18 * Terrace Review — Wednesday, April 13, 1988

".-..§4J want people to know what
~a log house is all about. A log
_ building is a darn good struc-
ture,”’ says local Jog builder
Pierre Lussier, as he explains the
benefits of building a log home.

by Betty Barton

Lussier started building log
homes in January of 1980 in
Prince George. At first, he ap-
_prenticed with local contractors.

‘After a year, he began sub-

Local craftsman fin

contracting to log home contrac-

tors. That first year of sub-
contracting, he built 24 homes.

. Jn late 1982, Lussier moved to
Terrace and started Lussier Log
Homes. The name is a but of a
misnomer because, in addition
to building log homes on-site,
Lussier pre-fabs log buildings
for shipment anywhere in the
world (he is trying to break into
the Japanese market, as interest
in the Pacific Rim escalates), has

built log bridges on the Queen —

2 gets a
t C

Charlotte Islands (with trees up
‘to three feet. in diameter), and

also has a portable mill for cut--

ting beams up to 18 inches
square and 50:feet long. Pierre
_Lussier also recently started Ter-
race Tree Trimmers. He is cer-
_ tified to remove trees near hydro
lines and trees in small, enclosed
‘spaces, such as people’s back
yards.
His first job in Terrace was

Street. Lussier will build a house
to any stage of completion, to
customer specifications, but he
encourages customers to do it to

dows installed and roof com-
pleted). These are very visible
parts of the construction and
many people don’t have the
skills or the experience to do

is niche:

the Smith home on Marshall .

lock-up stage (doors and win-.

building:

them properly, he says. .
Lussier wants to dispel mis-
conceptions about log buildings:
@ Building with logs costs ap-
proximately the same as building
a conventional frame house,
depending on your tasts.
e A standard concrete founda-
tion with 8-inch walls is ade-
quate for 95 percent of log
, homes designed.
@ The average time it takes
Pierre Lussier to construct a log

building on-site is between four

and six weeks to lock-up stage.
@ If he pre-fabs a building in
his local pre-fab yard, it takes
Lussier approximately two days

‘to dismantle it, and another two |

to weeks to move and re-

assemble it.
@ Finishing a log home can be
more expensive

but only.

because. many customers. want
- wood rather than gyproc for any
interior walls, and accessories
_are often custom-made to fit in
with the style of the home.
@ A. log home is a natural en-
vironment with .no health
hazards present; no chemicals,
no paints.. _
@ A log home can have a lif
span of hundreds of years.
Many frame houses have a max-
imum life span of about 50 —
years, — ,
@ A log home will become more
precious on the real estate
market as trees become more
scarce in our forests.
@ A log home has a cosy at- .
mosphere and can even be
warmer and more heat efficient,
if it’s constructed properly.

Terrace log home bullder Plerre Lussier examines a partially squared

beam atter It comes off the mill (background) he designed himself.

Betty Barton photo

Dargie Iniere ach"

This log vacation house,

bullt by Plerre L

continued on page 21

useler last year for the Wolfgang family from Germany, stands west of
Terrace on the Skeena River. The couple use it for four to six weeks every year.

Betty Barton photo

Selflessness. Willingness. Understanding.
Qualities you may see in someone you
know. Someone who goes out of his or
her way to make your community a

RE SEARCHING For A HEART OF GOLD

Air Canada’s “Heart of Gold’? Award
today. It’s time we all said thanks.

_ Complete the form below and
include anote, or letter, giving the special

your nomination for |

’

reasons why you feel the person you’re
nominating makes your community a
better place to live. Mail it to this
newspaper care of Air Canada’s
“Heart of Gold” Award.

better place to live. .

Air Canada, in partnership with your
community newspaper, would like to
salute these individuals who bring so
much to your community. That’s why
we created Air Canada’s “Heart of Gold”
Award. . |

Now’s the time to speak out on
behalf of these individuals. Make

Terrace Review
4535 Greig Avenue, ——
Terrace, B.C., V8G 1M7.
635-7840

— _-

_ Air Canada’s “Heart of Gold” Award
__ in partnership with your community newspaper

; My nominee for Air Canada’s “Heart of Gold” Award Is: :

Tour name: ~ Noaminee’s name:

jive _ Address:

Citys | oar 7 Previn
Fowl Code: Postal Code: - : *yaephine Te =

: Naminee must be 1? years of age ar over,

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