Mtn Acres averages restoring eight to 10 homes a season, which typically runs April through November. “It’s hard work,” Ryan says.” But blasting speeds up the process—and it’s a lot more fun than hand stripping!”
Ryan, 41-years-old, previously spent his career as a construction contractor in the warm months and in the winters worked at rental shops and other service jobs at ski resorts.
Then in January 2015, Ryan was snowboarding with a buddy from Vermont who has a successful log-home restoration business. Ryan was intrigued, so that summer he spent two months on the East Coast with his friend restoring log homes and learning the business, volunteering without pay.
After returning to Washington state, Ryan with help from Shawn launched Mtn Acres Log Home Restoration. The current crew ranges in age from 33 to 42—except for Indio, who is 91 in human years and doubles as the company’s CEO. “He mainly lays around and watches us,” Ryan says. “He’s hands-paws off.”
On some jobs, Ryan and the guys camp out on the homeowner’s property and then in the evenings barbecue and talk shop.
Ryan credits part of Mtn Acres’ success to its Clemco equipment, such as its Apollo 600 Supplied-Air Respirators, Clem-Cool Air Conditioners, and “Supa Blast Hose has been a game changer,” Ryan raves. “I run 100 ft of hose from the pot, and the Supa is so light, flexible, and easy to maneuver. We have to get into awkward positions to blast around these homes. Couldn’t do it without the Supa.”
Ryan says the only routine maintenance he performs on his 3-cuft Clemco is cleaning out the abrasive trap every morning, only loading two bags of abrasive at a time so not to overload the pot, and storing the pot inside when it rains.
“The biggest part of Mtn Acres’ success, though,” Ryan shares, “is that I work with a group of friends who take pride in their work. It’s gratifying for all us to make these old homes beautiful again.”
In the cold months, Ryan and his crew spend half the workday restoring the interior of log homes. “The rest of the day,” Ryan says, “we snowboard together.”