Oct 30 2006
Attendees at the recent Log Home & Timber Frame Expo in Denver were among the first to see a full-scale model of the Ponderosa, one of the exclusive modular cabin designs now available from Spirit Cabins. This innovative collection has been receiving great interest from buyers looking for high quality, attractively priced vacation homes, studios and guest cottages.
Early arrivals at the home show were treated to an unrehearsed, real-time demonstration as the log cabin arrived at the show grounds and one construction manager led a team of enthusiastic but inexperienced volunteers to quickly transform it into a comfortable home, complete with a front porch, cozy lighting and cool drinks in the fridge for guests. Soon visitors were filing through, admiring the real dormer windows, custom finishes, solid hardwood cabinets and pine doors imported from Finland -- and few left without a catalog.
Each Spirit Cabin is built to order in a climate-controlled facility and delivered directly to the owner's site. State-of-the-art construction techniques result in shorter completion times and generous value. And because these cabins are built for the rigors of over-the-road delivery, the quality of construction typically exceeds that of standard site-built homes. Federal studies have shown that modular homes hold up better than traditionally constructed homes in extreme weather, including hurricanes.
One- and two-story floor plans range from 330 to 2,100 square feet and start as low as $37,000 - even less for unfinished models. With an average finished square-foot cost of $99, those looking for a log home are delighted to find that they are closer to owning their dream cabin than they expected.
Paul Medlicott of Longmont, Colorado, who was attending the show with his family, said that he was impressed with the Ponderosa's quality. "I like the appliance features, the roof options, the different trim levels," he said. "I'm familiar with modular homes ... they're a lot better than stick-built." Medlicott said that he was pleasantly surprised when he heard that the per-square-foot cost was in the hundred-dollar range. "There's no skimping on quality at all, with the two-by-ten floors and two-by-six walls," he said, also noting the superior energy efficiency.
Asked if he'd like a cabin like the Ponderosa, he responded, "I'd love to have one like this. We've got land already, I'd love to put something like this on it."
Glenn Robinson of Pagosa Springs, Colorado, said that visiting the Ponderosa model was "worth the trip up here. This is great - a quality, economical package. It's something I'm definitely going to be looking into." Robinson, who has built a log cabin in California, is planning to put up several homes in the Pagosa Springs area and liked the appeal of having a finished home delivered right to his site.
Several builders noted that Spirit Cabins' custom modular approach provided a business-savvy means to quickly develop resort housing, citing the accelerated construction time, simplified site requirements and reduced need for subcontractors.
Mark Wilson, program coordinator for Spirit Cabins, detailed the range of custom choices available. "We offer a wide variety of personalized features. On the exterior, we can customize the siding finish, roof materials, even the windows and doors. Our oversized and wrap-around porch options are also very popular."
Interior choices abound, too. "Buyers can choose from multiple floor and siding treatments, plus lighting and cabinet packages," Wilson said, noting that prospective buyers will often bring in floor plans or articles from magazines to illustrate their ideas. "We're usually able to create a plan that meets or even exceeds their ideas of a 'dream' cabin. When that happens, I know I've done my job."