Episode 97: Handcrafted Log & Timber Homes with David Byler of Caribou Creek
Today Brad speaks with David Byler, President of Caribou Creek, a builder of log and timber frame homes. Founded in 1989, Caribou is a family-owned business that has completed projects in 35 U.S. States and four international countries.
In 2006, one of Caribou Creek’s handcrafted log homes was named winner of the 2006 “Log Home of the Year” from Log Home Design magazine.
Listen in as David explains exactly what is meant by a “log home” or a “timber frame house’ and the unique processes that go into their construction. He speaks on the typical timeframe of a project and how he interacts and builds relationships with customers, contractors, and other partners involved in a build.
Brought to you by Pella Windows
Topics Discussed:
[01:57] What is a timber frame house?
[04:42] The process of building a log home
[13:22] Insulating material in a log or timber frame home
[15:25] The many benefits of living in a log home
[20:49] The typical timeframe for building a log home
[24:35] Knowing what species of timber to use depending on the region
[27:38] Keeping pests away from the wood
[29:12] How the current lumber craze and skyrocketing costs affected Caribou
[31:38] Differences in cost between a log home and a timber frame house
[33:58] Why Caribou sources its wood from Japan
[38:37] How David develops relationships with lumber suppliers
[40:40] David’s career and how he got into building log homes
[43:27] How Caribou’s marketing strategy has evolved over time
[46:09] David’s experience building a log home in New Zealand using local lumber
[50:20] Partnering with builders working on their first log or timber frame home
[53:31] Making sure the measurements are correct
[59:28] Upcoming projects for Caribou Creek
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Key Quotes from Episode:
Timber frame houses are] very energy-efficient, very healthy, sustainable, and built with a renewable resource.
It usually takes a day to set a thousand square feet of home.
It’s really not that hard to keep anything out of the wood. It’s a little bit hard to get them out of there if you allow them to come in.
Custom, handcrafted log homes often cost 20-30% more than a frame one with the same finishes. That cost is almost always in the roof system.
