A childhood dream of a sturdy log home comes to fruition through a fast-moving team effort. In mid-May of 2012 Linda and Ted Valentiner walked into Montana Log Homes in Kalispell, Montana with ideas in their heads and magazine clippings in their hands. Less than three...
This handy retired couple works together to make continual improvements to their stunning Big Sky, Montana, home. Look north, and you’re treated to views of Whitefish Mountain ski area and Glacier National Park. Look south, and you’ll see the stunning 200-square-mile...
An octagonal timber hybrid and little log cabin are the perfect canvas for an artist reliving her childhood memories. A bumpy snowmobile ride led to the fulfillment of an ambitious project for Jan Shackelford. Taking a day off for a rest while her husband, Paul, and...
Building a log & timber home in stages is a creative way to afford your dream home now and provide flexibility for future lifestyle changes. In your dreams, you imagined the builder handing over the keys to your new log or timber frame home, each inch of the house...
A private walkout lower level of a beautiful log home near Whitefish, Montana, is the perfect getaway rental for relaxation or enjoying the great outdoors. My arrival is met with smiles. The front porch of this custom Montana Log Homes crafted VRBO is decked out in...
Making your dream home a reality is a step-by-step process. More people are opting to live in rustic residences than ever before. The warmth of wood, the solid construction, and that powerful connection to nature all add up to a feeling of safety and sanctuary that we...
Taking on projects that save money may be an option for homeowners with some log and timber building projects. When the log or timber home they have always wanted begins to take shape, some homeowners bring their own personal skills to the project, pitching in with...
“You will feel like you are on vacation all year long” is how the real estate listing described this property. And even if such a claim may sound dubious, it was no lie or exaggerated marketing slogan. Set in a quiet residential area of Ste-Julie and surrounded by tall mature trees, this pièce-sur-pièce log home does indeed look like a holiday retreat. Intrigued by the catchy slogan, Yves Leblond and Sylvie St-Pierre went for a visit and were immediately charmed by the look and setting of the house. Mor…
Fall is a particularly wonderful season for log & timber homes. The wood takes on a special glow when the light changes from an intense summer glare to a more mellow, lower sunlight. There may be snow up on the mountain peaks, but down below the weather is ideal for outdoor activities or just enjoying the spectacular fall hues. When the trees take on an autumn glow and there’s a hint of snow in the mountains, it’s a prime time for log & timber homes.
The large sprawling farm with fenced, hilly pastures appears to be a large ranch. In fact, it is home to Big Springs Resort, the idyllic site of five log homes built by partners Doug Spurber and Charles Rateliff in 2005. These retired Wal-Mart executives each owned a good bit of land near Gravette, Arkansas, and decided to join forces and create a low-impact cabin community. Rateliff had built a Satterwhite log home several years earlier and knew that this company could delive…
It can’t really be said anymore that Montana is a well kept secret. The state has boomed with tourism and a thriving vacation home industry for well over two decades. Montana’s ski resorts, national parks, and trout fishing industries allocate substantial funds for out-of-state advertising to attract year-round visitors and would-be residents alike. “We got really lucky,” says Jason, one such would-be resident, “when we ventured into Red Lodge for a day of sightseeing.” Jason’s mother had grown up in ne…
For those exploring options in building their forever log home, one of the first considerations involves the three basic rules of real estate: location, location, location. In this sense, the idea relates to more than resale value. Choosing to build in a conventional development or subdivision presents its own array of challenges—usually in conforming to the often confusing and always lengthy list of building restrictions that apply. Of course, such restrictions may well make const…
