October 23, 2008 Issue
Business Spotlight
Daniel Boone Log Homes NC—Building Your Dream Home From Start to Finish
Story by Sam Calhoun
Building your own home is a daunting task, especially when you have to deal with multiple contractors to get all the components built to your specifications. But what if you could have all the work done by one company, and that company customized its offering based on what you want your dream house to look like?
Enter Daniel Boone Log Homes NC, a consumer’s answer to the complicated world of house building. Daniel Boone Log Homes NC, located at 112 Clubhouse Drive, Suite 2 in Foscoe, opened in June, and is a dealership for Daniel Boone Log Homes, a log home package supplier with 65 years in the business. But Daniel Boone Log Homes NC isn’t just a regular dealership for the log home packages; it is a custom-design center that features an in-house construction company and project managers, so customers can deal with one person for all their construction needs and questions from start to finish.
“It’s a full turnkey operation,” said Ariel Olivera, owner of Daniel Boone Log Homes NC.
Olivera relocated to the High Country this year after 35 years in South Florida. He is originally from New Jersey but moved to Florida where he took a job with Bell South/AT&T. In Florida, Olivera worked for 28 years for Bell South/AT&T, spending his last 10 years as a project manager responsible for large projects such as wiring the new wing of the Miami International Airport.
“It was a high profile project and I think that sets me apart from some of my competition around here, being able to multitask and supply that type of service,” said Olivera.
Over the last five to six years, Olivera invested in real estate and land in the High Country, building some spec houses along the way. Then, last year, he decided to retire from Bell South/AT&T and relocate to the High Country with his wife Linda and two daughters, Janettsi, 23, and Janeli, 19.
Daniel Boone Log Homes NC sells log home packages and then offers an in-house construction company, Tap Construction, to build them for clients.
“Ninety-five percent of the homes we sell are custom designed,” said Olivera. “We start out with a basic floor plan and then alter it to clients’ needs.”
Olivera said his company can design a floor plan to fit any budget—prices start at $120,000. Olivera encourages clients to bring their desired floor plan to Daniel Boone Log Homes NC as a starting point.
“As Daniel Boone Log Homes NC, we offer an in-house design and architecture department that works with any floor plan to customize it to clients’ needs,” he said. “Ninety-five percent of the time, customers are looking for a one-stop shop where they don’t have to rely on different services to complete one project. We also offer a project manager package where I oversee all projects. I am the eyes, ears and soul of my clients during the process.
“We want to build trust with our clients so they’ll allow us to build them their dream home,” Olivera continued. “A lot of folks walk in and say, ‘I’ve been checking around and things are so expensive.’ We tell them, ‘Let me see what your dream is on paper and we’ll try and fit a particular package into your budget.’”
Olivera is now offering free personal website access to all clients doing turnkey log home packages. The personal website features pictures of the homesite each week during construction and a weekly description of what took place and what is planned for the next week and future.
“This is so clients can check the progress of their project online from a distance,” said Olivera, who added that the website feature gives the client bragging rights and provides more advertising to his company.
To add to the company’s uniqueness, Daniel Boone Log Homes NC has its own sawmill in the High Country, Watauga Wood Products, located off Highway 194 near Todd. Wood from that sawmill is currently supplying four main Daniel Boone Log Homes NC development projects. Daniel Boone Log Homes NC is working in four area housing developments—Indian Lake Estates in Fleetwood, Nautica Cove at Watauga Lake, Tongrass Ridge in Rutherfordton and Creeksong Ridge in Tennessee. Daniel Boone Log Homes NC is building 14 homes in Indian Lake Estates, 23 homes in Nautica Cove, 23 homes in Tongrass Ridge and 32 homes in Creeksong Ridge, the first exclusive Daniel Boone Log Homes NC development.
With less than six months under his belt in the High Country, Olivera is looking forward to spending the rest of his life in the mountains.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said. “I love it here, and I love meeting new clients. This is a family here; we try and treat our clients like family.
Daniel Boone Log Homes NC is located at 112 Clubhouse Drive, Suite 2 in Foscoe in the Shops at Mill Ridge. The showroom and design center are open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, click to www.dblhnc.com, call 828-963-6700 or email ariel@dblhnc.com.
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