Cabin

Often associated with the pioneers of America’s frontier, the cabin typically was made of logs, stone or vertical boards and battens, usually a small, simple but sturdy structure of one or just a few rooms with a fireplace. Although having few comforts the cabin has genuine architectural beauty truly reflecting the tools, materials and rough construction by hand of a simpler way of life. Today, log cabins can be very large, lodge-like homes with all the modern conveniences but still embody the warmth and relaxed comfort of a vacation retreat.

Cottage

"A small or humble dwelling often referred to as a summer residence at a waterside location."

No single definition describes a "cottage". However, several common themes emerge: a calm retreat, a perfect home for young marrieds, empty nesters or retirees, an easy to live in, easy place to maintain that encourages informal living, and finally, a house expressive of who you are and how you live your life....

Bungalow

A typically one to one-and-a half story house with wide front porches, horizontal lines and the main living quarters, including at least the master bedroom are arranged on the first floor. The term “Bungalow” originated from the Bengal India region where wide covered porches and low sweeping roof lines provided relief from summer heat and the elements. The style was popularized with modifications to the English cottage in the late 1800’s and gained wide prominence in the U.S. from 1910 – 1940 as an efficient, high quality home of the middle class.

Arts and Crafts Movement

Resulting from a revolt against the mechanization and dehumanizing aspects of the rapid industrialization and technology changes at the end of the 19th century. The furniture and architecture of the Arts and Crafts movement celebrated the personalized skill and care of individual creation with natural materials; wood, iron, earth, stone, tile, stone and fabric coexisting with nature and encouraging indoor and outdoor living in it’s designs.

Chinking

"Chinking" is the filler material between logs of log walls to prevent the elements from entering the cabin since many styles of log building allow gaps between the logs. Early hand hewed log cabins were chinked with whatever material was on hand, mud, clay, grass, or chunks of wood. Subsequent to the pioneer days chinking evolved to masonry materials over metal lathe on both the inside and outside of the log wall with insulation in-between. However, mortar does not move with the seasonally expanding and contracting logs and gaps are created between the logs and the mortar chinking material that can allow air and water between the logs. New synthetic acrylic latex chinking material has revolutionized log home construction. These new compounds, expand and contract with the logs and form an elastic and tight weather and air resistant seal.

De-construction

The planned and systematic disassembly of buildings generally performed mostly with hand tools in much the same manner as in the construction of the same buildings but in reverse order. De-construction enables a very high rate of re-cycling of building materials compared to traditional demolition with heavy machinery. De-construction provides a resource for low priced building and raw materials for new construction and renovation and saves space in rapidly dwindling Construction and Demolition (C & D) landfills.

Recycling

Recycling, or the return of materials previously used to a continuing use, reduces mining extraction, production pollution and energy expenditure and prevents solid waste from contaminating the environment. Each year, the US produces close to 200 million tons of municipal solid waste, almost 4 pounds per person per day, and 80% of this waste is recycleable.

Orange County, North Carolina has recently adopted new Construction and Demolition regulations that have reduced the amount of debris going to area landfills. Businesses like CC & B that recycle entire buildings strongly support municipal goals to reduce landfill increases of construction and demolition related materials.

Renovation

The adaptation of the old to the new, preserving the spirit of an old structure while sometimes changing the form to address new or personal needs.

Restoration

The adaptation of a structure for a purpose other than what it was originally intended for.