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Timber Kings build home in Central Alberta

From towering trees to majestic log homes, the Timber Kings from the HGTV program are dream granters
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DREAM HOME - The Timber Kings of HGTV rolled into Central Alberta this past October to build a couple a log dream home.

From towering trees to majestic log homes, the Timber Kings from the HGTV program are dream granters - making a client’s vision of a sprawling log mansion or a basic tree fort a reality.

Timber Kings follows a group of master builders from Pioneer Log Homes in Williams Lake, B.C. as they travel across North America to construct one of a kind log homes.

In the upcoming third season, the group traveled to Central Alberta to construct a home for a couple, located outside of Ponoka.

Pioneer Log Homes of B.C. General Manager and one of six Timber Kings André Chevigny said being a part of Timber Kings is, “Icing on the cake.”

“We’ve had a business long before we had the TV show,” he said. “We were always joking we should be on TV. Now, it’s come to reality. The wonderful thing about it is it’s different from all of the other shows. Viewers get to see something natural, constructed by hand with incredible craftsmanship from start to finish.

“It is amazing what we are doing here today will be seen for centuries by people. That just motivates us so much.”

Chevigny has been involved in building log homes for well over 30 years, getting his start in 1982 straight out of high school, helping out his brother. Today, and after approximately 1,500 builds, he manages around 115 employees at Pioneer Log Homes B.C. and tends to a global client list for the in demand handmade homes.

“It’s evolved over the years,” he said of the log home business. “That’s kind of how we started shipping into the U.S. and how we started getting the exposure that we did. A lot of it was by word of mouth.”

Slowly, but with incredible precision like an artfully cut log, the client list has expanded across the continent and beyond.

Chevigny calls Timber Kings a team effort.

“It’s not just the six people you see on the TV show,” he said. “It’s an immense crew of really talented men and women that make us look good on the show.”

Thousands of hours of manpower go into each home, as each log is handcrafted in the Pioneer Log Homes yard.

“We will take six or seven months to build it,” explained Chevigny. “Once the construction is done in our yard, then we have to number it, disassemble it and then move it to wherever it is going.

“It’s really neat,” he added. “In four or five days there’s a house sitting there. That’s what’s really cool about what we do.”

As for the build near Ponoka, Chevigny said the crew delivered the home this fall. Filming took place in October with a fair portion of the home being constructed throughout the month. Final touches, like the windows and doors, were still being made well into December.

“You are going to see it under construction,” said Chevigny. “The viewers won’t be able to see it completely finished because there was not enough time before it airs.”

The home is three levels, approximately 8,000 sq. ft. and took a crew of around 30-40 people six or seven months to construct it in the B.C. yard. The home consisted of 1,500 handcrafted pieces (no machines used), all which were shipped to Alberta.

“It has great big massive cedar logs with all kinds of character and flares and copper-cladded windows,” said Chevigny. “It’s just an amazing structure. Something we are really, really proud of.”

As for season three, Chevigny said the season is full of surprises and features many amazing homes.

“It’s just a lot of fun,” he said. “It’s staggering. The season is incredible and so are the houses we get to show.”

Season three of Timber Kings on HGTV debuts on Jan. 3rd at 7 p.m. PST.

news@lacombeexpress.com