One of the most common calls I get starts with "how much is this going to cost me?" The honest answer is it depends, but I can give you real numbers based on 25 years of doing this work across Texas.
Log home restoration isn't one job. It's a combination of services that vary based on the condition of your home, the species of wood, how well it was built, and how long it's been neglected. I'll break it down by service so you can get a realistic picture of where your money goes.
Stain Removal and Re-Staining
This is the most common restoration service we perform. If your logs are graying out, the stain is peeling, or you're seeing blotchy discoloration, it's time.
- Full strip and re-stain (media blasting plus a new stain system), no rot: $20–$25 per sq ft of log wall
- Full strip and re-stain with rot repair along the way: $30–$45 per sq ft
- Maintenance clear coat and inspection: $2.30–$4.00 per sq ft
Cost depends on the existing coating, how many layers need to come off, and accessibility. A two-story home with no scaffolding access is going to cost more than a single-story with a wrap porch.
Rot Repair and Log Replacement
This is where costs vary the most. A single log end that's soft can be a $2500 repair. A full wall of structural rot where logs need to be cut out and replaced is a different conversation.
- Minor rot repair (epoxy/patch): $1,000–$2,500 per area
- Half-log replacement (exterior milled, not coming through to the inside): $125–$300 per linear ft
- Whole-log replacement: $200–$450 per linear ft
- Major structural restoration: $15,000–$100,000+
The species matters here too. Finding a matching replacement log for a 12-inch hand-scribed cedar is a different price point than swapping a milled pine log. We keep relationships with mills and maintain a boneyard of salvage logs specifically for this kind of work.
Chinking and Caulking
If your chinking is cracked, pulling away from the logs, or missing entirely, moisture is getting in and rot isn't far behind.
- Caulking (log-to-log joints): $2.00–$10.00 per linear ft
- Full re-chink (entire home): $8,000–$50,000+
We use Sashco products exclusively for chinking and caulking, unless other products are requested. They outperform everything else we've tested over the years, especially in the Texas climate.
Full Restoration (Multiple Services)
Most homes we work on need more than one service. A typical full restoration includes media blasting, rot repair, chinking, and re-staining. That's where the big numbers come in.
- Small cabin minor restoration (under 1,500 sq ft): $15,000–$45,000
- Mid-size home (1,500–3,000 sq ft): $30,000–$100,000
- Large or heavily damaged home (3,000+ sq ft): $60,000–$150,000+
These are general ranges. I've done $8,000 jobs and I've done six-figure jobs. It comes down to what the home needs.
What Drives the Price Up
A few things I see that consistently increase cost:
- Years of deferred maintenance: the longer you wait, the more it costs. A $3,000 stain job today turns into a $25,000 rot repair in five years.
- Poor original construction: no gutters, logs sitting too close to grade. We fix the problem, but we also fix what caused it.
- No overhangs or roof protection: logs that sit exposed to every rain take damage everywhere the roof isn't covering them. We wrote a full post on why roof overhangs matter on a log home.
- Accessibility: steep hillside lots, no equipment access, second and third story work all add to labor. Species and profile matching: custom milling to match your existing logs costs more than off-the-shelf replacements.
- Painted logs: paint takes far more blasting and hand work to strip than an old stain, so it adds real money to the prep. It's a big part of why we tell people not to paint a log home in the first place.
How We Price a Job
It starts with a conversation. We talk through your situation: what you're seeing, what's concerning you, and what you're hoping to accomplish. From there, we can usually give you a preliminary estimate over the phone so you know what to expect before the site walk.
If the numbers work for you and you want to move forward, we schedule a site visit to get eyes on the home and put together a written estimate. Once you accept the estimate, we draw up a contract and get you on the schedule.
Guild Log and Timber: Texas log home construction, restoration, and repair. Contact us for pricing and availability.