Log Homes Done Right

By now you may have noticed our new logo and artwork. We are in the process of making some changes in our marketing pieces. However, we are the same company, the same owners, (though several of my sons have become partners) and with the same experienced people and service. Four of my oldest sons have bought into the company over the last 8 years and are now partners with me. Since then, we are cautiously expanding and upgrading in order to achieve even better quality and service. Let me share and point out a few of these improvements.

Perhaps the biggest improvement we have made is our new Dry Kilns. We had three kilns, but two of them were outdated and inefficient. So in 2013, we had the two older ones tore down and built two, brand new, state-of-the-art SII Dry Kilns. These kilns allows us to better monitor the moisture contend as they are being dried, giving our clients a dryer log with less checking. The new kilns also allow us to set the pitch at a higher temperature (150 degrees), which means the sap in the logs will be more stable and less likely to bleed once installed.

Another improvement that comes high on the list is the added warehouse space. Often, during the summer, framing lumber and feet building built for added space to allow us to “winter buy” enough 2x framing lumber and OSB sheathing to last us for most of the summer. Besides being able to buy more competitively, initially, it also allows us to hold and stabilize our price. This can add up to a substantial savings that we can pass on to our clients.

The above added warehouse space became more necessary as we do more complete packages. In the past, we supplied only the logs and timbers. Today, we supply everything from the foundation up – except the cabinets, electrical, plumbing, HVAC and gutters. This is a convenience that both builders and our clients have learned to appreciate. Builders don’t have to figure out what additional material it takes to finish the home and add 10% just to make sure they are covered for material cost overruns. In turn, the client doesn’t have to pay for that 10% – plus they don’t have to worry that they will be asked to come up with additional money if there happens to be material shortages. Hochstetler Log Homes guarantees enough material if the home gets built according to the blue prints.

We have an ongoing program “builder’s workshop” to train builders to build log homes using our system. In turn, we can recommend these builders to our clients with confidence that they have the knowledge to do it right. Thus, our new tag line “Log Homes Done Right.” This network of several hundred builders are scattered throughout the country, giving our clients quality building solutions in most areas of the U.S.

From our own professionally-trained forester looking for the highest quality logs along with our harvesters, sawmill, dry-kilns, top quality log home milling capability’s and the ability to provide complete packages, all the way to our in-house licensed architectural Engineer; add that to a goodly network of highly-trained builders scattered throughout the country – and we can truly say we are vertically integrated. And, what’s more, with our highly competent people I believe we can honestly say “Log Homes Done Right” is uniquely Hochstetler Log Homes!