Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I ST I N C T LY M O N TA N A • S U M M E R 2 0 1 8 88 downtown missoula 1/4 of our men rented a dozer and built the driveway while the other took over an inexperienced fram- ing crew and completed the subfloor all in one day. e re-assembly was set back by just one day and the homeowner was ecstatic at the results. WESLEY: ere are some parts to building that can't be anticipated even though you try to dot the 'I's" and cross the "t's" before beginning. On one occasion we ran into a problem with the bearing weight of the soil we were building the home on. We stopped the pro- cess and put our heads together with an engineer. Af- ter considering our options we recommended a course of action with fixed costs. e owner was happy with the recommendation. In the owner's minds it took a situation that was of great concern and minimized it to the point that they were no longer troubled by it. IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU USE NEW TECHNOLOGY TO ENHANCE THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE? WESLEY: It is sometimes difficult for the owners to visualize what the home will look like after looking at the design on blueprints. So, being able to take the design and present it in three dimensions helps them to see the home as it will be when completed. BRAD: We recently updated our website, adding much more in- formation and additional home designs that potential clients find very useful. We have also enhanced our Facebook and Pinterest presence. Our design team is utilizing 3D software for all home designs. e advancements in technology in this field have been amazing so we update regularly. is technology allows clients to walk through their homes, similar to a video game, early on in the design process and really visualize all aspects of their home and make adjustments that could easily have been missed in the old paper plan days. WHAT IS THE KEY ELEMENT IN THE HOME BUILDING PROCESS THAT YOU THINK BEST EXEMPLIFIES "THE MONTANA WAY" OF BUILDING HOMES? BRAD: Well with a name like "Montana Log Homes" everything we do is the Montana way! Log home construction dates back to the earliest settlers here in Montana. While construction tools and techniques have advanced considerably over the years, we are proud to carry on the tradition of handcrafting each home we build with old fashion tools like a hammer and chisel. WESLEY: Montana is a beautiful state that offers opportunities that are hard to equal. But, along with that comes challenges to build- ing that must be considered from the beginning. Proper insula- tion and ventilation allow the home owners to successfully cope with some of the extremes in weather experienced in Montana and make the interior environment of the home safe and liveable. Seismic activity must be taken into consideration when designing the homes structure. Proper drainage around the home, the depth of frost and the bearing weight of the roof are all things that a builder in Montana must take into consideration. G R E AT FA L L S The Best Western Plus Heritage Inn is the largest Full Service Hotel and Convention Center in Central Montana, and has earned its reputa- tion as the Premier Site for Groups from 5 to 1,500 desiring Superb Meeting Accommodations and Service provided by an experienced Catering Staff. With 230 Sleeping Rooms and 17,000 square feet Event Space, our Hotel is perfect for Annual Conventions, Regional Meetings, Exhibi- tions, Family Reunions, Banquets and Weddings. The Heritage Inn has an onsite Restaurant and Sports Bar & Casino, and is nestled in a quiet upscale neighborhood that provides easy ac- cess to I-15 and Great Falls International Airport. www.bestwestern.com Heritage Inn 33 rd AnnuAl Out tO lunch EvEry WEdnEsday JunE, July, & august 18 th AnnuAl dOwntOwn tOnight EvEry thursday JunE, July, & august unseen MissOulA - new guided wAlking tOurs EvEry Thursday & saTurday JunE, July & augusT 13 th AnnuAl river city rOOts FestivAl - Aug. 24-25, 2018 ATHENA ATHENA Chelsea Culp ExpEriEncE WhErE Missoula's hEarT BEaTs.... •Over 70 LOcaL ShOpS & BOutiqueS •Over 50 reStaurantS and cafeS •MuSeuMS, theater, & Live MuSic •WeekLy cOMMunity eventS •free parking WeekdayS after 5pM & WeekendS Make it MeMOraBLe. Make it dOWntOWn. | MiSSOuLadOWntOWn.cOM

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