| When I began building log homes I discovered
there wasn't much available to help manage the overall construction
process. Log home companies focus on erecting their package
and usually offer limited assistance in the two-thirds to
three-fourths of the project that lies outside that part of
construction. For everything from site preparation to bidding
mechanical systems (electric, plumbing, HVAC, security) and
finishwork such as cabinets, floor coverings, wall coverings, and
trim, I was on my own. So I created a system of my
own.
Starting with the materials available for conventional
construction, I found that the forms, worksheets and checklists used
not only missed some important concerns in log construction, but
were usually geared toward professionals--people with construction
background. Also, they were designed for the way a
professional builder does business: estimating, bidding and
subcontracting in production quantities. As I worked with
owner-builders, I modified my system for someone with basic or
limited construction knowledge, and someone who is planning on a
single project. The result is The Log Home Project Planner.
If you've read my book, Log Homes Made Easy,
you'll understand the "why" behind the forms, worksheets
and schedules in the Project Planner. However, unlike Log
Homes Made Easy, the Project Planner is not a book you
sit down and read for information. It's a workbook designed to
be used as you plan and build your log home. Most of the Project
Planner is blank forms and worksheets arranged according to the
sequence of a typical log home project. Used correctly, it
will give you a very accurate estimate of your overall project costs
and an organized format for keeping your project on time and on
budget.
I've heard from a number of people who used Log Homes Made
Easy in planning and building their home and they tell me that
it helped considerably and saved them money. The Project Planner
takes organizing and running a project to the next level.
--Jim Cooper
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