Think Small
by Betheny Lyttle

A marvellous slideshow from the New York Times on the subject of increasing interest in pre-fab tiny buildings in the US. I hope you will enjoy this as much as I did.

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Over the past few years, the log and timber home industry has taken a new turn. Today the industry sees more and more homes combining log elements with timber frame components and conventional framing. Employing a combination of materials and building styles is referred to as “hybrid” and is often done to achieve a particular design look. Many clients enjoy the flexibility in design that a hybrid style home allows. Below are a few examples illustrating how a combination of different materials can come together to create a truly amazing home:

Crested Butte - A hybrid log home design of large stone, milled log walls, and customized timber frame trusses.Eagle’s Nest - A hybrid log & timber home; square milled log walls with dovetail corners and custom timber frame trusses.

Upland Retreat - A handcrafted log & timber hybrid home; handcrafted wall logs and timber frame trusses, posts & roof.

Many designers will use timber and log elements in combination with conventional framing. Of course, the log & timber home purist prefers a more authentic log and timber style construction. But, decorative log and timber elements added to conventional framing can achieve a mountain flavor and sometimes save costs. This hybrid method is seen regularly in multi-unit condominiums and resort townhouses. Framing side wings in combination with a timber frame or log great room makes sense and can save in construction costs.

Log construction, however, can be very difficult to combine with other types of construction if the log home company doesn’t utilize a non-settling system. If your goal is to decrease the cost to build your log home by mixing logs with framing or post & beam construction, remember to check out the company’s non-settling system.With any home design, the creativity of the designer will dictate the materials to be used. Find a company that is flexible in their manufacturing so as to accommodate the creativity of your design. Providing your designer with a broad palette of materials including log, timber, framing, glass, stone, steel and other materials creates more opportunity for a unique and creative custom home. The design must come first and the materials must then be able to accommodate.

Get more log home information by visiting PrecisionCraft Log Homes or learn more about the log home industry at The Log Home Blog.

Jim Young is the president of PrecisionCraft Log Homes and presides over the Log Homes Council for the National Homebuilders Association. Jim set the stage for a full service approach to designing, producing, and building log homes with the industry’s first Total Log Home Solution, which is a PrecisionCraft hallmark.

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Small cabin homes

Small cabin homes are easier then ever to build today. You can find simple plans on many different web sites… You can also purchase complete kits that include not only the plans but all the materials required to build the cabin.

The first thing to think about is the number of sq. feet you want the cabin to be. This can give you an idea of price of materials. You can go online to various websites and find blueprints that you can use to start your project.If you choose a kit, you’ll find that some of the kits come partially assembled to make it easier for the builder to complete construction. Most kits have interlocking notched corners to insure stability and strength.

Select the right wood Some of the elements you should take into consideration are the type of wood you are using. You want to use a wood that will be easily waterproofed and also one that will not become to moist in the heat. You want your cabin to be warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Your primary materials cost will be the cost of the wood so it’s important to determine in advance which wood you will use. You should also decide on what style windows you want, since these will not only give you a good view of your surroundings, but also bring in your fresh air and keep out the cold.

Small cabin homes usually have one entrance and that is the front door. The door can be wood to match the cabin or you could look into purchasing something more durable like a steel weatherized door. Normally, a small cabin home will have one bedroom, a small cooking area and a living room. None of these rooms will be very large but can be designed to be comfortable for one to four people. Many people find the luxury of small cabin homes to be a great primary residence; others use them as get-a-way homes in which they can just stay for a week or two for some piece and quiet.

Where to find small cabin plans

My favorite web sites for small cabin homes are townandcountryplans and cabinkit.

As an example of what you might have to pay for a small cabin plan, townandcountryplans has plans for 168 sq. ft. cabin with a nice porch at $24.95 a set. It also offers plans for a two-story cabin with 378 sq. ft. at the same price.

As an alternative, Cabinkit represents a turnkey solution, as that it offers both plans and all the materials you will need to build your small cabin home. Two examples of these kits are the two bedroom Betony with 884 sq. ft. priced from $43,950 to $50,500; and the two-level, Lupine with 725 sq.ft. at $36,950 to $42,500.

If you are interested in a small cabin or a small home, amazon.com has a book that you might find interesting. It is called More Small Houses (Great Houses)

Douglas Hanna lives in a suburb of Denver. He and his wife have bought and sold many houses throughout the years - to live in, as rental unit and to “fix and flip.” He is also the publisher of a popular blog on small house plans, http://smallhouseplansadvisor.blogspot.com

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