Archive for September, 2008

This entry is part 2 of 3 in the series Behind the Log Home Scene

With my last post, I wanted to give you some background on myself and my experience in the Log Home Industry.  I hope that if you have any questions at any time during this series, you’ll either leave comment or contact me.

First things first – one of the most important things during the whole process of building your log home is going to be the architectural design of it.  This home will most likely be the most expensive thing that you’ve ever financed, and you want to make sure that everything fits your lifestyle perfectly, and I believe that using an independent design firm is the best way to achieve this.  I’m obviously a strong advocate for independent designers (this is what I do for a living).  Here are my reasons for encouraging you to think outside the box.

Nearly every log home manufacturer has some sort of catalog of their “signature” floor plans.  Don’t get me wrong, these are a great starting point.  These generic plans give you a basic sense of space and aesthetics, and can also give you a starting point on pricing out one of their packages.  Sometimes a company will even claim that if you purchase your log package from them, the plans are free!  Here’s the problem with that – someone had to get paid for the plans, one way or the other.  If they promise that the plans are free, then they’ve just buried the cost somewhere in your log package price.  Be sure to check and see what it would cost to modify one of the stock plans.  I sold log homes for nearly three years, and I can’t think of one instance where someone came in off the street and said that they wanted our “model A” plan, with absolutely no changes.  This also goes with people I worked with who’d been in the industry since the early 70′s.

Here’s what I think is the biggest problem with working with a company’s stock plan.  It’s extremely difficult to take that plan and shop it around (copyright issues aside).  Every manufacturer packages their product differently.  Some of the differences are:  pre-cut logs vs. random length, grade of logs and poles, is the fastening hardware included, milled vs. handcrafted logs, on-site technical support, shipping costs, sales tax, various degrees of building materials – doors, windows, floor decks, roofing material, log siding, stains and finishes, just to name a few.  This is where having your house designed by an independent design firm has it’s advantages.  Not only is the house uniquely designed to fit your lifestyle, but its also designed to include (or exclude) as many of the log components you want.  Manufactures make the bulk of their money on the logs, so it’s only natural that they might push as much product on you as possible (to help offset the costs of their “Free” design department).  When you come through the door with your design work done independently (not your final construction documents – those should wait until you settle on a manufacturer), every log home producer is bidding on “the exact same set of plans”.  This allows you to get a closer apples to apples comparison, and you can see why one company may be $15K less than another (no hardware, random length vs. pre-cut and hardware included).

One thing most folks don’t think about when shopping stock log home plans is will this home work in my jurisdiction.  A stock plan may work perfectly fine off the shelf if it’s build in mid-western Kansas where the snow load can be 20PSF.  Now take that same stock plan and drop it it in Aspen, Colorado where it’s not unheard of to have a 150PSF snow load.  We’re talking about completely different structural components necessary for either homes.  Different roof systems, foundations – structurally speaking, different houses.  A 10 inch diameter spruce/pine ridge beam in Kansas could turn into a 22 inch diameter douglas fir ridge beam in Colorado.  By using an independent design firm like Gravitas, you’ll have your house specifically designed for your jurisdiction, conforming to the local codes and building department’s requirements, the first time around.  It will also be much easier to track and manage your building budget with a set of plans specifically designed for you, opposed to something that’s generically detailed out and vague.

These are just a few ideas to think about when designing your log home.  When you figure that your home may cost $300K and up to build, it’s well worth spending a relatively small amount to prepare a set of quality construction documents, specifically designed to your needs, and your location, and they communicate how to construct your dream log home?  This will reduce the number of surprises that tend to come up during the construction process, and often save you more than the cost of drawings because everything is thought out, and it doesn’t conform to a generic client.  If you have any thoughts or comments for me, please feel free to do so.

Happy stacking!

Paul

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Posted by Phaas on 26 September 2008 at 2:53 pm under Design, Independent Design Service, Information, Materials/Methods, Process, Stock Plans, The Industry, Timber and Log.
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The following is a list of typical steps that owners go through when building their new home. This is also related to remodel projects. You may be able to skip or combine a step, but we have found these to be fairly standard.

1. What are you going to build

So you have decided that you are going to build or remodel your home. The first step covers what exactly you are going to do. This is often referred to as building programing, and might just be the most important thing you will do. This is the point which you determine the size, and scope of your project. It is easier to control your budget at this stage. Limiting the amount of un needed square footage at the beginning will pay dividends in the end.

Here you will define how many bedrooms/baths your new home will have, what is the relative importance of public/private rooms, what your home is supposed to be (vacation home/primary residence), who/how many people will use it, and how will it be used. This is the point you start creating your wants vs. needs comparison, as well as defining the single most important tool you will use, your budget.

At this point, you are defining your design problem. Don’t solve those problems yet. Be prepared to explore different solutions, and creative ideas. Honesty with yourself, and your design professional is very important. This stage is often carried out by the home owner, but can most successfully be completed by the combined efforts of the owner, and their designer.

We have often seen narratives created by the homeowner. They might describe their typical day in their new home, or their existing home. This helps the designer live through your eyes, and anticipate, and answer questions that might come up later in the design process.

2. Collecting Ideas

A helpful method of communicating  your thoughts and ideas is by starting an idea album.  By going through magazines, and clipping out the design solutions you like, and importantly, don’t like, you will be able to directly show your designer exactly what you want your house to be.  A three ring binder provides you with the flexibility to add pages, and remove old or stale ideas.  Using presentation sleeves allows you to easily slip in new photographs, and add notations.  You should also collect and present to your designer all of the Home Owner’s Association requirements, and other design constraints.  Often times there are many hurdles that must be jumped through before you can submit your plan for building.

Seeing images, and keeping design solutions close at hand will enhance your communication, and get your point across much easier than just descriptions of your preferences.

3. Schematic Design

After defining what needs to be built, the team starts a series of rough sketches, known as schematic designs. This is the beginning of our Schematic Design Phase.  These sketches will define the general arrangement of rooms, and their spatial relationships. These are meant to show possible possible solutions to the design problems identified in step 1. The design team will refine the sketch until both you and they are satisfied with the layout.  This sketch will be driven typically by a unit cost approach to the budget, that is, how many dollars per square foot are you anticipating being available for the construction of the home.  This guideline is used from the outset, and often referred to when making design decisions.  As always, when laying out your budget, you should include an adequate contingency amount.

Often times this sketch will not be what you had envisioned.  Often times, it is the trained interpretation of what your needs are, and sometimes it is shown as a suggestion.  You are the final arbiter on what will be built, so keep an open mind, but make sure you are satisfied with the resolution.  It is always easier to make changes early in the process, instead of waiting until your are under construction.  The designer should always seek approval from you before proceeding onto the next phase of design/construction.

Before we complete this portion of the Schematic Design Phase, the general layout will be transferred into our 3D modeling program, which we will be using exclusively for the rest of the way.  Our office adopted Graphisoft’s Archicad back in 2001, and we have been very pleased with its capabilities.  All of our documentation is carried out in this program.  Our plans/elevations/perspectives, and sections are all directly linked to the model.  We have chosen to do our details in 2D, allowing us easier use of standard drawings.

Step 3 : Design Development

Design development is the next step in the process, and it is when the schematic design is fully detailed, showing sections, and any interior elements that will be articulated in the Construction Documents.

When you are reviewing the design, always place yourself in the home.  How do you use the spaces you currently have, and how do you see yourself using the new ones.  Does the overall flow of the home meet your needs and wants?  Think about the actual use of each room, and how you will be spending time in it, and it’s relations to the rooms around it.  You should always be very satisfied with the design before you invest more of your time and money into the process.

At the end of Design Development, and short of the Construction Documents, you will have enough information on the page to get an adequate cost estimate from your contractor, or enough to go shopping for contractors.  This is also the point at which you should be discussing your plans with your Home Owner’s Association, as you don’t want to waste your efforts in finalizing your plans if they have to be modified to fit other design requirements.

Step 4 : Construction Documents

Construction Documents often take up the single largest block of time in the design phase.  This is when detailed drawings are put together describing in detail what the home will look like, and be made of.  This can be a frustrating time because all of the “fun” design work is complete, and you have to wait for the office to finish all of the detailing to describe the structure.  Our documents are complete and thorough enough that a master builder, or an owner-builder can fulfill the job.

When these drawings are completed, it is time to lock in your contractor.

Step 5 : Contractor

There are as many ways to select a contractor, as there are contractors out there.  Often times, we help our clients find a contractor.  We have worked with many reputable builders both in our area, as well as throughout the country.

We create Adobe Acrobat documents that are easily transmitted by E-mail, or FTP site.  In this way you can economically send out your drawings to as many contractors as you would like.  They then print up the documents if they need them.  While we can recommend contractors, and assist you in finding the best fit, the final decision is always up to you.  Often times, our clients prefer to be their own general contractor.  While this can save you money up front, it can often lead to longer construction times, or an increase in the overall costs due to unforeseen construction issues.  Discuss the relative merits of both situations with your designer, and they can help you determine what is the best course of action.

Step 6 : Construction

Construction can often be the most aggravating, frustrating, anxiety-inducing, fulfilling, rewarding part of the process.  At this point, your project goes from words, and the printed page, to an actual built structure.  Our scope of work often times stops at this point, although we can also provide construction administrative services.  These include helping hire a contractor, site visits, and observations, processing the contractor’s applications for payment, and working as a liaison between you and the builder.

The contractor is the single point of responsibility, when it comes to construction techniques and methods, building schedules, and procedures.  The designer is there as an observer of the process, and to ensure that the design intent is carried out.

The road to a completed home is paved with many challenges, and much uncertainty.  There are so many decisions to be made, and at every point along the way, that it can be overwhelming.  At Gravitas, we help you avoid wrong turns, and guide you on the path to a wonderful house we all design together.  This unique home is created to meet your specific needs and wants, to express your individuality, and provide enjoyment to your family, friends, and all who use it.
   
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Posted by Mwagner on 19 September 2008 at 5:31 pm under Design, Design Considerations, Information.
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This entry is part 1 of 3 in the series Behind the Log Home Scene

I thought I’d take a few minutes and give you some idea as to how the log home industry works, from a couple of different “inside” industry positions.  First, a little background on myself.  I’ve got a B.S. in Forest Products – Wood Construction & Design from the University of Idaho (Go Vandals!).  After graduation, I went to work for one of the leading national log home manufacturers in the country.  While employed there, I had a couple of different jobs (at the same time).  At first, I was working in the design department as a production drafter.  Basically, I was breaking down each house package to their individual logs and poles, preparing the shop order for manufacturing.  With all the growth the company was experiencing, they needed another traveling Technical Adviser, and I was called in.  With this position, I travelled all around the country and worked with different builders and their crews, and basically trained them how to correctly assemble the log packages.  I was typically on site for the first 2 days of log stacking (usually if something is wrong, you’ll find it at this time), hands on, working to get as much of the house stacked as we could in that time.  I’d also get sent to “problem” job sites, where the builder either needed some help, or the company needed to remedy an issue (log shortage, miscut logs, etc.).  I did this for almost 3 years before I burned out on all the travel (stacking is fun, it’s the traveling that’s a chore).  When I wasn’t on the road, I was in the office, working in the production drafting department.

From there, I moved to a different National Log Home manufacturer, initially as a technical consultant and sales backup.  That lasted about 3 months, before I was named their National Sales & Marketing Director.  It was here that I was really able to get behind the industry curtain and see how things work.  From an initial client meeting to watching them move in to their new log home, I was able to participate in just about every facet of this industry.

It’s with these 6 years of direct Log Home Industry involvement, and the last 3 years of designing custom log and timber homes for Gravitas, that I hope to be of some assistance to you.  I’ve been on site, hand stacked logs (milled and handcrafted), set rafters, notched corners, and many other tasks.  From the sales office I’ve created customer estimates, shop orders, cut lists, log home contracts, design revisions, helped to find qualified builders, find log home mortgages, created & maintained local and national marketing campaigns, worked trade shows nation wide, and answered lots of questions from people looking to build their perfect log home.

In the following weeks, I’ll try to break down what I know about the industry in order to help you with your log home journey.  I’ll cover topics from design, budget, builders, log components, how to best shop the different manufacturers, myths in the industry, and any other questions that may come up from  comments I receive.  I hope this helps, and I’m looking forward to hearing back from you.  Good luck and happy stacking!

Paul

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Posted by Phaas on 15 September 2008 at 12:43 pm under Design, Information, The Industry, Timber and Log.
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This entry is part 2 of 47 in the series Plan of the Month

The Escalante Entry Left

The Escalante Entry Right

The Escalante was designed for the Roaring Fork Valley in Colorado.  It contains 4514 SF of mountain living in three levels, with 4 bedrooms, 4 1/2 bathrooms, a 2 car garage, and enlarged shop area.

Capturing the amazing valley views was of prime importance with this home. Outdoor living was maximized with a large terrace over the garage, and an intimate covered porch off of the Gathering Room.

This plan combines log accents with Contemporary design in an elegant, yet simple way.

Don’t forget to view our other plans.

1.1 The Escalante

1.1 The Escalante

1.1 The Escalante

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Posted by Mwagner on 8 September 2008 at 11:19 am under Design, Plan of the Month, Stock Plans.
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