PATRIOT LOG HOME BUILDERS

Hochstetler and my North Dakota experience

Written by Mike Hompertz

I received a phone call in July to build a log home from Sue Wallace as they were driving back to N. D. from Hochstetler milling located in Ohio. Sue and Dave told me they were hoping to get started on their log home before winter. I knew this is somewhat of a challenge to under take, let alone they both have full time jobs that are quite a full plate in itself. But they took the bull by the horns and were able to purchase the home they desired,got the basement foudation done so that we were able to show up by the end of September. This was actually no small feat considering the out side obstacles which they encountered.

In Dickinson, N.D. their is a construction boom going on because of the oil wells. There is a so lack of housing ,which has made a housing explosion every tradesman is busy . Dave talked to me once and told me he couldn't get a basement in til November , I must say that concerned me starting that close to winter,but through Dave's persistence and some luck of timing ran into some guys that had a opening to pour his foundation.

We also had another obstacle, Hochstetler milling closed in September for two weeks to set up their annual Log Cabin Days .I mentioned my concerns to Mike O 'Neil in sales of Hochstetler the difficulty of starting in November in N.D. and asked if their was any thing that could be done. He said he would check. He called me back that day and said he talked to Levi,owner and founder of the company who mentioned that the milling of the logs was done during Log Cabin Days, so the guests could see the process, what the logs go through before they are milled and shipped.

logs finished up at mill during Log Cabin Days

Inside the mill at Log Cabin Days Milling the logs for the Wallace home

They assured me they would be shipped to N.D. by the end of September which just got me excited. Knowing the logs were going to be milled I called Dave and Sue and told them I was going to Ohio to film the progress of the logs being milled .it also gave me a opportunity to visit family that lived close by in Ohio. I went to Log Cabin Days and met many of the Hochstetler staff which I enjoyed because of allthe phone conversations I have had with many of them it was nice to put a face on these pleasent and cheerful voices, I had a very nice time their looking at their facilities and their life styles, I would suggest it as a wonderful stop for the family to spend the day.

Plenty of Amish Charm at log cabin days in Ohio

When I got home I had less than 10 days to pack my tools and clothes and get the house in order for the winter. We had figured it would take approximately two months for us to build thishome. The package model is the Mckay with an added breezeway and garage. On top of it we were facing shorter days of daylight, less time to work. We left Wisconsin September 25 th, the semi's were showing up the 27 th and I try to be there to unload the trucks. Find a place to stay in N.D. was going to be difficult because of the influx of all the oil well people that had consumed all the motel complexes, I got to give it to Dave and Sue for their generosity of welcoming us into their house it was over the top!!!

We started right in and did the subfloor with floor trusses and the logs showed up on the trucks and started laying our 1st. courses of logs, We did the traditional have the homeowner putting the 1st. logs down while we video this exciting moment and put it on you tube video which everybody gets to enjoy. See the homeowner put down the first log here.

It took us three days to stack the 9 foot walls on the main house,then proceded to get all the beams in the second floor system by notching them into the logs,which also includes notching for all the electric so that it is hid from plain sight.

We then put the down stair partition walls up and had the electrcians run their wires so we could put the 2x6 tounge and groove flooring on the second floor, at that point we stacked the second floor logs full gables and shed dormer across the length of the house. It took the two of us three days.

My nephew Jeremy Sinur and I started cutting and putting up the decorative and structural beam rafters which stay exposed with tounge and groove on top with a foam plywood sandwhich roof system. After we had put the foam roof on we framed up the breezeway and garage walls. The prints only showed a single story breezeway and garage. We offered Dave and Sue the option of putting a second floor above each so would be able to enter them from their second floor loft.This gave them an extra 600 sq.ft. They loved the idea and boy did it turn out nice!

Some of the walls upstairs were changed from the print by homeowner request. It sure made a nice flow through the house. With the extra full logs left over from the package I suggested putting up full log dog house dormers instead of 2 x 6 with plywood and half log siding. This gave tails , a better house, and is so much nicer inside. They loved it.

Our last big building project was to assemble the sunroom off the dining room. I made another suggestion to the homeowners , the sunroom beams which were on the print to be used inside the sun room I thought they would look more impressive holding up the sunroom outside , as it is a walk out basement.

The final touches, our last days on the job, were siding the garage and breezeway,installing the windows and doors,plus trim,and the spindles and handrails inside and out ,it just looked so complete,especially the loft and staircase along with the beam stairs.

It took me and Jeremy about 60 days to complete our part of the dry in .Not many men would attempt this in the harsh weather conditions and I wonder how many could do. not it I know what kind of diligence and fortitude it took! Let alone the 30 below zero cold days ,the gumption to stay with it, t he physical endurance that it required . I had to keep sight of the ultimate goal ....to not only finish but to be so very proud of our accomplishment and to have the homeowners appreciate us putting our hearts and souls into every step of the home! I know we achieved this.

I again would like to thank Dave and Sue for bringing us into their home and believing in us to give them the very best home that could be built.