Dan & Jean's Design Process

While working at the Syracuse Home & Garden show this past weekend, I was asked the same questions over and over……..Do you sell pre-designed kits? What if we have our own floor plan? Can you custom design? These are all valid questions of which you will receive many different answers on throughout the log home industry, so I would like to give you our answer on “Design”. At Beaver Mountain we pride ourselves on custom designing your dream home to meet not only your wants & needs but your project budget as well.

The following is just one example of a typical design process here at Beaver Mountain, but I thought it would be nice to lay a project out for you from the start. Since this project is not yet complete and the design is often times a multiple step process I will be posting updates as things move forward……..

The design process for Dan & Jean Marie:

I first met with Dan & Jean Marie back in December for a preliminary design consultation where I learned they wanted to build in two phases. The first phase was going to be a two car garage with living quarters above, carriage house style, and then when they were ready to move up full time, they would attach a house as phase two. After reviewing their ideas, we soon realized it would be best to merge the two phases and build the house and garage all as one structure. This would reduce the overall footprint of the home and take full advantage of their site. We discussed a few options for positioning the house and decided it would be best for me to visit their site. We set a schedule for a site visit as well as a follow-up appointment to get the design started.

I made my visit to the site early one morning in December & took several photo’s of the area we all discussed locating the house. Based on the natural slope of the property and the beautiful country views, I felt we were in a great spot! I headed back to the office and put some of my initial ideas on paper to share with Dan & Jean Marie during our next scheduled visit.
The New Year arrived and Dan & Jean came back for the preliminary design session where we sat down at the computer and began the house design. We located the garage space below the house in the daylight basement area to take advantage of the natural slope of the land. Also planned for this space would be an entry / foyer with timber stairs up to the main living areas, laundry room, full bath and a utility room. The main floor was blocked out with the great room, kitchen & dining overlooking an open meadow to the west. To the east we planned for a master suite, (2) guest bedrooms and a full bath with the master suite capturing the sunrise over open fields separated by a wonderful tree line. The design session went well and gave us the info we needed to begin the estimate process. We discussed getting back together once they had a chance to review the preliminary design and we had a chance to run some numbers.

Watch for my next posting on Dan & Jean's design process the week of April 20Th.

John Lanner, Senior Design Consultant

The Beaver Mountain Promise

We at Beaver Mountain, are proud of the level of customer service we provide. This high standard begins with The Beaver Mountain Promise.

Our Promise states that "... the materials provided to you as listed on the material specifications attached to your Purchase Agreement will be of the kind and quality specified, pre-cut as specified and supplied in sufficient quantity for their intended purpose." Further, "... if it is determined that materials were inadvertently missed, pre-cut incorrectly or shipped in deficient quantity, Beaver Mountain will provide the materials to you at absolutely no cost...".

You may expect this kind of service from all log home manufacturers, but this is not the case. I have read the fine print on competing companies material lists. One such list states that "... materials are figured to the best of our abilities, any overages or shortages are at the expense of the purchaser." Not something many people want to hear when making a large investment.

The Beaver Mountain Promise details our commitment to our customers and builders alike. In the Promise, it states that "... our goal is to deliver customer service that is Second to None." As part of the Customer & Builder Relations Team here at Beaver Mountain, I have worked with hundreds of homeowners and almost as many builders. We have always done our best to work together to find a solution to any situation that may arise. The bottom line is, we try to do the right thing.

For more information about The Beaver Mountain Promise, contact your sales consultant.

~ Michael Santamaria, Customer & Builder Relations

Beaver Mountain is on the Road...

(2) LOCATIONS: SYRACUSE, NY or BINGHAMTON, NY

Beaver Mountain Log & Cedar Homes will be on the road this weekend and would like to extend an open invitation to anyone interested in learning more about log and timber homes to stop in and see The Beaver Mountain Difference!

- Meet members of our professional Sales and Technical Support team
- View log corner samples and various timber components
- Learn about our unique custom crafted design why it should matter in your home
… And much, much more!
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Home Show Syracuse, NY : NYS Fairgrounds

Thurs. March 19th 5:00 PM– 8:30 PM
Fri. March 20th 2:00 PM– 8:30 PM
Sat. March 21st 10:00 AM– 8:30 PM
Sun. March 22nd 10:00 AM– 5:00 PM

Booth Location: Toyota Exhibit Center # 733
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Home Show Binghamton, NY : Broome County Arena

Fri. March 20th 4:00 PM– 8:00 PM
Sat. March 21st 10:00AM -8:00 PM
Sun. March 22nd 10:00 AM- 4:00 PM

Booth Location: # 170-171

For more information, contact our Models Homes and Showroom located in Hancock, NY

1-800-233-2770

Mill Tour & Log Building Workshop: Sat. March 14th

Are you looking for an investment that will bring great returns?
If so, we would like to invite you to invest a few hours of time and take that first step in planning your dream home!

Beaver Mountain has scheduled its first Mill Tour and Log Building Workshop of 2009 on Saturday March 14th at 10am. Learn first hand what sets a Beaver Mountain home apart.

· Tour our (3) Model Homes, Showroom and Design Center.
· See first hand how our custom homes are manufactured and produced.
· Walk through a dry-stacked/ pre-assembled log home.
· Meet with members of our sales & technical team and have all of your questions answered.

CALL TODAY TO REGISTER AS SPACE IS LIMITED!

1-800-233-2770

“We just had to let you know how much we enjoyed our day at Beaver Mountain. The Mill Tour was extremely informative and helpful. The laid back and pressure free atmosphere was especially appreciated.” - Ned & Sandy 11/8/08

Spring Log Home Maintenance

Spring, the time of renewal, is also a great time to inspect your log home for exposure to the elements. Take some time on one of these sunny weekend days to walk around the outside of your home. Look at the logs from the basement to the roof line for things such as fading and "checks" in the logs.

Are the sides of your home that receive the most sun faded more than the sides that are shaded? You may need to plan to apply another coat of finish on the faded side once the weather allows.

Test the moisture resistance of the finish by spraying some water on the logs. If the water beads up and rolls off the logs, they are in good shape. But if the water is absorbed into the wood, it's time to apply another coat of finish. Look at the ends of the logs at the corners. Because these stick out, they are exposed on more surfaces to the elements and will show signs of needing a touch up more than the logs in the wall.

You will also want to look for any checks that may have opened up since last year, especially unprotected checks on the top half of the log. Small checks can become larger after a winter of several periods of freezing and thawing. Water will run into checks during a thaw, and then when it freezes, the ice expands forcing the check to open more.

To seal checks, use a good quality exterior caulk in the color of the finish on the logs. If the check is greater than a quarter inch, put backer-rod into the check, then caulk. Remember to always follow the manufacturer's recommendations.

Doing maintenance inspections in the spring means your home will receive the care it needs.

~Fred Hathaway, Purchasing Manger