Wooden houses on wheels made in Vatra Dornei

A few years ago I was in Normandy. A friend of mine had the idea of camping, staying in a house on wheels. It was a great experience, the house was particularly roomy and equipped with everything we needed. It was a very inviting wooden house with a terrace, where we spent delightful holidays. I was to see such a cottage being built in Vatra Dornei. Some time ago we were in the area and thought we'd give Raisa Ioneac (Les Artistes du Bois) a call. I had met her the last time I was in Vatra Dornei.

The decision to set a meeting was really good because we managed to catch the last preparations before the 2 houses on wheels, brand The Wood Artiststo leave for France. When we arrived at the factory we realised that everything was against the clock, there was still some assembly to be done, small details to be sorted out before the trailers were loaded onto the truck. I could see that the poor people only had time for us, but I couldn't miss the opportunity. We managed, I hope, not to mess up too much by taking photos while they were working fast forward. But before I tell you about the caravans, let's find out more about Artists of the Wood.

Beginnings

The main character of the story is Cristian Ioneac, Raja's partner in the firm and husband in everyday life. But before becoming partners, Cristian worked for 10 years in Italy, where he and a team built wooden houses and houses on wooden structure, renovated houses inside or outside or did interior design. The Italians' demands in this field are very high, but so was Cristian's desire to meet them. That's how he gained experience and became very attentive to detail.

Ten years ago he returned to the country. He knew Raisa from when she was working in Italy because she worked with her family's company for wooden structures. Their passion for wood brought them together and eventually united them. Together they set up Les Artistes du Bois - Europe. They intended to appeal mainly to the European market so the name seemed appropriate. Their experience and reliability in working with the client quickly led to the formation of a portfolio of clients and through their recommendations, they reached out to others.

The Wood Artists not fitting anything other than wooden structures, such houses build. Cristian is in direct contact with all of the company's clients, he personally takes care of the construction site and has built up long-term relationships. Raisa says that at least 80% of the clients contact them when they want to renovate or build something else. That's how they ended up building their first homes on wheels.

How they got to the wheelhouses

A client, who came on the recommendation of another client, wanted some work done on a tourist area. He told Cristian that he also wanted to make two caravans for the same project. Satisfied with the way the work was going, he decided to entrust the project of the houses on wheels to Cristian's company. The Wood Artists.

The trailers have been designed by the company down to the smallest detail, in full compliance with the client's requirements. Even the chassis was designed by them. The manufacture of the trailers was carried out under the strict supervision of Cristian who took care of all the details.

An old client, for whom they had already built two houses in Strasbourg and Corsica and an office building, saw the project, liked it and wanted a similar but slightly larger house on wheels, extended with two terraces, one lengthwise and one widthwise. That's how they ended up making their fourth caravan, which they presented last November at the Montpellier trade fair in France (Salon professionnel des équipements de l'hôtellerie de plein air - Professional Outdoor Hotel Equipment Show).

The success of the fair and the first orders

At the fair they were successful, the caravans were appreciated and the fact that they could increase the useful space with the two terraces was definitely a plus. So they attracted the attention of campsite owners. They received orders for a caravan from several of them. It was obvious they wanted to see the quality delivered first.

That morning when we arrived in Vatra Dornei the team was working to complete two of the orders received at the fair. In the meantime, those houses on wheels have reached their owners and the feedback is very positive. The caravans, even the standard ones, have customised elements and the installation is also done by Les Wood Artists, the client is totally reassured. After seeing the quality of the cottages, the attention with which they are worked, the partners want to extend the collaboration. They even want to make investments to develop the services they offer. And don't think that these are forgotten campsites. There are campsites on the Côte d'Azur or in Provence.

All season homes on wheels

The houses on wheels built in Vatra Dornei are all season, meaning they can be lived in any season. The houses are built entirely on wooden structure, with interior and exterior wood cladding and very well insulated. The finishes are made with great attention to detail and the facilities are state-of-the-art. For example, when we were wandering around the caravans getting in the way of people who had work to do 😊, the music was quite loud. We kept wondering where the music was coming from but couldn't find the source. When the team finished something to set up in the bathroom, we took the opportunity to take pictures. That's when we realised that they were fitting a modern bathroom with such a device from which the music was spreading throughout the trailer.

Amenities depend on customer requirements and can include air conditioning, electric cooker, smart TV and even a fireplace. What is important, however, is the care with which they are crafted. It's what makes the difference and what The Wood Artists managed to enter a rather difficult market. But it's a growing market, because the demand for such houses on wheels that you can move from the mountains to the sea without any worries is growing. More and more people want to live as close to nature as possible, and houses on wheels are fulfilling these dreams.

Although the owners of the company have long been working in the field of wood, wood-frame houses, The Wood Artists is still a young company, run by young people who can still do a lot in this field. We want to find as many houses on wheels in campsites across Europe with their signature. Good luck!