With that in mind, let’s start with the dirt!  First detail,  A great foundation!

When is the last time your neighbor crossed the road just to compliment the size of your footers? Never! Well consider this, your timber or log home, finished could weigh in excess of a quarter million pounds! That’s like 3-4 tractor truck loads all parked on your foundation. Do you think the small footers most contractors put under a conventional house that weighs only a third of that will do a “great” job? I’ll leave that for you to ponder.

Most footers for timber homes and multistory homes should have a minimum of a 24” wide footer, 30-36” would be better, and never less than 18” thick continuously poured and reinforced with steel. The life of your entire house rest in the rigidity of this foundation. Don’t take short cuts!You don’t have time for them!

Second detail, the floor plan!

I’ve looked at thousands of blueprints, complied folders of little cabin ideas and restaurant napkins that had the best ideas ever on them!  But the only ones that were really any good were the ones that “worked.”  I mean, pictures are nice, cabinets are great but if you can’t maneuver or live in the home, then you might as well live in the lumber yard where your materials came from. A house is a living, animate, inspirational dwelling place with the potential to bring us together and help us be happy and refreshed. Or, it can be an absolute disaster when rooms are not grouped well, work rooms are on the wrong level, storage is not available or nonexistent, and so on the list goes! You see a little thought and a good eraser go a long way.

First, when beginning the design process, write out your spacial needs then group them. Next, prioritize the rooms by use.  Then arrange them in your preliminary plan on the floor level you need them–don’t forget storage. Forget for now the confines of lot size, wall dimensions, and ceiling heights. Concern yourselves with the real issues.  For instance, where are you going to iron clothes and will you want to pack clothes up three flights of stairs like a mule every time you do laundry. Take into account your age, in-laws and out-laws that might come visit or live with you, or God forbid an accident or illness that requires better access to major areas of the home.  When you get this exercise down, your plan will start looking like a “working” home.

Doors are a must, but less might be more. Give yourself privacy and a good place to hide junk when uninvited family shows up.  However, don’t chop your house into bits and make a corn maze out it. A     plan that flows well will help as you build the overall design. Remember access with simplicity suits most of us better with our busy lifestyles than dividing our precious little space into 900  smaller ones. Good storage and well placed furniture will usually remedy the need for more room division.

When your working on your floor plan, keep in mind it is the floor plan that will be set in stone when your contractor is done unless you build in some “flexible”areas.  For example, a loft that is a study today, can be an office tomorrow, a workout room on Tuesday and so on. A kitchen can double for an entertainment mecca and a quick dinning area. Basements have unlimited potential! The last thing you want to do is not have the ability to be flexible in a pinch, so use furniture to separate rooms and dimmers to set a mood. Use neutral colors that lend themselves to any environment and keep plugs and switches handy.  My favorite area in our home is the kitchen. We entertain, have church potlucks, counsel friends, can produce with our kids and just unwind. It is where our family spends the most time together by far and has spawned many a great conversation. Some of that is due to the 100sq ft raised bar top island, some to the very accessible kitchen table that seats 6, some to the fully loaded pantry.  However, when we designed our kitchen we thought about what kind of people that we are and our lifestyle.  Our kitchen is designed the way it is because it reflects our lifestyles and personality. You have to match your rooms to your lifestyle and make it yours.  Remember keep it open, keep it grouped and keep it flexible.

The third detail, maintenance! The log and timber industry’s dirtiest word!

Homeowners dread it and most procrastinate it. For the most part, they would really rather spend their hard earned money on the much more enjoyable elements of their home or outdoor living space. However, homeowners can design their homes to minimize the maintenance expense.

Start with the exterior facade: roof, windows and doors, etc.   Generally speaking, the exterior walls and roof take the brunt of the weather.  A roof is easily upgraded, so I usually put my wall finishes budget ahead of  the roof. When building a log building, you should research what your kit dealer is providing and how your contractor applies the finish. You get what you pay for! Not all finishes are created equal and not all “good” finishes are good for your application. Pay great attention to the chinking on your cabin and the installer’s experience. Chinking is made to keep out water, not trap it in between the logs. No matter if it’s synthetic chink material over a ridged backer or an old lime based daubing in an old vintage cabin there is a proper way to install it and get the results that will give you years of trouble free service.

Timber frames are the ultimate “flex-house.” They can take on any style, any finish, and any floor plan. The best part is they can be built for hundreds of years worth of service with little or no maintenance. Exteriors of stone, brick, metal and some synthetic materials will give years of dependability and can be mixed, matched, and reinvented to give you the unique look you want. Conventionally built additions and surrounding structures can be treated with the same exterior facades to compliment your main home.

Maintenance doesn’t stop at the door, its all thru the house. Cost does not equal value! Most “high-end” lock sets are way over rated. I would rather have a good set of ball bearing hinges than a $300 lock that you can’t latch easily. Let your home talk to you. What will your eye fix on? That is where I would put my efforts! Comfort and reliability first, then name brand– buy American!

If you are really concerned with the long term maintenance of your structure and have a limited budget then consider shrinking your square footage and shift your money to what’s important to you.

Most details are forgotten when we are overwhelmed by the big decisions of the day, so try to slow down, concentrate, and plan. Try to coordinate with your contractor ahead of time and build a time line of when decisions will need to be made for layout, storage solutions, fixtures, appliances, finishes, etc. Good communication and an open dialog with your designer, builder, and the tradesmen will give you the greatest return on your investment. Good Luck!

First, let me say that the information I’m sharing with you is no secret. After years of experience, I have determined the concepts that most people overlook when developing a project. Below is a simple check-list that will aid you as you embark on what can be a long journey planning and designing your project.

1. Procure the land. Buildings are more adaptable than the site. It’s easier to build around the lay of the land, then to design first and then make the site fit the building.
2. Determine what type of construction style you like and where the building would be located on the site.
3. Get your finances in order. In today’s market climate, this can be an issue that you should be prepared for. Remember the sooner your financing is secure, the sooner you can secure a builder!
4. The Builder. You thought the land and finances were difficult, you’ve only just begun. A good builder isn’t hard to find, but sometimes finding a builder with the knowledge and skills to incorporate your ideas into your project is difficult. The builder needs to be someone that you personally feel comfortable working with. While it may seem that there are builders on every corner, you should refrain from making a rash decision to hire one. Test a builder’s credentials and checked their references. You should remember in the timber home or restoration fields there are few truly qualified contractors capable of giving you the guidance you will come to rely on.
5. Design. Now that you’ve selected a builder you can trust, the next step is to have your contractor help you to design your project or help you find a qualified designer. While we may like the idea of a clean simple “go for it” contract, a plan helps build a legitimate scope of work that will serve as an extension to your contract between you and the builder. A design also allows you to better define the extent of the work and therefore the cost. Without a plan, everyone works on assumptions and as you know there is no future in that. Plans don’t have to be elaborate, but they should be practical. I should add, “The client get what he or she pays for!” Many people see the drawings, specs, and notes as an expensive extra, and that funds could be allocated elsewhere. The truth is that the savings realized from a good set of drawings, far out weigh the confusion and heartache you and your builder will have later. One of the best ways to expedite the design process is to compile a folder of project elements. This is as simple as tearing out photos from magazines and papers and circling or highlighting the points of interest that you might want to include in the project. This is cheaper than hiring a mind reader.
6. The contract. There are countless ways to do contracts but these two simplest types, both of which we use on a regular basis. First, “Cost Plus” Second, “Fixed Bid” Cost plus is when the client pays for the actual costs of materials and labor, then pays the contractor an additional percentage of the cost to reimburse the contractor for overhead associated with the project and to pay him a profit on the job for his time and effort. A Fixed Bid is where the contractor adds the cost, overhead, and profit together and presents a one number bid to the project owner. Both of these have their pros and cons. A COST PLUS contract allows for a great deal of flexibility for both the owner and contractor. With this flexibility can come complications. One is the homeowner has the flexibility to make changes as the project progresses. If the homeowner is on a tight fixed budget, then it’s easy to blow your budget if you deviate much from the plan. A FIX BID will help control over runs but will guarantee you’ll pay a higher cost up front simply because the contractor must cover his bases to be able to complete the project in a timely fashion within budget. If your contractor doesn’t provide you with a full scope of work, well worded contract, and a list of allowances request them. Don’t write a check for the upfront expenses for the project until you feel that all foreseeable issues have been dealt with in the contract.
7. Insurance. Get it prior to starting the building process. You will want to secure a policy from your local insurance agent to cover the current unfinished status of your project. It is important to realize that the builders insurance will not cover loss of materials and labor due to adverse weather conditions, acts of God or theft. So protect your investment!
8. Go shopping. Find a reputable, local, business person with some sense and lean on them for support. Often you will get great service, personal attention, and after sale attention that will pay for itself quickly. Big box stores are great for stretching your legs but when it comes to purchases that will define your home and reflect your personality, BUY LOCAL!
9. Make your self available – sometimes. All of us tend to be very protective of our investments, especially large ones like a home, but it is important to make yourself available for questions, input, and payment. However, your builder will need room to breathe and get some work done. Unless you have a reason to doubt something on your project, give you builder room to work. Set up weekly scheduled meetings to review the process, problems, needs, and concerns. It is in everyone’s interest to communicate continually but be productive when you do. Also, keep a note book or a diary of conversations, meetings, events, deliveries, and problems. Share these notes with your builder.