For many people building a log home may seem like a complicated and challenging effort. We disagree – in fact, we feel that building your home should be a rewarding experience. At Betts' Construction, alongside the team at Katahdin Cedar Log Homes, we have the knowledge, capabilities and experience to make the process of building your home as uncomplicated and enjoyable as possible.
Katahdin's in-house design team is able to meet your design needs, with unique solutions to your dreams. Because we’ve worked hard to streamline the process of building a Katahdin Cedar Log Home, we are able to keep it to a simple six steps.
1. Define your lifestyle.
Before you begin the process of designing your home take stock of what your present and future needs will be. Start a notebook with a list of lifestyle factors and requirements you can review with your us before you sketch out a plan. Families with young children will have different needs than a couple building a retirement home. A second home or a vacation rental has other necessities.
2. Find your land.
Your land will complement the design of your home. Once you have chosen your building site, ask us to review the property with you to determine if there are any topological features which may affect the design of your home. We may also have suggestions to orient the house to maximize views, solar exposure and other natural features on your land. We also have local knowledge about building regulations, setbacks, zoning and other factors which can affect the size and location of your home.
3. Sketch out a plan and develop a budget.
Ok so you are now ready to sketch out a plan and develop a budget for your Katahdin Cedar Log Home. We will review the options you can consider: using an existing plan design, modifying a plan or creating a new custom design for your home. Provide as much detail as possible at this stage – selecting all the components: decks, garages, interior trim, appliances and fixtures – so that the your budget estimate will be as accurate as possible. Don’t forget to include stain and topcoat finishes as an important part of the overall construction plan.
4. Consider the savings from a “green” approach.
While the cost of energy is a big consideration, many people don’t realize how cost efficient it is to add environmentally friendly features to your home. You’re already ahead of the game with Katahdin, as they use naturally sustainable Northern White Cedar and have a zero waste manufacturing process that utilizes every bit of the cedar log. We can also help you identify additional energy savings available that can make your home greener without costing any more “green”.
5. Finalize your house plans.
Once you’ve had a chance to review initial house plans, you’ll want to ensure you haven’t forgotten a detail or feature. Review your lifestyle notebook and compare your initial wish list with your final design. Once the plans are satisfactory, you will need to approve them and sign off. Then your Katahdin Cedar Log Home will be cut, drilled, packaged and loaded onto trucks for delivery to your building site.
6. Build your home.
Now comes the fun part, building! Bett's Construction and Katahdin have worked hard to make building your home as efficient as possible. Though keep in mind that your location and it's weather can be a big factor in finishing your build in a timely manner. Our team will keep you updated at each step of the build and look forward to bringing your dream into reality.
So are you ready to build with us? Reach out to Tim and let's get you started.
