Is a Log Home in Your Future?

Researching log home manufacturers and their products can be a daunting task. Though log homes increasingly gain in popularity, the construction of the log and timber system is still not main stream and differs throughout the industry.

What is important in log construction for an energy efficient home with the least amount of maintenance? At Beaver Mountain Log & Cedar Homes we know that when educated the log home buyer will know what to look for and how to compare.

For the past few years we have offered home planning seminars, log raisings, and mill tours to the prospective log home purchaser and builders. The feed back has been very positive.

Gail and Dennis wrote:
We have attended several seminars and have been through four or five other mills and facilities. Two things set Beaver Mountain apart from the others. First was the way in which everyone responded to our questions. Answers were clear, direct and to the point.
Second, was the integrity displayed throughout the facilities. Sales persons, mill workers, and designers all reflected pride in the product and an absolute refusal to talk negatively about competing companies.

Kevin wrote simply:
I have attended the workshop and I loved the experience!

John and Donna said:
We wanted to take this opportunity to thank the staff at Beaver Mountain Log & Cedar Homes for what we felt was the most extensive and detailed Mill tour and Log Building workshop….

Check out our website at http://www.beavermtn.com/ for the calendar of upcoming events and register today!

Going Green for the Holidays

Going green isn't just good for the environment, it's good for your wallet as well! New green christmas lights are solar powered, recyclable wool sweaters and e-holiday cards to save paper are just a few ways to be eco-friendly this holiday season. What about wrapping your gifts in a beautiful scarf that the giftee can wear all winter? Or buying a Christmas tree from a farm that replants trees every year? Or making popcorn and cranberry garland for your tree (remember that from when you were a child?)

Want more ideas? Here's a few of our favorite green sites:
http://www.earth911.com/
(A great site that gives you some green ideas for your everyday activities.)
http://www.thedailygreen.com/
(Everything you could want to know about living green, including a great reseource for finding local green efforts.)
http://www.onegreenmommy.blogspot.com/
(Written by a Mom, this blog is full of green tips and ideas for living green with children or grandchildren.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

As we celebrate this special day with our family and friends, there's no time more appropriate to say Thank You! We are very blessed to have so many wonderful members of the Beaver Mountain Family. Our prayers are with the entire country on this day of reflection.

From our homes to yours, have a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with countless blessings!

Are you blogging?

Over the past 2 years, blogging has really taken off. People use them to keep in touch with family and friends, speak abuot passions close to their hearts, or just to post fun links and videos! Recenly, we've also found that our clients are using blogs to showcase their log home projects. They share videos, photos of their log home construction and their excitement as the home gets closer to completion. If you have a blog about your log home, we'd love to see it! You can share yours by e-mailing Kim at kcprochazka@beavermtn.com.

Finished!

A few months ago, we posted about the new porch being added onto the Design Center. It's now finished! The gorgeous addition is crafted out of large handcrafted beams and timbers. We have gotten some great feedback from our clients about this design - many of whom are adding this type of porch to the design of their own homes. It's a great way to add a handcrafted touch to your Beaver Mountain!

Mother Nature strikes again!

Due to the snowstorm over the past few days, there are power outages throughout the area. Our Sales Office, Model Homes and Showroom are currently without power and according to NYSEG, power will not be returned until Saturday. Our administrative offices are still operating (you can reach those offices at 607-467-2758).

The Model Homes & Showroom will reopen Saturday 11/1 at 12pm. Thank you for your understanding.

A Message from the President...

How’s business? As you can imagine being the owner and president of a log and cedar home company, I get asked that question a lot these days. My answer is quite simple and honest when I say, “We remain strong in an industry that is currently weak.” We are able to hold our own because we have never waivered from our fundamental goal of delivering the very best homes available. Like the strength of our homes to withstand the storms outside their walls, Beaver Mountain’s commitment to being the best and not the biggest has shielded us from “the irrational exuberance” of the housing boom and it continues to keep us safe from the current down turn in the current economy.

WHY IS NOW A GOOD TIME TO BUILD?
For those dreaming and planning their custom solid log, insulated half log or hybrid home there are many reasons why now is a good time to build.
· Mortgage interest rates are still the lowest in years
· Builders are looking for work and offer more flexibility than a few years ago.
· Property is more affordable and there’s a better selection of it
· It’s easier to get permits for building, septic, etc…
· More Eco-Friendly options than ever before (Green building, LEEDS, Super Insulated, EnergyStar, solar panels and geothermal just to name a few.)
· Material prices have been held steady for a while but will go up when the housing market turns around.
· Beaver Mountain is offering many ordering and delivery incentives.

Of course, these same reasons hold true if you’re planning a make-over of your existing home (an addition, sun porch, gazebo or pavillion, new siding, etc…) If your timeline and circumstances work out, this could be the best time to build!
We look forward to working with you!
Ken Clark
President/Owner
Beaver Mountain Log & Cedar Homes

Introducing...

MossCreek Designs at Beaver Mountain! We're proud to announce that we're now offering these gorgeous custom homeplans. These luxurious and unique designs are available in sizes to fit your individual lifestyle! Now you have the option of choosing to custom design your home with Beaver Mountain's in house design team, or to pick one of the beautiful MossCreek designs for your dream home. To see some of MossCreek's designs, visit their website www.mosscreek.net. Or call your Beaver Mountain Sales Consultant at 800-233-2770.

One of the many gorgeous custom designs! This one is the Rivermyst...

The construction continues!

A few weeks ago, we posted about some changes to the Showroom and a new model Gazebo. We're working on the finishing touches on each and just wanted to share a sneak peek of the projects! Everything is coming together!

The new Gazebo gets railings!



And the siding goes up on the Showroom's new porch!

Another Happy Customer...

Good Morning Chris -


Sorry for the delay but I’ve been straight out these days, with good weather I had to get the outside work complete. Not quite there yet but most of the way now.

The skirt siding is done except for a few boards to complete the prow front and one to transition from log siding to stone which will complete the remaining white below the log siding in the pictures. Electrical is done except for the plugs and covers. Heating installs in a couple of weeks and I’ve got a good start on finish pine on the inside. Work is slow when you are working by yourself but I do enjoy
the work. It’s hard to explain to someone what it feels like to fulfill a lifelong dream.

Your people have been great. I’ve called with many questions and always get quick and cordial replies. I have never tackled a project of this magnitude before. Tell Mike and Todd thanks. Beaver Mountain will always receive high praise from me as I talk to other people. Thanks for your patience and service.

Take care.

Fran W

A Sneak Peek inside the Beaver Mountain Mill Tour

You're Invited to our September Open House, Mill Tour & Seminar!

Summer is winding down, the kids are back in school. Leaves are starting to turn and nights are getting cooler. Fall is just around the corner! That means that we're gearing up for our fall Open Houses, Seminars, Mill Tours & Workshops!

The next special event is just 2 weeks away - September 13-14. So make your reservations today! The fall events tend to fill up fast since everyone is planning for 2009 building already. Saturday, September 13 is the Mill Tour and Workshop starting at 9:30am. Then at 1pm, the Home Planning Seminar is held at the Design Center & Showroom. Please RSVP for these events by going to www.beavermtn.com/events or by calling 800-233-2770.

If you can't make it to the September events, check out the rest of the Fall Open House & events at www.beavermtn.com/events. Hope to see you there!

P.S. We're also Open Year Round, Monday-Saturday 8:30am-4:30pm!

Are you passionate about log homes?

We’re looking for a passionate, highly organized sales consultant to join our award winning family of log home professionals at our Hancock, NY Design Center and Showroom. E-mail your cover letter and resume to Chris Weyer, Sales Manager at cweyer@beavermtn.com or fax it to 607-467-2715.

Want a FREE Planning Guide?

Fall is a great time to get started on your custom dream home! So to help you begin your journey, we're offering a FREE Beaver Mountain Planning Guide (a $50 value!) through the end of September when you visit our Design Center & Showroom near Hancock NY on Route 17! Just print out this post and bring it with you when you visit. That's all you have to do to receive our Seasons of the Dream Planning Guide full of information and floorplans to get your dream home off to a great start!

This offer is good through September 30,2008 and subject to change without notice. No substitutions. One planning guide per family, please. Guests must visit the Beaver Mountain Design Center (200 Beaver Mountain Drive Hancock, NY 13783) to receive their free planning guide.

Not your ordinary Gazebo...

Introducing Beaver Mountain Timber Gazebos & Pavilions! Over the past year we've had requests from many of our clients looking to add one to their porches and decks or wanting a unique timber gazebo to match their homes for landscaping.

Every Gazebo and Pavilion incorporate the quality and handcrafted touches you expect from Beaver Mountain - custom designed for your home! They are each crafted of 10" and 8" timbers and are available now.

Visit our Design Center and Model Homes and check out the newest Gazebo model (still under construction).

To order your custom designed Gazebo or Pavilion, call your sales consultant at 800-233-2770!

The Palmer Home...

We took a gorgeous drive last week up to the Palmer home in upstate NY. What a beautiful area they chose for their home! And once we got to the house, we found is snuggled into a beautiful lot overlooking a valley. Their home itself is absolutely breathtaking. They finished it with aisan, american indian and african touches and decor all of which offset the logs beautifully. But the thing that strikes you most when you first walk into this home is the amazing smell - it's just got this natural, spicy scent that makes you want to sit down with a cup of coffee in the living room and never leave. We can't share the scent over the internet, but we can share the pictures of this gorgeous vacation home. Enjoy!

Excuse the mess...

We're currently in construction phase at the Design Center & Showroom! The porch has been totaly remodeled and is now being put back together with new hancrafted beams and trussesand there's a new Gazebo being put up next to the Design Center! (More information on the Gazebos, which will be for sale, in a future post.)

What the Design Center used to look like...

You can see the porch roof has been totally redesigned with hancrafted beams and trusses

During construction, we ask that you use the lower entrance to the Design Center

The site of the future log Gazebo

Fall 2008 Special Events

Now is the time to plan for the Fall 2008 special events and to reserve your space at one of our Mill Tours, Log Building Workshops and/or Home Planning Seminars! These events usually fill up, so RSVP today!

September 13-14, 2008
Open House 9/13 8:30am-4:30pm
Special Sunday Hours 9/14 11am-4:00pm
September 13, 2008
Mill Tour & Log Building Workshop 9:30am-12:00pm RSVP
Home Planning Seminar 1:30pm-3:00pm RSVP

October 10-13, 2008
Open House 10/10-10/12 8:30am-4:30pm
Special Sunday Hours 10/13 11am-4:00pm
October 12, 2008
Mill Tour & Log Building Workshop 9:30am-12:00pm RSVP
Home Planning Seminar 1:30pm-3:00pm RSVP

November 8-9, 2008
Open House 11/8 8:30am-4:30pm
Special Sunday Hours 11/9 11am-4:00pm
November 8, 2008
Mill Tour & Log Building Workshop 9:30am-12:00pm RSVP
Home Planning Seminar 1:30pm-3:00pm RSVP

In addition to the dates above, Beaver Mountain Model Homes, Design Center & Showroom is Open Year Round Monday-Saturday 8:30am-4:30pm.

Technical Assistance...

Technical Assistance is included with every home we sell. Our field technicians, Jimmy & Rusty come out to your home site to get your home started right! They meet with your builder at the beginning of the project (and bring donuts along with them!) A lot of companies say they offer technical assistance, but few offer it at the level we do, with professional field technicials that have over 35 years combined home building experience.

This slideshow is from one of our recent TAs. This was an especially exciting one because the home's owner, John, was on site and ready to help lay some of the first rows of logs!

From the Wall of Dreams Come True...

Hi Mary! I have been meaning to drop you a note for nearly 2 weeks now but we were so caught up with our wonderful home building project. We drove upstate on June 12th & went straight to the property, abandoning our plans for a vacation in Vermont as we couldnt wait any longer to see the progress Ethan & Sam (our excavator) had made.

Both Rob & I were so emotional on our first sighting. We parked the car at the bottom of the driveway & chose to walk up Everest! We turned the last bend & there it was - absolutely fabulous! Attached are a couple of pictures. We just love it! It is nowhere near finished but it is now so real, so marvellous & so fantastically exciting...........words fail me.

Our living room has one heck of a view! Everyone that has been up there comments on it after their steep ascent. Robert & I both want to pass on our thanks for all the help & support that you, JoAnn & your team have given to Ethan & our project overall. Your contribution has made life much easier from our perspective.... 3000 miles away. Also we cant speak highly enough of Ethan & his team. We have contacted & met with Bob Granger - he is one passionate solar guy! We hope to investigate further the options available from his company as they seem really cost-effective & sensible.Well that's it for now.
Kind regards,

Helen