Dan & Jean's Design - Part 5

Continued from June 9th...

What an exciting day June 15th was for Dan and Jean. This was the day that three tractor trailers pulled up to their building site and delivered the logs for their home, along with many other materials, but after all it's the logs which make it a log home.

Site work was done, the foundation was poured, and Dan and Jean's builder, having picked up the first floor materials a week earlier, was not only ready for delivery of the main structural components, he was ready to begin assembly of the log walls.

In order to keep the project moving along, the builder had made arrangements with Mike (Beaver Mountain's Customer & Builder Relations) to schedule Technical Assistance. So bright and early on the 17th, Jim, Beaver Mountain's Field Technical Advisor, arrived to assist in getting the log wall installation underway. About a week later, the log walls were assembled and the builder was ready to move onto the roof system.

We will wrap up this string of post the week of August 10th, when we give an update on the building progress.

Thinking outside "THE BOX"

For the past several months I have worked with a lovely couple on their dream home. And while many of our correspondence has been by fax, phone and email- for now "the box" has made a lasting impression on Ken and Lori’s Beaver Mountain building experience!

These attractive and yet sturdy boxes are typically used to mail documents, drawings and other items that otherwise would not fit into an envelope. A few months back when Ken and Lori needed to review some documents, being the frugal, environmentally responsible person I am, I decided to try something different with my nearby neighbor.

I placed the first documents in “the box” and with Lori’s permission decided to drop it off at their house. Lori in turn, left me a message that after they reviewed the documents she too, would leave “the box” on the porch for me to pick up. Over the next several weeks we passed "the box" back and forth many times. All the while our design and engineering department, in conjunction with the builder, collaborated and analyzed the design, materials and site location in order to satisfy NYS Energy Star requirements. They analyzed windows, overhangs, thermal mass, color and type of roof shingles as well as the energy efficiency of the corner styles. As a result, Lori and Ken will be substantially reducing their carbon footprint not only with their design but with the use of geothermal radiant heat and enough photovoltaic solar panels to provide 93% of their electrical usage.

So over the next few months the chronicles of “the box” will quickly draw to an end but the excitement that comes with the delivery and construction of Lori and Ken’s beautiful new “Environmentally Friendly” Beaver Mountain Home will last for many years to come!Debbie D- Building Consultant

For more information on how Beaver Mountain can help you build your dream home call 1-800-233-2770

Dan & Jean's Design - Part 4

Continued from June 1st...

Our production department began milling Dan & Jean's wall logs on May 20th. This process involves taking a kiln dried rectangular "cant" of pine and running it through a special planer which mills a face on all four sides at the same time. Setting up the planer takes between four and six hours. Once the planer was ready, it took about four hours to mill Dan & Jean's logs.

Next, our precut production line took the lineal foot logs and cut them into all of the individual log pieces required for the log walls. This process includes cutting the logs to length, milling for splines, milling the necessary log corner joints and predrilling all of the logs for lag screws. After three days, the wall logs were cut and dry stacked.

Meanwhile, our panel shop was manufacturing the gable panel walls and precutting the rafters over the span of about one day. The component shop took about a day to manufacture the timber posts and truss pieces. Materials such as plywood, framing material, shingles, fasteners and finishes were pulled from inventory and packed for delivery in about 1 1/2 days.

Before we packed the logs for delivery, Dan and Jean were invited to visit our production facility and view their dry stacked wall logs. They arrived, along with their builder, and spent a little time sizing up the future rooms, taking snap shots and doing the "final inspection" of the wall logs.

Materials are pulled and we are ready to deliver Dan and Jean's package. Check back the week of June 29th when we will let you know how delivery went.

Dan & Jean's Design - Part 3

Continued from April 20, 2009...

Near the end of March, the quote was updated to reflect Dan and Jean's redesigned home, and the builder submitted revised numbers. After reviewing the new plans, quote and builder's figures, on March 31st, Dan and Jean signed their revised approval drawings, purchase agreement and Detail Specification Form. A delivery date of June 10th was agreed upon, moving the project to the next phase in the design process.

The project was next put into the engineering department schedule for completion of Construction Drawings, including foundation and framing plans and construction details which the contractor will use when building Dan & Jean's home. Thermal Performance Calculations were also run to document that the home will meet state energy codes. On April 27th, these Architect sealed drawings and thermal calculations were sent to the customer. The engineering department then began work on Assembly Drawings.

Assembly Drawings, which include log & panel wall cutsheets, precut timber cutsheets and rafter patterns, plus the material list were next completed and forwarded to the production department on May 11th.

In Part 4, we will continue to chronicle the manufacturing of Dan & Jean's home as we approach the June 10th delivery date.