Log homes and snowy winter weather go together like hot chocolate and marshmallows. However, building your dream log home in snow country requires solid planning, wise strategies, careful design, a great manufacturer and a qualified builder in order to achieve results that are satisfying long term.
Use these strategies to ensure that you have a strong well-built home to meet the conditions of snow country:
Roof. Plan your roof to meet the snow load requirements for the area you are building in. That includes using the best roofing material for snow (like a standing-seam metal roof) and specific roof pitch needed to facilitate effective snow slide off.
Eaves. To protect the outside walls from the elements and to protect people from injury, plan for eaves or overhangs that are two to four feet wide.
Sunshine orientation. To achieve the most efficient energy use, plan to orient the long side of your log home toward the south.
Driveway. Consider the length and location of the driveway in terms of both ease of access and the cost of snow removal. Remember to plan space for pushing the snow. You may need to consider added parking for visitors.
Insulation. Use plenty of high-quality insulation to meet the required R-value.
Windows. You’ll want high-efficiency thermal windows and insulated cladding.
Power. Don’t leave yourself without power in the winter—install a secondary power source.
Floor plan features. Consider the need for a mudroom for wet winter gear, an insulated garage, a portico for warm and dry entry, insulated outdoor storage space for firewood and fuel, and good-sized pantry for food storage space. Make sure to include energy-efficient heating and cooling systems.
Fireplace. Plan for the type of hearth and fuel permitted by local codes.
Timing to Build Your Dream Log Home
Building in snow country may take from 9 to 22 months, depending on how long it takes to arrange financing, design the home, secure land, choose a manufacturer and select a builder.
Choose a Superior Log Home Manufacturer
Contact Gastineau Log Homes, based in Kingdom City, MO for your dream log home. All our homes include a complete structural package, design services, blueprints, and materials list as well as our exclusive Quality Assurance Visit.
