The Keys To A Log Home Renovation

Finding that “diamond in the rough” property is all the rage these days. But what does it take to polish an older log home into a true gem?

- Alex Charvat

Mid-century modern — it’s a term so frequently used on home repair shows that it’s on tap to be a TV drinking game. What about “pre-century historic”? Ever hear that? Probably not, but it’s safe to say that log homes have been around a long time before that “historic” mid-century modern was built. And more interestingly, they continue to be built. Log homes are literally a timeless form of shelter in this country, and some of them have been around 200 years or longer.

The idea of restoring any type of antique can excite the imagination, but in home restoration, it can also mean anxiety about unknown repair costs. The 1970s, 80s and 90s were something of a boom in the log home industry, where manufacturers capitalized on Horace Greeley’s famous “go west young man” advice and offered log home kits that simplified the dream of owning a cabin getaway. As the decades passed, log home design got increasing bigger and more complicated, often to the point of exceeding its cabin intentions and landing squarely in trophy-home status.

Ah, but in this era of fix-and-flip, many of those late 20th century kit-cabins offer a good real estate deal and a taste of a simpler log home life. The trick is to uncover potential issues: What can be fixed and what should to be scrapped?

Finding the Right Home

I tell my clients that engineering a new cabin of any design, or repairing an old one in any condition, is always possible – the design or repair is not the issue, but rather, can it be done within their budget? Just as important as cost is the return on investment (ROI). This means that if $1.00 is spent on repairs, those repairs need to produce a financial benefit greater than the cost. If the return is $1.05 then no money was lost. If the return is $1.50 you did well, and if it’s $2.00, you need to be writing this article.