Whether it was the beauty of the joinery, the strength of the timber frame, or the energy efficiency, at some point you decided that you wanted a timber frame in your home and are now ready to begin the process. We have helped hundreds of clients to achieve their dream home and would like participate in yours too. We’ve assemble some information that will give you a brief overview of the process and answer some of the questions you may have.
The first step is the piece of property. Your piece of land will dictate every facet of the design - direction of the views, solar features, daylight basement, and so on. Most have already acquired their land and are ready to move into the next phase of design. If you have not yet acquired your property, learning more about timber frame will help you find the perfect location for your home.
The next step is determining your building budget. Every project has one, and knowing within reason what the upper end of your building budget is will simplify the process. Getting a dream house designed only to find out that it is above your resources is frustrating and a loss of valuable time.
There isn't a simple answer to that question. A timber frame home has every component that a regular home does - foundation, insulated walls, roofing, windows, plumbing, electrical,
and so on, with the addition of the timber frame.
Generally a timber frame home aspires to a higher quality of construction. You'll probably want Pella or similar windows instead of vinyl windows. Granite counters instead of laminate.
Radiant floor heating instead of forced air. And so on - You get the idea.
We have found that the best approach is to determine what your budget is, and then decide on how much timber frame you will have in your home. As an example: Lets say that you want a two story, 3,000 square foot home. From local sources (builders, bankers, architects, real estate agents) you find out that in the quality of construction you desire is averaging about $200 a square foot. 3,000 square feet x $200 = $600,000. This is an estimate but these cost are finite, meaning that the size and quality of construction is what you require. Your budget is $800,000. This gives you $200,000 for the timber frame components, which would be sufficient to build a full timber frame home.
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Hybrid timber frame is a term that basically indicates that the home will have components of timber frame, but not a whole house frame. Many people find that what they are wanting is timber frame in the gathering areas such as the great room, dining and kitchen areas, but not in the bedrooms and other secondary rooms. So if in the budget scenario, you had $700,000 for a 3,000 square foot home, that would leave give you $100,000 for the timber frame, which would be ample for timber frame components in the gathering areas.
Timber Frame refers to mortise and tenon joinery. Timber frame trusses generally do not have posts that go down to the foundation, but instead bear their load onto the conventional wall framing. Timber frame trusses are an excellent way to have the look and feel of timber framing in key areas, and also keep your project within budget. In the budget scenario, you have $650,00,000 for a 3,000 square foot home, that would leave give you $50,000 for the timber frame, which would include beautiful timber frame trusses in the great room.
The difference between an average house and a spectacular one is in the design. A talented designer should be involved with you on your project. Bear Creek Timberwrights has been privileged to work
with many highly skilled architects, and recommend that one be involved on your project.
(Architects, please refer to the ARCHITECTS Page)
Choosing the right architect is the single most important part of successfully accomplishing your residential, commercial or institutional construction project.
The right architect will not only help you realize the design of your dreams, but will also make the design and construction process enjoyable.
Many people make the mistake of ignoring personal chemistry when choosing an architect. Over the course of a project, you will spend numerous hours in conversation and communication with your architect.
Choosing an architect you feel comfortable with and trust their creatively is essential.
After you've interviewed each architect, ask yourself:
- Do they listen well?
- Do I like them? Do I like their work?
- Will I enjoy working closely with this person?
- Have they completed projects similar in scope to mine?
- Are they responsive? ... Do they return my phone calls promptly?
Bear Creek Timberwrights also offers full design services ranging from conceptual drawings to full construction documents.
You should shop for your builder as carefully as you shop for your home.
A personal referral is an excellent start, but if you don't know anyone in the area, ask those in the community who are in the know, such as a banker, architect, or real estate agent.
Once you have a list of local builders, the best way to learn about them is to visit homes they have built and talk with the owners. When examining a home, inspect the quality of the
cabinetry, carpeting, trimwork, and paint.
Ask questions like:
- Did the builder stay on budget?
- Was the builder helpful with materials, finishes, recommendations?
- Did the builder stay within the projected completion time range?
- Did the builder return calls quickly?
- When problems arose, how quickly was the builder able to respond to them satisfactorily?
- Are they registered with the local Home Builders Association (HBA)?
- How long have they been working with the same trades?
If they are a reputable builder, they will want you to know their credentials. If everything else checks out with the builder, the ultimate decision comes down to your instincts. Do you feel you can trust him? Do you think you will enjoy working with this builder/firm for the next 6 months or more?
For more information on how to find a qualified builder see the National Association of Home Builders at http://www.nahb.org/generic.aspx?genericContentID=284.
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Once you have preliminary architectural plans, Bear Creek Timberwrights will assist in the design and placement of the timber frame components. We develop a detailed scope of work/quote
and upon acceptance begin the shop drawings (the structural plans for the timber frame). These plans are engineered and stamped for your local building department.
Click Here for an example of a Shop Drawing
The timbers are custom ordered and shipped to our plant. In about 8 weeks they arrive at our shop and our craftsmen begin the mortise and tenon joinery. This is great time to plan a
visit to our shop and see your timber work coming together.
Once the joinery is complete, all of the timbers are finished and oiled, and wrapped for shipping.
Sawing Timbers
Joinery
Prefitting
Finishing
Ready for Shipping
Throughout this time we are directly coordinating schedules with you and your builder for the installation. The timbers are shipped on a tractor trailer flat-bed simi to the jobsite. Depending on the size of the project, up to four of the lead joiners who worked on your timber frame in our shop will go onsite to erect the timber frame. These are the most experienced of our crew, and quickly become valued friends. They are onsite until all of the timber frame components are complete.