All Products
Primary Menu

Word of mouth. It’s one of the most important sources of marketing there is to your business. Are you optimizing it? We’re giving you some tips for creating (err…continuing, for many of you) a customer referral system that really works!

(más…)

Find out how one log home lover ended up a log home expert after taking a journey from novice to lady boss.

This month, we’re talking with  Alexa Calio of Roche Jaune Chinking and Log Home Restoration. She’s based in Bozeman, MT, but does work all over the country. We’re proud to feature Alexa as one of Sashco’s Contractors Who Care.

 
 
How did you get started in chinking and log home finishing?
I built a log home — we cut down the trees, poured the foundation, peeled the logs, notched the logs, chinked them with a hand gun (3,000 linear feet!) — and I swore I would never touch chinking again. Next thing I knew, a friend called and asked for help with their cabin. She introduced me to a contractor and word got out. That was 21 years ago. The rest, they say, is history.
 
 
What do you like most about log home chinking & restoration? What do you like least about it?
Most: The pride of being able to walk away and know that my customer is bubbling over with happiness. I’m always in a beautiful place. I love the people I work with and for, the camaraderie on the job site with other subs, the homeowners, the designers. It’s very satisfying. I love my job.
Least: Being on ladders or, even worse, being on my knees. Oh — and tenting.
 
 
What’s a favorite job you’ve done?
Man — there’ve been so many cool ones. One that immediately comes to mind is Switchback Ranch at the back of the Beartooth Mountains. We had to load everything on four wheelers — 20 pails of chinking, our chink pump, all our tools — everything. Then we had to 4-wheel up switchbacks so tight that the four wheelers wanted to tip over. That’s pretty memorable.
 
What is your advice to someone starting out?
You have to learn your trade and be proficient at it and understand how the products work before going out and promising that you can do it. One thing I’ve learned, the instructions on the pail are there for your benefit. The manufacturer isn’t trying to make things more difficult. Everyone wants their product to work. They’re telling you the best practices. Listen! (Sashco over here and we’re nodding our heads up and down. She’s right!)
 
Tell us about your family and how they’re involved with your business.
Be sure to check out Alexa and crew on their Facebook page. We’re humbled to call Alexa a great contractor partner.
I have two little boys — 11 and 15 — and they love to come and help me. They’ll install backer rod for me, put pails in the machine, and I’m starting to teach them how to trowel. Then they get their construction toys out and start collecting nails and screws off the job site.
 

YouTube. It can be your greatest time sucker, or your best friend and instructor, can’t it? But, have you ever considered the possibilities of YouTube for business?

YouTube is arguably the most influential and most accessed form of social media, ever. Are you employing YouTube to help promote and build your business? In this month’s “Up in Your Business” article, we’re sharing some of our top tips for optimizing all YouTube has to offer YOUR business.

(más…)

In this month’s “Up in Your Business” article, we’re sharing four tips to boost your business and your sanity.

(más…)

Your customers depend on you. You’re the log home expert! Therefore, they want to know that they’re receiving expert advice and proper processes and products. Ready to do a better job of presenting yourself as the expert? We’ve got some easy changes you can make today to give your customer’s the peace of mind they’re looking for.

log home expert

(más…)

Log homes are special because every log has its own unique grain pattern, knots, and history. Chances are, you know and love each one of them like the back of your hand. Logs are special, they’re not the same as 2x4s. They need special care. Why? Three reasons:

 

log homes are special because logs ain't wood.

(más…)

Online resources can be gold for your small business, though finding them can be difficult. As a small business owner, you don’t have time to sift through tons of websites, Twitter feeds, Facebook groups, and blogs to find out what you need to know. Fear not! We’ve sorted through the mess and rounded up the best of the best. Check them out in this month’s Up in Your Business products and services roundup!

(más…)

In this month’s “Here to help! ”, we’re peeking inside your log home (don’t worry, no need to clean up on our account). This month, we’ll help you understand the ins and outs of proper care and maintenance for interior logs.

(más…)

One of our most frequently asked questions is if painting or staining a log home is best. Read on to find out what we recommend.

Technical Report | The Role of Coating Breathability in Preventing Rot in Log and Timber Structures

Overview

It’s common knowledge that moisture trapped in wood will, over time, lead to rot. Because significant rot can lead to tens of thousands of dollars in repairs, it’s imperative to use a coating (stain, paint, varnish, etc.) that will both prevent most moisture from getting into wood in the first place, and also provide an escape route for moisture that does get into the wood. Voices on the internet and elsewhere would tell you that this has more to do with the breathability of the coating itself. Breathability is important, because no matter how carefully built, properly stained, or well-maintained a structure is, some liquid water will eventually get past the outer defenses and into a building. But the breathability of a coating is not the primary factor in preventing rot.

So, what is?

Inside

(más…)

Social media, heard of it? It’s that little thing that’s basically taken over the world. Business is no exception. If your business doesn’t have a great social media presence, you may be missing out on bids which means big bucks lost. In this month’s Up In Your Business article, we’re sharing social media best practice tips for your small business.

(más…)