How much does a Golden Eagle Log Home cost?
Golden Eagle log homes typically cost $115-$175 per square foot. That is pretty vague, so here are three detailed answers.
Turnkey Example
What does turnkey mean? It means you hire a builder (general contractor) to do all the work and all you have to do is turn the key in the door. Let’s look at the Eagle II Deluxe cost example.
Eagle II Deluxe Cost Example
As you can see, using our 8”x8” T&G full log we are saying the cost of this model is approximately $185,945.
Now here is what is still missing. The well, that can vary but I suppose most people spend on average about $3,500. To get an idea of what yours may cost you could ask your future neighbors what they paid, yours should be close. Septic systems cost about $3,500 for a conventional 3-bedroom system, but may be as high as $10,000 for a mound system. Before you buy your land you should have had a perk test done to see which one will pass for you so there are no surprises.
We have a $2,000 stain materials allowance included in the package but no labor because we still see about 70% of our customers staining their log homes themselves to SAVE money. But, because this is a turnkey example let’s add in $5,000 for labor to stain the inside and outside. On the inside, the trim, knotty pine tongue & groove, doors and window interiors can all be ordered pre-finished from Golden Eagle Log Homes, just another service we offer. The interior log, log railings and tie beams also need to be finished but we don’t offer them pre-finished. The builder/general contractor could have that done for you also. The exterior logs don’t come pre-finished, but the $5,000 should cover all stain labor.
Landscaping means things like the lawn, shrubs, retaining walls, driveway, fill, and walkways. A realistic number for this would be $10,000, but it could be more or less. Appliances are usually not allowed in the mortgage because they don’t last 30 years, but they need to be included in the cost of the home. Lets say for a dishwasher, stove, range hood/microwave combo, and refrigerator $2,500 is average. If you need a washer and dryer don’t forget to add those in.
Financing costs, bank points or bank fees, vary but let’s figure $1,000. What else should you budget for? Well, things like shower curtains, light bulbs, toilet paper holders, new mail box, etc. So let’s add another $1,000 for those miscellaneous items.
Now lets take the $185,945 total and add in all the underlined numbers and we come up with $212,445. Does that mean your home will cost $212,445? Maybe, but building permits costs can vary this price, hilly lots cost more to build on, in some places labor costs more and some places less. Even our different log styles can cost more or less. Again, this is a cost example. This home’s square footage price comes out at $134 per square foot ($212,445/1,584 square feet). Does that mean every Golden Eagle home will cost this much? No, some are less and some are more. Remember, this home had a two-stall garage included, some plans don’t. This home has only one bath and very simple rooflines. Obviously, homes with complicated roofs require more materials and labor.
Total Do-It-Yourselfer
Now let’s take the same house and same log package. With tax, initial cost is $94,003. Let's see how much you could SAVE if you did all of the work yourself – you have all the building connections, friends and family in the trades, and they all help you for free or for cost. Hey, I see it happen once in a while; usually with a younger couple just starting out. I’ve done it like this myself. Let’s leave the building permit at $1,500, dig and backfill basement at $0, basement $7,000, drywall $500, plumbing labor $2,000, heat and air $4,000, electrical labor $2,000, flooring $3,000, fireplace stone labor $0, general carpenter $0, well $3500, septic $3,500, stain labor $0, landscaping $0, appliances $0 and financing $1,000 for a total of $122,003. Can you do it yourself? Only you can decide. We have builder training available and easy-to-read blueprints, as well as a 6-days-a-week builder help phone line. Rest assured that we will do our part to help.
Shell Labor, Homeowner finishes
Another option is to have your log home shelled up only. What does that mean? It usually means the customer hires a builder to build the house to a weather tight shell. All windows and doors would be installed, shingles and soffit on, all partition walls up and ready for subs (sub is industry slang for subcontractor). What does "ready for subs" mean? Well, it means all the partition walls are framed up so the plumber, electrician and heating people can come in and do their rough in. Again, a shell can be any stage of construction you want completed. Some customers do more, some less.
What kind of things does the typical shell customer still need to do? Here are some examples: clean up construction debris, caulk the home, stain, hang interior doors, install kitchen and bath cabinets, put door knobs on, install closet shelving, insulate, trim out home, install cultured stone, build the decks.
Now, back to our example house. Remember the turnkey example cost was $212,445 and the total do-it-yourselfer ran $122,003, so this shell example should run in between, depending on what you do on your own. We see a savings of $10,000 - $20,000 off the $212,445 total. Hopefully this information helps, if not, call any Golden Eagle Log Homes salesperson or dealer representative with pricing questions.
