When building something new, you get the chance to do everything the right way from the start. Bengt-Olov and Christina have created a life together. In their hands remains the memory of every wooden moulding, every joint and brushstroke. The low-energy house they have built from the ground up is planned and organized for a shared future as active senior citizens.
“For us, it couldn’t be better than this, and when you build yourself you can get it exactly as you want,” says Logosol’s founder Bengt-Olov Byström and puts his arm around Christina.
Moulded swan neck cornices
They moved into the newly built house just in time for Christmas in 2011, almost exactly thirteen months after the demolition of the old abandoned house that originally stood on the site. The building is part of Östanbäcken, a landmarked block from the 18th century, in the centre of Härnösand, Sweden.
The demolition and rebuilding have been done in consultation with both the local authorities and the county museum. When the house was to be painted, the town architect came to help them choosing colour.
“To us it was important that the house fitted into the surroundings. We walked around the block looking at the neighbouring houses and pondering, but no colour felt right. When we came back home Bengt-Olov took out a lath he had saved from the cladding of the old house. “We just looked at each other and said, there we have it,” Christina remembers.
Today, the old lath hangs in a place of honour in the hallway. A painting company produced the exact colour. The colour is best described as at the same time green and blue, which proved to be a good combination with the white casings and corners of the house. Also the shape of the old outer lathing became part of the new cladding.
“To get the exact shape we ordered special moulding knives. Besides those knives, we have machined almost all swan neck cornices in the house using standard knives for the Solo planer/moulder,” says Bengt- Olov.
Homemade gives quality
The cooperation with the architect Nyquist put focus on the environmentally friendly at an early stage. The conscious choice of environmentally friendly building technology and sustainable energy solutions has been a matter of course to both Bengt-Olov and Christina.
“We have built a house that will stand for centuries. This is an insight that gives perspective as regards choice of building materials,” says Bengt-Olov Byström, who has cut all timber for the cladding on a Logosol sawmill and a Logosol-Laks frame saw.
“The small Solo planer/moulder has paid off many times over during the construction of the house. To plane and mould yourself instead of buying finished products is a fun and economical way of enhancing the quality of a house. Having your own planer/moulder also gives you great opportunities when it comes to the design of the mouldings,” says Christina.
Bengt-Olov’s tips on building new houses
• Take contact with a plumber at an early stage. This part is particularly important to get right at the very start.
• Make your own building materials if you have the possibility. Economical and fun. Improves the quality of the entire construction.
• Build sustainable for the future. Environmentally friendly and adapted for all stages of life.
5 environmentally friendly solutions
1. Solar panels on the roof
2. Recycling of the heat from the used hot water.
3. Recycling of exhaust air.
4. Cellulose fibres as insulation in the walls and the roof.
5. Led-lighting both indoors and outdoors.
