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Are you building your dream home? If your dream of the future includes a brand new home, you are in a position to make your dream house one that is good to the environment. Here are ten choices that can make your new construction home a lean green machine.
Select a site that is handy to public transportation or otherwise reduces your dependence on automobile travel.If you're like most people, your biggest contribution to pollution and energy use is driving. When you choose a home site that reduces your need to use an automobile, you'll be reducing the amount of carbon based fuel that you use as well as reducing the amount of air pollution that you personally contribute. Many of the newest subdivisions and communities are designed to put everything that you need within walking distance of your front door.
Choose a design that makes use of natural features and lighting to reduce energy use.The design plan of your home can make use of passive solar design to make the most of natural light and shade to reduce the amount of energy you use to heat and cool your home. A southern facing roof, for instance, is ideal for installing solar water heating panels. Shade trees on the east and west sides of your house can keep the entire house cooler without the need for air conditioning.
Pick energy efficient windows and doors.If you're going to splurge somewhere, splurge on the most energy efficient doors and windows you can find. Low-e glass can make it possible to have those gorgeous floor-to-ceiling windows you want in the study without completely destroying your energy profile. Energy efficient doors and windows provide the seal that you need to keep your inside air in and outside air out. They'll cut down on heat transfer between the indoors and out. Break resistant glass in your windows will increase the ability of your dream home to resist hurricane force winds (which, btw, will lower your insurance costs).
Use high efficiency lighting systems.Lighting is about more than light bulbs and fixtures. When you choose your lighting systems, consider using programmable timers to turn lights on and off using a sensor, dimmable lighting controls and task lighting areas that will reduce the amount of overhead light that you need. Outdoors, use motion sensors for landscape lighting rather than lights that stay on all night long. You'll see the overall result in lower utility bills and less light pollution.
Use a properly sized heating/cooling system - and be sure that it's Energy Star compliant.Over and undersized heating and cooling systems waste energy. Choose the right size system for your home.
Use sustainable building materials for floors, countertops, cabinets and other surfaces in your home.Bamboo floors are all the rage in the building trade right now, but bamboo is not the only sustainable, green material out there. You may actually be more green using local wood than importing bamboo from the other side of the world. Consider concrete, which is surprisingly versatile and stylish in the right hands, and is extremely green.
Install plumbing that conserves and reuses water.Choose plumbing fixtures that reduce water use without compromising water pressure. These are some of the least expensive choices you can make - aerators in all of your faucets, low flow shower heads, low water use toilet tanks. A new and increasingly popular option is a plumbing system that harvests rain water and reuses "gray water" - water that has been used for washing up, laundry and dishwashing, for instance. Gray water can be used for any purpose that doesn't require potable water - your washing machine, flush toilets, showers, etc. By reusing water, you cut down on the amount of water going through the municipal wastewater treatment and reduce your need for fresh water.
Choose low maintenance landscaping options.Drought resistant grass and native plants can virtually eliminate your need for an irrigation system because they rely on Mother Nature for their water needs. But there are other options that can make your landscape an active part of your greener strategies. Including a roofed porch or patio adds shade to your property and reduces your energy use by providing an outdoor space to escape the heat. If you choose a pool or spa, look for features like an integral cover to prevent evaporation, timers that turn filters off and on and filtration systems that reduce the need for harmful chemicals like chlorine.
Choose low VOC materials and supplies for floors, finishes, carpets, cabinets and paints.Volatile organic compounds are gasses that are given off constantly by many of the materials and finishes used in building homes. VOCs can cause allergic reactions, respiratory problems, skin irritation and other health problems. They're also damaging to the environment because they contribute to smog. Look for paints, adhesives and other supplies that are labeled low VOC. Opt for light colors when you paint (light colors are usually lower VOC than darker pigments), and avoid carpet and vinyl flooring. Low VOC products are usually comparable price-wise to their conventional counterparts.
Select appliances and mechanical systems that are in the top 20% of their category in the DOE Energy Guide labels.The Department of Energy labels appliances and mechanical systems for your home with an energy rating. Choose appliances that meet or exceed the standards for Energy Star compliance whenever possible. Consider a tankless hot water heater instead of the standard hot water tank heater, and pick Energy Star compliant appliances for your kitchen, laundry and heating/cooling systems.

A great log home (or any custom home for that matter) starts with quality professional design. Hiring a licensed architect is your best bet and will ensure a better design and a successful building project.
Many people fancy themselves to be good designers and undoubtedly, some are. Anyone can call themselves a "residential designer" with or without any education or experience in the field and most jurisdictions will accept plans prepared by non-certified designers. The danger is that a non-licensed designer may have fragmented knowledge about the building process without fully addressing all areas of responsibility.
Only architects licensed through examination have dedicated themselves to years of rigorous study, education and requirements. A licensed architect has a comprehensive knowledge that brings together artistic design with safety, environmental and energy concerns and sound building practices. In addition, licensed architects are required to complete continuing education every year keeping them up to date with the latest design and building practices.
Most licensed architects are members of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The AIA is a professional organization that supports architects. Members adhere to a code of ethics and professional conduct that assures the client, the public, and colleagues of an AIA-member architect's dedication to the highest standards in professional practice. In addition, the AIA has developed a comprehensive set of construction contract documents developed over more than 100 years of building experience. Using AIA prepared contract documents with your general contractor and subcontractors is a path that has proven successful over many years of experience.
Licensed architects are members of a community of professionals. Most stand behind their work and are typically insured to protect themselves and their clients against financial loss during construction. Many states require licensed architects to have insurance against errors and omissions. A non-licensed designer will most likely not have this insurance protection resulting in a financial loss for clients.
A licensed architect may charge anywhere from 5% to 10% of the cost of the home depending upon the services provided. This might be slightly higher than a non-licensed designer but, the higher level of service and protection provided by a licensed architect is well worth the added cost.

The construction industry normally prices new home construction using "dollars per square foot." It is extremely difficult to generalize the cost of constructing a log home on a per square foot basis because of regional differences. This is especially true of labor costs, but that isn't the even the biggest issue. There are huge numbers of variables. For example, is yours going to have a basement? If you do put in a basement, is it going to be furnished? What sort of floor covering will your log home use? Will it be carpeting, tile, solid hardwood, a laminated wood flooring, or maybe slate? Then lets think about the kitchen. Will your it have formica or granite countertops? Will you use chrome or brass fittings? As for the bathroom, what types of fixtures are you going use? Will you have a Jacuzzi? What about showers with the multiple heads? All of these individual choices can have a major impact on the cost of construction for a log, or any other kind of home.
Well, after saying how hard it is generalize the cost of construction, is there anything we can say about the cost of construction a log home? We can comfortably say that the cost of constructing one is competitive with "stick construction." What does that mean? All things being equal -- kitchens, basements, bathrooms, flooring -- one will cost about the same as other construction techniques. You ask, how is this possible? The reason it is possible is the actual logs are a small part of the total cost of building a home. So let's cut through the mumbo-jumbo. What will it cost to build one. Some dealers quote prices from $200 and $400 a square foot. On the other extreme, you will find people that quote prices like $60 a square foot. How can there be such a huge difference?
If you learn nothing else from this article, understand that you MUST compare apples-to-apples. You need to be sure and check carefully what the log home dealer / manufacturer is offering you. If you want a pile of logs and you will do everything else, you can get the logs for maybe $30 a square foot. Having a roof, windows and doors is a good thing so if you want those, you are talking about $55 a square foot, but you still have to construct the log home and add the interior extras like floor covering and kitchen cabinets. Now let's go the next step. If you are talking about a turn-key log home or cabin, the home will probably cost you between $120 and $160 per square foot. If you want high-end extras, then the sky is the limit.
When you talk to a log home manufacturer, do a reality check. Remember that they are in business to make a profit. Everyone wants a good deal but remember, "There is no such thing as a free lunch." If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be sure you are getting "value" for your dollars. Get a detailed list of what the log home manufacturer includes in their package. If one price seems too low to be true, ask more questions. If you can't see how they are cutting corners, consider sharing the information with one of their competitors. See what they have to say about the competition, and listen and make decisions based on what all of your research tells you. Whatever you do, compare and ask questions. You are the one in charge. If they won't give you adequate answers, then you should go elsewhere. There are good dealers out there who are honest and will give you a quality home that will last a lifetime.
That last statement "last a lifetime," brings me to my final point of discussion. They are different than normal construction techniques. One that is well maintained will last for multiple generations. That is not always the case when you consider normal stick-built homes. If you factor in the number of serviceable years that it provides you, you will get a true relative cost of construction. For example, if a house costs $200,000 to build and it wears out in one year, then the true cost of owning the house is $200,000 a year. If it were to last for 20 years, the yearly cost of ownership would be $10,000 a year. If the home lasted you 50 years, the yearly cost of ownership is $4,000 a year and if it lasted hundred years, the cost would be $2,000 a year. The life span is a very long time if you keep a good roof on the house and practice reasonable maintenance. One reason you don't see many log homes in the "want-ads" is many log homes have been passed down from one generation to the next. Your great, great grandchildren may very well still live in your log home. There are many still standing after a 1000 years in Europe.
If you are interested in exploring the cost of building a high quality log home we encourage you to visit us at Alabama Strongwood Log Homes, LLC.

The Homeowner's Challenging JourneyThe new construction homeowner begins the journey excited about the thought of the family moving into a fresh and brand new home. The homeowner dreams about the great meals that will be cooked in the new spacious kitchen; about all the newly acquired space in the big garage; about the sunlight streaming in through that skylight in the laundry room. This new home is going to be the family dream house come true. Then the construction begins and so does the does the decline of the dream. The water meter housing ends up buried in the middle of the driveway; the wrong front door gets installed; the garage becomes a foot and half less in width because the foundation was laid out wrong. After the new homeowner battles a few of the issues it becomes apparent that this is going to be norm throughout the building process. Soon the new construction homeowner realizes that the small issues will have to give way to standing firm on the big issues. So the journey continues until near the end the new homeowner is exhausted with the whole thing and can hardly remember those fantasies of the family dream house.
The Homebuilder's Profit Bottom LineThe new construction homebuilder doesn't intentionally create issues, they happen because of various reasons intrinsic to the new home construction business. It is tough for a homebuilder to survive and make a profit. The cost of subcontractors, the cost of their own workers and the cost of materials are a continuously occurring expenses they try to minimize. Often this struggle can result in poor quality workmanship and materials and the results are often discovered when it is too late. Now add to the mix unpredictable weather and the customer's wants and needs and you have the makings of a journey that will have challenges. Some new construction homebuilders manage and mitigate these challenges better than others and usually know it and charge accordingly. But no matter if it is the well-managed new construction homebuilder or the worst managed, they must balance the customer's satisfaction with their own profit bottom line. At the end of the new home construction building process, the homebuilder is nearly as weary as the homeowner.
The "Finishing Steps"Most often the new construction homeowner nears the end of the home construction building process tired, weary and anxious to move in. Likewise, the new construction homebuilder reaches the end anxious to be done, to finalize the expenses and realize a profit. So you would think that the "Finishing Steps" would be executed with driven intent to be completed correctly. Think again, often this not the case experienced by this inspector (Professional Home Inspector Texas License # 8796). Usually the new homeowner has never been through the new construction building process before and the homebuilder frequently neglects these steps in hot pursuit to get the house completed. So here are the "Finishing Steps" in simple terms.
The Best Licensed Home InspectorsThe "Finishing Steps" as described above rarely occurs in the proper order and Licensed Home Inspectors often arrive at incomplete houses not ready to be inspected. However, some Licensed Home Inspectors will go ahead with the inspection and turn an easy inspection (quick bucks). The best Home Inspectors will always advise the new construction homeowner of the above mentioned "Finishing Steps" and offer to return when the appliance are installed and the gas is turned on. It is one of these Licensed Home Inspectors that you want hire.
The Professional Home Inspector's Tips
New Construction Homeowners, know that the new construction homebuilding process is going to be a Challenging Journey. But battle fearlessly.
New Construction Homeowners, know that new construction homebuilders must balance the customer's satisfaction with their own profit bottom line. But battle fearlessly.
New Construction Homeowners, learn the "Finishing Steps" to the new construction homebuilding process so that your Licensed Home Inspector can do you the best job possible. Battle to make this happen.
New Construction Homeowners, hire the best Licensed Home Inspector available so that that you get the best Home Inspection and know what the homebuilder needs to fix prior to your house closing. Battle to make them fix them all."
Good Luck and stayed tuned for more "Tips from a Professional Home Inspector"

Santa Fe, New Mexico is home to some of the finest examples of Territorial architecture, one of the best known Old West building styles. Like Pueblo Revival architecture, the Territorial style combines many historic building techniques with modern touches, and its prevalence in Santa Fe has helped the city become a hot spot of southwest architecture. For anyone buying or selling property in the Santa Fe area, a general knowledge of this attractive and adaptable building style is a must.
Territorial architecture can generally be described as a mix between Pueblo and Victorian building styles. As the name suggests, it was developed in the Old West's territorial pre-statehood days, when this vast region was populated by European and American settlers who brought with them Victorian two and three store building traditions, but often found pueblo building techniques to be more practical. Territorial homes often feature flat walled and roof construction, but with adaptations like large windows, in contrast to the small light portals, which were traditionally used to block as much heat as possible.
Territorial architecture typically includes more exterior wood than Pueblo buildings, especially near window frames and doors. Old building techniques like central courtyards and stone on stone construction keep these homes cool in the southwest heat, and have been elegantly updated to fit with modern building styles. Many Territorial buildings also include a touch of Art Deco or Art Moderne, forms which nicely complement the simple aesthetics of the traditional southwest. While Territorial buildings often follow tradition closely, most new homes in this style use the latest building materials to emulate the elegance of Old West. Here, smooth stucco is often used in place of thick plaster on exterior walls.
Homes and buildings in the Territorial style can be found throughout the Southwest, but Santa Fe has fostered this building form more than most other cities. The city's 1957 Historical Zoning Ordinance brought Territorial and Pueblo architecture into the 20th century, with its requirement that all new buildings in the city standard to be traditionally styled. There's no better place than Santa Fe, New Mexico to see how this remarkable building style has developed since the pioneer days.

There's no substitute for a strong, steep-angled home frame when building for cold winters and heavy snowfall. That's why Santa Fe, with its desert highland climate, and frequent icy spells in January, is one of the few major southwest cities where high mountain pitched roof style architecture is common. While the form isn't native to Santa Fe, it became very popular during the city's settlement period, and has since become a key part of the local real estate landscape.
While pitched roof architecture was developed early in Santa Fe, it architects in the northeastern U.S. also influenced the style. Early examples of the construction method can be found in New York State's Adirondack Mountains, where many of the nation's prominent families built summer retreats. To last year-round, these homes required a more solid building style than Victorian and Tudor architecture, which defined most other buildings from that era. These families used their financial resources to develop a new architectural style that afforded comfort and style through the long winter months, but was still practical in summer.
The primary elements of early high mountain homes and lodges were un peeled log walls, steep angled pitched roofs, and stone fireplaces, often accompanied by rustic decorative tree trunks and branches used as structural beams throughout the house. The style quickly became popular, and in 1916 was adopted for lodges by the National Park Service, exposing it to people across the nation.
Meanwhile, builders in Santa Fe and northern New Mexico had developed a pitched roof style that incorporated adobe as well as wood frame construction. As with traditional homes, adobe and brick was typically used in the floors of these buildings, while roofs were made with thatched wood.
Modern high mountain homes in Santa Fe replace thatched wood with metal raised-ridge roofing, often in bright colors. Central cooling also makes the high, pointed shape of these homes practical throughout the year, where as settlement-era pitched roof homes were valued mainly for their protection from snow in the winter. Most modern examples of this attractive building style in Santa Fe are seen on homes, rather than commercial and public buildings.

Retailers can custom design any model home. Retailers work with you from start to finish. Custom homes are design with the highest quality and standards. They are U.S.A. Nation-Wide for any home community.The factory-built home you see today is a home-bearing little resemblance to its tin box predecessor. Materials are green earth friendly.
You choose your home and its features. Plus placing a order with the factory. They can coordinating the delivery and installation of your home. Providing warranty service. Ask what warranty coverage the retailer provides on transportation and installation and get it in writing. Arrange for financing and insurance.
Retailers can help you locate personal property for sale. Locating rental communities with space available. Because there is a factory built home for nearly every lifestyle and budget, home retailers encourage you to look at as many homes as possible. Having a model in mind makes it easy to see if a home fits with your needs. As when you are ready to build your own new custom home. Building a new home can take from 90 days.
But most custom homes takes four to six months from start to finish. Factors wil determine how long. The size and complexity of your home. A home that is large or has a complex design will take longer to build. You must choose a design plan for your lot size. Retailers pull all local and county permits for all construction. Plus provide closing and all other paper work needed.

You have done it!. You have decide to take the plunge and build your dream custom home. There are many advantages to building a custom home over buying a home that is already built before you see it. However, there are countless decisions to make and questions to answer before your vision can become a reality. After choosing the location, one of the hardest decision will be whether to build one story or a two story custom home.
This is something that only you can decide. It mostly depends on your needs at the time you make the decision. For instance, a single person will have completely different needs from a family with children.
Items to consider building a one story home - ranch style
Ranch style homes appeal to families with young children. Keeping the younger ones off the stairs is big on the priority list.
A one story home is easier to clean.
In the event of a fire, ranch style homes are easier to escape because there are no second floor windows.
Achieving the right temperature in a one story home is easier than in a two story home.
A ranch home requires more land than a two story home.
For older adults a ranch style home might accommodate better to their needs. Climbing stairs becomes more difficult as we get older.
Ranch homes allow the home builder to vary the ceiling heights, making it more attractive. Items to consider building a two story home
A two story home is build on a smaller foot print
For a custom home builder, two story homes are easier and cheaper to build.
For families with older children, the stairs might become an advantage. They offer greater separation of living areas.
Even the inconvenience of going up or down the stairs can be turned into a positive by exercise enthusiasts. They consider the trek a form of daily exercise.
A vacuum cleaner feels a lot heavier when you have to drag it to different floors.
Achieving the right temperature in second floor can be a challenge. If the thermostat is located in the first floor, the second floor will always be too hot or too cold.
Two story residents feel safer from the threat of a burglar
I am sure there are many much more items to review if you are facing this decision. This list is intended to bring out points of discussion for your selection. Deciding to build a custom home is not for the faint hearted. A Ranch or two Story home? Only you can decide.