10 Tips for Being Your Log Home Builder's Dream Client

1. Come to the process with a positive attitude. Designing and building a new log home is exciting, invigorating and fun.  Go into the project ready to work, but be happy.  A positive attitude is contagious!
2. Don’t act like you know it all. Sure, you may have read some books or even talked with other architects and builders, but you chose this builder– presumably for a reason.  So, listen to what they have to say.  They may know a thing or two that you don’t.
3. Be ready to provide specifics. If you like a particular feature about another log home, specifically tell the designer about that feature.  Don’t just say, “I love this home,” and expect the designer to know what you love about it.  You’ll arrive at the results you want faster and for less money if you can provide specific direction when asked.
4. Be open to new suggestions. Designing and building a log home is a very involved and creative process.  Don’t get tunnel vision:  hear out your building team when they bring a suggestion to you.
5. Disagree respectfully. It’s going to be the case that at times, you and your builder may disagree on something.  There may be times when you’re right (if it’s an aesthetic choice, for example), and there may be times when the builder is right (if it’s a choice that affects building codes).  In either case, state your disagreements, but you don’t be condescending or rude while doing it.
6. Don’t expect the building team to eat the costs of your indecision. If you change your mind frequently or wish to change the scope of your project after it starts, realize it will affect your bottom line.  Builders are in business, so they have to make money to pay their staff and crews.
7. Address issues as they come up. If you don’t like the way something is taking shape, let your log home builder know right away.
8. Do not revisit past disagreements once they’ve been resolved. If a builder makes a mistake, nine out of ten times, they will try to make it right.  But don’t expect your log home builder to keep paying for one mistake over and over again.
9. Make sure you offer praise when your building team has done something particularly well or when it exceeds your expectations.
10. Be a handy reference once the project is successfully completed. If you’ve had a great experience with your log home builder, offer to be a reference.