Pioneer Log Homes are the builders of some of the most unique and high-end log homes on the planet. The company is featured on Discovery Channel’s Timber Kings, a reality TV series that follows the building crew as they work through tight deadlines, intense pressure and frustrating obstacles.
They use special timber joinery to lock together their logs using notches and giant wood screws. They have also developed a technique that repels moisture better than other methods.
The Retchloffs
The Retchloffs, who reside in Rogersville, have dreamed of building their own log cabin for years. They have a large plot of land on which they plan to build their home, and they want the structure to be large enough to host family gatherings and events. They are also concerned about accessibility and want the house to be a comfortable place for their grandchildren to spend time with them and their children.
After doing a lot of research and visiting many different companies, they stumbled on Pioneer Log Homes of Canada. This company specializes in building massive log homes with massive logs.
According to their website, Pioneer log homes build the “Cadillac of log homes,” with flared-end construction and enormous logs. They use Western red cedar harvested in northwest British Columbia.
A big part of the Pioneer design is their crisscrossed flared-end timbers that average 18 inches in diameter. They are cut down at a wider base and are scribed with hand tools rather than milled.
Their crew is also a big fan of the classic Swiss joinery method, which has genuine mortise and tenon connections. They use it in conjunction with a combination of post and beam and full log construction to give their customers the best of both worlds.
Schwaller, who was born in Switzerland and moved to Williams Lake, BC, in 1993, is known for his unique style of architecture that has earned him the nickname “Timber King.” He is an artisan at heart, says Pitts, who first met schwaller while working at a log yard.
He has built about 20 high-end custom homes, ranging from $500,000 to $3 million each. He also builds commercial and industrial projects.
Pitts’ involvement in the Rogersville project started a couple of years ago when his clients Barry and Kim Retchloff came knocking on his door about building their dream home. They were looking for a reputable, reliable log home builder that could give them the quality they were seeking.
After doing a lot of search, they came across Pioneer and were impressed with the company’s craftsmanship. They wanted a rustic feel to their home and decided that a Pioneer log cabin would be ideal for them.
The Challenge
A lot of people prefer log cabins because of the rustic charm they add to a home. But, back in the pioneer days, log homes weren’t easy to build. They often required little building materials, just trees and an axe. Historians believe that many early settlers built log cabins as temporary shelter when they first arrived in the new land.
Most modern log homes use hand-worked hewn logs that fit together more securely than the simple round logs pioneers used. This is a time-honored building technique that can be traced back to Northern Europe and Scandinavia where log cabins were the norm until the American pioneers came along.
The most common pioneer log homes were small one-room buildings. But once they settled on a farm, they could build larger homes that were more practical and suited to their needs.
Besides being sturdy, the logs also have beautiful natural wood grain patterns. This is a result of a natural phenomenon called “log growth,” in which logs grow and expand with time.
When they’re growing and expanding, the tree’s outer bark dries down to a layer of splintery wood known as “splitwood.” This allows the logs to dry out without any damage to the inner core of the wood. This makes the hewn logs stronger and more resistant to damage than basic round logs.
As a result, they’re more likely to be able to withstand heavy snow and extreme weather conditions. In addition, they have an advantage over modern concrete-frame homes because they can be more easily molded and shaped to fit different shapes and sizes of land.
While hewn logs are a bit more expensive than their rough-cut cousins, they offer a greater level of quality and a wider range of aesthetics. And, as a result, they’re much more environmentally sustainable.
It’s also important to note that the hewn logs are made from Western Red Cedar, a species that is native to the area where they are processed in Williams Lake, B.C. This helps to preserve the health of the forest, which is critical in sustaining the industry and providing jobs for residents in the region.
The Crew
The crew at Pioneer Log Homes of British Columbia, known as the Timber Kings, are more than home builders; they are artists. Using a labour-intensive process, they craft the most magnificent custom log homes worldwide.
The Timber Kings team is comprised of master craftsmen from all over the world, including Switzerland, France and Canada, who are all dedicated to their job. They’ve been with the company for years and are passionate about making luxury log homes for their clients. They also love the look on their customers’ faces when they see their homes installed on their property.
Each home is a true work of art and every detail has been carefully crafted to perfection. The initial construction of your log shell is performed at one of our company sites in Williams Lake, BC, where the log ends are carved to perfection and a gentle scrolled timber arch is created for added effect. The log shell package is then disassembled, loaded and transported to your site where a Pioneer craftsman supervises the reassembling of your home to your foundation.
The team takes your vision very seriously and are eager to take on challenges like 50-foot clear span trusses, finding just the right 14-foot tree trunk to make a character log, and building a majestic log spiral staircase that wraps around a 47-foot feature tree. It’s their dedication to achieving your dream that makes their crew the Timber Kings.