March Log Home of the Month - Lucky Dog Lodge

[Steve]

In case you haven't seen it on our homepage, the March Log Home of the Month is up. You can see the photos here:

http://www.loghomebuilders.org/log-home-pictures-16.htm

Wow!

[hawkiye]

Awesome! I have RPSL envy. I don't know if the RP is bigger then Skips but the RPSL's are huge ;)

Fantastic job on whoever took the pics!

Blayne

[kyle]

I know you stated a "foundation" but is that a crawl space or a basement. I assume crawl space.

[JeffandSara]

Another cool Home of the Month, guys! Wow!

Sounds like a sad story about the builder, Steve, but looks like he left behind a lot of friends and that house is sure a monument in itself.

Liked the idea of the rebar for the railings, and looked like darned-big log rafters when you see them next to the twin beds! Like the knobbiness of a lot of the support logs, too.

Sara :D

[russ]

Steve,

Do you happen to know the size of the foot print of the Lucky Dog Lodge?
I am considering building one with a somewhat similar layout.

But I don't think quite as big (32X32).

Anyway, studying the pictures is helping me visualize my place.

Thanks, Russ

[Steve]

Yep, another fine Log Home of the Month. Congrats to Hawkiye for having the sharpest eye -- we cheated on this one and hired a professional photographer to do the camera work. Neither Ellsworth nor myself wanted to drive to Montana in the snow. ;)

Skip's ridge pole is definitely bigger, but the LDL has some big honking RPSLs for sure. It's hard to tell if they are bigger than Skip's RPSLs though, because it looks like they have a lot of taper. I think if you only measured at the fat end, the LDL wins by a bit. ;)

The LDL footprint is 38x38.

Regarding the foundation question... The lodge was built around an existing home, then the home was demolished and carried out the lodge doors and windows piece by piece. I've seen photos from under the house, and it appears that there is a full basement from the original house, but the LDL is a bigger footprint, so they put a traditional "T" footer around the outside of the basement to hold the logs.

So the LDL is on a crawlspace-type footer, but there is a full basement under the house that is not connected to it, if I remember correctly.

Glad everyone seems to be enjoying this month's log home as much as I am. :)

Steve

[hawkiye]

Thanks Steve! You gotta love those fatboy RPSL's! The RP is not bad either!. Yeah I noticed the RPSL's taper down quite a bit on the top. But they still look awesome. I like they way they used small pieces of log for the bird blocks between rafters. It' looks nice and is a great way to use up otherwise unusable short logs or ends etc.

Blayne

[GammaRae]

Beautiful! Very similar to our 35 x 35 plan. Notice the Euro style cabinets. I was wondering how they might look in a log home because of being interested in constructing our own. NOW I KNOW and they look fantastic! Just awesome.

Thank you Steve and Ellsworth for putting out the dough for the pro photog.

Cheers!

[mcdonis]

Wow

That was just amazing.


The fact that he disasembled his old home after building the shell and removed it through the doors and windows just boggles the mind. Did they say how long it took him to disasemble the old home and do it that way?

[jeffgeddes]

Unbelieveable !! If that doesn't make you want rush out and get started on your loghome nothing will!
Just shows what can be done using Skip's techniques. I can't imagine any kit home being better or more beautiful than the Lucky Dog Lodge. Inspiring !!!

[NordicPrincess]

Simple words can't describe how magnificent this place is, so I will just say thank you for sharing these pictures and the story behind them with us.

Shanara

[Ellsworth]

I'm glad you guys like our 'log home of the month' program, and the LDL sure is a beautiful log home. The rebar railings are an awesome touch! Kinda gets the creative juices flowing huh? Steve and I have a blast putting together each months spread, and we get to see ALL the pics hehehe.

For you out-of-towner members: if you ever want to imagine what it's like to see Piranha feed, or a pack of wild Hyena stalk and attack their prey, then just come to a monthly meeting some time...

We usually have 1 or 2 members bring their photo album with them, and as soon as it hits the table there's 15 or 20 log home freaks all frantically trying to get a better vantage point LOL. Luckly they are all much more well behaved than wild animals, they even wipe up their own drool :)

[kyle]

I noticed that on the "Lucky Dog" the doors are bottomed the whole way down to the foundation instead of down to the first log. I assume that this means the floor joists are anchored into the top of the foundation for the first floor!

I realize you get maximum height with less logs. But do you think there is any disadvantage for doing this structurally?

[bozcottage]

The link at the top of this page has moved - the new page for the Lucky Dog Lodge is: http://www.loghomebuilders.org/image-galleries/student-log-homes/lucky-dog-lodge