Now that the log walls are stacked out, it’s time to start on the roof system.  While setting the walls takes some skill, it is quickly learned, and repeated over, and over, and over again.  This cabin stacked out pretty quickly. With the roof system being set, comes an order of magnitude in complication.  In [...] Read More

From our friends at Green Remodeling… I hope you’ll consider joining us for the next seminar… Regular home maintenance is just a part of what it means to be a homeowner. But what if you could protect natural resources and save money- all while maintaining your home in tip top condition? You can and you’ll [...] Read More

Last posting we saw the foundation going in, and the first course being stacked up.  Honka offers many different profile sizes and shapes, and utilizes an interlocking corner.  What’s unique about their profile system is the interlocking ball at the corner.  This maximizes the surface area on contact at the corners.  I recommend investigating any [...] Read More

The start of the log package’s journey to Colorado… These logs, grown in Finland, milled in Finland, and shipped to Colorado, have an interesting life story.  The Northern Pine that grows in Finland is denser than our version, because of the shorter growing season, and harsher climate, it creates a very strong log. The foundation [...] Read More

A week ago we were introduced to Velux solar hot water heaters by Tad Duby of On Point Advantage. You may have heard Velux’s name as they are the industry leader (in my opinion) in skylights, and have been for 50 years. Their flashing methods are of superior design and preferred by installers and end [...] Read More

Last year we had the opportunity to work with a wonderful client in Larimer county, north central Colorado, to build a small cabin retreat for the North Colorado rolling hills.  Our client chose to utilize Honka logs from Atrium Log Homes located in Evergreen, Colorado.  What I’d like to do in my next few posts, [...] Read More

Gravitas is a Custom Home design company.  That’s what we do, or at least, that’s a majority of what we do.  One of the immensely satisfying aspects of our job, is to work with a family, tease out their wants and needs in a new home, balance those needs with the reality of their budget, [...] Read More

We recently had the pleasure of visiting one of our smaller structures as it is going through its final steps before completion.  Derek Hurd of Gravitas worked with a couple from Texas that were permanently relocating to Boise, Idaho.  They asked Derek to design for them a small accessory dwelling unit (ADU), behind the home [...] Read More

So we didn’t bring you this news as it broke, but better late than never. This year Gravitas was runner up for Best Log Home Plan Under 2500 SF. This home is adapted from a systems built home we did for a Colorado client. Thanks Log Home Living for the recognition of creative design in [...] Read More

Recently we were approached by a realtor in the South about putting together an animation for one of his builders.  We see this sometimes where a builder has a paper spec ((a speculative home design that is not built, and therefore, is only on paper)), and would like to increase their marketing potential, highlight the [...] Read More

One of the many benefits of working with a 3D modeling program such as ArchiCAD, is the ability to see what the final product is going to look like. All too often, the owner/contractor/Architect, doesn’t know exactly how something will look, until it is built in the field.  By that time, any modifications become expensive, [...] Read More

This is a continuation of the previous post on Copyrights & Design.  To see the beginning of this, please click here. For willful copyright infringement, the infringer must have access to the original information.  Willful infringement carries much larger penalties.  Crying “fair use” is a defense in case you are being sued.  It is not [...] Read More

One issue that we constantly run into while designing custom homes, is copyright.  We go to great lengths to respect the hard work individuals, and companies have invested in the creation of their designs.  We often have clients come to us with plans ripped from magazines and they say they want this kitchen, or this [...] Read More

A couple years ago we designed and provided the Construction Drawings for a home for a client of Beaver Creek Log Homes . We worked directly with the owner of Beaver Creek Log Homes,  Robbin Obomsawin. Robbin combines twenty years of log-joinery experience with her knowledge of conventional construction which made for a smooth process [...] Read More

I wanted to post a quick belated note about the Timber frame presence at Greenbuild in Boston last year. It’s old news with Greenbuild Phoenix now on the horizon but still relevant. It’s easy to forget with the loud and much publicized arguments against logging and deforestization that wood is indeed a very sustainable option [...] Read More

For this Behind the Log Home Scenes post we will share a bit of advice from Rick Friesen of Caribou Creek Log Homes. This is part of a lengthy interview that you can read in its entirety on Log Cabin Directory. With permission, I have extracted some information that will be appropriate for many of [...] Read More

There are quite a few myths about log homes that are circulating among folks who are already having enough problems with sorting log facts from fiction.  Here’s my take on one of the biggest myths in the log home industry – How to get the “final“  total price of a log home from a manufacturer.  Time [...] Read More

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 [...] Read More

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 [...] Read More