Free planning toolkit

Budget templates, check-off lists and planning guides for anyone putting up a log or timber home. Most come in more than one shape, so take whichever you will actually use: a spreadsheet to work in, a PDF to print, or a version to read on a phone. Nothing here asks for an email address.

These are Sierra Log & Timber’s own documents, not agency listings. Everything else on this site is a service run by somebody else, with the source it came from named beside it; this page is the exception, and it is kept separate so the rest of the directory can stay what it says it is.

Project Planning

  • Log Home Floor Plans Shop

    Browse

    Explore 2D and 3D renderings of our most popular designs. Filter by size, style, and layout — then customize any plan.

  • Original Floor Plan Flip Books

    Flip books

    Our classic plan collections, organized by square footage.

  • Online Project Planning Platform

    Online tool

    Free forever via our PROJECT.CO partnership — the same platform we use in-house, on desktop, tablet, or phone.

  • Planning Binder Template

    Organizer

    A 3-ring binder system for keeping contracts, agreements, invoices, permits, and correspondence in order.

Home Design

  • 64 Numbers Article

    Article

    A room-by-room guide from "This Old House" to the dimensions that make a home feel just right.

  • Design Check-Off List

    Check-off list

    Pin down every need, preference, and lifestyle consideration before you solidify the design of your home.

Plans

  • Sample Set of Plans

    Sample

    Engineered plans with structural calculations — exactly what gets submitted to your county to obtain a permit.

  • Site Plan Sample

    Sample

    See what a finished site plan looks like before you draft your own.

  • Site Plan Check-Off List

    Check-off list

    Everything your jurisdiction expects on the site plan you submit for permit.

  • Permit Check-Off List

    Check-off list

    The rules, regulations, and requirements to clear before you can start building in your area.

  • Site Plan Service

    Trusted service

    The drafting service our clients use successfully — reasonably priced, with quick delivery.

Building Budget

  • Budget Template

    Template

    Refined over 30 years of builds. Test "what if" costs at the start, then lock in final numbers.

  • Budget Check-Off List

    Check-off list

    The costs owners most often overlook, in one reviewable list — revisit and update it as the build unfolds.

Land Development

  • Grading Plan Sample

    Sample

    The document that shows your jurisdiction how you'll develop the land — see one before yours is drafted.

  • Land Development Check-Off List

    Check-off list

    A starting point for the many rules and regulations of developing land for your project.

  • NAHB Land Development Booklet

    Guide

    The National Association of Home Builders' comprehensive checklist for preparing lots to build, with cost tips.

Construction

  • Construction Check-Off List

    Check-off list

    Track the construction tasks of the build — what's done and what's needed next — reviewed as work progresses.

  • Weekly Construction Scheduler

    Template

    Our Gantt-style template for charting your week-by-week build schedule, with a sample schedule included.