Designing / BuildingHome & Garden

Here's why we chose John Roach to be the general contractor to build our new log home in Williamson County Tennessee. Plus, some tips for what to look for in a GC, and some recommendations for general contractors in Middle Tennessee.

I met with reps at Undercover Systems... again. We've been considering their underdecking for awhile now. And I have to say, I really like this company. They're no-pressure, honest & upfront. Here are the details of what it would take -- and what it would cost -- to install underdecking on our new log home...

If you're building a home on a private piece of property, chances are you'll have to put in a ditch and a culvert. Here's how it went for us... including photos of the culvert, ditch, and driveway.

I learned a few things about the differences between attached garages vs detached garages vs basement garages. Here's what I found...

Without a doubt, our log home will be more like a bungalow with some interesting angles, curves & unique hardware, rather than purely straight lines and squares. But it wasn't until we started fine-tuning the details like a big wooden speakeasy door with a dentil shelf -- Arts & Crafts; prairie style windows -- Craftsman; tapered columns and wide steps on the porches -- bungalow that we even realized we were gravitating toward the Craftsman style of home architecture and decor which encompasses all of these things, and more.

Little known facts about wells and water usage. Here's everything we've learned about digging a well, including proposed costs to dig a well in Williamson County, Tennessee.

Here are some easy ways to spot a Craftsman style home... What to look for and what to include if you wish to build a Craftsman style home or an Arts & Crafts style log home.

See why we chose to have a General Contractor oversee the building of our new log home, rather than doing it ourselves. There are pro's and con's to doing the work yourself. But in our case, we feel that we are better off overall in the hands of a General Contractor.

Golden Eagle Log Homes chose to face the facts and state upfront the 'true' cost to build one of their log homes. This is what appeared in one of their ads in Log Home Living magazine.