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Contact Us
World Outdoors Log Homes
PO Box 2128 Marion, NC 28752 888-LOG-8300
Email: world.outdoors@yahoo.com
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What We Build

First and foremost, we build homes where families create treasured memories, year in and year out. We live in log homes ourselves and know what it is like to live in nature in custom homes that we built for our families. Living like this really is a dream come true. You might be able to appreciate how gratifying it is to build beautiful things in beautiful places that will last a lifetime. That is why we do it. Being a little more specific, we are licensed general contractors who specialize in building custom homes in the mountains. We can build Craftsman style homes or lodge-style log homes, or a hybrid of the two. We can build homes of all sizes using several log profiles and sizes. We can provide the cut and cornered logs manufactured at our mill or build a log package you have purchased elsewhere. We are happy to build your home to a dry-in state or build it turnkey and ready for you to move in.

  • Low Overhead
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  • Effective Sourcing
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  • Experience
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  • Managing Waste
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  • Streamlined Construction
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  • People Productivity
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Low Overhead


This is a key differentiator for us and it is a huge one! We own a sawmill and pay for nothing but maintenance, taxes, and electrical bills. What this means to you is we can take raw dried timbers, refine them, and deliver them to your jobsite for less! We also own all the light and heavy equipment necessary to build your log home. We don't have to rent by the day or week scaffolding, a bobcat, or a dumptruck, or a forklift, or a boomtruck in order to get your home built. We have all the tools and equipment and it is all completely paid for.


For those who do not have this equipment, it could could cost several thousands of dollars over the life of the project, just to have what they need to actually get the job done. For us, the investments we made years ago enable us today to build cheaper so you can better afford your home and so that we can earn more business. It really is that simple. Simple, but huge!

Effective Sourcing

In the end, we understand what it is you want.  You want a great quality home for the lowest price possible.  We want to be able to make a living doing what we love to do and know that if we can't differentiate ourselves somehow you will choose someone else to build your dream log home. We have been building log homes for a very long time and along the way we have built the relationships we need with suppliers to bring you the necessary quality and price that enables us to build our homes for a little bit less.  Everyone wins!  You get your home for less and we win more business. Examples include some of the more expensive parts that make up your home.  We often source kiln dried timbers from out of state by the trailer load.  It would be easier perhaps to buy locally but that is not always the smartest and cheapest choice.  We are able to get windows and doors for near wholesale prices.  Over the years, we have built so many homes that suppliers give us deals that are hard to imagine.  Hardwood flooring, stone, granite counter tops, paint, stain, etc, we are able to get all at reduced cost because of volume purchases and relationships built over our many years of building log homes.

Experience


Working with logs is different than working with other more conventional building materials. You have to have the right equipment to lift them into place. You have to cut the corners, often with a chainsaw. You have to know where to place the bolts and how often. Most importantly, you have to account for settling in the wood so that as it dries and shrinks windows and doors are not crushed by the weight.


There are many other reasons why experience matters when building log homes. We have been building log homes in western North Carolina for almost 25 years! Collectively, our team of craftsmen has built over 400 log homes and has seen just about everything there is to see along the way. That experience saves time, saves on materials, and gets everything done safer and on budget. You can rest assured when building with us that everyone has done this before dozens of times!

Managing Waste


We pride ourselves on building green. The very nature of building with logs is green as they are the original renewable resource! However, logs still cost money and so do all the other materials that go into your home. We take the time to plan our homes so that waste is minimized and we are able to utilize the common lengths and sizes we buy from lumber yards with very little material lost.


We use cut sheets so we know how long a specific log needs to be in a specific place before we get to the job site. We are focused on limiting the amount of scrap and waste we create on the job site so that your dollars are not discarded into a waste pile instead of used.

Streamlined Construction


Efficiency is created through good planning.  And vice versa, good planning drives efficiency.  In the end, it all affects the total cost of the project and how long it will take to complete it. 


We have learned over the years how to order the tasks at hand for building a log home.  We know who the best resources are for completing those tasks in the right order, at the right time, and for a fair price.  Time is money and poor planning has craftsmen waiting at the job site for the materials they need.  Or held up because a critical path task isn't completed on time and is now in the way of progress. 


This is important to you because log home construction is not something many people actually have experience doing.  Poor project planning can affect the quality of the build, the value of your investment, and your long term satisfaction in your dream home.  We have done this over 400 hundred times and counting, we have this nailed! (literally)

People Productivity


We think our story is different than what you will hear anywhere else. Our experience with most general contractors is that they are the boss and basically no one else matters. We are aware of many GCs who visit jobs very briefly, bark some orders, and then move onto the next job. That is not the way we run our business.


As we have mentioned time and again here, we are a family business that runs a very lean operation. We know, as you do intuitively, that our people are the most important part of our business. They are the ones with the experience. They are the ones who swing the hammers. They make decisions every day that affects the project. They decide to come to work in the heat (or cold), work hard or not, work fast or not, and to work efficiently or not. They are the drivers that make our homes happen and as such they are very important to us.


We are constantly looking for ways to improve the experience working for World Outdoors. Compensation, time off, bonuses, benefits, proactive safety meetings, parties, you name it, we really try to go to extra mile whenever we can. We consider the people who work on our homes as part of our family and we try to create a great team environment so that they will feel the same way.

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Pricing

Almost always the first question people ask is "how much is it?" Followed by, "What do I get for that price?" We try to keep our pricing model clear and transparent. We don't try to hook folks with a low price only to add thousands of dollars for the basic upgrades everyone wants and generally needs. We don't upcharge for hardwood floors or aluminum clad windows. All our homes comes with them. We don't upcharge for a stone veneer covered gas fireplaces or gutter guards. All our homes come with them. Our pricing is turn-key move in ready with almost everything most everyone would want in their home. In fact there are very few things we talk about as upgrades at all. We are continually evaluating our price point based upon materials cost and perception of our competition. Right now, our price for homes over 1,800 square feet is $145- $175 per square foot. There are some assumptions in our pricing, so if you are picking a home with unusual features it could affect price. Homes with large amounts of deck and covered porch, complex rooflines, or several exterior doors could cost more. Building location is another very important factor. A difficult building site will certainly affect the price. Our price also assumes a crawlspace foundation. If your lot will support a basement, the cost for an unfinished basement is $35 per square foot. Finishing that basement is usually another $45-$55 per square foot. Smaller homes are more expensive to build than larger ones per square foot, and will be priced on a case by case basis, depending on the size and features. The cost of kitchen appliances, septic system and front door in a smaller home is not much different than in a bigger one. The same is true for plumbing, HVAC, and electrical expense. Our homes come fully featured, but there are a few common upgrades that people choose. These include granite countertops, wood burning fireplaces, walk-in tile showers, tankless water heaters, and exterior stone on the foundation. Other things not included in our base price are landscaping, paved driveways, and retaining walls when necessary. The goal here is to be honest and open, and produce the best home we can at a fair price for you. It really is that simple! Give us a call so we can answer any questions you may have.

About Us

Our team of craftsman has been building log and stick-built homes since 1986. To date they have built more than 400 structures in Western North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. In recent years, homebuilding has been a very challenging environment. Many home builders have not been able to make it as business has slowed down dramatically.



We are still here building because a long time ago we decided to build a business that is debt-free and as such has very low overhead. Our sawmill is family owned. We maintain and own all of our own heavy equipment. When times are good, we don’t go buy a new truck just because we want a new truck. What we do is maintain what we have and focus on taking care of our people.



As many other companies have gone under, we keep our heads down and keep working.



Why is this important to you? Many other companies are forced to pass on overhead expenses to you the consumer because of their business model. Instead, we are able to produce a higher quality home at a more reasonable price point. This may make it easier for you to get the bank financing you need it by creating equity in the home before we even start building!

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FAQs

▶ Are log homes energy efficient?

Not all log homes are created and built equally. However, with the right manufacturing and construction practices, log homes are very energy efficient! The thermal mass of logs alone retain heat and radiate it back into the home, controlling and reducing cooling and heating energy demand.

▶ What does “turnkey” mean?

Turn key means when the home is ready to be lived in. A new homeowner only has to move their furniture into the new home. “Turn the key and move in”.

▶ Are log homes cheaper than conventional houses?

Log homes are affordable and tend to cost the same or just slightly more than a conventionally built quality custom house. Budget-minded consumers can save money by selecting an existing plan and limiting costly features such as high-end cabinetry, designer plumbing and exotic flooring.

▶ With so many choices, how do I decide?

People who live in log homes love to talk about them, so ask for references. Log home magazines are a great resource too. Check out Log Home Living, Log Homes Illustrated, Log Home Design Ideas or Country's Best Log Homes for ideas and plans, as well as seminar and home show announcements.

▶ What about a mortgage? Will banks finance a log home?

We have established relationships with banks who know how to value and appraise your investment. Most likely, you will need to work with one of these banks as non-local banks are very hesitant to make a loan for property that they are not familiar with. Please see the "Our Process" section of the website for more details on how we can help you find a bank that will help, and build equity into your home before you even move in.
Articles
Why should you seriously consider building a log home
Topic: Why should you seriously consider building a log home. Those of us who have had a chance to live in a log home describe the experience as one of security and serenity. The massive log walls surrounding us muffle the exterior noises and make us feel calm. More than any other type of construction, a log home is a healthy sanctuary, exuding strength and stability, protecting us from nature’s extremes. Unlike steel, concrete, glass, vinyl and drywall so common in today’s homes, wood feels good to touch. Wood is the noble material of our ancestors. Its colors and textures are soothing to our soul. Its unique character and endless beauty is one of nature’s most fascinating masterpieces… Basic terminology: 1-The carbon footprint of a building material is defined by the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) that is released in the earth atmosphere to manufacture, transport and use a product to build your home for example. 2-Global warming (Wikipedia definition) is the increase in the average temperature of Earth’s near surface air and oceans since the mid 20th century and its projected continuation. 3- The main Greenhouse gases (GHG) are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone… 1- Log and timber homes carbon footprint: Why building a log/timber home may be the most environmentally sound decision you could make to fight global warming…if you believe CO2 emissions play a large role in global warming of the Earth. In the United States, the construction and manufacturing of building products account for close to 40% of the total CO2 emissions, largely because of USA’s heavy reliance on concrete and steel. For comparison, in Finland that number is 5% as wood is a major building material in that country. A newly released Finnish study (2009) on the environmental impact of construction in that country concludes that using wood whenever possible would further reduce existing CO2 emissions from the building industry by another 25% which would be more than the currently proposed improvements to the energy efficiency of buildings in Finland. A milestone report prepared in 2006 by the Edinburg centre for carbon management states, that the production of cement and steel accounts for over 10% of global annual greenhouse gas emission (GHG). That percentage includes GHG associated with extraction, refining, manufacture, processing and delivery of cement and steel. The following study shows that if the usual building materials used in Scotland were replaced by wood whenever possible, the carbon footprint of new buildings would be reduced by an average of 81%!!! Because wood has a negative carbon footprint as long as wood is taken from sustainably managed forests. Wikipedia definition: Sustainable forest management (SFM) in simple terms is defined as achieving a balance between society’s increasing demand for forest products and the preservation of forest health and diversity. Wood comes from trees. Trees absorb the CO2 from the air to extract the carbon it needs for its structure to about half its dry weight by using the sun energy, water from rain and some nutrients from the soil. In this natural process called photosynthesis it releases oxygen back in the atmosphere. Trees are a carbon sink. Carbon is stored rather than being emitted during the production of wood “the Alpha building material”. It is estimated that approximately 3.5 billion metric tons of carbon is stored in wood construction today in the USA. That is a lot of carbon stored away from the atmosphere! So much more could be done to store more carbon in our buildings by using as much wood as possible. To compare building materials carbon footprint, here are figures released by University of Victoria New Zealand 2003 Center for building performance research CO2 emissions for a selection of common building materials…in KG of CO2 per cubic meter of material. Timber= - 690 (negative value) Concrete=+ 376 Steel = + 9749 Aluminum= + 21600 On average trees absorbs 1 metric ton of CO2 for every cubic meter of wood growth! When the trees mature the absorption of CO2 slows down. Harvesting mature trees and replanting maximizes a forest carbon sink potential. Using more wood in construction increases the demand for sustainable forests, increases the need for new forest plantation and provides a renewable source of carbon neutral energy. According to Robert Chambers excellent book “log construction manual”, the carbon emission value of wood used for handcrafted log home manufacturing is even better for the environment as it takes only about 200 liters (53 gallons) of fuel to produce a 2000sqft log home shell from raw trees, Robert also states that it takes about the same amount of wood to build a 15″ mid span diameter handcrafted log shell as it takes to building the same house with conventional frame dimensional lumber. To produce a volume of frame lumber, Sawmills produce more volume of waste (when sawing and surfacing the trees to lumber shape and size). However about 60 % of that waste on average is used as energy to run the mill. To conclude this chapter, log home construction is arguably the most energy efficient building practice available to us, with the lowest carbon footprint compared to using any other building material available. 2- Longevity of log homes Log homes are a great investment for many future generations to come. They have proven time and again to last centuries. In the USA, the oldest still standing log home was built in 1800 with dovetail corner joinery in Perry county Kentucky. In Europe, many examples of Scandinavian style log homes dating from 1200s to the 1500s are still lived in. In Sweden about 150 log homes have recently been carbon dated to the middle ages when Vikings were the rulers of the land. Many of those remaining log homes were built on above ground stone basement and have very large single gable roof overhangs that protected the logs from rain and snow… 3- Log homes and your health In North America we spend close to 90% of our time indoor. It should make sense that we scrutinize the materials we use to build our homes where we and our children spend so much time. Indoor pollutants are a great concern to health experts in Europe and North America. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified indoor pollution as one of the top health risk we face every day of our life. Exposure to indoor pollutants is one of the main reasons for respiratory health problems and cancer for millions of our children. We assume that building products must be safe, and if we can buy them, then they must have been tested by some government agency. That assumption is completely wrong. To make our homes more energy efficient, we live in airtight plastic bubbles breathing air loaded with chemicals coming from our carpets, vinyl, insulations, paints… Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted by a wide range of man made chemical building materials we use today in our homes. A ground breaking book written by architect Paula Baker-Laporte “Prescriptions for a healthy house” goes in great details on this subject. I highly recommend that all future new home owners read it. Log homes are made from wood that is 100% natural and does not emit VOCs. Solid wood is the only building material that is recyclable, biodegradable, energy efficient and healthy for your family and the environment. 4- Conclusion to this newsletter: We are going in the right direction… In the USA alone, forests have expanded by 25% since 1975. Green building construction is increasing rapidly all over North America. Designers and architects are enthusiastically responding to the green challenge. It is sociably trendy to be green and talk sustainability and loudly promote “green products” of all kinds. To the point where so many supposed green products in the construction industry make very dubious and false claims. Consumers are starting to feel apathetic and suspicious towards green claims and I am one of them. Greenwashing is a term used to describe marketing products with a green claim that upon some scrutiny shows no proof, is irrelevant, comes with hidden trade off or lesser than two evils arguments. Among all this confusion, wood, as a building material, is emerging as the answer to fighting global warming in the construction industry all over the world. Sustainable forestry practices must be quickly expanded worldwide and new forests planted to answer the projected increasing demand for wood in construction and at the same time naturally extract the excess CO2 from our atmosphere. Log and timber construction is one of the great answers to save our planet.
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World Outdoors Log Homes
PO Box 2128 Marion, NC 28752 888-LOG-8300
Email: world.outdoors@yahoo.com
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