Timber Frame Homes • Frequently Asked Questions

What’s included with a  Timber Frame Package?
Design – We work with each client to develop their home plans. Whether we are designing a custom home, revising a stock plan, working with a stock plan purchased elsewhere, or with the client’s architect, we are involved in the design process. Timber frames are designed to live well.

Plans – Our set of “builder’s plans” include, but are not limited to, elevations, floor plans, timber frame plans, sections, details, electrical drawings, foundation drawings, garages, decks, porches. If the local building department requires additional drawings or documentation, we provide it. All plans will be completed with the supervision and review of an engineer with heavy timber experience.

Timber Frame – The pre-cut and trial fit timber frame, labeled and tagged, ready for assembly and raising at the site. Includes all pegs and any additional fasteners specified in the plans.

Tongue & Groove Decking – Kiln-dried tongue and groove decking for the ceiling and loft as specified in the plans.

Structural Insulated Panels – R-24 wall and R-40 roof – Prefabricated polyurethane panels. All window/door openings are cut and framed, conduit and junction boxes pre-installed, and subfascia preinstalled. All screws and fasteners, sealer, foam, and sill plate.

Delivery – Timber Frames, decking, and panels are delivered to the site or to an off-load site in certain instances and ferried to the site. Delivery will be by the method most expedient, cost effective method.

Installation – Our crew raises and encloses the package in most cases. If the project is at a distance that makes travel costly or difficult, two field advisors will be onsite to assist the builder or homeowner with the raising and installation.

Support – We are with you every step of the way. We are committed to making your timber frame experience comfortable and as stress-free as possible (it is construction, after all). You will have our office, home, and cell numbers and we are ready to talk to banks, building departments, and builders on your behalf. We have online meetings any time you’d like. You also have the support of the people we’ve built for over the years …our timber friends we call them. If you want to use a product that you aren’t familiar with, we can often refer you to one of these homeowners who will share their experience. They open their homes so you can kick the tires of a timber frame before you commit and they will discuss their experience and offer suggestions and encouragement. We are so honored to have great Timber Friends as part of Team Timber Frames.

What’s not included with a  Timber Frame Package?
Everything else – The owner and/or builder are responsible for all site work, building permits, foundation, floor decks (interior and porch/deck), equipment to off-load and raise the timber frame, decking, and panels, crane and operator for installation, windows and doors, interior walls, floor and wall finishes, wiring, HVAC and plumbing, siding and roofing, all fixtures.

Do I need a General Contractor or can an Owner/Builder complete my  Timber Frame Home?
Building a new home is not without its challenges. A general contractor will be conversant with the building department rules and regulations and will have a crew, subcontractors, and suppliers that he (or she) has worked with before. Owner/Builders can and do build their own homes. Typically it takes longer and sometimes the savings they hope for are spent during the process. If you want to take it on, by all means, do, but be aware that it’s not for the faint at heart. Hiring a project manager is another option for those not quite ready to step out on their own. We are always there to support you, whichever path you take.

How do I choose a builder?
The package has been developed to make the transition from timber framer to builder happen smoothly. We encourage you to interview builders in your area who do good foundation work, who have a good crew or subcontractors to do carpentry and finish work. Many builders are excited about building their first timber frame, but some find the transition difficult and tell you that “if you’d built it conventionally” it would be easier, less expensive, etc. Talk to references and above all, find a builder who will communicate well and easily with you and who is willing to listen to your concerns and ideas. We are available
throughout the building process to answer questions, provide information, and support both the owner and builder. Since we’ve worked with builders all across the country, we can help you interview builders, too. Often a builder is a dealer or is affiliated with a timber frame company and you are encouraged or even required to use him/her if you work with that company. We’ve always felt that choosing a builder is closely akin to choosing a spouse…and that you should have a broad choice. That’s the reason we’ve never franchised dealerships or sanctioned any particular builder. We recommend only builders who have worked well our clients and even then encourage our clients to talk to more than one builder. It’s not only about the workmanship…it’s about the relationship.

How long will it take to raise and enclose my timber frame?
This is a loaded question. Is your timber frame 1000 square feet or 6000 square feet? A typical 2500 square foot home will take between six and ten days to unload, assemble, raise, deck (ceiling and loft), and enclose. We’ve been onsite for three days and for thirty days, so each project time is estimated after the preliminary plans are complete.

When will I be able to move in?
Typical construction time, from breaking ground is about 12 months. Most permits are granted for that time and construction loans are typically timed accordingly. The site, the size, the complexity, and many other factors are at play here, so homes can be built more quickly or they can take longer.

Is plumbing and wiring different in a timber frame?
We have three favorite words…plan, plan, plan. There are differences in how plumbing and wiring are installed. We make sure that the plans outline where chases and drains will be located, where wiring that is affected by the timber frame is located, and that the upstairs has sufficient floor depth to allow for plumbing and ductwork. Wiring for ceiling fixtures will be furnished by the Owner, but installed by the crew raising the timber frame. Our panels have conduit and junction boxes preinstalled. The crew drills through the sill plate into the basement or crawlspace so wires can be pulled from the electrical service and the receptacles and switches installed. Interior walls are wired the same way they would be in a stick framed house.

I want a Timber Frame Home! What’s the next step?
Pick up the phone, send an email, fax us, or maybe pony express, but our operators are standing by (well our one operator is standing by). We enjoy designing and building timber frames and want to share the experience with you. If we had our way, every home in America would be a beautiful timber frame enclosed in energy efficient polyurethane panels. These homes won’t need shoring up, renovating, remodeling in 25 or so years. They’ll be as beautiful, strong and energy efficient in 50 or 100 years as they are the day they are raised. So let’s begin today. You’re not getting any younger and neither are we. You can be living large in your timber frame home while you save money on maintenance, heating and cooling for the rest of your natural life.

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“Today, more than ever, it is more important to build an energy efficient, sustainable home.   A timber framed home defines green, energy efficiency, and sustainability.   These homes, with exposed timbers and open floor plans, provide living space that has exceptional character, extraordinary beauty, and maximum flexibility.   The energy efficient panel enclosure package ensures that the resources needed to heat and cool your home will be kept to a minimum.  Earth friendly, budget friendly. ”