Haliburton Forest got that amazingly sounding title. Now they are working together with Eco-Log Building Concepts to offer log homes that are made from hand-picked trees. This will mean better forestry and improved product for log home buyer. Read more about the cooperation from here.

Golden Eagle Log Homes has partnered with Country’s Best Log Homes magazine to design and build a high-end log home. The home was completed during the March and now the magazine will run a series of articles on the building process. We will hear from this log home for a long time…

Here is an inspirational article about how one log home company got started. Expertise combined with dream has created a true one-stop-shop for log homes. They do planning, logging, milling, finishing and construction.

In relation to my previous post about energy-saving log homes, article points out this: “There is really no comparison; we have a log home under construction right now and it has received an 86% efficiency rating. This means very low utility bills.” Interesting company this Cracker Style Log Home.

I wonder how they will cope with increasing demand that they will most certainly have. Mastering the whole production chain means that while ramping up the production they need to invest into every production phase, which is expensive. Check the original article over here.

These homes produce as much energy as they produce. Outside industry, housing is the biggest energy consumer. Therefore it is important that housing could become self-sustaining. Consumers could reap benefits in the form of lowered utility bills and favorable impact on nature.

Log homes are very challenging housing type to be changed into zero-energy homes, because of their unique building method. Governments all over the world are increasing their demands on energy saving housing types. Log homes therefore face tough challenges if they wish to remain in competition. Log home industry has best changes in the field of combined laminated and thermal log solutions. Many enthusiasts don’t regard this sort of building types to be log homes at all as the logs are artificial elements with inbuilt insulation. Do you count laminated thermal logs among log homes? Lapponia House, a Finnish log home manufacturer, masters this thermal log technology.

This new press release from PrecisionCraft was bit funny. Maybe it is that I don’t see the value in Log Home Living’s 8th Annual Design Contest, but I just have to ask, why to give out a press release of being a Top 10 Design and the Editor’s Choice? I can think of one reason – SEO. By publishing rather stale releases companies are tapping into media like this website to spread the word and gain visibility.

Mountain Architects, Inc., was the architecture company that designed PrecisionCraft’s Eagle’s Nest log home. They are a PrecisionCraft spin-off company, which now will expand design and planning business even further. They do beautiful custom log home projects, which is far more important news to press.

I wrote about Extreme Makeover, in which a struggling family got a new log home. Katahdin donated the log home in question. Now it was Katahdin’s turn to get lucky, as LHC (Log Homes Council of the National Association of Home Builders) gave Katahdin an Image Award. This award is given to any party that is able to improve the profile of log home industry. Read more about the topic over here.

This one is quite fascinating and I think you will get something out of it, especially if you have a habit of browsing through log home magazines. In The Jackson Sun article Nancy is talking about her experiences on this male dominated construction field (yes, log homes are also part of the field). She was working for various companies in the industry, but today she has her own company that specializes on kitchens, called Cottage Cabinets, which you should also check out.

Homeowners Mortgage signed an exclusive deal with Southland Log Homes. With this move, Southland is trying to ramp up their service as log home market is coming increasingly competitive.

In case customer decides to make purchase from Southland, they can get almost one-stop service, so only the land to build on is missing. If you check, Southland home page now has a pre-approval process link to Homeowners Mortgage. Just check under financing and you will find it.

This is big business for both companies, because Southland customers take double the average mortgage size of 125.000 USD. I wonder how come it is so that log homes are that much more expensive.

Luoman launched new TV advertising campaign that is featuring their new mobile log home. In the ad, farmer is driving around with tractor-trailer and mobilehome is on the trailer. Very goofy and off the point, but will probably grab some attention.

On other note, Luoman Log Homes Oy has launched a new website, but that only covers the Finnish version. I suppose it was needed, because of their investment on advertising, there is no sense in driving traffic to appalling website after all. Go and compare the website versions Finnish/English. Quite a difference, right?

To me this marketing push is bit counter intuitive because they say that primary market for mobile log homes are outside Finland. Maybe they know what they are doing…

I have been paying some attention on Timber Heart log homes brand. Scandic Hotel Simonkenttä has a lounge where I have sipped espresso and planned my glorious future. It is a truly nice setting in Helsinki city center.

But wait, in this serene setting (well just next door) resides a sales office of Timber Heart. What an excellent choice to reach for international customers.

Honkarakenne Oyj bought 38% share of Timber Heart, which is why they are able to reach for global market share in a more aggressive manner. From Honka’s point of view, this is an excellent match, they get more usage for their log home factories, because Timber Heart timber framed homes are now going to be manufactured there. Also Honka will get wider product slate to promote for their distribution chain. Naturally Timber Heart will also benefit from this arrangement. Here are some pictures of Timber Heart log homes. Oh, before you start correcting me about Timber Heart homes of not being log homes… I know they go for Timber Framed path.