Cairn Subscription Box Review

I have fond childhood memories of rolling up to an accessories store at the mall, handing over a hard-won dollar bill, and receiving a small paper bag in return – the infamous “grab bag,” filled with who-knows-what, the most clearancy of clearance items, anyone’s guess. It barely mattered what plastic tchotchkes lay inside – I loved the element of…

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Designing Your Perfect Custom Home

One of the most exciting parts about building a custom home is the design process. It’s the part where you get to dream and be creative about what you would like to see in your home. Designing your home is one of the first steps in the process. If you already have a design, perfect! If you don’t, our award-winning designers will walk you through some of the steps.

Discovery and Inspiration Phase

The first step is to have our designer sit down with you and learn a bit more about your lifestyle, tastes, likes, dislikes and any special features that you may want to have in your home. You are a critical part of this stage as this is where we begin to map out what you have been envisioning. For this meeting feel free to bring other designs, layouts ideas or sketches that you have and would like to incorporate. It’s also a good time to help identify the elements that you don’t want in the home so we can truly design the perfect custom home.

Creative and Development Phase

Next, after we have a sense of what you would like, and consider your budget and any land constraints, we can start to bring the ideas into reality. A complete floor plan will be designed along with a 3D rendering to help you visualize the space. For us this is an exciting time as clients can finally see what they have been thinking and planning for years.

Refining Phase

After the initial creative and 3D renderings are presented, we encourage you to spend some time looking it over and thinking about each of the rooms and their elements and how everything will flow. Together we will revise and adjust the layout and design to make the space exactly what you want. This phase can consist of numerous emails, calls and meetings to help ensure everything is perfectly designed.

Budget Verification Phase

Next, once we have the final design approved by you, the designer will contact the builder and confirm all the specs and details for a final budget. This is where we can also talk about what additional support you might need with your package including general contractors, other trades, transportation and shipping.

Construction Begins

Once everything has been signed off we can begin to select the timber and begin construction. Sometimes during this phase there are some last minute changes. If you realize that you need some extra space, a wall moved, or you want some additional feature timber, we will work closely with you and the designers to adjust and adapt the design as we build.

Once we have the design completed in the log yard we will disassemble your home, ship it to your location, and build it on site.

The overall timeframe for this process can take as little as 6 months and up to a year or two depending on a number of factors. No matter the project and how long it takes, know that we are here to help you every step of the way and answer any questions that you have.

If you would like to learn more about how to get started building your log home, visit our Log Homes 101 section or check out our plans and galleries pages for some additional inspiration.

As always, feel free to contact us with any questions you have or for a quote. We would be happy to help!

 

 

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Changes Coming to the East Fork

It’s no secret that the East Fork of the San Gabriel River is both one of the most popular areas in the San Gabriel Mountains as well as one most in need of some TLC. The perennially overused and under-maintained region along East Fork Road and the Oaks Picnic Area are frequently cited by critics…

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Creating Outdoor Living Spaces

We have worked with a few clients over the years that needed to have a larger living space but didn’t have the land or the budget to build a 5,000 square foot custom log home. We recommended that they consider building a home to the maximum size that they could and then adding outdoor living areas to create additional living space.

Even if you don’t live in a warmer climate like California, your outdoor living areas can be designed to complement the weather with fireplaces, overhangs and heaters.

Outdoor Kitchen and BBQ Area

Creating a large cooking area outside can free up a lot of space in your home. We have built some beautiful outdoor cooking areas perfect for barbecuing or everyday cooking.

Outdoor Living Areas

A simple and cost-effective way to gain more space is to build large decks and overhang areas. Include a double-sided fireplace and you can make any deck livable anytime of the year.

Living Roofs

One of the recent projects we completed included the installation of two living roofs. This not only added living space but also helped with insulation and water runoff from the home. There are some design elements that need to be taken into consideration when building a living roof. Water pooling can eventually cause rot and water damage, but done right a living roof can be a great way to increase livable space.

Gazebo

Depending on your land restrictions and your lifestyle, building outdoor livable space directly onto your home may not be feasible. Consider creating a gazebo or other outdoor living structure further away from your residence. This is perfect if you have waterfront property and want a space closer to the water.

Regardless of your budget or lot size, we can help you to design a space that fits with your lifestyle. Visit our gallery and plans section to get some additional inspiration and ideas.

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Help Save Murphy Ranch from Demolition

According to the site LAHikes, the Murphy Ranch site in Rustic Canyon is due to be partially demolished by mid-February. The story was picked up by LAist and CurbedLA, who heard from a representative of Councilman Mike Bonin that only some of the buildings were to be demolished, while others were to be sealed with…

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Outdoor Retailer Winter 2016 Highlights: Part 2

Earlier this week, Shawnté gave her initial impressions from Modern Hiker’s very first trip to the Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City. Here are some of my favorite picks from the Outdoor Retailer Winter 2016. Best Way to Stay Dry During El Niño: Columbia Sportswear OutDry Extreme Hiking in the rain can be fun,…

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Outdoor Retailer Winter 2016 Highlights: Part 1

Most industries boast a signature trade show and the massive outdoor industry is no exception – our crowning glory is the biannual Outdoor Retailer extravaganza. This mecca for the adventure-inclined boasts over 1,000 exhibitors, countless educational panels, and a bevy of beer-soaked happy hour events to keep the stoke high. Retailer buyers, outdoor journalists, and athletes attend to discover new trends,…

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