Hendug Bygg – quality builds with professional pride

By Maria Sødal Vole

Focused on unique building projects in the beautiful region of Hallingdal, Hendug Bygg is driven by a simple philosophy that permeates every aspect of the business: a job worth doing is worth doing well.

Building cabins and houses, mainly with high-quality, sustainably sourced wood, Hendug’s primary focus is delivering quality work. The company has a fitting name – hendug is a local word meaning handy, practical, to be good with one’s hands. Benefitting from a diverse network of skilled architects and interior designers, Hendug has become the go-to building company for complex and unique projects across the Hallingdal region.

“We don’t have a specific concept that we deliver to every customer, we adapt to each project according to the relevant needs, wishes, and requirements,” says Hendug Bygg’s manager, Morten Gjeldokk. “Our goal is to ensure that our customers have a good experience with us, both during the construction process and in the operation, maintenance, and use of the building.”

Cabin in the stavlaft tradition, Geilo. Architect: Støre Arkitekter. Photo: Terje Bjørnsen

With the main office and production hall located in the mountain village of Ål in the traditional district of Hallingdal, Hendug benefits from many years of local experience. The team has valuable insight on topography, climate, and building traditions in the area, and this local expertise is key when it comes to building quality cabins that are durable and can withstand adverse weather.

“Having a deep knowledge and understanding of Hallingdal, the climate, and weather conditions is crucial,” Gjeldokk explains. “When building in a particular area, it’s important to consider the solutions and the type of architecture that will suit the climate best and ensure that the build will last.”

Jan Egil Ruud working on a laft restoration project. Photo: Signe Fuglesteg Luksengard

Hendug has achieved central approval in the Building Application Regulations, a quality scheme certifying the professionalism and expertise of building companies. “Our builds should be functional, aesthetic, and well-suited to the customer’s individual situation and wishes. We enjoy making people’s dreams come true,” Gjeldokk says. “Most of our work comes from word of mouth or recommendations from architects and customers we’ve worked with. Consistently delivering quality and maintaining a good reputation is key in terms of landing exciting new projects.”

Hendug Bygg – quality builds with professional pride

Wooden cabin in the laft tradition at Ål. Architect: Ingar Dalen. Photo: André Kongevold

Socially responsible

The tight-knit team consists of 25 skilled builders and craftspeople from the local area with a genuine passion for their work. “Our people are the best at doing what we do – building well and building for the future,” says Gjeldokk. “They’re solid professionals who take a lot of pride in the work they do. Part of the reason why we specialise in unique and unusual projects is the fact that our team enjoys being challenged – they don’t want to do the same thing every day.”

Hendug values investing in local talent and is a government-approved training company, meaning it takes on apprentices to give them a chance to develop their knowledge and skills in a practical setting. From a local high school, the company recruits trainees hoping for a future in building and construction. For these young people, learning on the job and gaining industry-specific skills is invaluable, and for Hendug, finding local tradespeople with potential is key to its success. “Over the course of the ten years I’ve worked at Hendug, we’ve had about 20 apprentices,” Gjeldokk says. “Cultivating a work environment that makes people want to stay with Hendug as well as attracting talented new recruits is important to us.”

Modern mountain cabin at Kvitfjell. Architect: Lund Hagem. Photo: Morten Gjeldokk

Eco-conscious

Hendug is a certified Eco-Lighthouse company, and sustainability is among its core values. “We work systematically to ensure our activity carries as little environmental impact as possible, both in terms of the building process and the projects we work on. While certain aspects depend on the customer’s wishes, we find that our recommendations on things like material selection are welcomed,” Gjeldokk underlines. “We source most of our wood from the local area, and our workforce is local, meaning fewer costs and less environmental impact from travelling.”

Alongside new building projects, Hendug is committed to the careful restoration of laft and stavlaft – old log buildings built in a traditional technique that has been commonly used in Europe since the 13th century. The buildings are constructed by stacking horizontal logs that interlock at the corners that cross each other at the corners, and this technique is typical of Norwegian cabins.

Armed with specialised knowledge and experience necessary to successfully restore these buildings, Hendug has restored several protected and listed buildings in collaboration with Riksantikvaren, which is the Norwegian authority on buildings and sites that carry historic and cultural importance.

“This type of architecture has a long-standing tradition in Hallingdal,” adds Gjeldokk. “There’s a lot of local knowledge related to the technique and its practical application that few people are still aware of, and it’s important to rely on that expertise to maintain the cultural heritage of these buildings.”