What is it about log homes that appeal to lots of people? Maybe it's the timeless beauty of hardwood, or maybe it's the feeling of a simpler time that log homes evoke. It can be neither of these things, or both; without doubt that for everyone who loves log homes though, there's a different, unique reason for this love.

Now, it used to be that just a few types of people meet the expense of to build log homes. Those were individuals who lived in mountain settings where nature almost demanded log construction, and those that had a good amount of funds to toss around on log construction. However these days, even those with moderate budgets can afford a log home, due to manufacturers like Southland Log Homes.

Log home design companies such as Southland Log Homes give a few different options for their customers. One option is log cabin kits which are created following the corporation's set up floor plans. An alternative choice offered by these companies is services that help you make your own custom log floor plan. Both forms of floor plans are created by style teams to guarantee high quality.

Let's say that you have always desired a log home, but also have had a specific floor plan in mind. You decide to find a log construction design organization to create blueprints out of the vision you have in your mind. But then, when browsing a company's website, you find a pre-designed floor plan that is nearly identical to your dream home. So instead of doing a custom design, you order a pre-designed home kit.

With a pre-designed log home kit, you receive all you need to build your log home, from the engineered roof system right down to the floor joists. With the materials, you can choose to build your home yourself, or hire a contractor to do it for you. The one thing not included in these kits is the foundation, which you would pour yourself, or hire a concrete company to do.

A custom designed home would be comparable. After working with a company's design team, you would get a kit with everything needed to build the home you created. The only difference would be that the materials would turn into the home you designed, instead of an established floor plan.

As you may imagine, established log home floor plans are usually a bit more affordable than custom-designed floor plans. The reason being with an established floor plan, no design work is necessary - the kit is basically shipped out of the company's log mill. With a custom design, time is spent both designing the home, and milling the best suited supplies.

However, a lot of companies offer financing for both types of homes. With this option, you can decide which kind of home floor plan is the best fit for both your ideal home, and your budget. And who knows, you might be surprised to find that the home you have dreamed about is already an established floor plan - something you would need to research to find out.