Green & Organic Living

KT — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:01:19 +0000

or·gan·ic Architecture – “noting or pertaining to any work of architecture regarded as analogous to plant or animal forms in having a structure and a plan that fulfill perfectly the functional requirements for the building and that form in themselves an intellectually lucid, integrated whole”

What makes a log home green?

A ‘green’ home means the majority materials used for construction are of a renewable or recycled nature. Materials are non-toxic & healthy indoor air quality is the result. When those with severe allergies move into a home built with green material, they can be assured to comfortable at home.

Wood, in general, is the only major construction material that is renewable, meaning the material is able to regenerate itself.

Properly harvested timber can also be considered of a recycled nature. Trees are a living species & have a certain life expectancy attached. Harvesting mature timber allows the tree to be used & recycled, making way for new growth. We, at Kealey & Tackaberry Log Homes, believe it is important not to harvest any young growth timber. All logs are mature before they are harvested, meaning they are at or near life expectancy.

What other green materials go into your homes?

There are numerous ‘green’ materials available for all aspects of any home. Materials can be purchased from us or stores such as The Healthiest Home.

Getting Started With Us

KT — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 01:45:43 +0000

Part of our goal in working with you on your project is to help make the building process as simple and enjoyable as possible. It doesn’t get any easier than our 3 step procedure listed below. Work through the steps yourself or, contact us, and we would be more than happy to help guide you through them.

Step 1: Style of Log Home

Decide what type of Log Home you prefer (see: Style of Log Homes)

Step 2: Determine Square Footage

This step begins with asking yourself the, sometimes difficult, question: How many square feet?

The size of home you build will depend on one or both of the following:

1.Budget
Determining amount of square feet based on budget:

The cost of building your entire home will usually be somewhere between $150 & $200 per Sq. Foot. Where your home falls in this range usually depends on the type of finishing materials used inside the home.

Divide your budget by 150 & 200 to find out what size of floor plan to search for.

Example: $300,000 budget, 300000/150 = 2000, 300000/200 = 1500, search for 1500-2000 sq. foot floor plans.

2. Needs/Wants
Determining amount of square feet based on the needs/wants of the occupants:

Begin by determining the number of rooms you will like to have in your home. Use our Needs & Wants sheet to assist in the decision making process. Begin with the rooms ‘needed’ to satisfy your lifestyle and add ‘wanted’ rooms based on your budget. Next, decide on the size of the rooms. You may use past experiences or measure your present home / friends homes to assist in determining how many square feet are needed for your occupants to be comfortable.

Once you have the number and size of rooms organized, you will have an approximate square footage of your home. Multiply by 150 and 200 to determine how much your home will cost.

Step 3: Floor Plans

You may be lucky enough to find a floor plan using resources such as the internet, magazines, books, etc. This is your least expensive option since all we have to do is reproduce the plan for your; “blueprints”. If you are unable to find an exact plan or a combination of plans, we will custom design a plan for you. This usually involves a site visit and a couple meetings conversing and sharing ideas before the drawings are produced. Either way, we are looking forward in working with you on your project!