How hard could it be? Everyone grew up playing with Lincoln Logs. This was just Lincoln Logs writ large, right?

Ajai and Jyoti Nemani, who love to ski, had a friend who owned a small log home with a big view of Bristol Mountain. When he moved out of state, the couple jumped at the chance to buy the house.

Their plan was to fix it up and build an addition (deteriorating logs and lots of burrowing bees persuaded them). Eventually, they realized it would be more practical to build a new, custom log home instead.

Only theyd never done anything like this before. Ajai, a physician, and Jyoti, an ultrasound technician, arent exactly general contractors.

But Ajai was determined. It took two years with lots of doubling back, rescheduling, some squabbling and correcting things on the fly to get the job done.

Building with logs wasnt as simple as I thought, Ajai admits. Everything looks great on paper.

The couple worked with a family friend, architect and real estate agent Maria Furgiuele. And they hired Timberframe Inc. in Canandaigua; Rick Wyffels, owner of Wyffels Log & Timberframe Homes in Canandaigua and an independent representative for Real Log Homes; and Peter Van Scott of Van Scott Builders in Palmyra to build the new 2,600-square-foot home.

After construction began, Jyoti realized that when she stood in the kitchen, part of the gable wall hid her view of Bristol Mountain. So Timberframe Inc. tore the piece out and built the more open timber-framed style gable instead.

I was a pain in the butt, Jyoti says with a laugh.

But the change made all the difference in bringing the beauty of the outdoors inside, and the soaring, 20-foot floor-to-ceiling gable in front is a highlight of the home.

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Log home has contemporary flair and Bristol Mountain view

Manassas, VA (PRWEB) January 22, 2014

Northern Virginia home remodeling company Thomas Custom Builders has earned the service industrys coveted Angies List Super Service Award, reflecting an exemplary year of service provided to members of the consumer review service in 2013. It is the second year in a row the company has received this award.

Providing outstanding service to each and every customer is our day-to-day mission, and we wont settle for anything less, said Rick Thomas, owner of Thomas Custom Builders. Our high standards are why our clients are among the most satisfied in the industry. Were proud to be recognized by the very discerning subscribers of Angies List.

Only about five percent of Thomas Custom Builders competitors within the northern Virginia area are able to earn our Super Service Award, said Angies List Founder Angie Hicks. Its a mark of consistently great customer service.

Angies List Super Service Award 2013 winners have met strict eligibility requirements, which include an A rating in overall grade, recent grade, and review period grade; the company must be in good standing with Angies List, have a fully complete profile, pass a background check and abide by Angies List operational guidelines.

Service company ratings are updated daily on Angies List. Companies are graded on an A through F scale in areas ranging from price to professionalism to punctuality. Members can find the 2013 Super Service Award logo next to company names in search results on AngiesList.com.

Thomas Custom Builders provides design, building and remodeling services to customers throughout northern Virginia. With combined 70 years experience, the contractors specialize in custom home additions and remodeling of bathrooms, kitchens and master suites. Visit the TCB home remodeling website for more information.

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Angie's List helps consumers have happy transactions with local service professionals in more than 720 categories of service, ranging from home improvement to healthcare. More than 2 million paid households use Angie's List to gain access to local ratings, exclusive discounts, the Angies List Magazine and the Angie's List complaint resolution service.

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Thomas Custom Builders Earns Angie's List Super Service Award For Second Consecutive Year

Germantown, MD (PRWEB) January 21, 2014

Advantage Homes is pleased to announce that a fully-decorated model home in Melody Farms, located in Chantilly, Va., will open on Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. With this new community, Advantage Homes is excited to once again offer custom quality built, luxury homes in Virginia. Previously, Waterford View, a sold-out Advantage Homes community in Lovettsville, Va., won numerous awards for design and quality.

Just 30 minutes from Washington, D.C., Melody Farms is a new community that features seven models of traditional, single-family homes. Nestled in a natural setting with plenty of greenery and scenic views, Melody Farms offers a relaxing respite from the stressors of busy city life. With close proximity to commuter routes, Melody Farms is ideal for homeowners who work in the city but want a peaceful, relaxing escape at home.

We are very proud to be a part of the Chantilly community, says James McCormack, VP of Sales and Marketing at Advantage Homes. Melody Farms provides homeowners a fresh, innovative approach to luxury living. Weve combined our decades of experience and track record for superior quality to offer new home designs that fit every taste and budget in a location thats close to everything. We believe Melody Farms is the ultimate collection for homebuyers in the Washington, D.C. metro area.

Unlike other Washington-area home builders, only top-of-the-line construction materials meet Advantage Homes standards for excellence, durability and reliability. Advantage is highly selective of the materials and trade partners they choose, and it shows in each new home available at Melody Farms. Here are a few features homebuyers can expect at Melody Farms:

To learn more about this new home community in Chantilly, Va., call Tom Crichton at 240-483-6950 or visit Advantage Homes website.

About Advantage Homes: Advantage Homes builds custom-quality houses that customers will proudly call home. A commitment to crafting extraordinary homes of quality design and construction underlies the Washington home builders dedication to customer satisfaction. Advantage Homes offers local insight in the selection of the most desirable locations and unsurpassed customer care after construction. Honesty, integrity and professionalism guide Advantage Homes as they strive to delight their customers with the finest quality homes for sale near Washington, D.C.

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Advantage Homes Opens New Community in Chantilly, VA

Home Builder Medford Oregon - VanWey Homes - Newly Built Home Walk-through
http://www.vanweyhomes.com 541-702-1422 Looking for a home builder in Medford Oregon. This video features Wayne VanWey of VanWey Homes doing a walk-through o...

By: Matthew Allen

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Home Builder Medford Oregon - VanWey Homes - Newly Built Home Walk-through - Video

By Emily Sorensen

Ever dream of moving in next to a golf course? Want the custom home of your dreams? Then check out Michael Gregory Builders for your next home.

Greg Hastings, left, and the late Michael Levesque, the founders of Michael Gregory Builders.

The home building company, which is headquartered in Carlsbad, now has three communities it is developing, in Lakeside, Rancho Santa Fe and its newest development, in Valley Center. [Michael Gregory Builders homes] are designed for really active lifestyles, said media contact April Harter Enriquez.

The newest development, called The Masters Collection, is located near Woods Valley Golf Club in Valley Center. Made up of 16 detached homes, The Masters Collection community contains both single- and two-story luxury homes that range from 2,800 to 4,200 square feet. The spacious home sites include golf course views and a private entry road, said Enriquez. The cost for The Masters Collection homes begins in the $600,000s.

The Valley Center community is still under construction, and is due to open in mid-February.

Michael Gregory Builders also opened a community in Lakeside, known as Green Hills, in September. The 31 Green Hills homes are located near Lake Jennings and range from 2,014 to 3,234 square feet. The homes begin in the $500,000s.

The companys third community, in Rancho Santa Fe, is called The Farms and is located by the Rancho Santa Fe Farms Golf Club. This community, unlike the others, is made up of a small handful of completely one-of-a-kind homes, built to the buyers specifications on golf course front lots.

Michael Gregory Builders was founded in 2010 by Gregory Hastings and the late Michael Levesque, two San Diego builders with a combined 40 years of experience designing and building homes for families throughout Southern California. They wanted to start something small and local for local home buyers, said Enriquez.

What sets Michael Gregory Builders apart from other home designers and builders is the quality of their craftsmanship and the experience one gets with working with a local builder who really knows San Diego, said Enriquez. Michael Gregory Builders homes also include as standard many things that would be considered upgrades in other homes, including stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops, as well as options for amenities such as drive-through garages, perfect for RV or boat storage.

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Michael Gregory Builders wants to build your home

27 Acre Equestrian Property in Oswego, IL
Grande Prairie.

By: DJK Custom Home Builders

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27 Acre Equestrian Property in Oswego, IL - Video

Lauren La Rose, The Canadian Press Published Wednesday, January 15, 2014 10:27AM EST

TORONTO -- You may have selected paint colours, tiles and finishes, but plans to gear up for a home renovation can quickly grind to a halt if you haven't ensured key health and safety measures are in place.

A U.S. Centers for Disease Control report released earlier this month focused on a case in Quebec where 14 people fell ill with a pneumonia-like infection after the exterior brick of a century-old house was removed as part of a renovation.

Workers, residents of the home and neighbours have recovered after developing symptoms of a fungal disease called histoplasmosis, which is carried in the droppings of bats and birds. Infection symptoms include high fever, coughing, chest pain and shortness of breath.

Cases of histoplasmosis infection are rare in Canada and usually involve construction work that stirs up clouds of dried-up aerosolized spores that people end up inhaling. In the Quebec case, workers had been given masks to wear but didn't do so continuously due to hot weather.

Whether homeowners are embarking on a do-it-yourself project or enlisting a professional, here are tips from experts for making health and safety a top priority throughout the home renovation process.

Conduct a thorough assessment

Cory Norris, chief project estimator at Greater Toronto Contractors, said the No. 1 determining factor as to whether there will be problems with the home is its age. They also look at the state of the home, with visible damage among the red flags.

"If you can see water damage, if paint is peeling off walls here and there ... if it hasn't been maintained well, they probably have ignored any kind of problems that have been going on as well: rodents, bats, for example, mice ..."

Norris said workers will go into the attic and lift up some insulation where mice, rodents and squirrels "love to make their home."

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Key home reno safety tips include pre-assessments, proper gear, sealing spaces

Prull Custom Home Builders in Santa Fe, New Mexico - Outdoor Spaces
Award-Winning Prull Custom Home Builders in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

By: PrullSFNM

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Prull Custom Home Builders in Santa Fe, New Mexico - Outdoor Spaces - Video

January 14, 2014

The number of home building permits issued in Pike County in 2013 was the lowest in 31 years.

Just 74 were issued, making 2013 the only year since at least 1982 that fewer than 100 permits were issued.

That is compared to 1988, Pike's peak year, when 1,782 home building permits were issued. There was also another peak in 2004, when 1,121 permits were issued.

"This has been the worst home building recession we've been through," said Ed Nikles, founder of Milford-based Ed Nikles Custom Builder, which has been in business since 1963. "This has been the longest and worst downturn we have seen in our history."

Nikles says remodeling work has carried his business in lean years.

"When things were going gangbusters here in '06, '07, and '08, we were building 40 to 60 homes a year. Now we are trying to build six to 10 a year," Nikles said.

Nikles, 71, says the building market has cycles and builders must have financial reserves for when building slows.

"There are boom times and then it drops down. I've seen it at least three times before: in the early '90s; the early '80s and once in the '70s. It's almost a 10-year cycle," he said.

Nikles noted that the last boom cycle lasted longer than previous ones and the recovery is also taking longer than past recoveries. "We know it doesn't last forever," Nikles said.

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Home building permits plunge in Pike County

Prull Custom Home Builders in Santa Fe, New Mexico - Bishop #39;s Lodge Home
Award-Winning Prull Custom Home Builders in Santa Fe, New Mexico Custom Home built near Bishop #39;s Lodge, high above the Tesuque hills.

By: PrullSFNM

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Prull Custom Home Builders in Santa Fe, New Mexico - Bishop's Lodge Home - Video