Determining a budget or cost per square foot for building a log or timber frame home can be one of the most difficult items during the pre-construction phase of the project.  While each home we build is custom and unique to the individual homeowner and their property location, below are some general guidelines on budgeting & our process to help get you started.

Foundation, sub-floor, porch deck framing and finished construction (i.e. interior framing, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, masonry, roofing, flooring, etc.) will be done either by your local General Contractor or by other local subcontractors in your area should you chose to serve as an owner/builder.  This saves you time and money by using a local GC/subs to provide & install all the “conventional” items in the home.  StoneMill Log & Timber Homes will provide and install only the unique, log & timber components for the log or timber frame shell.  This allows us to specialize in the items unknown to local sub-contractors, be cost effective from project to project, and provide construction services across the country.

As a general rule of thumb, all of our homeowners possess a different budget on the finished building project because every project varies depending on the following items:

1. Building site location & site conditions including but not limited to property altitude, topography, & soil type
2. Energy & building code requirements specific to the site location (i.e. wind, snow, seismic & energy code requirements)
3. Desired finish material selections by the homeowner (i.e. roofing material, cabinetry, countertops, appliances, flooring, etc.)
4. Design concept & design complexity specific but not limited to corners, rooflines, number of stories, etc.
5. The General Contractor selected for the project & their GC fee structure

Turnkey construction costs will vary dramatically depending on the above items.  We tell prospective clients that the best way to determine a turnkey price is to at least begin our Preliminary Design phase and take our good faith estimate on the log & timber package with the final preliminary design to a local GC and have him/her prepare a turnkey budget from the plan.  This is really the only way to obtain an accurate number.

To learn more about the project budgeting, please go to Videos – Lunch and Learn – Stonemill Log & Timber Homes and watch our videos on “Budgeting” & “Cost Per Square Foot”.  For us to better guide you, we would need to speak briefly to better understand your project goals & specific needs to determine the feasibility of your project.  To schedule a project consultation, please send us a request through the “Leave a Message” form below.  We’ve been partnering with homeowners since 1974.  We look forward to partnering with you!