Q:: We have always dreamed of building a log home. How do we get started?
We are involved in the building process well before any construction begins. From selecting plans to helping procure permits, we can help you. We have worked with many different lenders, and can offer advice there. If you are still looking for the perfect piece of property, we can refer you to local real estate people. Our experience and local knowledge will expedite your entire construction project.

Q:: Can you work with our plan?
Absolutely! We can work with almost any plan; however, some may need to be modified to work with our computer cutting system. We can offer many standard plans as well as custom drafting. We also work with area architects, if the customer so chooses.

Q:: Can we customize your standard plans?
Yes! As a matter of fact, we have yet to build a house without at least a few minor changes to the plans. Our homes are very versatile, and many changes can easily be made. Door and window locations, as well as interior walls are quite easily moved. Room sizes can also be changed. We want the home to be what you want and need. Do not hesitate to make it your custom home.

Q:: What kind of logs do you use?
BW Construction uses a cured, kiln-dried, turned log. They are available in several species, including pine, fir, cedar, and tamarack. We work almost entirely with pine, as it has usually been the choice of my customers. It is light colored with an attractive and distinctive grain pattern. We call our homes "contemporary log homes", as the logs are all true to size, grooved to fit tight with no chinking, and bolted together with a Thru-bolt system. We combine the best of nature with the latest technology to create a very nice log home.

Q:: Do your logs shrink? How much checking can we expect to see?
Our kiln-dried logs shrink very little, generally 3/8" or less per 8-foot log wall. That is about the same as you see in frame construction. We make minor allowances for it as the house is built. By cutting a curing kerf in the log prior to drying, we can eliminate almost all log checking. There is always some, but it is minor and the checks are small.

Q:: Are log homes more expensive than traditional, stick-built homes?
Given the same size and features, the cost of a BW Log Home is comparable to many custom-built stick-frame homes. However, people who build a log home usually plan to stay, and therefore invest in higher-quality fixtures and finishing, which can raise the value. Each home that we build is bid out individually; No two are exactly alike.

Q:: Are log homes harder to finance than traditional construction?
Not really. While your neighborhood bank may have little or no experience with log home construction loans and mortgages, there are a number of lenders who are more familiar with the product and thus willing to work with you, including those who utilize familiar mortgage products such as Fannie Mae.

Q:: What type of maintenance is needed for a log home?
A log home typically requires less maintenance than a conventional stick-frame home. A preservative treatment - with stain if desired - is recommended as soon as possible after construction is completed. Depending upon the manufacturer and environmental exposure the preservative should be applied to exterior surfaces every three to five years.

Q:: Are log homes energy efficient?
The thermal properties of wood make logs great insulators, and the insulation value increases with log diameter and the cellular structure of the wood type. Graded logs, kiln drying, pre-cutting, pre-drilling, profiled corner notches, open-cell foam, Thru-bolt assembly and pre-manufactured openings make BW Log Homes substantially stronger and more energy-efficient than any other type of log system on the market.

Our homes heat and cool very nicely and very cost efficiently. We put electric heat pumps in almost all of our homes. Many, many customers have told us how happy they have been with their power bills. Our logs have excellent thermal mass characteristics; they hold heat very well, and they stay cool for a long time.

Q:: What is your sales area?
We serve the Kitsap and Olympic Peninsulas and Greater Northwest region.

Q:: Can we buy a log package from you and build the house ourselves?
Yes, we have sold many log packages over the years. Whenever we do this, the price includes some hands on help from us with the log stacking process. We will come to your site and help you properly get started. We want to teach you the correct way to seal and stack the logs.

Q:: What services do you offer?
We are a full service construction company. Most of our log homes are turn-key finished homes, but we also construct shells if the customer so desires. We build to suit, so we just need to know what involvement in the project you want from us. We build log homes and sell a full range of log home-related building materials, including log home packages, log railing systems, log posts, log roof trusses, hand-scraped flooring and Scotch-pine interior doors from Finland.