Lyons, OR, is a small town known for its lumber industry and picturesque landscapes. In 1987, Richard Braham’s grandmother purchased a beautiful piece of property there, nestled in the lush forests near the Santiam River. Once the family added a manufactured home, the property quickly became a place for them to gather on special occasions while enjoying views of the river and surrounding Douglas firs. They enjoyed the home and property for many years, but that changed in 2020.

Rebuilding After Oregon Wildfires in 2020

In 2020, wildfires swept across parts of Oregon, including the Brahams’ property.

“The house, the sheds, dock; everything was destroyed,” said Richard.

They decided to rebuild and remake the property into something more meaningful – a home and place for future generations. Richard and his brother Mike, who has a background in construction, started doing their research to help them choose a new home for the property. They looked into a few companies in both Oregon and Washington, including researching the company’s backgrounds, touring the homes and focusing on the quality.

“From our research online and from what we saw of the quality of the homes on the lot, we decided on Clayton homes,” said Richard.

The family was particularly impressed with the flexibility Clayton offered. Clayton sent them a few contractors to potentially work with, and the family went with 3-A construction. They poured the foundation, added all the doors, stained and painted the home, and put the two sides of the home together. The company even worked with the family to get as close to the river as possible, and at the best angle for the scenic views.

“One of the great parts about Clayton was that they allowed us to really change the floor plan,” said Richard. “We removed [interior] walls, put windows where there weren’t windows, added outlets [inside and out] and put cabinets where there weren’t any.”

This level of customization allowed the family to design a home that suited their needs, and the level of detail, from the crown molding to the rustic cabinets, are some of the small touches that transformed the house into a home they love.

Energy-Efficient Details

The customizations didn’t stop there. The family wanted to create a home with future generations in mind, so they incorporated low-maintenance, energy-efficient features. They added more insulation and had the home built with two-by-six lumber instead of two-by-fours, which is better for noise reduction and energy efficiency.

“I’m in construction and it is a quality home,” said Mike. “[Clayton] put more quality than a lot of companies out there.”

Their favorite energy-efficient feature of the home is the heat pump because they haven’t had a power bill more than $100.

“We’ve been pleased with this home,” said Richard. “We’ve been surprised by the overall cost of the home.”