We were inspired to build or buy a log home when we visited good friends of ours who had purchased an existing log home. Even though we had been in lodges built of logs, and log "cabins" that you rent, we had never been in a log home that someone lived in as their primary home! Sounds strange, but it was just so neat to see that it was a place to LIVE, not just visit. Normal furnishings, too - no dead fish on the walls or anything. Our friends shared their experience with us. They had considered building one themselves (including doing some of the log laying, etc.), and had even picked out a floor plan. While they were exploring, they happened across the one they eventually purchased. Their thoughts? Building (even "turnkey") seemed rather daunting, and they were glad they found this one (built by the original owner). We learned details about log homes and the log home industry through magazines (Log Home Living was a favorite!!), but primarily by attending a Log Home Living Seminar.  We were very fortunate - the seminar was given by none other than Jim Cooper (yup, author of Log Homes Made Easy). It was a little bit of information overload, but really gave us a good idea of what was feasible, and what things we needed to be sure to investigate at each stage of the 'log home creation' process. More than anything, over the next several months, my notes from that seminar and Jim Cooper's book were my constant references. Ah, but that's a different story...