The prevalence of Radon Gas in the soils in areas around the United States is an issue of growing concern. Radon has been deemed the number 1 cause of lung cancer in non-smokers in a study done at the University of Iowa.
If your planned home is in an area of higher risk, you should plan early on to install a Radon Mitigation System. In many areas now, a test is required with each real-estate transaction regarding residential properties and this will probably expand to include most of the higher risk areas. In any event, your health is well worth the small investment to install such a system.
Installing the basics of the system in a Basement or Slab-On-Grade Foundation consists of inserting a perforated pipe below the slab in crushed rock and stubbing up a connector into the basement. Venting this pipe to the exterior (away from any windows in your house or your neighbors, preferably up through the roof), constitutes what is known as a Passive Radon Mitigation System. If , after create home plans is complete, a test determines that levels are still too high, you may have to convert to an Active Radon Mitigation System by installing a fan than runs continuously which creates low pressure under the slab and increases the rate of gas evacuation. So you will want to have the slab penetration in an area that is readily accessible and has electric available to power the fan.
Radon gas is found in varying levels in almost all regions of the country. Visit the EPA's Radon Map Zone at the following link.
Radon Map Zone Areas in Pink pose the highest risk followed by Orange and Yellow. Click here to check the specific risk level in your home plans county.
Many times the fan is located in the attic, particularly if your foundation is slab-on-grade or crawl space. Also remember that you will want to make sure that the vent through the roof does not allow water to fall down the pipe to the slab below, this would not be a good thing for several reasons.
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
Monday, June 27, 2016
Wide Plank Hardwood Floors
Old houses usually have wide plank hardwood floors. It was the practice during the colonial times to cut through the tree to the center. The boards produced varied in width as they moved closer to the core.
The bark was removed from around the edges. The boards were then smoothened and straightened. The end results were floors featuring boards in different sizes.
Hardwoods for Floors
Different kinds woods are suitable as material for floors. The most common, although most expensive, are oak, chestnut, and maple. There are also other exotic kinds of wood from different parts of the world. But before you order, make sure that they come from sustainable forests.
Hand scraping, a process that gives new floors an antique look is popular among manufacturers who customize hardwoods. People just love the rustic charm that comes with floors that display a bit of history; of it being part of some exciting and interesting past. Wood gives that added elegance to any room.
A ballroom for example will look good with a floor made from wide planks of hardwood. Or a lobby will look all the more imposing and grand with richly textured and colored wide wooden planks.
The Wider The Better
Depending on the size and importance of the room, the width of the hardwood planks varies. Some people, however, believe that the wider the planks, the more elegant the hardwood floor looks.
Nowadays, production of hardwood floorboards undergoes strict quality control. They come in prefabricated sizes and specifications. This new breed of flooring is oftentimes engineered to allow easy installation. And these materials are easy to care for and maintain.
Wider planks create a look of elegance and style. The patterns on the wood are more visible. The whole floor looks decadent and rich with texture.
You may encounter a bit of a problem with wider planks. When they become damaged beyond restoration, you many have to replace the whole thing. This can be very expensive. Or when the planks expand due to moisture, you may have to do some major renovations. Despite all these consideration, wider planks evoke their own level of elegance and class.
The bark was removed from around the edges. The boards were then smoothened and straightened. The end results were floors featuring boards in different sizes.
Hardwoods for Floors
Different kinds woods are suitable as material for floors. The most common, although most expensive, are oak, chestnut, and maple. There are also other exotic kinds of wood from different parts of the world. But before you order, make sure that they come from sustainable forests.
Hand scraping, a process that gives new floors an antique look is popular among manufacturers who customize hardwoods. People just love the rustic charm that comes with floors that display a bit of history; of it being part of some exciting and interesting past. Wood gives that added elegance to any room.
A ballroom for example will look good with a floor made from wide planks of hardwood. Or a lobby will look all the more imposing and grand with richly textured and colored wide wooden planks.
The Wider The Better
Depending on the size and importance of the room, the width of the hardwood planks varies. Some people, however, believe that the wider the planks, the more elegant the hardwood floor looks.
Nowadays, production of hardwood floorboards undergoes strict quality control. They come in prefabricated sizes and specifications. This new breed of flooring is oftentimes engineered to allow easy installation. And these materials are easy to care for and maintain.
Wider planks create a look of elegance and style. The patterns on the wood are more visible. The whole floor looks decadent and rich with texture.
You may encounter a bit of a problem with wider planks. When they become damaged beyond restoration, you many have to replace the whole thing. This can be very expensive. Or when the planks expand due to moisture, you may have to do some major renovations. Despite all these consideration, wider planks evoke their own level of elegance and class.
Sunday, June 26, 2016
Develop A Great Floor Plan For A Log Home
Everybody dreams of their own house at some point of time in their lives. Everyone has their ideal home more or less mapped out in their mind so when the time comes they just put it all down on paper. For log homes a floor plan is essential and your first decision has to be for the basic structure. Cabin style, Ranch style, Cape Cod, Traditional or a Chalet style is the variety available for you to choose from. Once this is decided then you are ready to go to the next level of making a floor plan.
You are already living in a house and there may have been many times when you wished that the layout was somewhat different or that the counter top was placed elsewhere and so on and so forth. Put all these thoughts down on paper and make sure you incorporate them in the new floor plan. Your new home is probably going to be a place where you will be living for many years. It has to be as close to perfect as you can get.
Keep in mind that all of what you plan may not come through either because of budget constraints or building laws. Invest in a low cost computer which has floor plan software and you will find your work has been made a lot easier. Besides a computer will be able to give you a bird's eye view of what you have designed and how practical or impractical it is.
Once you have the basics in place then think about what kind of rooms you want, what kind of lifestyle you will probably have and who are the people staying with you. For example if you have any elderly person staying then it makes no sense to have bedrooms on the first floor or some place where steps are involved. There is a difference between pre-designed plans and the various suppliers involved so you need to check out all that is available to fit your needs.
Now decide on how big the home is going to be. If you are planning a first floor or even half a story up then your rooms have to be arranged keeping in mind the access to the different rooms. If you plan a basement, again your floors must relate to each other vertically. All plumbing and drainage should be kept to one side of the house.
Plans that are available off the shelf allow you to move the interior walls to get the rooms to your required size. Use your existing room as a guide so you don't end up with too large or too small a room. The number of rooms would of course depend on the number of people living in the house. Think storage space and work out exactly how much you will need as this is something that is frequently found lacking.
If you are planning a loft then work it out in such a way that you get office space, guest room and living room rolled into one which will greatly enhance the living space in your home. Then if you are considering a porch or a deck, ensure that it is properly integrated into the plan along with the house and you have additional space which adds to the value and the enjoyment of living.
Ideally you should surf the Internet for ideas and plans, put all your thoughts together and get a builder to see if it can all be fitted to create your perfect floor plan. This way your builder deals with the technical aspects of home building and you get your dream home as per your requirement. Could there be a better solution for the perfect floor plan for your perfect dream house? Maybe! Then again, maybe not!
You are already living in a house and there may have been many times when you wished that the layout was somewhat different or that the counter top was placed elsewhere and so on and so forth. Put all these thoughts down on paper and make sure you incorporate them in the new floor plan. Your new home is probably going to be a place where you will be living for many years. It has to be as close to perfect as you can get.
Keep in mind that all of what you plan may not come through either because of budget constraints or building laws. Invest in a low cost computer which has floor plan software and you will find your work has been made a lot easier. Besides a computer will be able to give you a bird's eye view of what you have designed and how practical or impractical it is.
Once you have the basics in place then think about what kind of rooms you want, what kind of lifestyle you will probably have and who are the people staying with you. For example if you have any elderly person staying then it makes no sense to have bedrooms on the first floor or some place where steps are involved. There is a difference between pre-designed plans and the various suppliers involved so you need to check out all that is available to fit your needs.
Now decide on how big the home is going to be. If you are planning a first floor or even half a story up then your rooms have to be arranged keeping in mind the access to the different rooms. If you plan a basement, again your floors must relate to each other vertically. All plumbing and drainage should be kept to one side of the house.
Plans that are available off the shelf allow you to move the interior walls to get the rooms to your required size. Use your existing room as a guide so you don't end up with too large or too small a room. The number of rooms would of course depend on the number of people living in the house. Think storage space and work out exactly how much you will need as this is something that is frequently found lacking.
If you are planning a loft then work it out in such a way that you get office space, guest room and living room rolled into one which will greatly enhance the living space in your home. Then if you are considering a porch or a deck, ensure that it is properly integrated into the plan along with the house and you have additional space which adds to the value and the enjoyment of living.
Ideally you should surf the Internet for ideas and plans, put all your thoughts together and get a builder to see if it can all be fitted to create your perfect floor plan. This way your builder deals with the technical aspects of home building and you get your dream home as per your requirement. Could there be a better solution for the perfect floor plan for your perfect dream house? Maybe! Then again, maybe not!
Saturday, June 25, 2016
Building or Decorating Your Home Requires House Plans
There are some things to consider when creating plans for your home. There are two situations that call for plans or blue prints, either you are building a new home or decorating your present home. The types of plans required for either situation will vary depending on the extent of
your project.
When building a new home, there are several things you will want to consider carefully. The most obvious is where you are going to build your house. The climate will affect where you build. You wouldn't build an icehouse in the middle of the desert. You will want to determine what material you will want to use. Brick, wood, and cement are popular. In the southern states clay adobe houses are the norm. In the north and other areas brick, wood, and stone are options. The climate will influence this choice as well. In areas where there is cold weather brick and cement are used because they absorb and retain heat. In the south wood frame houses are built. The size of your lot will determine the size and type of house you want. You couldn't build a mansion on say a quarter of an acre. On the other hand a one bedroom, single floor home would look strange on a lot that is two acres or bigger. Whether your home has a basement could be important and that would depend on where you live.
If you are lucky to have a basement, it can house the laundry room and your gym equipment or be a playroom/guest room.
Now that you know where and what type of climate you will be building in it is time to think about the plans. Blueprints are or have been used to draw a linear picture of the house as you see it. Now however there are computer programs that will allow you to build your house in 3-D. There are also web sites online that will also allow you to build your house and see it in 3-D. Not only that but some sites will allow you to place your furniture. There are several kinds of technical drawings that are used to create plans for a new home. There are site plans that address coding issues, landscaping, location specifics, drainage (land contours), trees, set backs, and property lines. A floor plan is a design plan of the house, the layout of the rooms, and where the windows and doors. Another type of plan is building sections, which is a cross section of the house. It helps determine any issues, visualize your finished house and floor plans using section marks. Wall sections show the construction of one exterior wall where sections are indicated with section marks. Exterior Elevations include such features as porches and decks. They also show furniture, window and door locations, eave heights and roofing. Interior elevations show the lighting layout and ceiling conditions. Porches are another very interesting option; they can be enclosed, go all the way around the house. They can also be half-enclosed and half-open. They can be reminders of times past. A huge porch reminds me of my aunt's farm years ago. Porches are great for extending family time and conversation while still being protected from the weather.
Decisions to be made are the size of each room, the number of rooms and the number of floors to be built. Will there be a basement or a fireplace, and where is the house going to sit on the lot. You could have a front yard or the house could be in the front of the lot with a yard in the back. You could also put it right in the center and have land all around.
The next consideration is whether you will have a contractor draw up the plans which will be an expense, or you can do them yourself. To do them yourself you will need a pencil or pen, scissors, a measuring tape, and graph paper with 1/4-inch boxes.
You will draw rooms to scale; one box per foot is good. Measure your rooms, doors, windows, heat and air cooling appliances. Draw the outlines of the rooms according to scale.
Measure your furniture (you only need to worry about length and width here) next and take another piece of graph paper. Draw out lines of your furniture, label them and cut them out. Use these pieces to set up the rooms. When you find an arrangement you like, you can make a more permanent drawing. On another sheet of graph paper draw a box for each wall. Scale your windows, doors, built-ins and other features.
Picking a floor plan is a process of answering some very important questions. Will this place be big enough or too big in a few years? Does your design fit in with the houses in the neighborhood? Does the design of the house fit in with the lot size and shape? Will the windows provide the best view and what windows will catch the sunlight in the morning and afternoon? Will changes need to be made or can changes even be considered? Are the rooms that will be used most of the time of adequate size? Expanding your house size could mean you need to sacrifice amenities or storage space. Do you have specialty rooms such as a craft room, an office, or a gym? An office can double as a guestroom. The trend now is toward creating a family area where there is room for each to do his/her own hobby or to be together watching movies or playing games. When all the decisions are made and the plans are all drawn you will be ready to build.
Suppose now, that you are purchasing an already built home or renting an apartment. Plans can be done in these situations as well. Most places will offer a floor plan for you to look at with the measurements of the space in the rooms. If this is not available you can draw your own plan.
You would need the same materials and the plan is fixed, you are limited to what is already there. Draw the outlines of each room according to scale. Take another sheet of graph paper and draw the outlines of your furniture. Label them and cut them out. You can move these pieces around till you find an arrangement you like. You might be limited with your television set because the outside antenna is in a certain spot.
Take another piece of graph paper and draw the wall sections of each room noting the windows, doors, and any heating or cooling appliance might be situated. You will have already 'placed' your furniture so you will have a good idea of what your new home will look like. You can now decorate according to your tastes. In a rental home however, you might not be able to change wall colors or in rare cases hang pictures.
Planning for your home can be very exciting. You could be buying new furniture but you might want to consider the color of the carpets or the floors when you are choosing your pieces. A blue couch on a brown carpet does not exactly match. When planning for your home whether you buy or rent should be done carefully. Keep in mind your preferences, your limitations and if you are building, local zoning ordinances.
your project.
When building a new home, there are several things you will want to consider carefully. The most obvious is where you are going to build your house. The climate will affect where you build. You wouldn't build an icehouse in the middle of the desert. You will want to determine what material you will want to use. Brick, wood, and cement are popular. In the southern states clay adobe houses are the norm. In the north and other areas brick, wood, and stone are options. The climate will influence this choice as well. In areas where there is cold weather brick and cement are used because they absorb and retain heat. In the south wood frame houses are built. The size of your lot will determine the size and type of house you want. You couldn't build a mansion on say a quarter of an acre. On the other hand a one bedroom, single floor home would look strange on a lot that is two acres or bigger. Whether your home has a basement could be important and that would depend on where you live.
If you are lucky to have a basement, it can house the laundry room and your gym equipment or be a playroom/guest room.
Now that you know where and what type of climate you will be building in it is time to think about the plans. Blueprints are or have been used to draw a linear picture of the house as you see it. Now however there are computer programs that will allow you to build your house in 3-D. There are also web sites online that will also allow you to build your house and see it in 3-D. Not only that but some sites will allow you to place your furniture. There are several kinds of technical drawings that are used to create plans for a new home. There are site plans that address coding issues, landscaping, location specifics, drainage (land contours), trees, set backs, and property lines. A floor plan is a design plan of the house, the layout of the rooms, and where the windows and doors. Another type of plan is building sections, which is a cross section of the house. It helps determine any issues, visualize your finished house and floor plans using section marks. Wall sections show the construction of one exterior wall where sections are indicated with section marks. Exterior Elevations include such features as porches and decks. They also show furniture, window and door locations, eave heights and roofing. Interior elevations show the lighting layout and ceiling conditions. Porches are another very interesting option; they can be enclosed, go all the way around the house. They can also be half-enclosed and half-open. They can be reminders of times past. A huge porch reminds me of my aunt's farm years ago. Porches are great for extending family time and conversation while still being protected from the weather.
Decisions to be made are the size of each room, the number of rooms and the number of floors to be built. Will there be a basement or a fireplace, and where is the house going to sit on the lot. You could have a front yard or the house could be in the front of the lot with a yard in the back. You could also put it right in the center and have land all around.
The next consideration is whether you will have a contractor draw up the plans which will be an expense, or you can do them yourself. To do them yourself you will need a pencil or pen, scissors, a measuring tape, and graph paper with 1/4-inch boxes.
You will draw rooms to scale; one box per foot is good. Measure your rooms, doors, windows, heat and air cooling appliances. Draw the outlines of the rooms according to scale.
Measure your furniture (you only need to worry about length and width here) next and take another piece of graph paper. Draw out lines of your furniture, label them and cut them out. Use these pieces to set up the rooms. When you find an arrangement you like, you can make a more permanent drawing. On another sheet of graph paper draw a box for each wall. Scale your windows, doors, built-ins and other features.
Picking a floor plan is a process of answering some very important questions. Will this place be big enough or too big in a few years? Does your design fit in with the houses in the neighborhood? Does the design of the house fit in with the lot size and shape? Will the windows provide the best view and what windows will catch the sunlight in the morning and afternoon? Will changes need to be made or can changes even be considered? Are the rooms that will be used most of the time of adequate size? Expanding your house size could mean you need to sacrifice amenities or storage space. Do you have specialty rooms such as a craft room, an office, or a gym? An office can double as a guestroom. The trend now is toward creating a family area where there is room for each to do his/her own hobby or to be together watching movies or playing games. When all the decisions are made and the plans are all drawn you will be ready to build.
Suppose now, that you are purchasing an already built home or renting an apartment. Plans can be done in these situations as well. Most places will offer a floor plan for you to look at with the measurements of the space in the rooms. If this is not available you can draw your own plan.
You would need the same materials and the plan is fixed, you are limited to what is already there. Draw the outlines of each room according to scale. Take another sheet of graph paper and draw the outlines of your furniture. Label them and cut them out. You can move these pieces around till you find an arrangement you like. You might be limited with your television set because the outside antenna is in a certain spot.
Take another piece of graph paper and draw the wall sections of each room noting the windows, doors, and any heating or cooling appliance might be situated. You will have already 'placed' your furniture so you will have a good idea of what your new home will look like. You can now decorate according to your tastes. In a rental home however, you might not be able to change wall colors or in rare cases hang pictures.
Planning for your home can be very exciting. You could be buying new furniture but you might want to consider the color of the carpets or the floors when you are choosing your pieces. A blue couch on a brown carpet does not exactly match. When planning for your home whether you buy or rent should be done carefully. Keep in mind your preferences, your limitations and if you are building, local zoning ordinances.
Friday, June 24, 2016
Tips and Suggestions To Help You Plan and Build Your Own Log Home
Log Cabin Homes: They have come a long way. Here are some tips and suggestions to help you plan and build your own. Plus be sure to consider the floor plans and not overlook anything.
Typically, log cabin homes are small structures that have little or no wasted space and are built from all natural materials. However, new trends have surfaced, making log cabin homes appear as luxurious, rustic, and cozy houses. At the same time, many of these luxury log cabin homes still use all natural materials, but there are new building techniques and systems used for drying the logs effectively at proper rates.
Log cabin homes are useful for you as a main house or as a vacation home. In fact, any design and style can be created with log cabin homes. No matter what design you decide upon, log cabin homes will surround you in nature always have a comfortable yet rough feel.
Maintenance problems from log homes are often unavoidable. However, new knowledge and technology can help prevent many of the problems from happening. Many of the new techniques can also stop some maintenance problems from happening, and if they do occur, they will not be as extreme.
Well built log cabin homes will have regular maintenance needs to ensure that it will last a long time. However, no major problems should arise for several years. If you DO have a log cabin home built unprofessionally, it suggests that proper building techniques may not be used and problems with logs cracking or seeping sap may occur. These things can be fixed, but it is far better to do your research early on and have a log cabin home built by a credible manufacturer.
If you are considering building a log cabin, make sure to follow instructions carefully..
Several online resources have guidelines on how to build a log cabin, mostly for small cabin layouts. If you are interested in learning how to build a log cabin, search these sites to get a general knowledge of basic cabin building. You need to first research and learn about the essential materials and preparations. If you are a beginner, start small and learn through trial and error.
The tips on how to build a log cabin suggest that you find a location first, then begin creating a design and decide on the size. Once this is accomplished, find out the length and width at the site and clear the area. The rules for laying a foundation differ depending on the type, and you may not want or need a foundation for a small cabin.
Start stacking logs by laying two logs lengthwise and parallel to each other, with the desired width between them. Cut notches in two other logs, one foot away from the ends. The notches should fit around and lay perpendicular to the two base logs. Continue stacking the logs this way, alternating the notches. Once the door height is reached, cut out the doors and windows.
Choosing from various Log Cabin Floor Plans
While log cabin floor plans are traditionally small, cosy, homely, and economical homes, new trends have been developed in the last twenty years. It is now often found that the small log cabin floor plans built are mostly used for vacation houses or hunting and fishing lodges. Log cabin floor plans always broadcast a comfortable, relaxing, and rustic aura.
Modern trends have combined these characteristics with elegance in the large, luxurious log cabin floor plans built.
When you choose to build with materials used on traditional houses, such as ranch style or cape cod homes, you are sometimes limited to the designs you can create. With log cabin floor plans you have an endless selection of styles and designs to build. Manufacturers that sell log cabin building materials suggest to find a builder who is knowledgeable about log homes. This way you are sure to get a log cabin floor plan built properly and sturdy. Be sure to only use logs that have been dried correctly in order to avoid later maintenance problems.
Typically, log cabin homes are small structures that have little or no wasted space and are built from all natural materials. However, new trends have surfaced, making log cabin homes appear as luxurious, rustic, and cozy houses. At the same time, many of these luxury log cabin homes still use all natural materials, but there are new building techniques and systems used for drying the logs effectively at proper rates.
Log cabin homes are useful for you as a main house or as a vacation home. In fact, any design and style can be created with log cabin homes. No matter what design you decide upon, log cabin homes will surround you in nature always have a comfortable yet rough feel.
Maintenance problems from log homes are often unavoidable. However, new knowledge and technology can help prevent many of the problems from happening. Many of the new techniques can also stop some maintenance problems from happening, and if they do occur, they will not be as extreme.
Well built log cabin homes will have regular maintenance needs to ensure that it will last a long time. However, no major problems should arise for several years. If you DO have a log cabin home built unprofessionally, it suggests that proper building techniques may not be used and problems with logs cracking or seeping sap may occur. These things can be fixed, but it is far better to do your research early on and have a log cabin home built by a credible manufacturer.
If you are considering building a log cabin, make sure to follow instructions carefully..
Several online resources have guidelines on how to build a log cabin, mostly for small cabin layouts. If you are interested in learning how to build a log cabin, search these sites to get a general knowledge of basic cabin building. You need to first research and learn about the essential materials and preparations. If you are a beginner, start small and learn through trial and error.
The tips on how to build a log cabin suggest that you find a location first, then begin creating a design and decide on the size. Once this is accomplished, find out the length and width at the site and clear the area. The rules for laying a foundation differ depending on the type, and you may not want or need a foundation for a small cabin.
Start stacking logs by laying two logs lengthwise and parallel to each other, with the desired width between them. Cut notches in two other logs, one foot away from the ends. The notches should fit around and lay perpendicular to the two base logs. Continue stacking the logs this way, alternating the notches. Once the door height is reached, cut out the doors and windows.
Choosing from various Log Cabin Floor Plans
While log cabin floor plans are traditionally small, cosy, homely, and economical homes, new trends have been developed in the last twenty years. It is now often found that the small log cabin floor plans built are mostly used for vacation houses or hunting and fishing lodges. Log cabin floor plans always broadcast a comfortable, relaxing, and rustic aura.
Modern trends have combined these characteristics with elegance in the large, luxurious log cabin floor plans built.
When you choose to build with materials used on traditional houses, such as ranch style or cape cod homes, you are sometimes limited to the designs you can create. With log cabin floor plans you have an endless selection of styles and designs to build. Manufacturers that sell log cabin building materials suggest to find a builder who is knowledgeable about log homes. This way you are sure to get a log cabin floor plan built properly and sturdy. Be sure to only use logs that have been dried correctly in order to avoid later maintenance problems.
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