DIY Network

West Virginia Log-Cabin: Location and Site Prep From "Be Your Own Contractor: Vacation Homes" episode DBCV-103

This West Virgina log home was completely disassembled before moved to a new location before being restored to its original condition.

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In this episode of DIY's Be Your Own Contractor: Vacation Homes, we meet Richard and Sylvia Thomas of Berkeley Springs, WV and hear about their experiences relocating and restoring a log cabin originally built in 1820.

In this segment, the homeowners discuss the selection and preparation of the site for their log home.

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	Figure A
	Figure B

George Washington Bathed Here

Richard and Sylvia named the site of their hilltop log-cabin Gobbler's Knob -- after the wild turkeys that are indigenous to the area. The site is situated just outside town of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia at the northern end of the Shenandoah Valley, on West Virginia's eastern panhandle. It's about a two-hour drive from Washington, DC (figure A).

The Thomases are happy that their family getaway is near the community Berkeley Springs. "I like this area because, first of all, this is where I was born and grew up," says Sylvia. "It's wonderful to be able to come home after living in the city for a lot of years. Berkeley Springs is a charming little tourist town. They're famous for their water for both drinking and for mineral baths. It's rich in history, starting with the Native American Indians who roamed all these hills. They were followed by George Washington and Lord Fairfax. Lord Fairfax surveyed much of the land here. During the pre-Civil-War era, this was a gambling town."

George Washington owned some land in the area, and is known to have spent time "taking the waters" in Berkeley Springs. More than two centuries later, the springs and baths (figure B) are still enjoyed by visitors today.

Site Prep and Positioning the House

The new location for the Thomas's cabin (figure C) was originally tree-covered hilltop. Sylvia's father and Richard had a hand in clearing the land for the cabin themselves -- a process that took many weekends to complete. After using chainsaws to cut down the pine trees from an area of the hilltop (figure D), they sold the wood for pulp, then used a bulldozer to clear the stumps away and dragged them to a remote area of the property where they could rot away. With the trees and debris cleared away, work could begin on relocating the cabin structure.

Figure C

Figure D

	Figure E
	Figure F

The positioning of the house on the property (figure E) was carefully thought out and, according to Sylvia, the placement was intended to take advantage of sun exposure through much of the day. As the sun moves through the sky throughout the day, it ultimately shines light on all four sides of the house (figure F).

In the segment that follows, the do-it-yourselfers discuss the steps they took in striving to preserve the original wood floor and their decisions for interior design.

If you'd like more information on log cabins, check out DIY's special Build a Log Cabin workshop.

RESOURCES :

The Complete Guide to Building Log Homes
ISBN: 0806974869
Author: Monte Burch, Richard J. Meyer, Lloyd P. Birmingham
Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.
Website: www.sterlingpub.com

Small Log Homes: Storybook Plans and Advice
ISBN: 1586850431
Author: Robbin Obomsawin
Gibbs Smith Publishing
Website: www.gibbs-smith.com

Inside Log Homes: The Art & Spirit of Home Planning and Decor
Model: 087905963X
Author: Cindy Teipner Thiede, et al
Gibbs Smith Publishing
Website: www.gibbs-smith.com

Special Resources for Be Your Own Contractor: Vacation Homes, episode 103

Fidalgo Restoration, LLC
Website: www.fidalgorestoration.com

American Log Restoration
Website: www.americanlogrestoration.com

Old Log Cabins
Website: www.oldlogcabins.com