In Kuusamo, about 4.5 kilometres from the town centre, stands Heikki and Mirjami’s log home, the pride of their lives. Gazing out of the windows of this log home, set against a landscape characterised by sandy heathland, is a real treat for the eyes.
The summer schedule includes the methodical completion of garden work, but otherwise the end result has been ready for some time. Heikki Piirainen and Mirjami Hietala live in a 150-square-metre black log house known as Rusko 150.
The building project is still fresh in their minds, and when reached by phone, Heikki is keen to recall in more detail the key stages of building their own home. The couple’s project got properly underway at the end of 2018, when an agreement was reached with Kuusamo Log Houses regarding the delivery of timber components: the delivery contents consisted of a log frame, roof trusses and roofing materials.
– In January 2019, we bought our plot; in March, we felled the trees and hauled them to the roadside. At the end of April, an excavator arrived on site, and work began on the groundworks and foundations, Heikki begins his presentation.
In his view, the delivery contents for their log house model are well suited to a handy person who knows a thing or two about building. Heikki and Mirjami’s log home has been built with respect for traditional log house construction. The detached house does not have many labour-intensive nooks and crannies, and the roofs are very straightforward.
– Our house has, so to speak, six corners. And the simple floor plan also allows for sensible interior layouts, Heikki emphasises.
Our own specialist team
Heikki and his wife Mirjami chose a house kit suitable for self-build, as Heikki is a qualified carpenter. Key helping hands and expertise for the project were naturally drawn from his immediate circle: his father has been a carpenter all his life. Heikki’s brother, meanwhile, is a civil engineer by profession, so a site manager with the required qualifications was found without any trouble.
– I managed the practical progress of the building project and kept an eye on the schedules, but my brother naturally carried out all the official inspections that are required and must be done during construction.
Heikki cites so-called ‘rough’ construction as his own strength, but highlights his wife Mirjami’s key contribution, particularly in the interior design, colour scheme, choice of materials and spatial solutions for the home.
– She had a great many ideas ready for how we could furnish our home’s interior, and the colour scheme had also been thought through in advance. Together, we then decided what to buy and how to implement it.
– I think we worked well as a team during the build. Decisions were made together, but we both had our own natural areas of expertise, Heikki sums up.
Job well done
The most wonderful and proudest moment of the entire building project came at the end of last year, just before the Christmas holidays, when the couple’s log home underwent its final inspection. It was an absolutely wonderful moment for the whole family when they were able to move into the house in December.
– We built this ourselves. We were able to choose all the materials and, in practice, we designed our home ourselves. This is not the work of anyone else.
Kuusamo Log Houses was a partner that suited Heikki and Mirjami perfectly. The company left a thoroughly positive impression: deliveries arrived on time and the materials were of high quality.
– We also wanted a well-known, local and Finnish company. Furthermore, the timber grown in Kuusamo Log Houses’ sourcing area is popular with builders for good reason.
The coming summer season will see these Kuusamo residents busy with garden and landscaping work, which, in keeping with Heikki and Mirjami’s style, is also characterised by self-reliance. For example, the couple do not have a formal garden plan drawn up by a professional.
– We’ve been gathering tips and ideas to use as a basis for creating our garden area. We’ll see what our budget allows and what we can manage to put in.
Heikki recommends their approach to building a house for someone who wants to make changes and have more say in decisions than someone moving into a ready-to-move-in home. In his view, the most important thing is to realistically assess the factors relating to one’s own resources.
– It’s worth adopting the Model that self-builds practically take up almost all your free time. I myself built my own house alongside my day job, in my spare time. Sometimes the day started at seven in the morning and we finished at, say, five or nine in the evening. How much time it takes to complete the project depends on the builder and how they manage their time, Heikki advises.
Facts: Log Home Rusko 150
• Floors: 1
• Floor area: 150 m²
• Bedrooms: 3
