custom home insights and construction tips

Bathroom Lighting and Sinks

2009-11-12T07:40:00.000-08:00

Bathrooms are one of the most under considered rooms of the home. They require special lighting and special planning. Many different styles and decores can be reflected through the choice of flooring, lighting fixtures, and of course the bath fixtures. Bathroom lighting should be chosen to give enough light to the room. But especially to the vanity area. Soft glow lights or halogen are the best choice. These types of bulbs reduce reflection from the face while still illuminating the situation to the fullest. To look good, care needs to be paid to the area where you make yourself look good.
Copper sinks are another way to improve a bath. For rustic homes or even very distinctive homes, a copper sink can add a lot of class to a bath or kitchen.
Another area of consideration should be the flooring. Ceramic tile is the best flooring. If the homeowner is concerned about slippage, some grooved tiles can also be added to the areas such as right where a person would step when they come out of the shower. Vinyl flooring is also very common, but not nearly as durable as the ceramic. Wood floors are never an appropriate choice for bathrooms.
For more information on bathrooms and design elements of custom homes, feel free to visit About Custom Homes.com

Log Home Heating Issues

2009-10-06T15:15:00.000-07:00

Log homes are one of the most energy efficient types of construction. Just about every log home I have been in has a wood burner of some sort. From a huge stone fireplace to a small pellet stove, a wood burner to an ancient Blaze King, the allure of adding the accent of a visible fire flame to add to the enchantment of the log home is very real. The other advantage, of course, lies on the use of fire wood for heat, instead of oil, electric, or gas.

As log home builders we have found that placement and type of fireplace or wood burner is very important. Though an open fireplace is lovely, it is not the best at heating a room. Adding a fireplace insert with glass doors and blowers will improve the actual heating benefit you gain from the wood heat tremendously. An open fireplace allows the heat to escape up the chimney. Also down drafts can push ash and smoke back into the room on a windy day.

When choosing a wood burner, a very popular choice, it is smart to choose a larger one. Though a small one is cute, it does not have a large capacity for wood. For the dedicated fire builder in the family, it really is possible to heat your home almost entirely with just wood, if the wood burner is big enough.

Another alternative of course, is the pellet stove. Pellets are simply dropped into the stove, the pilot light lit, and the thermostat set to whatever temperature is desired. Many have a glass door so that you can see the flame. The downfall, as with all inventions that burn wood, is the ashes. They still have to have wood stove maintenance.

All in all the addition of a wood stove is never a bad idea, and your pocket book will thank you too!

Custom Homes looking to the closets

2009-10-01T04:35:00.001-07:00

Custom homes are part of a very wide spectrum of building. They include even modular homes and log homes. Though very different in look and design, there is one thing they have in common, the individuality of the people who purchase them. Everyone wants something that is unique, special, and will yield that feeling of HOME. For low end budgets, many people do choose the modular home. One very wise time to choose this kind of home is when assets are tight or when the person is elderly. As most of these homes come in the ranch style, single floor layout, they are a way for someone to own a new home and not have to deal with steps. Log homes are more of a specialty type construction. These are a higher end home that gives the person any choice imaginable. What ever type you choose, the home should be yours, no one else's, just yours.

Custom home design has evolved over the years. Standing next to farmhouses, many times here in the West, you will find an old log cabin. The whole design element for a home like that is to provide shelter in a minimalistic way and in a very short amount of time. Thus the tiny four sided cabin took shape. Today there is a huge demand in custom home plans for closets. None of us want to admit how much stuff we accumulate. With stores close at hand and many activities in our lives, we all need places to store our stuff. Closet organizers are also a great way to make even better use of your closet spaces. Shelf space is limited and so many things land on the floor that need a place of their own, so a portable closet guide can keep the clutter from accumulating in the bottom of the closet.

Log Home Companies- options as many as the trees in the forest...

2009-06-30T14:32:00.000-07:00

One area of custom homes would include custom log homes. As any one knows that has even cracked open a log home magazine or attended a home show, there are abundant log home companies to choose from with various products.

There are three, well actually four, different log choices in the industry.

The first is random length logs. A company estimates how many logs you will need in order to build your home. Then they ship you a truck load of logs that are milled to stack, usually either a tongue and groove stack or Swedish Cope. Then it is your job, or your contractor's job to turn a semi load of logs into your dream home. All of the cutting has to be done on site.

The second choice is a partially pre-cut package. This type of home package has all of the corners of the logs pre-cut for typically saddle notch corners, but all of the rest of the cutting must be done by the builder on the job site.

The third type is a fully pre-cut, pre-numbered log package. As the name implies, all of the cutting for all the butt joints, corners, windows, doors, and timber roof system comes ready to assemble. This is a time consuming option and it yields a home with accurate cuts and tighter corners.

The fourth option I did not even know existed until a few months ago. There is actually a company that we have had the opportunity to work with. Their homes are fully pre-cut and pre-numbered, but here is the added value- they also pre-cut and pre-drill all of the electric box holes and wire holes. Also all of the butt joints utilize finger joinery. This increases the weather tightness of the home. Take a look at the photo.

For more information on this subject feel free to look at About Custom Homes

Custom homes floor plans

2009-06-30T14:05:00.000-07:00

Floor plans are where every custom home starts. Sometimes it can be daunting to take a flat piece of paper with lines on it and imagine your dream home. This was something I struggled with and my husband excelled at.

To help with a floor plan, visiting some model homes and asking for a corresponding floor plan can be helpful. Even bring along your tape measure and discover the room dimensions for yourself.

Another helpful way is to measure the rooms in your home and then look at a floor plan. A 10' long bedroom is always going to be 10' long, no matter what house it is in. Not only measure length, but measure wall height. One home we owned several years ago actually had a ceiling which was 6" lower than a standard one. Though you did not have the vaulted ceilings feeling, it was easier and less expensive to heat.

One of the best assets I have for home planning is a large floor plan book. With over 500 pages, it is packed with home ideas, floor plans, and outside elevations. Give youself an advantage and have lots of background information before you begin final planning of your custom home.