Tell me about building a log home in the fall, winter, and spring.
The Fall Rush
The fall rush usually starts about August 15th and goes strong until Thanksgiving. In the northern states the ground starts to freeze by Thanksgiving and in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota when deer hunting week hits the world stops. It seems like all of the builders and subcontractors take that week off. So, if your basement foundation isn’t in by then prepare to dig in frozen ground. A tip to keep the ground from freezing where your basement will be is to put a 6” to 12” layer of hay (straw) over the area to be dug with a tarp over the hay. This usually works real good to keep the ground from freezing.
Winter
Why would anybody build in the winter you ask? Actually, the builders and subcontractors are less busy due to the fact that some customers believe you can’t build in the winter. The truth is homes are built all year long and the builders and subcontractors need work all year long too!
For a winter build you need to get organized in the fall or late summer before the ground is frozen so you can get your perk test done and pull your building permits. It’s also the time to get the driveway in and have the electrical power run in too. Don’t skimp on your driveway, put in a wide, solid driveway. Yes, it will get torn up a little during construction but it can easily be re-graded when you are done. Delivery trucks and contractors getting stuck in your driveway are not good for morale. Make sure it is wide enough and tall enough for a cement truck. The more curves, the wider you need to make it. It should be 12’ to 20’ wide and clear tree branches 14’ up. You will also need to clear about a 25’ area around the foundation of the house for ventilation, and don’t forget to clear an area to stage materials. You will need a minimum of two to three thousand square feet for that.
Another term you will hear in late fall is capping the foundation. This is where the basement foundation is put in with just the sub floor system installed. This method keeps snow out of the basement and then the builder can shovel off the sub floor and begin building anytime in the winter or early spring.
The Spring Rush
It is human nature to procrastinate and say we will wait until spring to start building. That is probably one reason the spring is the busiest time of the year. Now let’s talk about road limits, or another term is posted roads. In northern climates the secondary roads are often posted to keep heavy trucks off of them when the frost starts to leave the ground. The road restrictions are usually on for 6-8 weeks. Keeping the heavy trucks off the roads when the ground is soft protects the roads. Road limits often keep concrete trucks and our trucks from making deliveries. Spring is usually March 21st, but with road limits and spring rains the spring starts sometimes turn into summer starts.
Again, it is just best to start your building plans early. In the northern climates have your foundation poured in late fall so you can have your log home package delivered before the road limits are in effect in spring.
