Can You Afford to Build a Log Home?

We’ve noticed that over the last few months a number of people have commented on some of our log home designs saying “we wish we could afford this”. After speaking with them they realized that building a log home may not be as expensive as they at first thought. Just like anything else you spend money on, you can go all out and build a multi-million dollar home; but you can also build a log or Timber Frame home for a similar cost of a conventional home.

Over the past couple of years the “Westcoast” and Timber Frame style of home has become more and more popular, creating a hybrid between modern home designs and traditional log homes.

We previously wrote a detailed article breaking down how much log homes cost which you can read here. To give you a quick overview here are the main considerations that will determine the cost of your home:

Style of Log Home

Generally there are 3 main styles of log homes: Full Scribe, Timber Frame and Post and Beam.

• Full Scribe log homes are the traditional style where logs are stacked together horizontally to form the walls.
• Post and Beam uses the full log as a structural support providing a natural log surface inside and outside the home. Fewer logs are used compared to a Full Scribe making these homes a great cost-effective alternative to Full Scribe log homes.
• Timber Frame homes are very similar to Post and Beam where the main horizontal structure is held up by many timber posts. The main difference is that the timbers are cut into a square profile where Post and Beam is a round profile.

There are a few limitations when it comes to the above styles. You can read the full advantages and disadvantages of each in our comparison article.

Selecting Your Timber

The type of timber and the diameter of your wood can play a huge factor in the cost of your project as well. Western Red Cedar is the most sought after type of timber because it is the most decay- and insect-resistant type of wood. Western Red Cedar is mainly found on the west coast of British Columbia so it is considered a premium timber. Douglas Fir is a longtime favorite type of timber used in conventional homes and by many engineers.

Design Style

The size of your home will also factor into the total cost of your home. We have built log homes ranging from under 800 square feet up to well over 10,000 square feet and everything in between. Working with a good design team is key to helping you achieve all of the desired features you want. If cost is a concern for you they can make good use of space and create the illusion of a larger home without breaking the bank.

Comparing Cost Per Square Foot

As you can see from the above details there are a number of factors that can go into determining the cost of your log home. Taking that into consideration, here is a quick breakdown per square foot:

• Timber Frame Log Home: $45 – $65 Canadian per square foot
• Post and Beam Log Home: $35 – $70 Canadian per square foot
• Full Scribe Log Home Shell: $50 – $90 Canadian per square foot
• Full Scribe Log Home: $100 – $150 Canadian per square foot.

We hope that you have found this article helpful in understanding how building your dream log home may be more achievable than you think.

If you have any particular questions or are interested in designing or building we would be happy to walk you through the process. You can contact us here.

Related Articles

• How much does a log home cost
• The difference between Full Scribe, Timber Frame and Post and Beam log homes
• How to choose the right log home design

The post Can You Afford to Build a Log Home? appeared first on .

from http://ift.tt/1MY46he

Can You Afford to Build a Log Home?

We've noticed that over the last few months a number of people have commented on some of our log home designs saying "we wish we could afford this". After speaking with them they realized that building a log home may not be as expensive as they at first thought. Just like anything else you spend money on, you can go all out and build a multi-million dollar home; but you can also build a log or Timber Frame home for a similar cost of a conventional home.

Over the past couple of years the "Westcoast" and Timber Frame style of home has become more and more popular, creating a hybrid between modern home designs and traditional log homes.

We previously wrote a detailed article breaking down how much log homes cost which you can read here. To give you a quick overview here are the main considerations that will determine the cost of your home:

Style of Log Home

Generally there are 3 main styles of log homes: Full Scribe, Timber Frame and Post and Beam.

• Full Scribe log homes are the traditional style where logs are stacked together horizontally to form the walls.
• Post and Beam uses the full log as a structural support providing a natural log surface inside and outside the home. Fewer logs are used compared to a Full Scribe making these homes a great cost-effective alternative to Full Scribe log homes.
• Timber Frame homes are very similar to Post and Beam where the main horizontal structure is held up by many timber posts. The main difference is that the timbers are cut into a square profile where Post and Beam is a round profile.

There are a few limitations when it comes to the above styles. You can read the full advantages and disadvantages of each in our comparison article.

Selecting Your Timber

The type of timber and the diameter of your wood can play a huge factor in the cost of your project as well. Western Red Cedar is the most sought after type of timber because it is the most decay- and insect-resistant type of wood. Western Red Cedar is mainly found on the west coast of British Columbia so it is considered a premium timber. Douglas Fir is a longtime favorite type of timber used in conventional homes and by many engineers.

Design Style

The size of your home will also factor into the total cost of your home. We have built log homes ranging from under 800 square feet up to well over 10,000 square feet and everything in between. Working with a good design team is key to helping you achieve all of the desired features you want. If cost is a concern for you they can make good use of space and create the illusion of a larger home without breaking the bank.

Comparing Cost Per Square Foot

As you can see from the above details there are a number of factors that can go into determining the cost of your log home. Taking that into consideration, here is a quick breakdown per square foot:

• Timber Frame Log Home: $45 – $65 Canadian per square foot
• Post and Beam Log Home: $35 – $70 Canadian per square foot
• Full Scribe Log Home Shell: $50 – $90 Canadian per square foot
• Full Scribe Log Home: $100 – $150 Canadian per square foot.

We hope that you have found this article helpful in understanding how building your dream log home may be more achievable than you think.

If you have any particular questions or are interested in designing or building we would be happy to walk you through the process. You can contact us here.

Related Articles

• How much does a log home cost
• The difference between Full Scribe, Timber Frame and Post and Beam log homes
• How to choose the right log home design

The post Can You Afford to Build a Log Home? appeared first on .

from http://ift.tt/1MY46he

Why You Should Never Get a Capital One Card

Capital One's Venture Card — that "no hassles" credit card advertised on TV — will save you big on the road, right? Many people — even me — recommend this card but it is actually the WORST travel rewards credit card you can use. I get a lot of emails asking about this card, and I recently chastised two friends for using it as their primary credit card.

Wait, you just said you recommend it. How can it be that be bad, then?

Capital One gets a few things right: the simple rewards structure of their no-fee Venture Card is perfect for people who don't spend much money or who don't want to worry about points. They are selling simplicity and they do it well. I think if you're a low-spending, low-traveling person, this card could be worth your time.

But it's not even close to being even a mediocre travel hacking rewards card. I think it's probably the worst card for a travel hacker.

While it is true you earn two points per dollar spent, not all points are equal. It's not how many points you earn, but how you can redeem those points.

Let me explain why Capital One's Venture Card is not good for those wanting to get the most bang for their travel hacking buck and actually get free flights and hotel rooms:

The card comes with a 40,000-point sign-up bonus after spending $3,000 in three months. That's 46,000 points, worth $460 USD. I think the card is worth the sign-up bonus – I'll take $460 any day but what happens after that?

Let's say you're in your second year and plan to spend $100,000 on your card for 200,000 points, worth $2,000.

For that much you can get a lot more.

For example, 100,000 American Airlines points when earning 1 mile per dollar spent (assuming no category bonuses like booking with the airline) could get you a round trip in coach class to Europe twice, a first-class ticket to Europe, or a business-class ticket to Asia, which on JAL costs $6,900:

In this scenario, your 100,000 AA miles are worth close to seven times the value of your Capital One points! To redeem that same flight with Capital One, you would need to have 690,000 points or spend $345,000!

And here is another example. Let's say you want to fly Emirates first-class from Los Angeles to Dubai:

That ticket costs $25,000! You could redeem 90,000 Alaska Air miles for the flight. But if you wanted to redeem Capital One points, you would need 2.5 million points!

"OK, but if I get an American Airlines, Starwood, or United card, I'm only getting one point per dollar. Capital One gives me two!"

That's true, but if you spend $50,000 on your AA card, those 50,000 points can be redeemed for a one-way business-class flight to Japan worth thousands of dollars! If you spend the same on Capital One, it's worth $1,000. Capital One points have little value.

Additionally, there are cards that give great category bonuses, such as multiple points for travel, shopping, food, gas, and groceries so it's not always one for one. Capital One is always the same: two miles per dollar spent.

Moreover, many other credit cards come with perks that are also worth something, from free checked bags, priority boarding, lounge access, Internet at hotels, and much more. Capital One gives you nothing. Plus, there are dozens of other cards that offer no foreign transaction fees.

The redemption value of Capital One makes it a horrible card to get for a travel hacker.

Capital One is essentially a 2% cash-back card ($50,000 = 100,000 = $1,000 = 2% of $50k) but there are much better cards. The Citi Double Cash Card gives you 2% cash back with no annual fee and can be used for any purchase, not just travel. The American Express Blue Preferred gives you 6% cash back at supermarkets, 3% at gas stations and department Stores, and 1% everywhere else, so when used heavily on groceries and shopping, you can earn more than 2% on average.

If you don't want to be tied down to one airline, flexible point credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Citi Premier, or American Express Gold card can offer much more value than Capital One.

In short, there's no reason to ever get a Capital One Venture Card if you even remotely care about earning points and miles for free travel.

Note: This posts refers to the Venture Card, which comes with a $59 annual fee. The VentureOne has no annual fee but only earns 1.25 miles per dollar spent, making it even worse! Definitely don't get that one!

The post Why You Should Never Get a Capital One Card appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

from Nomadic Matt's Travel Site http://ift.tt/1NF9Ug0

Why You Should Never Get a Capital One Card

Capital One’s Venture Card — that “no hassles” credit card advertised on TV — will save you big on the road, right? Many people — even me — recommend this card but it is actually the WORST travel rewards credit card you can use. I get a lot of emails asking about this card, and I recently chastised two friends for using it as their primary credit card.

Wait, you just said you recommend it. How can it be that be bad, then?

Capital One gets a few things right: the simple rewards structure of their no-fee Venture Card is perfect for people who don’t spend much money or who don’t want to worry about points. They are selling simplicity and they do it well. I think if you’re a low-spending, low-traveling person, this card could be worth your time.

But it’s not even close to being even a mediocre travel hacking rewards card. I think it’s probably the worst card for a travel hacker.

While it is true you earn two points per dollar spent, not all points are equal. It’s not how many points you earn, but how you can redeem those points.

Let me explain why Capital One’s Venture Card is not good for those wanting to get the most bang for their travel hacking buck and actually get free flights and hotel rooms:

The card comes with a 40,000-point sign-up bonus after spending $3,000 in three months. That’s 46,000 points, worth $460 USD. I think the card is worth the sign-up bonus – I’ll take $460 any day but what happens after that?

Let’s say you’re in your second year and plan to spend $100,000 on your card for 200,000 points, worth $2,000.

For that much you can get a lot more.

For example, 100,000 American Airlines points when earning 1 mile per dollar spent (assuming no category bonuses like booking with the airline) could get you a round trip in coach class to Europe twice, a first-class ticket to Europe, or a business-class ticket to Asia, which on JAL costs $6,900:

In this scenario, your 100,000 AA miles are worth close to seven times the value of your Capital One points! To redeem that same flight with Capital One, you would need to have 690,000 points or spend $345,000!

And here is another example. Let’s say you want to fly Emirates first-class from Los Angeles to Dubai:

That ticket costs $25,000! You could redeem 90,000 Alaska Air miles for the flight. But if you wanted to redeem Capital One points, you would need 2.5 million points!

“OK, but if I get an American Airlines, Starwood, or United card, I’m only getting one point per dollar. Capital One gives me two!”

That’s true, but if you spend $50,000 on your AA card, those 50,000 points can be redeemed for a one-way business-class flight to Japan worth thousands of dollars! If you spend the same on Capital One, it’s worth $1,000. Capital One points have little value.

Additionally, there are cards that give great category bonuses, such as multiple points for travel, shopping, food, gas, and groceries so it’s not always one for one. Capital One is always the same: two miles per dollar spent.

Moreover, many other credit cards come with perks that are also worth something, from free checked bags, priority boarding, lounge access, Internet at hotels, and much more. Capital One gives you nothing. Plus, there are dozens of other cards that offer no foreign transaction fees.

The redemption value of Capital One makes it a horrible card to get for a travel hacker.

Capital One is essentially a 2% cash-back card ($50,000 = 100,000 = $1,000 = 2% of $50k) but there are much better cards. The Citi Double Cash Card gives you 2% cash back with no annual fee and can be used for any purchase, not just travel. The American Express Blue Preferred gives you 6% cash back at supermarkets, 3% at gas stations and department Stores, and 1% everywhere else, so when used heavily on groceries and shopping, you can earn more than 2% on average.

If you don’t want to be tied down to one airline, flexible point credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Citi Premier, or American Express Gold card can offer much more value than Capital One.

In short, there’s no reason to ever get a Capital One Venture Card if you even remotely care about earning points and miles for free travel.

Note: This posts refers to the Venture Card, which comes with a $59 annual fee. The VentureOne has no annual fee but only earns 1.25 miles per dollar spent, making it even worse! Definitely don’t get that one!

The post Why You Should Never Get a Capital One Card appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

from Nomadic Matt's Travel Site http://ift.tt/1NF9Ug0

Smoke & Mirrors

We had a surprise customer visit yesterday to our Vancouver/Richmond studio from Jason Yu, a professional magician. He was kind enough to share some of his past shows on his YouTube channel, telling us...

The post Smoke & Mirrors appeared first on Laser | LED Lighting Trend.

from Laser | LED Lighting Trend http://ift.tt/1H9iqXY

Smoke & Mirrors

We had a surprise customer visit yesterday to our Vancouver/Richmond studio from Jason Yu, a professional magician. He was kind enough to share some of his past shows on his YouTube channel, telling us...

The post Smoke & Mirrors appeared first on Laser | LED Lighting Trend.

from Laser | LED Lighting Trend http://ift.tt/1H9iqXY

Student Home Security Tips

There are several tips that can help freshers and returning students to ensure that their home is safe and secure. In this short post we’ll discuss 3 of those tips, including: securing your doors, not leaving spare keys and hiding your valuables.

Secure Your Doors

In many cases, criminals break into the house or flat through the door, either by forcing the lock or by kicking it in. So don’t just rely on a Yale lock.  Make sure your doors are strong and secure with good, solid mortise locks, preferably a five-lever mortise lock (check your insurance requirements). Look for these kinds of security features when you are choosing a property to rent and ask your landlord to upgrade them if you think they are a problem. Source: http://ift.tt/1HRQ6cS

Not Leaving Spare Keys

Don’t leave any spare keys under a door mat or flower pot. By leaving a spare key in an easily discovered hiding place you can run the risk of leaving your student accommodation vulnerable to a break-in. Did you know that over 20% of Britons still leave their set of keys hidden in the garden despite it being a high security risk? Source: http://ift.tt/1OcUAdA

Hiding Your Valuables

You might want to show your brand new stereo off to your friends, but don’t show it off to burglars as well. Make sure that nothing valuable can be seen through your windows, and never leave keys, cash or credit cards in full view either. Also be careful about putting posters in the window and letting beer bottles and pizza boxes pile up outside, since these are dead giveaways to any opportunist thief that a bunch of students with lots of expensive goods probably live inside. Source: http://ift.tt/1HRQ6cU

Hopefully these tips will help students who may be worried about living without their parents for the first time. If you want to know more about home security options, please give us a call or contact us here.

Contact:

Mr. Locksmith Calgary
555 Maidstone Drive NE
Calgary, Alberta T2A 4B6
Canada
Phone: (403) 800-9185

The post Student Home Security Tips appeared first on Mr Locksmith Calgary.

from Mr Locksmith Calgary http://ift.tt/1QrNg0L