Home
UPDATES What's New /  Blog
PLANNING & DESIGN Buying Land
Log Home Design
Cabin Interior Design
Log Cabin Financing
Cabin Floor Plans
Home Inspection
CABIN BUILDING Log Cabin Building
Energy Efficiency
Green Building
Log Cabin Kits
Modular Log Homes
Cabin Manufacturers
LOG HOME LIVING Log Cabin Decorating
Log Home Landscaping
Cabin Maintenance
Log Cabin Rentals
Cabin Restoration
CABIN RESOURCES Log Home Education
Log Home Community
Log Cabin FAQs
Articles & Stories
Local Builders
Your Own Site

[?] Subscribe To This Site

XML RSS
Add to Google
Add to My Yahoo!
Add to My MSN
Subscribe with Bloglines

Modular Log Homes and Prefab Log Cabins



modular log homes With modular log homes, customization is king. Forget boring, cookie-cutter floor plans – if you can conceive of it you can build it. Log cabin modular homes have come of age and are changing the market.

Modular vs. Manufactured

Don’t confuse modular log cabins with manufactured housing. Although both originate in a factory setting, they have separate building codes.

  • Manufactured houses are built to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) performance code, less stringent than the national building codes. They often have restrictions on where they can be placed and they remain on wheels or a metal chassis after delivery.
  • Modular log homes, in contrast, are built to the same code as site-built houses and in many cases they are better than site-built log homes because they are built in a controlled environment where every step is monitored and stream-lined by a full crew of trained professionals.
  • Modular log cabins are often built even stronger than site-built log homes. Once constructed, prefab cabins must face the additional stresses of being loaded and transported hundreds or thousands of miles before being unloaded at the job site.

    Adverse Weather Conditions

    Modular Log Homes - cabin Systems-built prefab log homes are built in state-of-the-art climate-friendly environments where all the variables are controlled as closely as possible.

    This has major advantages for the log home owner since log cabin modular homes result in a very efficient, inexpensive construction process with little waste.

    Instead of fighting weather delays and uneven ground and difficult site access, modular log cabins are built in a well-lit, dry, comfortable environment.

    Budgets can be kept in line since all the question marks have been removed. Construction cycle times for log cabin modular homes are sped up and this results in reduced interest costs on construction financing. On top of this there is little jobsite waste, reducing dumpster and clean-up costs on prefab cabins.

    Financing a Modular Log Home

    Many people worry about whether they can get financing for a prefab log cabin. Most banks, lenders, appraisers, and even insurance companies treat modular homes the same way they do site-built homes. Be sure and check with local lenders for their finance policies.

    Timing

    Many manufacturers claim that they can build a modular home in the factory in as little as 2 weeks. On top of that time you must factor in at least another 2-4 weeks for your builder to complete the cabin once it’s been delivered to your site.

    Without weather delays it’s easier to keep a handle on construction times but check with the log home manufacturer about your particular log cabin design.

    Cost Control

    Saving money with modular log cabins depends on many factors. Remember to take transportation costs into account.

    While construction costs for a prefab log cabin can already be less on a square-foot basis than for a site-built home of a similar size and design, there are other ways to save money on your cabin kit using cost-efficient cabin home design.

    In addition to these savings, there are other features to consider that will save you money down the road with a modular log home:

  • Construction time is less on-site so you can move in sooner and save money on your construction financing.

  • Modular log homes are typically very energy-efficient so you will save money on heating and cooling your log cabin.

  • There is little to no waste on the job site with a prefab cabin, resulting in money savings from clean-up and waste removal costs.
  • Using fully-customizable designs modular log cabins can embrace the emerging market for sustainable use of resources, energy efficiency and the environmental responsibility of green building.


    Further Resources:


    Build with SIPs or Structural Insulated Panels

    How to Buy a Cheap Log Home Kit

    Tips on Log Cabin Home Design

    Install Utilities before Construction Begins

    Hardwood Flooring Liquidator Ships Everywhere


    Return from Modular Log Homes page to Log Cabin Connection home



    Do you have a log cabin story to share?

    Submit it to us here and we'll post it on this site for everyone to read!