Start a log home kit assembly crew

Private landowners building a cabin, cottage or home, and sometimes kit suppliers who need local crews to erect their kits.

Fixed price or labour-only contract per project, often paid in stages (for example at foundation, shell and lock-up). Equipment hire is usually priced into the quote.

• Carpentry or framing experience
• Reading building plans
• Quoting and project scheduling
• Managing a small crew safely

• Commercial general liability and builders' risk insurance, and WCB/WSIB coverage once you hire (rules differ by province)
• Some provinces require residential builders to be licensed or registered and to offer a new home warranty, check your provincial regulator
• Building permits and code approval for log walls, including allowance for settling, are handled locally, check with the municipality
• Winter shuts down or slows many build sites, so plan cash flow for the off-season
• Heavy physical work with logs and working at height

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $8,000 to $40,000 CAD, depending on tools, lifting gear, vehicles and insurance. Kit suppliers provide the logs and plans, so you are selling your building skills.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $4,000 to $20,000, depending on how many builds you take on and the size of your crew. Winter can slow many build sites, so plan cash flow for the off-season.

Check insurance, including builders' risk and WCB/WSIB once you hire. Some provinces require residential builder licensing and a new home warranty, so ask your provincial regulator. Building permits and code approval are handled by your municipality.