Log homes have a nostalgic appeal for homeowners longing for a simpler life. And the relaxed, rustic feel of a log home seems right at home plopped in the middle of a grassy meadow, nestled in rolling hills, or tucked away in a thick forest. That’s country living, and many prospective log home owners today are yearning to build on a spread of land set apart from the busyness of American life as we know it today. “The country’s the only place to live,” says Ed Whi…
The impact of harsh winter weather is a big concern for many homeowners, and Michael Leahy’s cabin in northern Minnesota is no exception. To help mitigate the effects of subfreezing temperatures, Leahy has outfitted his home with a customized system that monitors everything from furnace function and propane levels to activity on the property. “Roughly 50 to 100 things around the cabin can be monitored and controlled remotely,” says Leahy. “Beside…
With energy costs on the rise, it’s not just environmentally friendly to keep your energy consumption reined in—it’s wallet-friendly too! And the best time to consider your energy savings is when you’re building a new home. If you plan appropriately, it’s possible to build a “zero-net energy” log home. Also called “energy neutral” or “net zero,” zero-net energy (ZNE) homes actually collect or produce more energy than they use, making it possible to live independently from the energy grid. “A zero-…
It takes a unique blend of vision, entrepreneurial sprit, and artistry to see a piece of raw, undeveloped land and picture what it could become. Fortunately for folks who are interested in enjoying the splendors of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, Sandy Wood and Pete Pyles had all three in spades. This collaboration between Sandy, a real estate developer and builder, and Pete, a log home builder, has resulted in The Olde River Club —a spectacular gated log-friendly community perched high atop one …
The process of building a custom log or timber home is the crossroads of personal preference, cost efficiency, and technical necessity to produce the right balance of aesthetics and sound, quality construction. Each of the primary parties involved, the homeowner, log producer, and builder, plays a vital role in the construction process. Each one lends individual know-how to the experience, complementing the others. In the end, the goal is for homeowners to enjoy the log or timber …
The experience of building a log or timber home, making the vision become a reality, is extraordinary and may take place only once in a lifetime. The advantage of previous experience is often absent. Therefore, consulting professionals becomes critical to the process—from the beginning. The first step in the journey is often a comparison of pricing and deliverables from qualified log and timber home packaging companies, and the advice of professionals adds confiden…
Hundreds of log homes throughout North America serve as model homes for log home producers. This is one of them. Visitors are welcome at all of these homes and we encourage you to visit them. It’s a great opportunity to view different designs, construction techniques, and craftsmanship. Look at Log Home Events in this issue for listings of upcoming open houses at these model homes. Be sure to call before visiting to ensure the home will be open when you arrive. “Big things come in small packag…
A myriad of decisions have to be made to bring the dream of a log, timber, or hybrid home to life. Style, floorplan, amenities, and location are a few that come readily to mind. The most challenging for many homeowners, however, comes down to the money. Financing a log or timber home holds a degree of mystery, an element of the unknown, and often enough it is a topic of real concern. Certain misconceptions and downright myths persist that financing of a specialty home is more difficult than financ…
For many of us, the opportunity to build a log or timber frame house is the realization of a lifelong dream. But what makes a house a home is the people we share it with and the memories we make there. That’s why it’s no surprise that many people build their log or timber frame home with the intention of passing the home on to future generations. If that’s your plan, there are some design considerations to keep in mind so that you build a home that will appeal to the whole family and be as cherished in …
Rebbecca Abair recalls having a passion for designing unique spaces and landscapes her entire life. “As far back as I can remember,” Rebbecca says, “I have been fascinated with small spaces and always pictured myself residing in a little log cabin in the woods.” Her father, a talented design and construction visionary in his own right, taught his little girl how to do roofing, mix concrete, and build all manner of things, from furniture to structures. To date, Rebbecca has designed and built eight diffe…
In your dreams, you imagined the builder handing over the keys to your new log or timber frame home, each inch of the house completed just as you imagined it would be. But for many of us, dreams are sometimes deferred—or at least spread out over time. Whether it is due to budget restrictions or lifestyle changes, there are many reasons you might want to build your home in stages instead of completing the whole project at once. Perhaps you intend to eventually retire to your new log or timber frame home,…
If you’re like most Americans, you’ve spent the past several years watching economic events unfold with a moist eye and your fingers crossed that the worst is over. Well, we’ve got some good news for you—economists and housing authorities believe we’ve finally hit bottom and are starting to emerge from the recession. Not only that, but there are glimmers of recovery. The housing market has shown modest gains, and though it will be methodical and …
