Area Company Produces Luxury in Rustic Packages

Apr. 18--Log homes have come a long way since the days of simple, plain one-room cabins.

They are now luxury houses and getaways built with high ceilings, recessed lighting, French doors, large windows, decks and more.

And, it no longer takes many months of construction to build them.

Blue Ridge Log Cabins in Campobello makes luxury log homes in three months and has them set up in one day. The company uses modular construction techniques to build the houses. It is filling orders from across eight states and has one home coming off the production line every 13 hours.

The demand is growing so much that the company broke ground in February on a 110,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art production facility.

When the houses are delivered to homeowners, all the plumbing, flooring, kitchen cabinets and appliances are installed. Even the light bulbs are in the fixtures and ready for use. The only things not done are the foundation, heating and air conditioning.

"Log homes aren't anything like they used to be," said Chip Smith, owner of Blue Ridge Log Cabins. "We can customize a house to anyone's liking and build it faster than conventional construction, and the quality is guaranteed."

Smith's company builds log homes using solid logs and in sections similar to the technique used to build modular homes. The company has been featured in national trade publications and will be featured on a show on Home and Garden Television at 9 p.m. April 29. The show visited the local company this past fall and will feature it in a show titled "Amazing Log Homes."

"Chip is standing with some big dogs in this show," said Sherry Sellers, supervising producer for High Noon Entertainment. "Log homes aren't your granddaddy's log home because some are really incredible."

Sellers said the show features some elaborate log homes that are 20,000 square feet in tropical paradises. But the program also shows log homes the average person can afford.

"We wanted the show to have something for everyone," Sellers said.

"There are some pre-fabricated homes out there, but they aren't quality."

Sellers was impressed with Smith's company because it uses solid logs, and she liked the quality and craftsmanship.

"People turn to us for quality," Sellers said. "Chip's company takes pride in the little details that mean so much to homeowners."

Blue Ridge has eight floor plans named after local towns such as Blowing Rock, Linville, Lake Lure and Jocassee. The Linville, for example, is built with open cathedral ceilings and a large loft. It can be built with large porches and decks.

Houses range from about 1,000 square feet with one bedroom and one bath with a loft to more than 3,000 square feet with four bedrooms, four bathrooms and a loft. The average home is about 2,000 square feet, and the price depends on the style and size of the homes. The prices can range from about $100,000 to more than $300,000.

"Log homes are a passion for some people," Smith said. "When customers get here, they are convinced they want a log home."

Some of Smith's most popular customers are Bob and Alana Indelicato in Hendersonville, N.C. They purchased five homes from Smith about four years ago and are purchasing a sixth house for one of their children's families.

The couple bought homes from the Linville series. They live in one house and use the others in their cabin rental business called "Carolina Moon Luxury Log Cabins."

"The quality of the homes is outstanding, and the price was unbeatable," Alana said.

"We had our home in three months, and the other place we were going to buy from would have taken more than six months."

Alana and her husband selected the Linville series homes because they wanted a large great room and floor-to-ceiling windows.

"We are at the top of the mountain at an elevation of 3,100 feet, and we have wonderful views," Alana said. "All of our cabins have wonderful views."

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