General
What you can expect from Ute Country Homes…
Friendly, personalized service from a family owned business dedicated to delivering quality products and expert services that meet or exceed customer requirements and specifications, on time and at a competitive price.
What makes Ute Country Homes stand out?
We have flexibility in structuring the amount of our involvement to assist you in reaching your objective; the services we provide are aimed at accommodating your budget and the level of involvement you desire. We can provide you with everything from a materials only package to turn-key construction. We are capable of assisting you with all aspects of the construction process including:
Sale of log home packages, kits and shells
Site visit and evaluation
Design and layout, including working blue prints
Site work – excavation, driveway, septic systems
Project management
Turn-key construction or weather tight shell construction
We will provide a detailed proposal based on your specifications, there are no surprises.
Do my logs have to be trucked in from another state?
NO, we can supply you with a home that uses dead standing full length logs selected from prime timber stands in the Pike National Forest; each home is individually crafted by skilled log smiths using chainsaws and traditional hand tools. By scribing and hand-fitting each log in Bailey Colorado, a high degree of quality control is maintained on each project and provides you with one of the finest handcrafted log homes in the industry.
Are log homes really eco friendly?
YES, not only does a log home require less energy to build than a comparable conventionally built home but harvesting dead standing trees plays a major part in the health of our forests. By using trees harvested and processed here in Colorado, trucking is held to a minimum. When properly built and maintained your log home is extremely durable and will last from generation to generation which lessens the demand on our environment and natural resources.
Are log homes energy efficient?
YES, Log homes are naturally resistant to heat loss and energy efficiency increases when properly chinked and caulked. Due to the logs thermal mass, your home is able to absorb heat during the day to radiate back into the home’s interior as it begins to cool off in the evening and it works the same way in the summer, storing cool evening air to release during the warmth of the day. Thus, the logs thermal mass will aid in energy savings as your home returns to a comfortable living level each morning by reducing the use of the homes heating and cooling system. This combined with the proper selection of other components for your home such as windows, doors and roof will ensure outstanding energy efficiency.
Why should I chink my log home?
All wood naturally expands and contracts over the course of a year so there is always the possibility of air infiltration. Chinking, along with the required backing rod seals the air cavity at the log seam which not only prevents air infiltration it is an effective seal against moisture and insects. Too many log home owners have been told it was unnecessary to chink their home only to find out later that the quality, maintenance, comfort and energy efficiency of their home would have benefitted greatly from having been chinked. Therefore, every log home should definitely incorporate chinking and/or caulking in the budget.
What is the cost of constructing a log home?
The truth is… there is no precise answer. This is usually the first question asked for every type of construction and is essentially the hardest to answer. This question is comparable to going to the grocer and asking “how much is meat per pound today?” The cost of building a home using either conventional construction or log construction will depend on many factors including the quality of the finished materials you choose and the capability of your chosen builder.
There are many factors that will affect the construction cost of your home and they are closely tied to the scope of the project, the quality of materials, design details and the combination of specifications and economic conditions of the region where your home is being built.
The design of your home closely ties to the cost of construction. Dormers, irregular shapes and dramatic roof systems may add character and charm to the home but they also add to the cost. A perfectly rectangular log home is the most inexpensive to build, the design of your home does not have to be unusual or expensive to create a stylish upscale look. A design utilizing a walk-out basement and/or a loft will provide you with extra floor space at a lower cost than that of a larger main floor. Your budget will dictate your building limitations but you will be able to achieve a feeling of spaciousness and character within a small footprint in a well designed log home.
What do I need to get started?
All you need to get started is the inspiration; we can guide you through the rest of the process. It definitely helps if your inspiration includes a few details but extensive plans, diagrams or pictures aren’t necessary, we have plenty of ideas and options to fit your budget and stimulate your imagination. We can offer you stock plans that can be used as is or altered to meet your needs or we can develop a conceptual design based on your requirements, then we can refine the preliminary house plans together. You can begin your house plans without immediately committing to a log package and we strongly urge you begin the process as soon as possible because once committed; several months may be required before your log home is ready for delivery depending on size, design and the plant’s production schedule.
How much maintenance does a log home need?
This is another one of those questions without a precise answer. Exterior care will be determined by the harshness of the weather your home is consistently exposed to as well as the quality of the sealant or preservative you choose. Using one of the better exterior products will protect against ultra-violet rays and provide extra water resistance to the logs and will only need to be reapplied about every three to six years. Once the interior is sealed, no further application should be required.
