Handcrafted full scribe shell
Standing dead logs scribed, numbered, test fit in our yard, then raised on your foundation.
Building in Montana since 1998
A log home that still looks right in year forty
We hand scribe standing dead lodgepole and Douglas fir in our Hamilton yard, then raise it on your site. Every log is numbered, dried, and fitted before it leaves us.
28 yrshandcrafting log homes
210+shells raised
12 to 18 motypical build time
3 to 5%avg settling allowance
What we build
Shell package, dry-in, or keys in your hand
Most clients start with a shell and bring in local trades, and we are glad to work either way.
Timber frame package
Mortise and tenon Douglas fir frame with SIP enclosure for a tighter envelope.
Dry-in package
Shell plus roof, windows, doors, and decking so the house is weather tight before winter.
Turnkey construction
We carry the whole build, from excavation and septic through final finish and cleanup.
Log home restoration
Media blasting, rotten log replacement, chinking, and borate treatment on older homes.
Design and engineering
Stamped plans, snow load engineering, and county permit packages for Montana and Idaho.
About the crew
Seven people, one crew, one house at a time
Randy Kessler started scribing logs for other builders in 1991 and opened his own yard in Hamilton seven years later. We keep the crew small on purpose, so the same hands that cut your notches are the ones on the wall when it goes up. We take three to four houses a year and no more.
•Standing dead lodgepole and Douglas fir, air dried 18 months before we cut
•Every log numbered and test fit in our yard before it ships to your site
•Settling jacks, slip joints, and screw jacks detailed into the plans, not improvised later
•Borate treated sill logs and a 24 inch minimum roof overhang on every build
Reviews
What owners say a decade later
“They raised our shell in eleven days in October snow and it was dried in before Thanksgiving. Nine winters later the corners are still tight.”
Dale W., Full scribe home, Stevensville
“Randy talked us out of a bigger house than we needed and the budget landed within four percent of the estimate. Nobody does that.”
Marissa T., Turnkey build, Darby
“They replaced eleven rotted logs on our 1970s cabin without taking the roof off. It looks like it was always that way.”
Chuck B., Restoration, Lolo
FAQ
Questions we get in the yard
How much does a handcrafted log home actually cost?
Shell packages run about $165 per square foot and turnkey builds land between $410 and $520 depending on finish level and site access. Remote sites with long driveways, deep wells, or engineered septic can add $60,000 or more before we set a single log.
Do log homes really settle, and how much?
Yes. A full scribe wall settles roughly three to five percent of its height over the first three years as the logs give up moisture and the notches seat. We build screw jacks under posts, slip joints at door and window bucks, and gaps above interior partitions so the settling has somewhere to go.
Can you raise a shell on a lot I already own?
That is most of our work. We need a finished foundation, crane access, and a staging area for the logs. If you send us the plat and a few photos of the approach road we can tell you within a day whether a crane can get in.
What maintenance does the exterior need?
Plan on washing the walls and reapplying a penetrating stain every four to six years on sun exposed elevations, and inspecting the chinking annually. Deep overhangs and a gutter system do more for log longevity than any product you can buy.
Contact
Come walk the yard before you commit
We are happy to show you logs in progress and put you in touch with owners whose homes we raised ten and twenty years ago. Call or send your plans and we will get back within two business days.
Phone(406) 555-0142
Address3140 Old Darby Road, Hamilton, MT 59840, Hamilton, Montana
HoursMon to Fri 7am to 5pm, Sat by appointment
AreaBitterroot Valley, Missoula, Big Sky, Whitefish, northern Idaho