About - Kevin R. Maynard
Kevin acquired extensive experience building and repairing log homes before becoming a licensed home inspector and he understands the entire building process and the components of a home as well. He still gets involved with these projects today. He has been a guest speaker for WAHI, ASHI, ILBA and Estonia Log Builders’ Association. Kevin has traveled to Norway, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Greece, Mexico, Ecuador, Columbia and Estonia looking at buildings, speaking to builders on the particular challenges involved in building and inspecting homes, especial log homes. He was also an instructor for Home Inspector University, based in Fox River Grove, IL.
Kevin Maynard is the owner of AxeKevin and a Certified Master Home Inspector and Licensed General Contractor.
Kevin acquired extensive experience building and repairing log homes before becoming a licensed home inspector and he understands the entire building process and the components of a home as well. He still gets involved with these projects today.
Kevin also works for Energy Star Properties,LLC which his lovey wife Owns. A company that repairs building foundations and does complete restoration of old homes especially log homes!
In addition, Kevin is a log home expert. He has been called upon across the country as an expert witness regarding log home inspection and construction errors. He served on committees responsible for log building standards worldwide ILBA (International Log Builders Association).
Log Cabin Home Builder
Kevin has built log ‘cabin’ homes in nearly every state East of the Mississippi River. With the construction of over 50 log homes under his belt Kevin is as much an expert about the construction of log homes as there is in the log home inspection industry. Kevin has repaired and overseen the repair of many log cabin homes as an expert and consultant. He has built full scribe, hand crafted, log homes. Kevin has built “manufactured timber” log homes, as well as log veneer homes. Kevin possesses intimate knowledge of log homes most home inspectors will never have the opportunity to acquire. Kevin literally ran a log home construction crew building log homes up and down the east coast building log cabin homes from Augusta, Maine to Destin, Florida. In log home inspection, experience is vitally important.
Qualifications
- Licensed Home Inspector, Lic. No. 1444-106
- General Contractor’s License #1115902
- Dwelling Contractor Certification #953220
- Dwelling Contractor Qualifier Certification.
Affiliations
Member – ILBA International Log home Builders Association.
Member – Wisconsin Association of Home Inspectors (WAHI).
Member – Resolute Arbitration Committee of (WAHI).
Member- American Society of home inspectors (ASHI)
Member – American Home Inspector Training Institute (AHIT).
Past Member – National Association of Certified Home Inspectors (NACHI).
Past Member – Wisconsin Association of foundation repair professionals (WAFRP).
Past Board member – International Log Builders Association (ILBA). Responsibilities include adapting and voting on new guidelines for log home building, attending annual conference or continuing education, networking and keeping up-to-date on trends and issues regarding log homes. Acquainted with most of the top log home builders throughout the U.S. and internationally, providing an extensive work of professionals and experts.
Presentations
WAHI Milwaukee Chapter, June 13, 2006 – Inspection of Log Homes.
WAHI Fox Valley Chapter, April 18, 2006 – Inspection of Log Homes.
WAHI Madison Chapter, March 20, 2008 – Inspection of Log Homes.
ILBA 35th Annual AGM and Conference, April 34d-6th, 2008 – Log Home Inspection Defects and Blower Door Testing with Thermal Imaging.
Great Lakes Log Crafters Association, 2008 – Log Home Inspection Defects and Blower Door Testing with Thermal Imaging.
WAHI Milwaukee Chapter, November 11, 2008 – Inspection of Drain Tiles and Water Problems in Basements.
ILBA and Great Lakes Log Crafters Association Joint Conference, May 7-9, 2009 – Log Home Inspection Defects and Blower Door Testing with Thermal Imaging.
WAHI Chippewa Valley Chapter, June 10, 2009 – Inspection of Log Homes.
Inspection World Las Vegas, American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), January 18, 2010 – Log Home Inspection.
Estonia – 2012 Inspection of log homes and Blower Door Testing with Thermal Imaging
WAHI – 2016 Inspection of Log Homes.
WAHI – 2020 Inspection of Log Homes
“Axe Kevin” Maynard – Our New Vice President
We’re thrilled to welcome Kevin Maynard—widely known in the log building and tool community as Axe Kevin—as the new Vice President of the International Log Builders Association (ILBA). If you’ve ever seen a perfectly split log or watched a two-handed axe sail through the air with precision at a competition, there’s a good chance Kevin had something to do with it—either as a competitor or a key organizer behind the scenes.
Kevin is more than a craftsman—he’s a teacher, a leader, and an advocate for quality in every aspect of log construction. He is internationally recognized for his expertise in log home restoration, as well as air sealing and airtightness in log structures—critical elements in ensuring long-term performance, energy efficiency, and durability in traditional builds. Through his work as a presenter and educator, Kevin shares deep technical insight with builders, inspectors, and restoration professionals across North America and beyond.
The name Axe Kevin didn’t come from marketing—it came from the community. With decades of experience and a reputation for practical, straight-talking advice, people started calling him “Axe Kevin” because everyone was always asking him questions about their log home—and he always had the answers. That name stuck, and so did his role as a trusted source in the industry.
A national two-handed axe-throwing champion, Kevin is also known for his passion for traditional tools, dedication to mentorship, and his efforts to raise the standard across the log building world. His AxeKevin.com platform showcases a deep commitment to craftsmanship, education, and the broader log building community.
In addition to leading a top-tier log home inspection business, Kevin serves as a trusted expert witness in litigation and dispute resolution, bringing decades of hands-on experience and technical clarity to complex cases involving log structures. His work on luxury lakefront properties and historic restorations reflects a commitment to quality, sustainability, and long-term performance.
Kevin currently chairs the ILBA Restoration Committee and is a respected voice in best practices for log home maintenance, restoration, and preservation. His dedication to education, innovation, and collaboration makes him a natural fit for this leadership role.
Please join us in congratulating Kevin Maynard on his appointment. We’re proud to have his experience, integrity, and passion on the ILBA Board as our new Vice President.