Log homes as art? Really!

Most people interested in fine log homes have seen hundreds of photos in magazines or online. They may have even toured existing log homes. Often, with the overwhelming beauty, strength and aesthetics of a custom log home, one might tend to overlook the fine details that differentiate a master log home craftsman from a standard builder. Not only in how the logs were carved and assembled, but also in the framing and finishing details. As a general contractor specializing in hand hewn log homes for over twenty-five years, I have witnessed the full spectrum of quality that the industry has to offer. The offices of Timberwolf Log Structures receive calls on a constant basis requiring our services to repair or, in several cases, to take over the production of a project. These circumstances are usually due to the poor quality of work performed or the lack of knowledge required to prepare, stack, enclose and finish a log home. Most building contractors have the best of intentions when they start a log home project but soon find themselves unprepared for the difficulties that are the nature of this trade. Only a seasoned log home craftsman could have the foresight, skill and techniques to prevail in these types of endeavors. I see many builders who are attempting a log home for the first time, or even some that have done many, start to realize their limitations. They begin to fake their way through the project and often make mistakes that are costly or, in some cases, even beyond repair. Then they usually start to use trim to cover their problems and at that point you may find your dream home not finished to your satisfaction. Remember that if you cut into a log wall or structure you cannot tear it out and start over, and improper finishing can ruin even the finest log package. I often hear the expression, “It’s a log home. It’s supposed to be rustic.”

A statement that TLS would prefer not to use or hear.

To qualify these views, I must state that Timberwolf Log Structures only builds custom, hand-scribed log packages and rarely will we construct the typical machine milled log kits that are so prevalent in the log home industry. Although those “kits” do have a viable niche in the log home world, we prefer to build log homes as an art; therefore, we cater to an exclusive clientele that not only appreciates fine craftsmanship, but also expects it.

What is art? Of course we can all relate to a fine painting or sculpture, but my idea of art is to utilize skill, craftsmanship and artistic vision to transform a practical item into something that transcends its purpose. A coffee table is something to put cups and magazines on but a finely inlaid table with hand carved legs and borders becomes a topic of conversation, something to be contemplated and admired. The same goes for one of our log or timber-framed homes.

In this day of extremely high building costs it is almost inevitable that the art of craftsmanship falls victim to budgets and time constraints.

I sometimes find it very difficult to maintain this type of work that I and my crew of log smiths and master carpenters strive to provide. The finest details are overlooked by many and appreciated by few. I often find myself screening my prospective clients as to what they are attempting to accomplish. This style of operating my business may seem a bit presumptuous but in reality, I strive to be fair and upfront about the services I offer. Does a client really want to pay a premium price for a home of this quality or would they simply prefer a nice house to live in?

As a third generation native and lifelong resident of Lake Tahoe, I have had the great pleasure of building some of the finest log structures in the area. To achieve the reputation that Timberwolf Log Structures has acquired over the years requires the determination to be the very best at what we do. TLS has also been very successful at the all important client relations. We build a relationship with our clients that, although professional, becomes a sort of kinship, with the home being the common bond between us. This can only result through the virtue of unabashed honesty and the ability to work with my client as a partner in “our” project. We provide totally transparent bookkeeping with the same attention to detail that we are so well known for in our construction management.

The fine art of building a custom log home may seem to be a frivolous statement to some, but to Timberwolf Log Structures, the love of the craft drives us to create beauty and excellence to be admired by all who see it, and most importantly, to those who live in it: to create a showpiece that is one of a kind.