Anyone have experience or opinions about "EZ Log" type buildings?

I'm plotting my future right now - and it seems highly likely I'll be living unconventionally for the next 2-3 years.

One of the options I am considering is the possibility of constructing a "hunt camp" type building for part time - full time use. Hunt camps are a term in the local building code that allows you to build an unfinished <1000 sq ft, no septic, no drilled well, etc structure without there being an existing house, though they are not supposed to be used for full time occupancy.  So far as I can see, I'm not required to actually have a hunting license to build a hunt camp. I would prefer a real building to a trailer, as I could put in a real woodstove.

I've seen these "EZ log" buildings advertised for years - they are inexpensive (~$20 k for a 400 sq foot cabin with a bedroom, bathroom, living/kitchen room walls included and a porch), a complete precut kit including stamped drawings, fully finished interior/exterior, floor included, tongue and groove 2 3/4" logs, windows and doors included. Plus, they look really easy to assemble. Just add roofing and a block foundation. Better yet, they are made of pretty much just wood, so it would be pretty easy to finish with non-toxic/non-off gassing materials. The 3D jigsaw puzzle/IKEA-esque look of them pleases my engineering soul.

Here are a few links - there seem to be a bunch of sellers in Ontario.

https://www.ezlogontario.ca/
http://www.ezlog.ca/
http://www.peacockwoodcraft.com/

I don't have much carpentry skills, and more to the point, I don't have anyone locally to help for more than a day or two if I did a conventional stick build. These 2 3/4" logs look light enough that I could probably do the floor and half the walls by myself, and bring in a friend or two for the roof and possibly the top of the walls.

So basically - has anyone built one? Can anyone comment on if they are easy to assemble and, more importantly, durable?

They are nice 'systems ' , and not too bad on price.  But are pretty inflexiable., like where is the insulstion?

I understand wanting an easy systems,  I too alone and do not have help.

So I have been thinking. A small building 12 foot wide,  shed roof, length to suit or add more later.

Rule of thumb,  these kits are 3 times  the cost of materials.,
The same square footage  can be built conveniently  at a fraction

Yeah, they the IKEA of houses.  Insulation is an issue, or lack thereof.  They don't have the mass of a true log cabin with 12 inch walls.

I hear you on the cost of kits vs materials...

And the lack of insulation - the walls would have an R value of about 3.8- so about equivalent to 1" of foam board. They look like they are relatively tight, but I grew up in a drafty log house (10"-12" logs) where I could often see my breath in the morning during the winter, so insulation is a concern I am quite aware of. A good woodstove with enough mass to hold heat through the night is what I am intending.

The floor and potentially the ceiling look relatively insulatable with foam board, side walls not so much. I do like that they are using double glazed glass for the windows. The engineered drawings are a big plus- the local planning office is known for being unhelpful with questions and uninterested in creativity, so a stamp is nice. Local regs say you can't even build a 100 sq foot shed without a permit if there isn't an existing structure on the property, and they have a minimum square footage even for hunt camps, and recreational properties need to be built to residential standards.

it's really the time savings I like about kits. I'm still employed and so am going to be short on time more than money, so it's more of a competition between "kit structure of some description " vs. "travel trailer" vs. "paying somebody to build a shell then I finish the interior".

Labour locally is typically $20/hr for construction/framing jobs, and some localish shed building companies price their stuff at $39/sq ft + "extras" (like windows, doors, interior walls, floors, etc). So for a 400 sq foot structure, about $15,000+ extras, or approximately the same.

Our first two tiny houses cost about $3000 in the US.  The first one was one from the big box store where they came to our property and built it.  The second one we found a local guy who came to our property and built it.

On both, we finished the interior.

A person can go "hunt camp" style which means you don't do much to make it livable.

Our daughter recently started an "air B n B" type business with two of these same type building. I am sure the price of the buildings has gone up, since we bought ours, maybe to $4000 each.

These might offer some suggestions:

https://permies.com/t/124234/House-High-Plains-Challenge
https://permies.com/t/86363/feedback-pros-cons-Polar-Sheds

Wow Anne, I wish I could build something that inexpensively here!!! I will take a look at those threads, too. The cost of building and local bylaws are quite frustrating.

I have done a fair amount of pricing research, and they look fairly competitive with other options.

Quality, durability, and ease/speed of assembling are more important to me.

I think labour and material costs might be higher here in Canada. $20 CAD is less than $15 USD. So decrease my estimates by 25% to roughly convert to USD.

If I recall, even a hunt camp needs to be 350 sq ft in the township. An uninsulated bunkie with a small loft (160 sq ft) is advertised locally as $8000 + delivery, or +25 % for installation on site if you cant back a trailer in to the site (you cant). Still, i couldn't legally build one, they have an even worse R value, and then I would still need a few thousand for insulation and internal wall cladding/flooring.  I could try to get away with it, but the property is on a busy road 1 km from town and has great satellite imagery covering it, although the potential building site isnt visible from the road.

Material costs are high here too. My mom recently had a dozen or so boards replaced on a deck/stairs and gate at her summer trailer. Materials alone (pressure treated lumber since parts contact the ground and deck screws and a few 2x4s) were nearly $400.

I didn't look how they say to seal the joints, but DON'T SKIMP on those details. Do it right and they are 100% airtight but breathable.  Search for SIP SEAL if you want zero VOC sealant for the joints.  I really like great stuff pro poly adhesive when you need it to never come apart. It comes out like spray foam but sets up like gorilla glue. Works as glue and air seal.

That small you can easily keep warm with a good stove as long as it isn't drafty.  

They use double channel  tongue and groove profile as a connector but no sealant. I had thought about caulking (which is ugly on a log house) good to know there is a specific product. Would you seal interior, exterior, or both, or put it between logs during construction?

Catie, I googled storage sheds in Canada.  This is the first one I found: https://northcountrysheds.com/sheds/prefab-garden-sheds/high-wall-storage-barns





10 x 16 = 5,713

This might have been the size we bought.  Ours was big enough to have a "Garage" for our golf cart, tools, etc. with a loft for storage.  And a bedroom, so it was basically 3 rooms.

Where I live these are "hunting cabins".

These are their cabins:  https://northcountrysheds.com/cabins

10 x 16 including metal door and three windows  6,369

14 x 30 420 Metal door & (3) large windows $13,033



 12 x 24

Catie George wrote:They use double channel  tongue and groove profile as a connector but no sealant. I had thought about caulking (which is ugly on a log house) good to know there is a specific product. Would you seal interior, exterior, or both, or put it between logs during construction?

I would put it in between during construction, taking special care at the corner joints.  Also be very vigilant on the floor to first course.  I agree that fake chinking is ugly and often traps moisture behind it to create problems 5-10 years down the road. In between protects the product from UV and it will maintain air seal practically forever.

SIP SEAL is a type of caulk that never cures, it stays flexible so it will keep sealed as the building shifts over time. If you can't find it, look for acoustic caulk-it stays flexible as well but may have more voc's. The great stuff glue is slightly flexible if it foamed to fill gaps, but acts like gorilla glue where the joints are tight. Your building will never come apart if you use it, and sets up in minutes, so make sure every piece is in the right place the first time.

Thanks for finding those Anne- it's funny what shows up with different search terms and search locations. They are about 2.5 hrs from here, I wonder if they would be willing to do assembly on site?

I guess that's the other design constraint (that had me turning away from my original buy a camping trailer idea). The thing needs to come in on a pickup truck, and be assembled on site. The lane way hasn't been used in about 40 years. The potential building site is about 300 m drive from the road on the edge of the old gravel pit where no land clearing is required. the lane is still in decent shape, passable except for in spring by my car,  as it was built for gravel trucks and shaded by pines, but the pines need more whacking back to fit even a truck down, and there is no way that a trailer could get back there without some substantial brush clearing and clearing a turnaround at the end.

Those are good questions to ask the installer or whoever you buy from.  I really think the "back of the pickup" may present a problem even if you purchase from EZ Log.

I am thinking standard board size is a problem that we have picking lumber up at the local lumber yard. Half the time we have boards sticking off the tailgate with red flags.  How would a whole building of that size fit in a pickup?

Seems to me the question to ask is can the building be brought in on a flatbed and is the lane wide enough for a flatbed?  

There may be some work you will need to consider before making a decision.  Something like getting someone to do some roadwork.

Best wishes for your future building project.

So did you decide on what your going to do? I’m in a similar situation in Ontario and don’t know what to put on my property as well?

Hi   I have built several EZ log structures-The roof and floor can easily be insulated by conventional methods.  The insulation kit provided by EZ Log provides a  high R value. Your foundation can be pillar slab or block.  Before you make any type of a decision you should confirm all of the permit requirements of your township  Most units require at least 2 people to build.

Where are you considering building ?

Contact me at your convenience

BunkieBruce@yahoo.com

If you don’t mind where did you buy them from I e been looking for affordable options not having much luck

Bunkiebruce@yahoo.com where are you located?  We are considering purchasing and building an Ezlog Home. We live in Ontario. We would love to hear your experience in building them.

Hello all,
Our company, Whole Wood Cabins (www.wholewoodcabins.com) sells similar cabins as EZ Log and would be happy to speak with anyone about assembly, foundations, insulation, etc.
I saw some great comments here about building requirements and other things.
 
Because we ship all over the country we are in need of those who are experienced and interested in assembly and would love to give references to folks in their areas.

I have not seen this rule of thumb that these structures are 3 times the cost of materials, but I would argue that no one without the proper equipment could duplicate these for that cost. You could build a conventional structure for this cost maybe, but factor in cutting, marking, planning, finishing and see where you end up.  

I have built several of these structures over the past several years.  They can be hiked into a remote location with limited access, but it might be difficult depending on the size of the cabin.  A 200sqft building is going to be a package of 4x4x20 feet and weigh around 3000 pounds. Bigger buildings will be several packages.  The packages are essentially a bundle of 2x6's wrapped in plastic.  The doors and windows may be in the package or separately packed.  If you have a road you may be able to use a pickup truck to take small loads to the site.

Thank you,
James
(800) 660-4430

The solid wood of 2 3/4" thick has a thermal mass rating of R-12 ….. add R-15 insulation and achieve exceptional energy efficiency of R-27.   Insulating kit is 10% of selling price,  includes brackets & T&G cover boards

Hi Wade,

Welcome to Permies!

Hello  I'm new here
Living in central Norte Carolina and thinking to purchase and build a EZ log cabin.
Read all the treads and would like to know if anybody lately purchased and build the mentioned EZ log cabin.
Looked all the information on the net. not to much I could find beside the company website fb and some YouTube short videos.
What really looking to see if anybody had lately an experience to purchasing and building  log home of this system.
Planning to build with help the big full house not the small one. It would be a house over 2000 sqf.
Interested to hear from peoples already build and specially the experience living in for period of time.
According to the manufacturer the wood after the house build will have about a year to settling down. In other world expanding but mostly shrinking.
Thank you in advance for all your valuable inputs
Barnabee
W

Hello there as well.
I’m looking at EZ structure as well. And I haven’t found any information on them. I have called and talked to the same person when using different numbers. I am interested if anyone has purchased one of these structures.
I’m in Pa.

They are EZ to put up. Started mine june 2021.From screw piles to framing floor when following plans to putting up metal roofing. Done october. I did 80% of the work my self.
Though drill your representatve on all aspects eg. How fast if a major part is shorted can they get it to you.
We did not get our outside doors once delivery to site. Some stories that covid slowed production. Material problems. Bull Shit stories that we were to get them july 2022 (a no show) stupid story about their shipper forgot to pack them in C can.
ONE mistake... i should have done keep a 20% hold back on funds. If everything is their when you are done the pay them whats owing.
Also idiots packed a wood parts list in some kind of foreign languge. Parts are numbered on the wood. Though european writing which can confuse you.
Tips on their web page poor.
I figured out  most all since i was in the building supply for years.
I will give then a 10 for various cabin designs.  Service a 3.

Yes interesting company selling wooden home kit to USA and Canada the company located somewhere in Europe?
After 11 years selling affordable houses there are no reviews no comments no office in the USA.
Anybody out there purchased EZ log kit
from the above mentioned company?
Anybody really assembled without profesional builder involved in the building?
Is there really anybody did it and willing to share the real story behind it from A-Z with real pictures of the process?
Thank you

There are a lot of bunkies that are made in Russia.  The best bunkie kits come from Estonia, Finland, Polland.  EZ Log Structures make these building kits at plants in Estonia- then ship to dealers in Europe, Canada and the USA.  Insulating is and extra step, but it is fairly simple with the brackets and wall boards that you can purchase separately.
I have sold these buildings in northern ontario for a few years, and they are a great option for a handy person. If you can build a level solid floor platform base, then you can build one of these cabins. I have only seen one cabin built that is being used full time. The rest are seasonal occupancy at the lake, or on hunting and camping properties.  

Take care all.
Dave
www.ezbuildnwo.com

I’ll say one thing as a word of advice. The owner of EZLog Structures can’t be trusted with money. He has been known to burn people in the US for money and there is nothing people in the US can do about it. He is from Poland and requires full payment via international wire for purchases. Don’t trust him. I have heard that when you buy directly from a dealer you don’t have to deal with this issue. Whatever you do don’t send EZ Log Structures any money directly.

We built a cabin package and love it so much we are considering building a home with them. Since the cabin is only for seasonal living we didn't buy the insulation package and the floor is cold because it's built on pilings but there are no draft issues. If we build a home kit we will definately add the insulation kit, and it will be on a basement.

Hi Tj,

Welcome to Permies.

I've been building a 960ft², EZ Log, two bedroom plus loft (Nebraska model), since June and am now finishing up the gables. This has been a one man job, which is why it's taking so long.
I will be adding 2x8's to the roof, spray foaming, and then metal. This will give me about an R48.
The exterior inside walls will be 2x4's with mineral wool, giving me about R28. This will also facilitate any electrical/plumbing installation.
The house is on helical piles, 4 ft. off the ground and will be spray foamed on the ground and up the skirting, which will give me an insulated crawl space in which to store the solar system batteries and equipment and dry goods storage, etc.
The first thing I would change is I would open every single pallet and sort the lumber! There are pieces for each row in multiple pallets and it was the most frustrating element of the build so far.
I also treated every board with borate (Can-Bor) because carpenter ants and termites love this wood.
They supply all hardware and are generous with the quantity. There's also about 120ft of extra 'logs'.
So far, I am quite pleased with the system and I will also be building a 'Louisville' model next year.

EZ Log Structures were introduced to North America in 2010 and have since become recognized as the leader in stackable building kits.
Our Homes and Cabins are affordable, simple to construct & energy efficient!
https://www.ezlogstructures.com/products/
Our website will show what models are currently on sale.
If there is model that is preferred however you want custom changes this option is available to you.

webpage
webpage

Ryan Marshall
EZ Log Structures
(587) 849-0943
www.ezlogstructures.com

Yes, these EZ Log buildings are a great way to put up a cabin or cottage fairly quick.  Solid walls. I see that they can be insulated either inside or exterior- not really sure what the best way to go.  I would lean to the exterior strapping and insulating, that way you could use weather resistant siding options so you don’t need to be painting the wood every few years.  I have sold several of these building kits and they do a great job with milling and quality of materials.

There would be extra work to make it livable year round here in NW Ontario, but I know of one owner that did make his EZ Log cabin a permanent living space all year long. He says it is great, and easy to heat with his wood stove. Cheers.
Dave
ezbuildnwo@gmail.com