Our property had already been surveyed (several times) by the previous owners.

This is a fairly tricky lot to build on -- what with all the creeks and hills and rocks and required septic fields and such.

Turns out... of the 5 acres we own, there is only one tiny little spot where the home can actually go. The rest will be hilly trails and a forest of thick trees lining the creeks.

So, to ease our mind, and clarify for all involved (including the bank, the County, and ourselves), we asked the surveyor to come back out and re-survey it again for us.

Another trip down memory lane here...

Wanna see what our culvert looked like -- right after they finished putting it in?

(I thought you would.)

We are considering using structural insulated panels (SIPs) from Superior Walls in the basement of our log home.

Superior Walls are a pre-cast (not pre-fab, they say) concrete foundation and insulated wall system.

We like this product mostly for the following reasons:
#1 Energy-efficiency

#2 Less time required to do the job

#3 They can handle all details of your excavation from start to finish, or simply install the foundation & walls -- whichever you prefer

The reasons stated in their brochure for choosing Superior Walls include:

Reduces energy leakage.
Lowers energy utilities.
Conforms to nearly any home design.
Reduces your building time.
Saves valuable natural resources.
Reduces the potential for mold & mildew.
Ready in virtually any weather.
Reduces on-site soil contamination.
Meets new national standards.
Reduces jobsite waste.
Pre-engineered for energy and strength.
Guaranteed for 15 years.

There is only one "catch"...

Can you see it now???

What a difference a couple of days makes!
(...and a bush hogging machine or two)

When we purchased this lot in Williamson County Tennessee, it had already been surveyed and perked. So we didn't have to do that part.

Our first official step toward building this log home was to clear the land (...in a manner other than Jim & I routinely walking the lot with a pair of loppers and a machete in hand and chopping down whatever annoying bushes & prickly branches stood in our way).

We finally decided to hire a professional team to take out most of the trees & brush that we knew would be in the way of the home. They had all the right equipment for heavy duty bush hogging, and they were even set up to deal with all of the rock they encountered on the property.

As it turned out, they were able to complete the job in about a day and a half.