Father-Son Business is Built on Honesty & Integrity
Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing
Photographer / Jamie Sangar
As a boy, Kevin Huff watched — and learned — from his entrepreneurial father, Bill, who had a passion for log construction and made a career out of it.
“People dream of owning a log home,” Kevin says. “Dad’s always been a good steward of helping people achieve their dream.”
In 1981, Bill established Log Home Builders of Indiana and over the course of two decades, erected 350 log homes. Fifteen years ago, however, the company segued out of construction. Now called Log Home Center and Supply, the company is a supply house for the log and timber home industry.
“We handle all the high-performance coatings, synthetic chinking fasteners, bug treatments and borates,” Kevin says. “We sell all the stuff you need to build, restore and maintain log homes.”
Kevin, an artist who commissions both public and private art sculptures in the Indy Metro area, began working with his father 15 years ago. He also has two younger brothers who have been involved in the business at different points in time. His wife, Kylene, works at the company and is also an interior designer. They have two sons: West (5) and Navy (2).
“My dad took the first risk. Now my goal is to build off the foundation he initially set, which is both an awesome opportunity and huge responsibility,” Kevin says. “It’s kind of like someone handing you their baby and telling you to care of it as well as they did.”
Job security is evident in this industry as the lust for log homes continues to grow. The structures represent a form of simplicity and escape that the public craves.
“They’re insulating and quiet and provide an escape from the madness,” Kevin says. “We live in such a concrete world that I think people yearn for quiet.”
Log homes may be beautiful and peaceful, but they require significant maintenance.
“It’s the equivalent of putting your oak kitchen table in your backyard and making sure it looks good 365 days of the year,” Kevin says.
That’s where Log Home Center and Supply comes in as a big part of their business is problem-solving. Folks call when they have rotten logs, bug infestation and water infiltration, among other things.
“When you build your dream house and then something starts chewing on it or rotting it, you freak out,” Kevin says. “We’re in the business of helping customers avoid those issues. But if they do occur, we’ll assist them in fixing it.”
The company is upfront about the harsh reality of log home ownership and maintenance.
“The log home industry is like me selling you a car and saying, ‘Hey, it’s got a sunroof!’ but not bothering to inform you that you need to replace the oil and refuel it periodically,” Kevin says. “Instead, we’ll tell you that this is a great car, but when you see an E on the dash, pull over and get gas so that you can continue to enjoy the product. That honesty is what has defined our brand and built our reputation. What you see is what you get — good product, free advice and high-quality service.”
For more information, visit loghomecenter.com.
