Testimonials

• Shelley and Bill
  • Dear Brian - now that the majority of the summer is behind us I wanted to take a moment and provide you with a more formal thank you for all of the work you did this summer to our cottage on Bungalow Island on the Big Rideau. I cannot express enough how much we appreciate everything you did, the care you demonstrated and, in particular, your attention to detail. Visitors who know the island well are amazed at the difference.
    
    You can imagine how nervous we were handing over control of this wonderful place to you and your employees. At over 100 years old we believed that the best outcome for this property was just securing the structure. What you were able to achieve (under budget I may add) is nothing short of a miracle! BRAVO. I hope that you have the opportunity to come to visit and see how your great work has transformed our property, secured it for the future and allowed us to dream of our grandchildren and great-grandchildren someday enjoying it too.
    
    Many thanks,

• Garth, Peterborough, ON. | Spring Session
  • My decision to attend the ten week course at the Pat Wolfe Log Building School was a big one. I had some anxieties and uncertainties about how well I could perform, having no previous log building experience. However, throughout the course my skills and confidence constantly grew under the patient teaching of instructor Brian. The incredible atmosphere of the school and the camaraderie of my fellow class-mates created an exciting environment that made it easy for me to pick up all of the skills, techniques, and principles involved in building a log home. Taking the course turned out to be one of the best decisions I have made. I have since gone on to work for commercial companies and have built my own log building. I attribute all of my success as a log builder to the knowledge and skills. I attained at the school. I can highly recommend it as an all round great experience. Best wishes to those who follow.

• Michel, The Netherlands, | Fall Session
  • The decision to take the 10 week course wasn’t a hard one. I for sure wanted to learn log building so it made sense for me to go for the full course
    
    My background as a carpenter was helpful but certainly not necessary. The course is set up in a way that everybody becomes familiar with log building. Brian is a very patient and capable teacher as well as a warm and welcoming person. This is a hands on way to learn how to build a log house and after graduating I felt very confident that I was able to do so. I didn’t really know what to expect from the course but it turned out better than I ever could imagine. After the course I did some log work and helped building a log house in Austria during which the log building skills I learned were of great use. Previous to the course I had already applied for a visa for Canada but taking the course convinced me and cemented my decision. I have since received my visa and as it looks now will be starting my own log building business in Canada soon.
    
    Besides the course itself, the stay was a very pleasant one. Purdon’s cottages are basic but completely stocked with all the necessities. The surrounding area is a place to enjoy nature to its fullest with many lakes and lush forests. I would recommend this course not only to people who would like to learn the skills of log building but also to those wishing to get out of the everyday rush and try something else.

• Janus, Denmark | Fall Session
  
  As Carpentry today is moving further and further away from wood and more into drywalls etc., I thought it was time for a change and travel more back to where it all started “Log Building”. As a Danish Carpenter it is a long travel to go all the way to Canada to learn how to build log homes, but after having attended the 10 weeks course at Pat Wolfe Log Building School I can honestly say that this is a great way to get started. On the course we build a log shell and the roof system, it was a great mix of both theory, field-trips and practice. On the course people came from all over the world and had very different backgrounds, but with Brians instruction he manage to make the course fit everyones level. Brian is very passionate to his work and does not only see one way of doing things, but listens to everyones experience, which everyone then learns from. Pat Wolfe Log Building/Brian gets my highest recommendation and the best wishes in the future!