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"How Much Does a Log Home Cost?" is the single most asked question in the industry, and also the most difficult one to answer. The customers aren't the only ones who are frustrated; dealers and manufacturers are fully aware that not giving an easy answer could lose a sale. However, in reality the answer is "That Depends", and the sooner the homeowners accept this statement the sooner they can start looking in the right place.

WHAT DO I MEAN BY THE RIGHT PLACE? Like everyone else, my husband and I started our search by oohing and aahing at the majestic, multi-faceted homes with numerous peaks in the roof, giant trusses, huge windows, and big logs. What we didn't realize right away is that every one of our favorite log homes were hand-crafted, and so far out of our price range that we might as well have been shopping for a castle.

The first thing you need to do is distinguish between a handcrafted log home and a milled log home. Handcrafted log homes will cost anywhere from 2-4 times as much per square foot as a milled log home, when you take into consideration the size of the logs and the intense labor required from the first day the logs are selected. If the logs are not evenly sized, you know right away you are looking at a handcrafted home.

MILLED LOG HOMES: If you select a handcrafted log home, you don't need to be reading this article! For the rest of us, there are other basic factors to consider if you are looking at price: log diameter, log species, and log corners. The first two factors speak for themselves. The corner system, however, can make a big difference. For instance, think about how the logs are stacked. If you remember your Lincoln Log toy, you had to find the half-log to start the first course. This is the way a Saddle-Notched corner system is constructed. The courses are staggered and logs are notched to fit snugly together, and when you look at the corner you will see each log end lying on top of the one below it, creating a continuous unbroken stretch from top to bottom. The notches require another run through the mill, and will add to the eventual cost.

When you look at a Butt-and-Pass log home you will see a gap between each log past the corner. This is because all the logs are laid on the same plane; the first course is started with a full log and it butts up against the other wall log which runs past it. The next course reverses the process. There is no notch to hold them together, hence a less time in the mill. If you compare a butt-and-pass house to a saddle-notched house, dollar for dollar the butt-and-pass house should be less expensive. This is where aesthetics kicks in.

A home with logs that are flat inside-and-out will probably be joined with a dovetail system, where the logs are notched at an angle and snugly fit together. Think of the corner of your kitchen drawer. These also require more precision equipment and are a little more expensive to build.

There are other corner systems, but these three are the most common. Just bear in mind that the corner creates one of the big differences between one milled manufacturer's product and another's.

LOG PACKAGES. After you have decided on the corner system, you'll find that every company quotes their logs differently. To get a real apples-to-apples comparison, you must ask for a quote on the logs ONLY. And remember that the logs constitute 1/4 to 1/5 the cost of the eventual house. I think you're going to find that within the same size, species and corner system, the basic costs will not vary all that much from one manufacturer to another... not including shipping, of course.

Many companies quote on a Weathered-in Shell, which means all the components for a weather tight house: logs, windows, roof sheathing, doors. It's tempting to get this kind of quote, but remember that you may be paying thousands of extra dollars to ship generic lumber across the country. And when the extra stuff is delivered, it's up to you to store it all safe and dry on site. If your contractor buys the lumber locally, you can get it delivered when you need it, rather than months ahead of time.

IT'S A CUSTOM HOME. Once you get past erection of the log walls, you're going to discover that your log home is not a whole lot different from any other custom home. The roof materials are the same, the heating systems are the same, the windows are basically the same. Most of your decisions are on the inside of the house: stock kitchen vs. custom cabinets, granite vs. Formica, wood floors vs. carpeting, tongue-and-groove vs. sheetrock, antler chandelier vs. wagon wheel... here's where the wild differences in price can add up. It's a custom home, remember, and the choices are up to you. In the mid-Atlantic states, the square foot price of a custom framed house and a custom log home will be pretty equivalent. When looked at from that point of view, the whole pricing equation starts to make more sense.

BOTTOM LINE: This is where we all get into trouble. There's no agreement as to a budgeting price, because local costs vary so much. Four years ago, when I started designing my home, the magazines said to budget $150 per square foot. I thought this was outrageous, but in the end, we spent about $157 per square foot for a saddle-notched home with 8" pine logs and some upgrades, so I'm glad I paid attention. If you start there, you'll at least be in the ballpark.

Mercedes Hayes is a Hiawatha Log Home dealer and also a Realtor in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. She designed her own log home which was featured in the 2004 Floor Plan Guide of Log Home Living magazine. You can learn more about log homes by visiting http://www.MercedesHayes.com

# posted by htwegieqy : 7:17 PM  0 comments

What started out as a way for airmen in the 1950s to pass the time has turned into a popular worldwide sport for many. Go carts have quickly become a phenomenon all over the globe. With most historians giving Art Ingels the credit for inventing the go cart, he built his very first one back in 1956. But that first go cart was nothing compared to the models we have today. Newer more modern go carts can now travel 160 mph or faster. Now that's amazing.

This miniature Formula One racing machine is referred to by a lot of names including go carts, go karts, go-carts, shifter carts, gocarts, gokarts, enduro carts, and a number of other ways. But one thing is for sure, getting behind the wheel of one of them is exciting. Go carts are related to open-wheel Formula One or Indy Car racing. If you've ever wanted to know what it feels like to race a Formula 1 or Indy Car, while still being as safe as possible, go carts would be your best bet. And that's probably what Michael Schumacher, Sarah Fisher, Darrell Waltrip, Tony Stewart and Kyle Petty all thought when they were kids. They all started their racing careers in go carts. With speeds as high as 160 mph these little machines can travel as fast as the professional race car drivers do on many of their tracks.

There are many different options available today for people that want an exciting vehicle to drive. There are ATVs, dirt bikes, scooters, mopeds, go peds, mini bikes and motorcycles. But go carts are the closest thing you will find to the thrill of Formula 1, NASCAR or Indy Car racing. They are small open-wheeled vehicles with 4 wheels and no suspension. Instead of a suspension they rely on chassis flex. They are basically a smaller version of the professional open wheel race cars.

Many hopefuls who dream of one day racing at the pro level will get their start in go carting. Go carts can be a stepping stone to professional Formula One or Indy Car racing. The reason is that there are many different classes in go carting. No matter what level of experience you have there is a class for you. And as you improve you can move up to increasingly higher classes with greater competition. If you can get to the top in a go cart you may have what it takes for Formula 1 or Indy.

Professional racing is a very expensive sport. But with go carts drivers can get involved on a shoestring budget. It's a cheaper way to get involved with racing. Find out if you have what it takes without breaking the bank to do it.

But go carting is not only for the professionally-minded drivers. Go carts are usually driven by non-professionals, people just like you or me, out for a good time and a lot of excitement. Because anyone can drive one, regardless of their experience level, go carts have become extremely popular all over the world. They can be found in just about every large city either in family fun centers or other venues.

A go cart is made up of a chassis, motor, transmission, seat and 4 tires and a few other odds and ends. As mentioned earlier they have no suspension. The chassis must provide the stiffness and also enough flexibility to allow the cart to grip the road well on the straightaways as well as in the turns. The chassis can be either open or caged. The caged chassis allows protection for the driver in the event of a rollover while the open chassis does not. The cage performs a similar function as does a roll bar.

Engines used in carting are typically either 2-stroke or 4-stroke. They are made by manufacturers such as Honda or Briggs and Stratton among others. You would think that the 4-stroke engines would be more powerful than the 2-stroke engines, but that's not usually the case.

If you have ever wondered how fast go carts can travel you will be amazed at the top speeds. Sprint carts can usually get up to about 60 mph while the more powerful enduro carts can reach a top speed of about 90 mph. And if that's not fast enough for you how about the shifter karts that reach top speeds of 160 mph or more. You heard right, that is not a misprint and these are certainly not toys. Transmissions differ from cart to cart, but the shifter carts use a manual transmission with a clutch that allows the driver to get the most out of the motor.

It seems as though every part of the go cart has become a separate entity, a specialized piece of equipment with different options available to the purchaser. And with regard to the tires they are certainly no exception. In dry weather slicks are used. They are smooth tires that grip the road well. And as they heat up while driving they get even better traction. During wet weather tires with treads are needed. These are called rain tires. And of course, how could any respectable driver racing on ice do without specialized spiked tires? That's correct, there are even go cart races on ice in some parts of the world.

With the many different levels available for drivers today anyone can race at a comfortable level. And the sky is the limit to a talented driver. With a lot of practice, a bunch of talent and a little luck you might find yourself racing alongside Tony Stewart someday. It's certainly possible.

This article about racing fast go carts is brought to you by Go Carts Supreme. For more information about carting and go carts visit Go Carts Supreme.

http://www.go-carts-supreme.com

# posted by htwegieqy : 3:16 PM  0 comments

A varicose vein starts out as little more than a visual problem but it can lead, over time, to leg swelling, fatigue and pain. The reduced flow of blood to your legs causes your legs to tire quickly and often make them feel as heavy as lead weights. If left untreated the varicose vein can get serious to the point of causing leg ulcers, impaired walking, leg cramps and blood clots. Correcting the problem used to involve hospitalization, surgical removal of the varicose vein and a long recovery period. It can make one shudder just to think about it. Today, however, utilizing the latest laser technology, in many cases, much of that old surgical procedure can be a thing of the past.

The benefits of this new laser procedure for varicose vein treatment are considerable. There is really no preparation work required at all. It can be done as an outpatient procedure and generally takes less than an hour start to finish. The old surgical procedure often took 4 to 6 hours or more. Total anesthesia for the laser procedure is not required and there is only minimal pain. When everything is done there is no scarring. The incision to insert the laser is so small that there is no need for stitches. When the doctor is done with the laser there is really no recovery period at all. Vigorous physical activity is discouraged for the first day or two after laser treatment but generally you walk out of the outpatient facility and return to your normal daily activities immediately. There may be some minor itching and tenderness for a week or so afterwards but not enough to limit your activities. Sometimes you have to go back for a second or third follow up laser procedure to obtain complete resolution of the problem. Of course that will vary from individual to individual.

The technical name for this procedure is endovenous laser therapy. The laser used is very precise and delivers a very controlled dose of laser energy. The doctor will insert a very small thin laser fiber into your thigh. Even though your varicose vein shows up in your lower leg area the real cause of the problem is almost always a faulty valve in your upper leg. Once the laser is properly positioned in your upper leg he will activate the laser. The heat from the laser energy will cause the blood in that area of the vein to coagulate and close off the diseased varicose vein. This will cause the entire vein from there down into your lower leg to shrink and be absorbed back into your body. The number of veins in your legs is huge so the loss of the one varicose vein is not a problem for your circulatory system. The blood that normally would have gone through the diseased varicose vein will now go through other healthier veins.

This laser procedure has proven to be more than 96 percent effective at eliminating the problem with a varicose vein. So there is still a chance that you may have to undergo the old vein removal procedure. But your chances of solving a varicose vein problem quickly and easily with laser technology are better than ever before.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Varicose Vein

# posted by htwegieqy : 3:11 PM  0 comments