece of land about two acres, but we are trying to decide if we should buy a lower quality house on the land and then remodel it/add on to it to our liking, or build one from the ground up.
As much as we want the experience of building a custom house, we also really want to pay off our mortgage as quickly as possible and be debt free so that we can afford to build outbuildings, additions, etc. This would require my husband working full time for the first few years and us getting the lowest mortgage possible (while not living in an RV or camper--we have two small children).
My husband is an advanced woodworker hobbyist and overall handy, and so we wanted to put his skills to good use and possibly save a load of money by building our own house and not hiring out the labor. However, based on our situation and goals, it sounds like that might not be in our best interest. Do you agree?
Often, dollar-wise a person can come out ahead with a lower priced home by starting with something already being there and fixing it up. Cheaper and easier, but almost never... better.
But. rarely is that home any one's dream home.
I've seen it many times where folks will pour money and labor into a home that they really don't care for. They either live their lives there in misery or they eventually sell it and then build their dream home.
Life is short... go for the dream... do it right the first time.
Or not, Lord knows I've done my share of "learning it the hard way"... lol
The real success stories in building a dream home are those who spend the time to discover exactly what they want then figure a way to get it.
That was my big "learning things the hard way" lesson... the second home I built for myself turned out pretty ugly and disappointing... I didn't focus enough on design... classic, timeless design. I hadn't learned the lessons of "focus on the elevations not the floor plan"... and just because the home is built with xxxxx doesn't guarantee it will be great.
It seems like it should be easy to understand that these are customized homes, so there cannot be a cookie cutter price quote. There are simply so many variables.
For example: A key piece of the cost puzzle would be the land you plan to build on. If you have land that is filled with hardwoods and stone, it could cost you very little to build your dream home. If you have a piece of land that has been cleared, it will probably cost more for you to build that same home because needed resources have been removed. Although it is extra work to clear the land, it is also a means to reduce your costs.
Thank you Noah for giving us the incredible opportunity to learn from you!
Thank you! I agree... and you give yet another great example. I guess part of the expectancy of quick number from many folks is that has been their experience... they pull into a developed subdivision with hundreds of nearly identical units all with a fixed prices and they think that there is not much to be considered.
Noah really sounds like he knows his stuff. A friend of mine built my place and he shares the same ideas as Noah.
Noah is correct size is not as important. Mine is not large but being a bungalow with walk out basement gives me the lower floor with high ceiling. For a few more $$$ I had a room built under the 2 car attached garage, 24.24 foot. Thats a lot of room for a few $1000 extra over footings. Mine is not a log home but some of this applies to any home. I supervised my home being built and have a corner jacuzzi tub with windows almost level to it. I can soak and look out the back into the woods. I've seen deer, wild turkey etc. Very relaxing to look out from the tub onto the flat limestone then woods. The limestone is smooth without open fissures and creates a wonderful 85 year deep patio which slopes slightly and this creates a pond since all the water hits the limestone and has no place to do but follow the grade.
The question I would ask you sir and the one I think most of your audience would like for you to answer is if you compare a log cabin to a modern-day home that is not built out of logs but both of them have similar features and dimensions and both of them were built by the home owner, which of these two would be more or less expensive to build? And I'm not discussing any freak variables just generalities. And if you can answer that question can you give me a general about how much more or less expensive would that particular build be? To give you an example I'm trying to determine the cost of myself building a log Garage on my own property using my own logs compared to a conventional garage where I would have to purchase planks from a lumber yard. Thank you for your time.
A ball park figure, if you're going to help this crisis you can give a figure.
i would like to kindly request a bill of quantities for the cabin your filming this video with, if available? thank you for your effort :)
Love your video's- thank you Bradley
Thank you QBlueSky!
Great point. For those who will never be satisfied unless they receive a number, they need to change their question from, "How much does a handmade house cost?" to "What was the cost for some of your lowest and highest cost builds?"
Can you build a cabin, using eastern red cedar? My property is full of them, but I was wondering if the cedar would be structurally strong enough ?
Hi Jim, Sorry it has taken so long to answer your question... but it just popped up now for me... I've never seen a species of wood that wouldn't work for a cabin. I've seen some cabins that had as many as eight different ones in a single home! It's all a matter of size... straightness and the method that is used... I'm a big fan of traditional, hewn logs. BTW I've since created a video that addresses this very question here on youtube...
I appreciate your video and series so thank you. It would be helpful, and I think reasonable to publish a table of price per sq ft using the common routes you mentioned (builder, owner builder, DIY) cross referenced with some sizes (small, medium, large) and listing common handmade construction types (log, timber, stone). Then perhaps a range of prices for things like a sceptic, well, solar system etc. for example, I want to build a small cabin like the one in the first of these video series. Can you estimate what it would cost for DIY and OB? Perhaps give an estimate sq ft price or total price for structure only (I'm assuming that house is around 400 sf) with a note that the price will vary depending on regional costs etc.
I'd sure buy that book is someone would care to write it!
If there were only five or ten variables to consider, something like this might be possible (and if prices weren't constantly changing and fluid from one area to another. But there are an infinite number of options where each affects the other.
At least give a range based certain criteria - you purchase the raw logs from a local sawmill, you do all the labor yourself, tools range, no interior work done, exclude land prep , etc.- everyone has a different situation but before we commit to this large a project, we should roll up the estimated costs before we begin. who would start on a project that will take so much time and effort without a budget ?? Or just show us the one that you built for someone (you don;t have to share their information) and what the estimate would be.
Indeed, we need a frame of reference.
I hear what you are saying. And appreciate it but your clients must have an endless money pit . What if someone like me said for example , I only have $120,000 ? How do you get along then ? Kind regards and very interested Pat NZ
Thank you for your videos Noah. They are giving me plenty to think about.
Thank you very much! Sometimes I wonder If anyone would care what I might have to share... so a word of encouragement keeps me motivated!
Another great Video.
Thank you sir.
My dream is to go back home to the Ozarks and build my home from the wood on the property, and hopefully have enough stone to use also.
Getting back to nature and Homesteading.
That's a great dream!
The Ozarks are full of old cabins and fine stone... Send me a photo when you are underway!
I see it like this. If you purchase a good piece of land that has all that has all the material that you need. And are willing to harvest these materials. The cost can be driven down to almost nothing if not nothing but your time.
You are correct! I once built a home for myself for around $500 using gathered materials from my own land and nearby salvaged resources. The same thing has been done for centuries and by hundreds of thousands of others before us. It's paying someone else to do all the work, and all of the added refinements, that cause a home to skyrocket in cost.
My focus on building, after "trying it all", has since been to build the nicest, highest quality home that I can using my own labor. I end up with a much nicer home, a handmade home, just the way I want it to be, at far less than I could buy some poorly made vinyl box.
Answering this question is just as difficult as if someone ask what color their house should be. They are asking for a constant in a world where no constants exist.
So true... and even with something as simple as paint there are many variables. What brand of paint? and how many coats? I've priced cabins where owners said they would take care of the painting, and then when the time came they passed on it... or one couple who painted all the windows closed with a heavy coat and no one could open them after... sigh.
Noah Bradley We people are interesting creatures.
Bbc
thankj you always wanted to build a cabin
I hope you get around to doing it... You will regret it. They are fun to build and great to live in.
Thank you for answering these questions, however I think it depends on your Knowledge on the Building and the intensity of the design and available materials vs what you have to buy
Those are important factors as well Kyle. Well said.
Thank you very much. Wonderful!
Just do it ! If you people think too much about the costs, then you are either too poor or to "cheap" or both and you should not do it - i don't know of anyone who has started this kind of project and ran out of money - they might run out of time or patience, but not money. In most cases, you can take as long as you want or need to build these houses depending in your own situation. If you think you might want to build your own home and the main reason why you are doing it is to save alot of money, then just buy a kit or pre-fab.
Sounds like we struck with the rent and the mortgage. Again, the rich will have your services to make it his second and third home.
Back in the day, people used to 'build' a house.that,s to say they hired craftsman to put together their home.people saved up or had the cash to do it. In the 20th century you must buy that house from the banks.no one with any scene builds their owe home now.it,s much too aggregating...if your building a house in a neighborhood.
your cabins are a dream!!
Wowzers Mr Bradley! Look what I found... was pondering how come the log cabins look so different in Finland... obviously different climate and all - and found this old school start to finish building project. Using moss and tarred wool (I think!) as insulation - and what not. What say you of these techniques? :-)
th-cam.com/video/HNTfLGt59qo/w-d-xo.html
P.s. I will post this on your newer video as well - just in case you don't read comments on older videos. We just found you some days ago (my 7 y old son is a HUGE fan and is planning the house he will build for me! :-) and have been watching your videos LOTS. Very inspiring. Thank you!
thanks for the video and all you do sir!
Do you live in a log cabin home?
Part of it is log... one section of the home. And the same was true of my last home. I'm a big fan of what I call blended homes... a home where two or more types of construction come together. I wouldn't want to live in a home that is all log... but equally so I wouldn't want to live in a home that didn't have a log den, or bedroom to retreat to.
Can you build one out of pine trees? Also I take it poplar trees you can't?
Pine is a fine wood to build a cabin out of.... and poplar is one of my favorite species.
Every species of wood has it's pros and cons.
When building a log home it's all about how it's built (the traditional method is by far the best way) and the quality of the logs you use... straight, knot free, and as large as you can find.
Upshot way more than prefab. Location, permits, materials, labor, utilities, inspections...but wouldnt be 'builders' if didnt enjoy the process.
Start with a small place, and as Noah suggested, you CAN add on to it. Bottom line, this one you've got to do a lot of it on your own. Even if it's just researching Contractors and hiring them for whatever. It does not mean the "contractors are there to do the whole thing, and take your first born in the end, (so to speak). lol
Thank you Noah!
And thank you for watching and for your support!
Thank you very much Noah!
You are quite welcome!
And thank you! for your support!
go out and salvage your house or buy it used.find a good peace of land cheap.use a simple heating and electricity.put few panels from multinational company.make a well yourself.yust do it.if you are waiting for sombody it will be never done.learn and try skills.dont make it huge.thats the way.goverment make you belive that you cant do it.yes you can.all our ancesters did that.
Most people want to know what a finished shell costs.
HOOOOW MUCHHH!!
lol... (someone didn't watch it all the way to the end)
Thank you Ben... I needed a chuckle today.
Someone willing to live so humbly, DO NOT want to pay an arm and a leg. That's what he's running from.
THANK YOU! :D
not the standard templet construct
so true!
+ / - $50,000
You can do it for way less.
Too many variables. ..short answer....
Yep! that's a good one! And I've tried it... and people take offense that I'm just brushing them off... and then I spend a half hour of my time explaining it in a long winded version. And people walk away without a word of thanks for my time. You can't win... so... I put up this video with the best of intentions to answer this question and save me a chunk of time out of every one of my days. Thanks Ronald! Noah
You’re so inspiring!!
Thank you Matthew!
I live in a communist town in Iowa. ALL drawings MUST be made by one of three architectural firms or they will not be approved for construction. ALL contractors, builders, electricians, plumbers, HVAC installers and drywallers MUST posses a CITY issued licence. It takes longer to get a plumber's licence than it does to get a doctor's licence (unless you are in the union). Some work can be done by owners under observation (inspection) of city codes/inspection dept.
Wow... that's pretty rough... I would have thought Iowa would be more easy going than that.
wait what? communism within a democracy? the US of A surely is a weird place...
its not really communism this guy is just an idiot
Abyssic1 , the United States is NOT a democracy. Never has been. We are a Constitutional Republic.
Hi Abyssic1 The United States is not a "Democracy". It's a "Constitutional Republic". There's a big difference. Look it up and find out what it means. The most important difference, is Freedom. There are many people around the world, that want to take that away. We aren't going to let that happen.
y do u buid fire wall on the outside,it b a lots of heat lose,yes or no,henry
Yes.... but, sometimes heat loss is a good thing... such as during the summer.
Honesty, unfortunately is a dimensioning commodity... thanks for yours
Yes indeed.
Haven't seen you build anything yet just talk
No one is asking for an exact price, just a ballpark figure. Typical runaround contractor speech!
Hehehe taking all included me for idiots.. Hehehe just unsubscribed.. More info from other sources
Wasted 4 min. Blahblahblah blah blah blah, unsubbed.
Thank You!!!!
I can't be all things to all people. If you find no value in what I have to offer.... by all means... move along... I hope you find what you are looking for.
@@HandmadeHouseswithNoahBradley Think of it this way -- your video was 22 minutes and only 4 were wasted. He unsubbed for 4 minutes out of 22. LOL. I like your answer and would write that if it were I.