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AN OVERVIEW Okay, so you've
researched and ruminated. You've determined that timber frame homes are much
more energy efficient, more beautiful, and more enduring than either
conventionally stick-framed houses or log homes and have made your decision. It
will be a timber frame for you -- nothing less. Now the real work begins.
Now what do you do...where do you go? You've bought the magazines, been to
the trade shows, visited the websites. Just where do you start?
First - determine the size of space you need (want), the style you like, and
your budget. These items are often at odds and it will often take some
professional input and some compromise to make it all work. Take heart, many
timber frame companies are capable and willing to help you with this conundrum.
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Where will
you build?
Your land, be it a
suburban lot or acres of countryside, will define your timber frame. The style,
orientation, and size will be restricted or revealed by the lay of the land.
Take your time and choose wisely. Consider access, development, and the contour
of the land. Selecting the right location can save thousands in excavation and
site preparation. The right location will add many thousands of dollars to the
value of your home.
What will it
look like?
Look through
magazines and home design books. Drive around and look for a style that catches
your eye. Take photos. Pick out a floor plan or two that fit your lifestyle.
Take your time. This is a major investment and it should be an investment of
time and energy before you ever write the first check. You will live with this
house for a long time and generations of families will be amazed at your
foresight.
How much help
do you need?
Determine the
scope of your project. Do you want a turn-key operation or will you be more
comfortable working with a local contractor to complete the home? Will the
timber framer enclose your frame and bring it together so there is a clear
delineation in work they perform and the contractor's area of responsibility?
Will you need an independent architect or does the timber frame company offer
design/build services?
What is your
budget?
A timber frame
will cost roughly the same as a custom stick-built home. Spend your dollars
where they are most important to you.. Remember that the open floor plan of a
timber frame will allow you to be comfortable in less square footage. There are
typically fewer halls and walls...more livable space. Be realistic. You won't
be able to build a timber frame (or a well-built conventional home) for the cost
of a manufactured home. Timber frames are built to last centuries, not decades.
Where will
the money come from?
Prequalify for
your home loan and discuss your project with the loan officer. He/she will
often have some suggestions and advice that will help you define your project.
Discuss draw schedules, terms, and the schedules.
Three important words.
Plan...Plan...Plan.
During the design
process, you will make decisions on windows, flooring, air conditioning and
heating, plumbing, cabinets, wall treatments, roofing, and light fixtures.
Everything from switch plate covers to exterior wall treatment must be
identified and selected. Your designer and contractor will be of much
assistance, but the final decisions will be yours. This is where you stay
on...or blow your budget. Chose wisely and, if money is an issue (and it is for
most of us), budget larger amounts of money on the things that matter most to
you.
Think through locations for electrical, data, audio/visual, and security
wiring. Since most timber frames are enclosed in insulated panels, determining
the location of outlets and switches is important before fabrication of the
panels. Some panels will have chases for wiring and others will have conduit
and junction boxes in place. You can make changes after the panels are in
place, but it will be much easier to have plans in place prior to
construction..
Windows are important, not only because they are a "big ticket" item, but
because they will be energy efficient...or not. Roofing is another big
expense...now or later. You decide. The exterior finish will be almost
maintenance free or...labor intensive. Decisions...decisions...decisions.
Time making these decisions is time well spent. It is much, much easier to make
a change on paper than after the work has commenced.
Now the easy
part...waiting.
While the
timber frame company cuts your frame, your contractor will prepare the site,
build your foundation, install floor trusses, if needed, rough in plumbing and
electrical, and lay down the decking or pour you slab. The frame, often trial
assembled at the timber frame shop, then taken apart, will arrive by tractor
trailer at the site. Unloaded, it will again be assembled and readied for
erection.
Raising day is finally here.
Amidst cheers,
oohs, and aahs, the frame will be raised into place with a crane and joints
secured with tree nails (hardwood pegs). The crane flies in the final pieces -
purlins and floor joists. The timber frame crew checks the frame for square and
makes any necessary adjustments with straps and a beetle (a very large wooden
mallet).
The decking for your roof is installed and the panel installation begins. The
panels, ranging from 4' X 8' sheets to 8' X 24' sheets, depending on the
manufacturer, will be installed. The core, (expanded polystyrene, or
polyurethane), sandwiched between two sheets of oriented strand board provides
energy efficient insulation.
The loft decking is nailed into place. The roof is ready for roofing materials,
the doors and windows are often pre-framed. The contractor usually takes it
from this point forward. Roofing, siding, interior curtain walls, doors,
windows, wallboard, plumbing, electrical, flooring, lighting, paint, and trim
are all completed and your home is ready for you.
Sit
back...enjoy.
You've done it.
You've built the home of your dreams. From inception to completion...it was an
exciting, sometimes frustrating, but in the end worthwhile experience. You will
enjoy your space and relive the experience. The what-ifs will be met with the
we're-glad-we-did-it and there will be no regrets. |
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| Choosing Your Timber Frame Company |
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Choosing your
timber frame company.
As you've read advertisements, perused websites, and queried the
trade show folks, you've found a company or two who have the services you are
looking for and the quality you require, and most importantly, a philosophy
about their work that feels like it will work for you. A good fit between owner
and builder is key to a smooth project.
Call the company or companies that you have identified as "most likely to
succeed" and let them know that you are interested in their timber frames. Most
love what they do and will spend the time necessary to discuss your project in
length. Send them any materials you have gathered...pictures, your
sketches...along with information about your budget, building site and schedule.
Once the timber frame company has this information, they can
evaluate the feasibility of your project. If there are budgetary constraints,
most timber frame companies will help you make choices that will bring your home
in line with your budget. They will work to make these changes...work for you.
Beware of companies that suggest cutting corners without considering the impact
on the finished home.
Quotes based on the information you've provided will further narrow your choice
of builders. You will find that most quotes will be fairly close. Take a close
look at each one and try to get "apples to apples" information. Determine which
quotes are far out of line, either too high or too low. Go back over your notes
from a meeting or phone call. Choose your timber frame company not only based
on numbers, but on a feeling of confidence that the company will work closely
with you to bring your project together in a timely and cost efficient manner.
Does the company have the skill and manpower to cut a quality timber frame and
to meet your schedules? Can they work with you and your contractor from project
beginning to end? Can they communicate effectively?
Check references and affiliations (Timber Frame Business Council,
Timber Framers Guild, Better Business Bureau). Ask former customers if any
problems or issues were solved promptly and satisfactorily.
Make your choice with the information you've gathered, but don't overlook that
"gut instinct". Once you've chosen your builder, put your expectations and
scope of the project in writing, along with a request for a formal agreement.
Choosing a
contractor.
With your project
under contract, you are ready to move forward. A preliminary drawing will
usually be presented before the project moves to the blueprint stage. Take a
copy along with you as you interview contractors. It isn't imperative that the
contractor has "timber frame experience". It is necessary that they have an
open mind and are enthusiastic about the opportunity to help build a timber
frame home. The same skills that are needed to complete a conventional home are
needed to finish your timber frame. Check references and look at the
contractor's work. Again, a good "fit" is key to a successful project.
Engineering
stamps and other surprises.
Contact your local
building department, or have your contractor call, to verify whether your plans
will need to be sealed by a structural engineer registered in your state. If
so, notify your timber framer so an engineer from the appropriate state can be
located and brought into the design process early on. |
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CONTACT US: |
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Goshen Timber Frames
37 Phillips Street
Franklin, NC 28734
Phone: (828) 524-8662
Fax: (828) 369-3605
info@goshenframes.com |
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