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Barna Log Homes, Inc. Newsletter
www.barnagreatlakes.com
greensloghomes@msn.com
This issue: Comparing costs between log home companies
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COMPARING COSTS BETWEEN LOG HOME COMPANIES:
Our customers often comment on how difficult it is to compare prices between different manufacturers. So let's take a minute to review the most common sources of difficulty.
1. Package Contents
Most log home companies offer their product at various, pre-packaged content
levels, ranging from the bare logs to a complete "dry-in" package.
Jim Barna Log Systems, for example, offers log packages at five basic levels.
We also give you the option to include or exclude specific items or materials.
To be sure that you are accurately comparing "apples to apples" you
need to know exactly what is included in the price. What one log home manufacturer
calls a "total package" may include or exclude significant amounts
of material compared to another manufacturer's "total package". There
is no standard of comparison between manufacturers. Sometimes it is not clear
to see which items are excluded. For example, a plan which uses conventional
framed trusses may have a small note on the plan which says "Trusses by
others". That may be your only indication that they are not part of the
package.
Some package prices also include valuable additional items - for example, free
attendance at a builders class offered by the manufacturer, or on-site technical
assistance. These items are easily overlooked but may be very useful to you
if you are planning to build the home yourself.
Jim Barna Log Systems provides a complete written listing of the materials and
services contained in each package level. If in doubt, your Barna Log Homes
representative will be happy to clarify the exact content of any package level
for any home plan that you are considering. Visit our website for a detailed
list of materials included in our packages. www.barnagreatlakes.com
2. Shipping costs
Your log home package will typically be delivered on several semi- trailers;
and running a semi-trailer can be expensive. Some log home companies charge
a "standardized" delivery charge, while others offer "free delivery!"
Whether or not a "standardized" delivery charge is a good deal for
you depends on how far from the manufacturer's factory your building site is.
And "free delivery!" is, of course, a bit of a misleading claim. The
semi-trucks use fuel and oil, and the drivers expect a paycheck each week; so
the cost of delivering your log package is actually rolled into the purchase
price somewhere.
Jim Barna Log Systems charges delivery costs based upon the actual delivery
mileage from Oneida TN to your building site. The deliveries are carried out
by an independent trucking firm; therefore, shipping costs are not paid to JBLS,
but direct to the trucking company. You pay only the actual cost of shipping
- and shipping costs cannot be used to alter the price of your log package.
Your Barna Log Home representative will be happy to provide you an estimate
of shipping costs to your building site.
3. Standard and Custom Pricing
Some log home manufacturers quote pricing for their "standard" plans,
while others develop custom pricing for each customer. It is important to understand
that "standard" pricing is based upon certain assumptions about the
package. For example "standard" models will typically be priced with
a "standard" snow-loading factor for the roof structure. If you are
building in an area which has heavier-than-average snowfall, the roof structure
will have to be upgraded. This will impact the price.
Estimated prices can vary widely in accuracy and content from manufacturer to
manufacturer. Beware of the manufacturer's representative who estimates a price
for you based solely upon the square footage of your plan. This estimate may
be incorrect by as much as 50% - either way. The only way to make an estimate
which will be accurate within 10% is with a well-defined floor plan and elevation
data. You should not make any commitments based upon estimates made without
this data.
Jim Barna Log Systems provides current pricing for each package level for all
of the home plans featured in the catalog. We can also provide custom pricing
based on a floorplan of your own design at no charge. Obviously, the more detailed
and complete your plan, the more accurate the estimate will be. Consult with
your Barna Log Homes distributor to be sure that all factors that will affect
your package price are clearly understood.
In conclusion - if you are
seeing wide ranges in prices from different manufacturers, take a minute to
consider what is included in each price. Some of the differences may be explained
by the quality or finish of the materials. If there are still large discrepancies,
it can most likely be found in the amounts of materials and services being quoted.
The only way to find these out and adjust for them is to study the manufacturers'
materials and ask their representatives for clarifications.
Your Barna Log Homes representative will be happy to answer any questions you
may have about package contents, pricing or estimating for your log home plans.