Let me be clear, kit homes have many faults. It's like putting lipstick on a pig... First, search kit home on this site, do a little reading, then ask your questions...

Hi - I am not a builder, but my husband and his father are builders. As I said, I am not a professional, but I can at least give you some personal experience (and LOOONNNNGGG experience) with Viceroy.

1) Viceroy is related to Lindal Homes Log Homes, but Viceroy is NOT log - it is frame. They have a line of homes (I think it is called Panoramic?) that combines many of the best aspects of Log Homes (large cathedral great rooms with window walls and sweeping decks) with less expensive construction costs and easier maintenance.

2) They design and sell kit homes which are pre-cut at their factory to either stock or custom plans and which can be delivered panelized or as pre-cut "stick" labelled for assembly.

3) As for quality and durability - in the community where I live there are about 25 - 30 Viceroy Kit Homes that were built 25 - 35 years ago by a local builder. My aunt lives in 1 of them, and my husband & I live in 1 too. My husband has done extensive remodeling on both homes (not through any failure of the home but due to a desire to expand the home or change use of some rooms) and he has been very impressed by the quality of the framing throughout the house. My parents lived here when both of our houses were put up and they came in on flatbeds as stacked pre-cut lumber numbered and ready to be assembled. My husband's opinion is that compared to other houses down here of the same age which he has had to rip into to remodel, the structure and ridgidity of the Viceroy is far superior to the local built-on-site homes of that era. Of course this could be attributed to low building code requirements and lower quality building skills at that time in a rural area vs. stricter Canadian requirements (which is what Viceroy met) and their detailed plans which mandated more bracing and heavier lumber.

My husband and I have been so pleased with Viceroy that we have selected the Castlemore from the Panorama series to build in KY for our retirement home on KY Lake. We had looked into building a log home but had to decide against it due to cost and maintenance concerns. With a panelized kit, my husband will be able to save us a lot of money assembling the kit with a few helpers and doing much of the finish work for ourselves. We would not be able to do a lot of that with logs. We will use T&G in the great room and have hardwood floors and stone accents throughout so that we will have the "feel" of a log home when inside with and exterior of Hardiplank siding and a Trex deck for no work in the future.

It is correct that the kit will get you primarily a "weather-tight" shell, and it will cost more $$ to finish out the home, but the estimates I have seen are comparable (or less) to finishing a log home kit.

I hope this info is helpful...

Thanks for the "welcome" Ed.

My post made no attempt to "sell" anything. As I clearly stated, I don't "sell" Viceroy and neither does my husband.

The gentleman asked did anyone know anything about Viceroy and I do (personally) so I was trying to be helpful to the original poster. Style wise they offer a good alternative to those who want many of the beauties of a log home without the maintenance and costs. And personally (again) I can vouch for their quality as a 30 year home owner. I wish all builders could say that of their homes - log or otherwise.

Forums are a place for open-mindedness and a free-exchange of ideas, please don't judge all kit manufacturers by an experience with one or two kit manufacturers, anymore than one should judge all log home manufacturers by an experience with one log home manufacturers (we almost ordered from Amerlink - YIKES!).