Grand Champion
John Nieminen
Iron River, Michigan

Also First Place winner for Midwest Region

John Nieminen takes great pleasure in saying one particular word. "Done." It took seven years and every friend and family member he had, but John can at last declare his dream home-done.

The dream began in 1985, when John and his father Carl bought a Wood-Mizer LT40 sawmill. They started custom sawing, then their operation grew into a full-time cedar products operation, now named Cooks Run Cedar, Inc. In 1987, John and Carl started building cedar log homes, and have since built 30 homes. After cutting well over one million board feet on the Wood-Mizer sawmill, John and Carl sold the mill for almost as much as they paid for it, so they could buy a brand new LT40 Hydraulic sawmill. In 2000, John bought the Wood-Mizer portable twin-blade edger to boost production.

John said, " Our Wood-Mizer sawmill is cutting logs at least 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year."

In 1995, John decided he should use his mill and his skills to build his own dream home. He found a design he loved in a log home magazine, then made some modifications. The Cooks Run Cedar crew helped put up the log walls and roof system. For two years, John and his family spent every spare moment they had building the house. John's wife Anne and his mother-in-law Rose applied stucco to the foundation. His dad Carl caulked and sealed the outside. His son Levi laid the bricks for the fireplaces. His daughter Danielle worked on the interior seal and painting. Everyone was tired after all of that work, so for two years, little work was done on the house.

In 1999, the family was rejuvenated, and finished the siding and put cedar shakes on the garage. In 2001, the cultured stone was put on the foundation. In 2002, John ran lights and power down to the lake. In 2003, they built the bridge from the garage to the house.

The finished product is 4,178 square feet with three levels. Cedar was the primary species used on the home, but the beams, floor joists, sub-floor, and outer roof are all spruce. Cherry was used for the flooring, and cherry and maple make up the paneling.

Much of the lumber came from logs on John's own property. He said it's hard to say exactly how much money he saved using his Wood-Mizer, but said he never could have afforded this home without the mill. In 1998, John's father Carl passed away, and was unable to see the dream home reach completion. But he helped fashion a dream that began with a Wood-Mizer sawmill, and a focus on family.

"Owning a Wood-Mizer sawmill has made it possible for us to live in the home of our dreams and continues to remain at the heart of our business, which is building a dream home for others."