Custom Home Builders in Pittsburgh, PA

Pittsburgh Log Homes

Though the technology is decidedly antique, and their popularity has certainly waned over the last couple centuries, in the areas surrounding Pittsburgh, log homes are making a comeback. Perhaps it's the rustic good looks or feeling of tradition and history, but whatever the reason, people are taking a new liking to this old style of housing. Log homes come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles. If you think there might be a log home in your future, it's a good idea to know what's available and what benefits and drawbacks come with this kind of structure.

Benefits
In today's busy world, with its fast-paced and rapidly changing technologies, it's easy to get bogged down. If you're looking for a home with a completely different feel from the office, you can't do much better than log homes. Pittsburgh is an old enough city to have been around when log houses were fairly commonplace, and while you're not likely to see too many of them in the city proper, log houses are actually a pretty sound choice for the environment in southwestern PA.

A log house provides excellent insulation on both a hot summer day and a cold winter night, as well. Though early settlers had to depend mainly on mortar and the logs themselves to hinder heat transfer, the combination of whole logs and modern insulation techniques makes for a very efficient home.

Many people who are thinking of building a log home are concerned not just with heating and cooling costs, but with environmental costs, too. A log home is an environmentally sound choice. The process of making finished lumber turns a portion of the raw wood into sawdust. When using whole logs, much less of the tree is lost on the floor. Additionally, producing a log uses up less energy than producing a board. Don't forget, there will be no energy spent making siding, either, as a log home sides itself.

Builders
In the areas around Pittsburgh, log home builders are blessed with an excellent backdrop for their work. With all of the trees, streams, and good-looking country that surround the city, it's hard to think of a place where a log house would feel more at home. While you might have some difficulty finding a good spot for such a structure right in town, those thinking of building a getaway house or a perfect place to retire should have no problem finding a spot for a log home builder to show off his or her craft.

Log homes are constructed in several ways, and not every builder will be familiar with all of them. Each has a different look, and the decision of one over another is often a matter of aesthetics as well as practicality. Log home builders, like any other professional, should be able to provide you with examples of what they have built and help you figure out what is best for you.

Some log home enthusiasts have written books, produced videos, and even put together kits for those who want to build a log house with their own hands. This option is certainly not for everybody, but the satisfaction of building the house you live in is a feeling that has no equal. It is not an easy process, but the ideas involved are not as complicated as you might think.

Prices
It is difficult to say with certainty how much it will cost to build a log home in Pittsburgh. If you want to build in a fairly populated area and have all the same features that the typical houses around you have, it's very likely that a log home will cost just as much as any other home on your street. If you want to build a small place in the woods and don't need a two car garage or a spa bathtub, prices will be lower (if you want to build that place yourself, they'll be lower still). In any event, building a structure that is functional enough to live in is never a small investment. With a log home, research and planning will be the key to getting the most out of your money.