TOP
2. Contacting Ward
Whether you're ready to talk possibilities or eager to transform
your ideas into a working drawing, we are here to support you.
From design to construction, you can expect to receive a high
level of personalized assistance. In fact, Ward's outstanding
service is considered the "standard" of the log home industry.
á
TOP
3. Estimating and Budgeting
Many factors affect the completed cost of a Ward Cedar Log Home,
including geographic area, special features and whether it is
contractor or homeowner built. While the final cost may vary,
you can estimate the completed cost of your home, excluding
land, to be about the same as a stick-built home of equal
quality and specifications.
We will help you determine the cost of your home, even
offering suggestions on how to save money with the package and
design. We will also organize materials, labor and services for
easy comparison, as well as help you obtain quotes from builders
and subcontractors in your area for any or all parts of the
project.
If needed, we will be familiar with the lenders in your area
or national lenders that can help you obtain financing.
á
TOP
4. Reviewing/Modifying Plans
We can help you design a home that meets your specific
requirements. Supported by our in-house design team in Maine, we
will work closely with you throughout the finalization of the
complete set of working plans, which includes floor plans;
foundation dimensions; floor, ceiling and roof framing plan;
elevations; and related details.
á
TOP
5. Ordering Your Home
We will work with you concerning proper payments, purchase
agreements and plan approval paper work. Ward requires a minimum
of 25 percent initial investment with remainder due upon
delivery.
á
TOP
6. Finding a Contractor
We are no longer builders, but we may be able to recommend
competent contractors in your area. We are there to help you get
through the maze of local building codes and regulations and
will work with you to make sure your project complies with all
building and energy codes.
We are trained to guide you and your crew through the
unloading and construction process. Ward Cedar Log Homes are
made so that the construction of your home, no matter where you
build it, is easy-to-understand. Builders and contractors
everywhere — even in areas where log homes are uncommon — will
quickly understand how the Ward Traditional Comfort System is
constructed.
á
TOP
7. Scheduling Delivery
Delivery typically takes places three to six weeks after you
place your order. Custom designed homes may take slightly
longer, depending on the time of year. Materials are carefully
packaged and shipped on flatbed trucks to prevent damage during
transit, and components are clearly labeled for easy
identification upon delivery.
We will thoroughly explain the unloading and inventory
process so that the materials can be easily found during
construction.
á
TOP
8. Having Your Foundation Ready for Delivery
Your home plans will be engineered to provide the necessary
dimensions and specifications to complete your foundation, be it
a full foundation, crawl space, posts or slab.
á
TOP
9. Building Your Log Home
On-site technical assistance is an important part of Ward's
construction service program. We are trained to guide you and
your crew through the unloading and construction process.
Should you choose to construct your home without the help of
a builder, you'll find that Ward offers the industry's most
complete and detailed construction guide, designed with the
"do-it-yourselfer" in mind. With more than 100 pages, this
easy-to-follow manual covers all aspects of construction,
providing step-by-step illustrated instructions. This, along
with detailed working drawings and extensive pre-cutting, makes
your Ward home exceptionally easy to build.
The log home materials package arrives on site with each log
precision-cut and numbered for a perfect fit. Ward also pre-cuts
their own Northern White Cedar exterior and interior trim for
all doors and windows, our log gables, and even all porch, deck,
loft and stair railings. Ward also cuts and hand-peels their own
round purlins. Because they cut, plane and "care for" so much of
the package, they take full responsibility for every piece,
decreasing on-site labor costs and the chance for error.
Ward Cedar Log Homes utilize a conventional flooring system
and studded partitions, making the installation of wiring and
plumbing just as easy as in a traditionally framed house. In
addition, any type of heating, ventilation or air conditioning
system can be used. Interior wall switches and outlets are also
installed in a conventional manner. For exterior walls, wires
may be run through holes drilled in the logs and in channels
that will be covered by door trim. Outlets and switches are
mortised into the exterior walls.
á
TOP
10. Ongoing Representative Follow-Ups for Customer
Satisfaction
We want you to be completely satisfied, so you can depend on us
to keep close track of your home-building project. Up to seven
different service reports will be completed and sent to our
corporate office during the construction of your home. We even
check in with you one full year after home completion — a
valuable quality control feature built right in, even after
delivery.
And Ward's 20-year guarantee
covers all log components against structural defects for 20
years and warrants that all items manufactured by Ward are free
from defects in workmanship or design. Their component suppliers
also extend their individual product warranties to you as a Ward
customer.
á
TOP
11. Enjoy Your Ward Cedar Log Home!
Each Ward Cedar Log Home is unique and is manufactured expressly
for each customer. Hopefully that customer will be you!
á
TOP
