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Log cabins used to be known as the poor man's house because of its simplicity both in terms of the materials used and the building process. The early American settlers and pilgrims built log cabins by availing of the available material in the woodland where they settled. The construction process was so simple then, there was no need for carpentry tools and even nails, except for the ever-useful hatchet.

Several years ago, log cabins were made of trees like oaks and or any other materials that could be gathered for free from the forest. The walls which are made up of logs placed on top of each other are so raw that the barks are not even removed to ensure the longevity of the logs. Because the logs used were not exactly uniform in sizes, there are gasp in between which are then filled with free forest materials like dried leaves, tree barks or even animal hairs. The floors are either made of logs piled and leveled on the ground, or stones.

The log cabins of the olden days were usually one-bedroom homes where the family can stay and interact, in front of the fireplace where they cook their food. Life was so simple then and this simplicity was reflected in the simple construction of the log cabin.

However, modern man has found ways to enhance the log cabin and make the dwelling place a more comfortable home for its dwellers. While the early settlers easily built their log cabins for a day without a plan, the new innovations made by modern man has made log cabins more complicated top build. Today, a builder has to create a feasible plan or design before building log cabins.

The project begins with the design of the log cabin that is appropriate for the size of the land where it will be built. This way, the builder can offer the future dwellers an idea of how the log cabin would look like. Creating an appropriate design for the log cabin will also make sure that the builder can get all the materials that will be needed for the construction. Creating a plan will also result to a cost effective log cabin considering that the materials can b e bought in bulk, or they can even be sourced for free depending on the sites where it will be built.

Log cabin designs and plans are available in various websites that even offer floor plans. Future log cabin owners can choose from a variety of log cabin designs and they can even introduce changes in the plan depending on their preferences and submit the changes they want incorporated to the website. The website sponsors or owners can give suggestions on how they can build their log cabins and how to save and maximize their costs during the construction phase.

It is best to limit the shape of the log cabin to the basic form which is square or rectangle so that there would only be four corners. Introducing additional corners will require additional foundation and will definitely increase the price or the cost of building the log cabin.

The greatest savings will however come from building the log cabin yourself, if you can muster the innovation and the skills needed to do it. Apart from lesser costs, building the log cabin yourself will give you fulfillment. However, not all people who want to build their own log cabins have the time to build it themselves so they may require other people to work on it. The important thing is that you create a plan, or you commission a designer to create a log cabin plan and coordinate the plan with him to make sure that your requirements are followed.

Aside from creating the log cabin plan, you can also generate savings by overseeing the construction yourself. This way, you save on the cost of hiring a foreman as well as make sure that the log cabin is being built according to your specifications. However, this job is a guaranteed challenge for you because you will have to deal with the carpenters and the other workers and suppliers yourself.

If you want to get financing for your log cabin, it is best to prepare the log cabin design and plan so that when you have your financial application approved, the financing company can easily determine the extent of the project you are seeking the money for.