Cabin in the Woods

All you may require is a simple log cabin to get the feel of living with logs. If you just build a small retangular log chalet, the cost will be considerably less than a multi-sided log home. Because of the rectangular shape it will appear and feel that the cabin is larger. If your plan is to build a cabin, think about how you are planning on using it, will it be for hunting, fishing, weekend getaways, seasonal or for year round usage. If you want to keep your interior space at a maximum, any interior partition walls should be minimized. For extra space you might add a sofa bed and bunk beds in your cabin for additional guests. Be sure to check with us or the local building inspector before considering to build a log cabin, since cabins require somewhat different standards and requirements regarding obtaining a building permit.

Only a few days left to take advantage of the Holiday Special, please check our website at Muskoka Log Homes & Chalets for details.

Log Homes are Energy Efficient

For many, many years now thermal mass has been tested in log homes, so that people would better understand the warmth and comfort that log home owners feel. For those who don't know what thermal mass is , it is the logs ability to absorb, store and let the heat out at a later time. In the tests that were done, it showed that thermal mass does have an effect on the temperature in the enclosed air space, the logs retain the interior temperature and do not allow the exterior temperatures to penetrate and create change very easily. The tests showed that an 8-inch log wall did better at insulating and retaining heat better than a 2" x 6", R-20 insulated, conventionally constructed home . So for those reasons, logs homes are naturally more energy efficient than homes that are built using fibreglass as a barrier for heat loss. Therefore, the heat that the logs retain, radiate back into the home providing comfort and warmth from the thermal mass generated by the logs, which in turn lowers energy usage.

Eights days left in our Holiday Special, check our website at www.muskokaloghomes.org for details.

Realistic Timeframes for a Custom Log Home Build

About six months from the time the groundbreaking begins to the completion of most custom log homes, is the minimum amount of time required to complete your log home. A construction schedule should have a start time and a finish time of each activity, you should also allow for delays due to weather, conflicts with subcontractors or supplier delays. Bad weather can have an impact on your project and budget. Progress payments are usually due at certain stages of the construction. Long delays could leave the builder short of cash, so it wouldn't be unusual for him to ask for a partial payment. It's important that you work with your builder and know ahead of time what to expect of each other. Delays that are unexpected aren't part of a construction contract. Many people have issues with these extra charges, and feel they should be included in the contract. If this is the case make sure you have discussed this with your builder ahead of time.

Don't forget to visit our website at Mauskoka Log Homes to take advantage of our Holiday Special.

Finding a Lender for a Log Home

When you're looking to finance your new home, you need to choose your lender carefully. While you'll have to pay for the package before it's assembled some lenders will not release money for materials until they have been used in the construction project. Get pre-approval of your loan. To obtain financing you'll need to submit a loan application and construction documents, blueprints, a site plan, property survey and copies of contracts, etc. Check terms of your construction loan, if your house isn't finished when time expires, you'll have to request an extension which may entail extra fees or penalties. When your home is complete, your construction loan will be paid off with a mortgage. Interest rates for mortgages are lower than those for construction loans, since financing an existing home carries less risk than financing a home that isn't yet complete. Before converting a construction loan to a permanent mortgage, some lenders require home owners to obtain a "Use and Occupancy" permit, proving the home is complete before you move into it.

For more information on our company, check our website at Muskoka Log Homes & Chalets. Hurry! Time is running out on our Holiday Special.

Windows supplied for Muskoka Log Homes

The windows that are included in our standard material package kits are wood casements with wood trim mould. The glass is low e and argon filled, in todays day and age settling for anything less would not be very beneficial. Basically the low e represents a thin layer of plastic that is adhered to both of the inside panes of glass and since there is a space between the two layers of glass the air is extracted and argon gas is inserted to fill the void. This procedure is created by providing an airtight seal around the two panes of glass. This method of manufacturing windows greatly decreases the amount of ultra violet rays that enter the home and also increases the overall R - value of the thermo window. A couple of the options that we provide with windows are, exterior aluminum cladding which decreases maintenance and internal window mullions (trim that visually makes the window panels smaller).

Please visit our website at Muskoka Log Homes & Chalets to take advantage of the Holiday Sale.

Adjustment for Shrinkage in Log Homes

The most common question that is frequently asked is whether or not log homes shrink. The answer is yes. With engineered milled logs such as the ones we use at Muskoka Log Homes, you can expect the home to shrink from 1/2" to 5/8" of an inch. Not to panic, all of the hardware used in the construction of the home is designed to adjust with the shrinkage. From the threaded thru bolt and spring system located inside the logs, the slotted sub-jamb system for the windows and doors plus the screw jack system used on all columns, the home will self adjust. Actually the only adjustment is at the columns after the first winter of heating the home. We return to adjust the screw jacks a few eighths of an inch. There are no other adjustments or hardware to be concerned about. The reason the logs hardly shrink is because we have air dried the logs for over a year before the final milling has taken place.

Our Holiday Special is about to run out, please check our website at Muskoka Log Homes & Chalets.

Design Deposit for a Muskoka Log Home

The following is the policy that we have in place regarding getting design drawings finalized and ready for blueprint. The models that we have on our website are already priced, therefore modifications to the drawings can be made without any charges. On a custom designed home, the client submits rough sketch drawings and receives an estimate on what the cost would be for the material package kit. To get the custom designed computerized drawings complete, we require a $1,000.00 deposit. Once the drawings are completed, the client can make as many changes, as required, to finalize the design and layout. A written quotation is than submitted to the client for review. If the client decides to proceed to blueprint and sign a material package kit contract, the deposit goes towards the cost of the package. If the client decides not to proceed, half of the deposit is returned and they get to keep the computerized designed drawings.

Only two weeks left to take advantage of our Holiday Special. For details, check out the Muskoka Log Homes & Chalets website.