PNC Homes - Our Story

Our Story : By Linda Gaura, founder

PNC Homes was recently featured in the Charlotte Observer. Download the article (PDF, 25 KB).

A few years ago we started talking about moving to the country and building a home we could live in forever— a home in which to celebrate holidays, gather with friends and relax. My husband and I thought about a log home.

As a city girl, a log home brought to mind images of dilapidated barns. But after doing research— including going to log home shows and perusing magazines about log homes— and visiting the log home of our friends, the Naders, I was turned on to log home living. Once I stepped inside the Naders' home, I knew I could be happy in a home like this.

We bought 20 acres in New Salem, North Carolina, about 40 miles east of Charlotte. We chose a local builder, Real St. Laurent, who had never erected a log home, but we knew from seeing his work that he would do a great job.

We drew up house plans using 3D home architect software, then took those plans to Anthony Log Homes in Arden, North Carolina in July 2003. With the help of Charlie Beeson and Ron Aderhold with Anthony Log Homes, we were able to tweak our plans to make the home smarter and to help us save money in building it, too.

Representatives from Anthony Log Homes met our builder and trained him how to build with logs by taking him to Anthony homes sites. They also helped with log inventory, were there to get our builder started and were available for technical support throughout the building process.

Our decision to purchase logs from Anthony Log Homes was about more than just their customer service, we were also impressed with the product. Not only did the company offer us kiln-dried logs, but its logs are laminated, giving them unsurpassed strength and eliminating the need to buy additional settling systems. We also knew we could find all the materials we needed because of the company's network of suppliers.

The company's first resource was Dion of Major League Designs, who turned my home computer drawing into working blueprints. With just minor revisions, we were ready to go to the bank.

We closed on our construction loan in October 2003 and the excavation process began right away. Within 12 inches, we hit solid rock and had to use dynamite and two bulldozers to move rocks. Then our Superior Walls basement arrived. Over the next month, the rest of the foundation and sub-floor were built.

By January, our logs arrived. The builder had the logs erected in about three weeks—it was amazing to see our dream materializing. The builder and his crew worked though the worst snowstorm Union County had seen in decades. There were many days they only shoveled the snow and ice from our sub-floor.

The roof was up by April. This was no small feat considering we had a 20/20 pitch, a great room that soared to almost 30 feet and almost 5,000 square feet to cover. As the walls went into place, I saw our drawings become reality. I stood in rooms and hallways that were once just squares on paper.

Throughout the building process, we added special touches to make our log cabin a showplace. We added wireless technology throughout, a T1 line, smart home technology lighting systems, an intercom, central vacuum and radiant floor heating. By the end of August, we had our certificate of occupancy, and moved in Labor Day 2004.

As I write this now on a laptop, I am sitting in a rocking chair on my front porch listening to the sounds of birds and taking in views of the Nader's cows in the pasture next door. We wake up every morning with a prayer of thanks that we are living our dream. It could not have happened without the brilliant work of our builder and his crew and the support of Anthony Log Homes, especially Ron and Charlie.

We are now a dealer/rep for Anthony Log Homes for Charlotte and surrounding areas. All it takes is to have prospective log home builders walk into our home and they are awed. Thanks for reading about our story, we hope to help you write one of your own one day.