A U.S. Log & Timber home is a versatile structure -- a place where contemporary decor looks as much "at home" as colonial furniture. On a rustic, wooded lot, a U.S. Log & Timber home is a “green statement.” A U.S. Log & Timber home would make a welcome addition to any city or suburban neighborhood, too, blending in well with all styles of residences.

Design wise, U.S. Log & Timber homes are the very picture of adaptability. You'll find models that incorporate many desirable features such as cathedral ceilings, balconies, lofts, dormers, porches and fireplaces. And whether you like single-level living or prefer a two-story structure, U.S. Log & Timber has models to suit your style from capes to chalets to ranches to gambrels. Many have full basements, providing for more-than-adequate storage space. Most are also available with family rooms, separate or attached garages, and some with breezeways.

Floor plans can be changed around to suit your needs—walls can be eliminated to create a more spacious effect, rooms reversed in position, extensions added, etc.  The design of our log homes is such that you can finish the interior as your family grows, completing it as your needs mandate—and your budget allows. Inside and out, U.S. Log & Timber has designs on homes that are nothing short of beautiful.

1. Find Your Dream Piece of Land

• Find land that matches both your preferences and your budget.

• Do you want a log home site that has good views, is nestled in the woods or situated near water like a lake, river or creek?

• Make certain your property has either municipal water/sewage or can pass a septic “perk” test and has an accessible well.

• Find an access road needed to the future build site.

• Walk the land and try to find a good area with Southern exposure, if possible. If not find a spot that has the views you like. 

• Check any possible building sites for signs of flooding (low spots), rock falls or landslides, etc.

• While access to power is optional during construction, you should check with the power company about the cost of setting up connection for the future.

2. Choose a Floor Plan That Suits Your Land Choice

• Use a small footprint design for smaller or very steep lots

• Floor plans with walkout basements are great for sloping lots

• Floor plans with flat foundations are good for lots with no space for basements

3. Research & Select the Right Log Home Manufacturer

• Choose a log shape that you like – talk to our team for more details

• Select the kind of wood species you want – the most popular trees used in handcrafted log homes are the Lodge-Pole Pine, Engelmann Spruce, Douglass Fir and the Western Red Cedar.

• Why to choose U.S. Log & Timber: 

  • We love using the logs from areas with high mountain altitude and arid climates which create the best forests for logs.
    

  • These climates make logs with tighter growth rings which results in trees that have better insulation to keep in more heat and keep out more cold.
    

  • The logs we use come from “standing dead wood” trees.

    • Standing dead trees are trees that have died but have not yet fallen to the ground.
      

  • This dead wood timber should not be confused with snags – which are trees that have fallen to the ground and aren’t any good for building.

  • Standing dead trees dry slowly and naturally from the outside in. The resulting logs don’t experience the same twisting, cracking and settling problems that some kiln dried log products have.
    

  • We supply logs that are debarked manually and handcrafted individually for each and every project.

4. Be Aware of the Advantages of Flexible Log Home Construction

• Remote locations – unlike many types of framed houses, log homes can be built in the most remote or secluded of locations. If you can drive to the location in a 4x4 truck, you can find a contractor who can build on your site – no matter where it is located.

• Off-the-Grid Construction – You don’t have to have access to traditional electric power in order to have a log home. You just need access to a functioning well along with a septic system or dry composting toilet, and you’re set.

• Place Your Log Home Wherever You Want – from rugged mountain tops, hidden valleys or beside a nearby lake or stream or just outside a large urban area – find a General Contractor who is willing to build it where you want.