Recently, Michael and Denise purchased a home built in the late 1980s but it wasn’t the home itself that had them sold. The layout of the home they purchased featured a formal entry, separated living areas, and smaller bedrooms with wardrobe closets. A design and layout very typical of the 1980s but not so appreciated by Michael and Denise who were looking for a more contemporary home. But, the home was nestled in a heavily wood area in Granite Falls, WA, complete with distant views of the beautiful Cascade Mountains and a pool with a one-of-a-kind story.

The most outstanding feature of this 1980s home is the kidney-shaped pool located in the daylight basement. This pool took quite a bit of planning and hard work to get it positioned perfectly. Huge granite boulders buried deep in the landscape that Michael and Denise love so much were carved out to make room for a pool. Their existing 1980s home is to be torn down (while saving the pool) and replaced with a Craftsman style, timber frame home complete with a contemporary flair. The layout of their new home will feature a more informal and open design incorporating new spaces and features such as offices, a workout room, a steam room, a caretaker’s apartment over the garage, and an elevator.

Well, it sounds like a great project; a fun challenge. One that the team at Mountain Architects and PrecisionCraft is eager to take on! Be sure to check back with us periodically as we plan to follow this project all the way through.

1. Set a Realistic Turnkey Budget. Establishing a realistic budget at the beginning stages of the home design process is critical. It is equally as important to find an architect that is willing and able to work within your estimated turnkey budget range. Some cost factors you and your architect should consider include:

• Size of Your Home: The size of your log home or timber frame home is probably the biggest cost variable. If the preliminary budget is significantly out of alignment, the first place to look is at the square footage of your log home. Learn more about the layout and size of log homes.
• Complexity of Design: The complexity of a log or timber frame home’s design is probably the least understood factor impacting cost - the more corners, roof ridge lines and roof valleys, the higher the cost. Adding gables, dormers, hips and other architectural styling elements to your log home design increases its complexity, and as a result, the overall cost of your home. On the other hand, a simple rectangular design with one roof ridge line is simpler, and therefore less expensive, to build. See examples of log home design complexity.
• Level of Finishes Selected: The level of finishes that you choose for your log home has a dramatic impact on overall cost. Depending on your turnkey budget, you may select a higher level of finishes. Keep in mind that granite counter tops, Jacuzzi tubs, and wide plank flooring are beautiful amenities, but are more expensive than Formica counters, fiberglass tubs and carpet. See some examples of how home finishes can impact the cost of timber frame or log homes.
• Product Choice: The product you select for your home – milled log, handcrafted log, timber frame, a combination of log and timber, or stick frame with log & timber accents – also has an impact on the overall cost of your home. Work directly with your architect or designer to find the right product for your custom home, one that meets both your aesthetic preferences and budget. Understand product choice in the design process.

2. Know What Exterior Look You Want. Mountain Architects defines seven potential exterior styles for your home: Western Log and Timber, Pacific Northwest, Adirondack, Chalet, Appalachian, Craftsman, or French Country. Study them and other styles noted in the industry and decide which style you like best. Also magazine clippings are a great source for communicating to your architect what style and features you prefer.

3. Consider Your Site / Build Location. The general principle here is to design a log home or timber frame home to fit your build site. Consider the entrance to the site and any views you want to take advantage of. If your site has a slope you will want to consider a basement and if the slope is steep enough, a daylight basement may be in order. Other things that come into play are setback requirements; how much area is available for the house; and if there are any obstructions on the site. These are all factors that your architect should consider in designing your new log home.

4. Familiarize Your Architect with Any CCR’s. If the development you’re building in has published a list of design requirements you should become familiar with them and bring a copy to the meeting with your architect or designer. Of particular importance are any requirements regarding height limit and any submittal timelines.

5. Consider Your Lifestyle. How you intend to live in your custom log home or timber frame home will have a huge impact on its design. For example, questions of how many family members you have, if you plan to entertain, and if you participate in outdoor activities will determine the number and type of spaces within the house.

6. Establish the Main Use for Your Home. The design of a permanent, full time residence will be substantially different than that of a second home in the mountains. This is an important aspect to consider in your initial conversations with your architect or designer.

7. Decide How Many Levels You Want in Your Home. This has to do with the Exterior Look of the house and whether the client wants a basement which could be dictated due to site parameters. This can also involve segregation of spaces, available area on site, the slope of the site, orientation of the site, and of course, your budget.

8. Decide How Many Bedrooms, Bathrooms and Specialty Rooms You Need. Deciding how many bedrooms, bathrooms, and specialty rooms your want to include in your new home requires consideration of your budget, lifestyle, and the available area on your build site. The prime consideration here for you and your architect is your budget.

9. Consider Exterior Amenities. As you think about your lifestyle you should determine what features you will want to incorporate into the exterior landscape of your home. Items such as decks, patios, a spa, outbuildings and water features will greatly enhance how the house will fit your needs. You will want to take these items into account when addressing your budget of course.

10. Garage. Another huge budget item is a garage if it is to be included in the design. You will want to discuss the size and number of vehicles to be housed in the garage. Also of importance is the relationship of the garage (attached or detached) to the house and access in and out of the garage to and from the street.

See this article and more at LandWatch - Land for Sale.

Since its introduction, the Crested Butte has been one of PrecisionCraft’s most popular designs. This overwhelming response to the Crested Butte design has inspired PrecisionCraft’s design division, Mountain Architects to create the Dakota.  Once you tour the Dakota floor plan showcased in PrecisionCraft’s Log Home Floor Plan Gallery, its similarities to the Crested Butte will catch your eye. But, at the same time, you will notice that the Dakota has its own unique features making it a remarkable design in its own right.
 
The Dakota, featured above, is 600 square feet smaller than the Crested Butte, but still packs a lot of character with its unique design elements. The large vaulted great room has custom timber trusses running from the inside out. The open kitchen, dining and great room area is ideal for entertaining, while the main level master suite includes a fireplace and private access to the patio. Each of the bedrooms on the second level has its own bathroom with the second bedroom featuring a private balcony.
 
As rendered, the Dakota turnkeys at approximately $700,000. By keeping the same timber frame elements, but substituting the log walls for conventional framing, Mountain Architects was able to create a Mountain Accent™ version of the Dakota that retains its unique design characteristics but turnkeys at approximately $550,000.  See the two versions of the Dakota log home floor plan.
 
The Dakota, as with all of PrecisionCraft’s floor plans, can be customized to fit a client’s personal style, build location, and turnkey budget. Alter the size of this log home plan, adjust its design complexity, and learn how home finishes can impact the overall turnkey cost of the Dakota and PrecisionCraft’s other log home floor plans. Clients work directly with the team at PrecisionCraft and Mountain Architects to custom design their homes. A successful home building project begins with great design! 

Mountain Architects and PrecisionCraft provide the best in custom design services. With the most design awards in the industry, this team walks clients through the home building process – from conception to move in.  
 
For more information on custom design services or Mountain Accent Homes, please visit PrecisionCraft’s Log Home Solution Center at PrecisionCraft.com or call 800-729-1320.

The Montclaire timber frame home plan receives the “Best 5 Plans” Award in Timber Home Living’s 3rd Annual Floor Plan contest. This award marks PrecisionCraft’s 12th design award in 2 years, making PrecisionCraft and its design firm the leader in log and timber home design.

Created by Mountain Architects, PrecisionCraft’s experienced team of timber frame home designers, the Montclaire floor plan is praised for its creative design in Timber Home Living’s April 2008 issue. Donna Peak – Timber Home Living’s Managing Editor writes:

“How can you not love a plan that takes so many outstanding modern amenities (four fireplaces, anyone?) and packages them with English manor-house style? From the exterior alcove, you enter the impressive foyer, which, with its gently arced staircase and adjacent formal library and dining room, is sure to make a genteel first impression. But move just beyond and a true 21st-century home unfolds before you. The spacious great room leads the way toward a kitchen layout that’s totally in tune with the times, boasting a cooktop island and ample bump-out pantry, not to mention a cozy breakfast nook. The nearby laundry/mudroom is perfectly placed to make unloading groceries from the three-car garage a breeze, plus it offers a family coat closet, leaving the guest closet to, well, the guests. The huge master bedroom and bath, with its private covered patio and hot tub, make this suite sumptuously sweet. Upstairs, a half level gives you the extra room you need without the fuss (or expense) of a full second story. And the L-shaped loft is large enough to be divided into specific zones for reading, shooting pool, whatever activities tickle your fancy. The only thing this plan is missing is you.”

Mountain Architects’ designers focus on the design of mountain style homes – full log homes, timber frame homes, hybrid log & timber homes, and homes constructed using conventional framing with log & timber accents. With a full palette of materials to work with, it is easy for Mountain Architects to design a home that meets each client’s unique aesthetic preference and budget.

PrecisionCraft.com features 70+ floor plans. Exploring this extensive timber & log home floor plan gallery is a great way for clients to generate ideas for their own unique homes. With Mountain Architects architectural expertise and specialization in green building, design options are unlimited. Also, visit PrecisionCraft.com to get more information on designing, manufacturing, and building timber frame homes. Or call 800.729.1320 to speak to a timber frame home consultant.

Created by Mountain Architects, PrecisionCraft’s experienced team of log home designers, the Caribou plan hit the limelight last year when it was recognized by Log Home Design for 2007’s “Best Single-Level Floor Plan.”

Since its feature in Log Home Design, PrecisionCraft’s Caribou log home plan has staked its reign over most log home floor plans. And, the many accolades continue into 2008. The Caribou plan is voted “Best of the Best” in Log Home Living’s 10th Annual Floor Plan contest.

The Caribou, as highlighted in Log Home Living’s April 2008 issue, is favored by the 3rd party judges for its single-level floor plan living, split bedroom layout, integration with the outdoors, and use of a massive three-fireplace structure. Also voted as the Editors’ Pick, the Caribou floor plan was a shoe-in for this awards contest. Katherine Schuster, Log Home Living’s Editorial Assistant writes, “This plan had us at hello – literally. The unconventional angled entry porch adds a unique architectural element to the home from the moment you set foot inside the door. The rest of the home is just as captivating: The communal areas blend together seamlessly, and the transition to outdoor living space is just as effortless, providing an ideal setup for entertaining. A three-fireplace structure that can be enjoyed from the living room, outdoor patio or master bedroom extends the cohesiveness to the bedroom wing. The handcrafted log home is cozy and intimate without being cramped, and therefore will surely have us for many years to come.”

Mountain Architects’ designers, Michael Ray & Tim Schafer, have hit a hot button with the design of the Caribou and have set the bar for the rest of the industry. The level of technical proficiency at Mountain Architects and the 125 years of combined experience in high-end, mountain style architecture have positioned Mountain Architects as the leader in mountain style design across the United States.

The team of designers at Mountain Architects can take any standard floor plan featured at PrecisionCraft.com and redesign it to match your product choice (handcrafted log, milled log, timber frame, or a combination of materials), architectural style, and budget. Your design options are unlimited. Visit PrecisionCraft.com to check out 65+ additional log home floor plans. Also, get more information on designing, manufacturing, and building log homes.

The unique look of the Clearwater timber frame plan integrates stone, glass, timber and siding. The floor plan is open and works well for entertaining, while the master suite is secluded and has private access to the patio area. The second floor bedroom has its own private balcony with an innovative clear railing system.

The Clearwater, as well as all standard floor plans found at PrecisionCraft’s log home floor plan gallery, can be designed to match the look and feel of any client. In addition, the Clearwater can be customized in size and layout. Standard floor plans such as the Clearwater are simply starting points for your own unique vision.

Adding timber frame elements to a log home design is a growing trend today. Visit PrecisionCraft’s Log Home Solution Center to learn more about this hot trend or to view 65+ log home and timber home plans.

The inspiration for the Shenandoah log home floor plan comes from the cozy log cabin ideal of yesteryear. Even though this design is a single level with only 2,136 sq.ft., the plan is open and has an abundance of character. From the handcrafted log columns in the picture window to the extensive use of vaulted ceilings lined with log rafters, this plan is designed to turn heads.

With the Shenandoah log home plan, entertaining guests outside is an effortless adventure. Designed with over 300 sq. ft. of outdoor living space and a rustic stone fireplace, guests will feel right at home.

Every new floor plan, like the Shenandoah, is professionally rendered to help clients envision what the exterior of their homes will look like. Each new design is based on past experiences with clients, Mountain Architects’ own unique log & timber home vision, and the latest trends in the log home industry. The ultimate goal is simply to inspire.

As rendered, the Shenandoah shows how a combination of materials – square milled log, handcrafted log, glass, & stone – can be used together in the design of any home. If a client prefers a rustic handcrafted log home or a full timber frame home, the Shenandoah can be designed with any product in mind. In addition, the Shenandoah can be customized in size and layout. PrecisionCraft’s log home plans are simply starting points for many clients.

As drawn, the estimated turnkey cost of the Shenandoah is $500,000. This estimate reflects average construction costs generated by 3rd party, national data. With customization, the Shenandoah may turnkey at more or less taking into consideration a client’s build location, build site conditions, and design modifications.

Get more details on the Shenandoah Log Home Plan or view PrecisionCraft’s log home floor plan gallery.

See 65+ log home plans at PrecisionCraft’s Floor Plan Gallery.

As the design meeting kicked off, the team found itself working with a list of spaces and dimensions rather than a sketch of the home. From this list of spaces and dimensions, we began to assign relationships and ended up with a bubble diagram to give the client a feel for the general shape of his log home floor plan. Eureka, we were on the right track. Now, we just had to refine these relationships and put a scale to it all. The result is remarkable; a contemporary modern layout which emulates Wright’s genius for this type of design.

This unique log home will be built in Steamboat Springs, CO. A place where Frank Lloyd Wright will meet the Rockies. A log home with horizontal lines and low pitched, hipped roofs is the perfect contrast to the tall peaks of the Rockies.

The envy set in as we all began to imagine sitting in the glass walled space inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, looking out over the terrace to a high mountain meadow and lake with the Rocky Mountains as the backdrop. Yes, we are on the right track; on our way to creating a simply amazing log home design. Every log home design meeting is different. Learn more about Mountain Architects and their exclusive log home designs.

Mountain Architects are the industry’s finest log home architects.

With the natural environment at the heart of the Alderbrook log home plan, enjoying the outdoors just got easier. A screened-in porch complete with a fireplace is perfect for warming up the chilly evenings. The Indian summer days are best enjoyed on the open deck or over breakfast on the dining porch.

This unique design concept initiated out of Log Home Living’s new feature You Dream, We Design. Log Home Living asked Mountain Architects to design a log home plan based on a prospective client’s needs and desires. The results, published online, were astonishing! After hearing many great comments regarding the design’s focus on the outdoors, PrecisionCraft decided to make the design September’s “Log Home Design of the Month.”

Every new floor plan created by the team at PrecisionCraft and Mountain Architects is professionally rendered to help clients think about the look and feel they want in their log home. As rendered, the Alderbrook shows how a combination of materials – log, timber, glass, & stone – can work together to create a one-of-a-kind log home. Clients looking for classic log homes or a full timber frame homes can work with their Mountain Architects designer to customize the Alderbrook to match their own architectural style preference.

As drawn, the estimated turnkey cost of the Alderbrook is $530,000. This estimate reflects PrecisionCraft’s past log home building experiences and average construction costs generated by 3rd party, national data (RS Means Data). Mountain Architects works to refine this turnkey cost estimate, which may be more or less taking into consideration a client’s specific build location, build site conditions, and design modifications. Learn more about this log home turnkey cost estimating service provided to PrecisionCraft’s clients.

As with every design meeting, this one took a unique turn with the discussion of the client’s vision for his Master Bedroom. Looking for a connection to the outdoors, the client began to tell a story…a story that illustrates a theme that we, as log home designers, hear all of the time. It begins with a love for the outdoors and the need to have a home that “takes in” the outdoors.

This client shared his story of a friend that “put his bed on rails.” What in the world did the client mean by this? Well, after some explanation, we discovered that their friend decided to have rails installed – rails that connected his bedroom to the deck outside. With a love for the outdoors, this rail system allowed their friend to simply push his bed outside and sleep under the stars. An interesting way to stay connected with the outdoors, don’t you think?

The “rail system” is an unusual solution and may not appeal to most people. However, it does make you think about the importance of designing a log home that works with the outdoors.

After some brainstorming, an old fashioned sleeping porch off the master suite might just do the trick. It could be a screened-in porch or something more like a Sunroom. A gazebo might also be an idea…maybe a porch of some sort with skylights or an open gable. Once you let your imagination wander, the possibilities begin to come to light. This client will have the log home he has envisioned for so long — a log home that flows effortlessly to the outdoors!

Take a look at some of PrecisionCraft’s standard log home plans and let your own imagination wander.

What is the purpose of showcasing different log home floor plans? 

To inspire you. To get you thinking about your own unique home – whether it be a rustic log home, an artfully crafted timber frame home, or a hybrid home.  Close your eyes for a moment and imagine walking through the door of your getaway mountain retreat. What do you see when you first walk into your home? Rustic log pillars? A view of the mountainside outside the glass wall facing you? How do you plan to use your home – to entertain? Or, is your home a private retreat for you? As you make the journey up your driveway, what does your home look like? How is it positioned on your land? 

One of the best ways to bring your log home vision together is to explore a variety of log home floor plans and to find log home pictures that inspire you.  Then, find an architect experienced at designing log & timber frame homes that is willing to work with you to not only understand your vision but also to brainstorm with you the style, look, feel, layout, and size of your home. 

Each month, our architectural division, Mountain Architects, works to create a new log home design. These designs reflect our past experiences with our clients, our architects own passion for log homes, and the latest trends in the log home industry.  Will one of these new log home floor plans meet your every need and expectation? Probably not. But you will find certain features in each plan that inspire you, that make you rethink your own log home vision. In addition, every new floor plan is professionally rendered to help you think about the look and feel of the exterior of your home.  What does your log home, timber home, or hybrid mountain retreat look like? Is it rustic in appearance – much like the Caribou plan? Or, is your dream home more modern in appearance with an eclectic use of materials – much like the Hickory Falls?

But, don’t stop your search with a collection of log home floor plans. Find images that illustrate what you like and what you don’t like.  Pictures not only help you fine tune your vision but also help you communicate that vision to your architect.

It is important to remember that the log home floor plans showcased here in this blog are simply starting points. A good place to bring together different ideas. So, go ahead, start exploring and find what inspires you the most!  Log homes, timber frame homes, & hybrid log & timber homes…

Imagine a mountain log home retreat that combines what you love most about rustic traditions but with a flare of modern living. With the latest log home design from Mountain Architects & PrecisionCraft Log Homes, you get just that! This month’s unique Craftsman style log home design, the Upland Retreat, is a remarkable handcrafted log home and timber frame hybrid. As a hybrid log & timber design, the Upland Retreat incorporates handcrafted log home elements, stone, glass, metal and timber frame. This impressive combination of materials has created quite the “buzz” among today’s log home enthusiasts.The Upland Retreat log home floor plan also features:

• Seamless corner windows designed to make your view part of your home
• Unique metal roofing on porches
• Blend of handcrafted wall logs and timber frame trusses, posts & roof

At Mountain Architects and PrecisionCraft Log Homes, the creativity of the log home designer and the architectural style preference of the client determine the materials to be used in any log home design. PrecisionCraft’s stated mission is to stay flexible in manufacturing, producing just about any log or timber product their designers can come up. Providing the 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. When it comes to custom log home design, it is critical that the design comes first and the materials then accommodate the design.

Each month, the team at Mountain Architects and PrecisionCraft work to create a log home plan that inspires today’s log home enthusiasts. Recognizing that design is the first and most important step in bringing clients’ visions to life, PrecisionCraft’s monthly log home designs give clients the perfect place to find what elements and styles inspire them the most.

This month’s unique French Country log home design, the Hickory Falls, features a hipped roof design, a custom timber frame truss at the entryway, and an impressive use of different materials. The latest design from the team at PrecisionCraft and Mountain Architects illustrates how a combination of materials – log, timber, stucco, stone, and glass can come together and create a one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

This log home design is also unique in its layout. The Hickory Falls’ floor plan features:

•Beautiful courtyard adjacent to the home’s entryway and living area
•Second floor balcony in the rear of the home
•Impressive studio space above the garage
•Master suite with outdoor fireplace
•Large mud room/laundry room

When designing custom homes – especially log & timber hybrid homes, it is essential to recruit an experienced architect; a designer who has an in-depth understanding of the properties and behaviors of log and timber connections. It is also important to have unlimited, direct access to your designer throughout the entire design process — from idea to the final home.

Each month, the team at Mountain Architects and PrecisionCraft Log Homes work to create a plan that reflects architectural styling elements that are new, unique, or simply inspirational. Recognizing that design is the first and most important step in bringing clients’ visions to life, PrecisionCraft’s monthly designs give clients the perfect place to find what elements and styles best describe their own unique lifestyles and visions.

You will find PrecisionCraft’s exclusive log home and timber frame home designs, like the Hickory Falls, nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Cascades, the Klamath Mountains, the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachians. Although PrecisionCraft is based in Idaho, you will find their log homes throughout the United States - from California to North Carolina, PrecisionCraft’s Total Home Solution™ makes the way.