Getting Started on

Your Timber Frame Home

Building a home from start to finish is an exciting endeavor. For first time home builders it’s a learning experience. We hope we can help you sort through some of the steps of building a timber-framed home. Although timber framing all or part of your home isn’t necessarily more complicated, it does involve some unique differences. Here is a basic outline of the process you’ll follow as you start to plan your new home.

The First Step

You’re pretty sure you want a timber frame and you’re ready to call a framer. We are happy to talk with people at any stage in their planning process, however, to insure that a conversation is most productive, it’s helpful to have the following:

	A building site.
	The basic square footage or size desired.
	A rough budget. If you'll be borrowing the money, get together with your lender, who can help you decide how much you are willing to spend.
	The approximate time (e.g. spring 2007) you’d like to build.

Design Process

We will work with you, the home owner, to help you design your timber frame home. In addition, you may want to hire an architect or home designer to be part of the design team. The steps to completing the design are as follows:

Choose who will be on your design team.

	Architect. Many homeowners choose to hire an architect to lead the design team. While an architect certainly brings the most expertise to the table, this comes with a considerable cost. Expect an architect's fees to add between 5-15% to the overall cost of the project. We have worked with several architects in Minnesota and are happy to recommend one with timber framing experience.
	Home designer. If you already have strong ideas about what you want your house to look like, an architect may not be necessary. You will still need to have construction drawings made, however. You may want to hire a home design firm for this step, which will cost significantly less than an architect. Again, we can recommend someone if you want to pursue this option.
	Design-Build firm. Your builder may provide in-house design services (a "design-build" firm), and they can help flesh out your design and create construction drawings at a reasonable cost.
	Complete DIY. We've also worked with homeowners who brought their own construction experience to the table. These clients acted as their own general contractor and were able to direct the project on their own without hiring anyone else to help with the design process.

Design the floor plan. Although we are happy to help with this step, this is largely a task for the homeowner and designer. Much of this depends on how you live your daily life. This is where an architect's experience and expertise can really shine. Look at other home designs to get ideas. List things in your current or past homes that you like and dislike. Prioritize your needs and wants.

Fit the timber frame to the floor plan. This step usually happens in conjunction with the floor plan. This is where we determine the building's shape and structure, and how the timbers will interact with the floor plan.

Choose the type of timber you’ll use.

	Eastern White Pine. This species is native to our area, and is the most economical for us. It's also the "best behaved" of all the species suitable for timber framing. By that, we mean it twists and shrinks less than other species. The timbers will darken to a rich golden color over time. Think of knotty pine paneling. White Pine is our favorite, and most of our frames are carved from these timbers.
	Douglas Fir. This species grows in the Pacific Northwest. They grow extremely fast, and get very large. For larger homes, we often cannot get long enough pine timbers, so we switch to Douglas Fir instead. Some clients also prefer its reddish color and strong grain lines. It does cost more than white pine. It also shrinks more as it dries.
	White Cedar. Another native species, this is particularly appropriate for saunas and exposed structures.
	Reclaimed timbers. These timbers are salvaged from old buildings, and can lend a very unique look to your home. Although this is an appealing option, it is considerably more expensive than using new material.
	Other Species. We're also willing to consider working with other species if you have a particular attraction to a certain variety. We're often asked about red pine, but it's quite unsuitable for timber framing, due to its tendency to bow and twist as it dries.

Choose a general contractor. This is a very important step in the building process. You need to find a local builder who you trust and have confidence in. Ask for references. Visit homes that they've built. Get recommendations from friends and family. Many builders do not have timber frame experience, but most are eager to learn about it. We have lots of experience helping builders adapt their methods to accommodate timber framing.

Choose a SIP panel provider. Some timber frame companies provide their own panels, but we prefer to leave this to the experts. We work closely with one manufacturer in Minnesota who has their own installation team. The factory is sometimes very busy, so it's good to get started on this process early.

Collect estimates. Once a firm design has emerged, it's time to find out where you're at with your budget. We can provide a very close estimate for the timber frame at this point, but you'll need to do the same for the panels, and for all the other components of the building. You don't want to sign any contracts or make any building payments until you're sure that the design you've arrived at can be built within your budget. If not, then you'll need to revise the design to bring down the costs.

Finalize the design. At this point, we start filling in the details of the design. We often build a scale model of the timber frame to help everyone visualize how it will look in three dimensions.

Permits. You or your builder will need to obtain building permits before the project can proceed. You should not commit to the project until you know if the local authorities will allow you to build your home as designed.

Sign contracts. Take a deep breath, and take the plunge!

Contract Details

We usually contract directly with the homeowner for the timber frame. You will have a separate contract with your general contractor. Sometimes a lender prefers that all contracting is done through the general contractor, which is fine with us. Our contract is very straightforward, and contains the following elements:

Specifications. In this section, we list exactly what we will and will not be providing. The type of timber, a description of the frame, the labor and services we will provide are all listed. It also lists things that the homeowner or general contractor needs to do to prepare the site for the timber frame.

Building Schedule. Here we specify a target raising date, and also a "no later than" date.

Payment Schedule. A typical payment schedule looks like this:

	10% down payment with the signing of the contract. This is non-refundable, and it guarantees your slot in our building schedule.
	30% when the timber order is placed, typically 4-6 weeks before the carving starts.
	20% progress payment when the carving is approximately half done.
	30% raising payment when the carving is complete, but before the frame is delivered to the site.
	10% final payment when you are completely satisfied with our completed work.

Building Schedule

Each project is a little different, but here are the main steps for a typical project.

	Order timber. This is about 4-6 weeks before we start carving your frame. Most frames take from 2-4 months to carve. Depending on the time of year, we may agree to carve your frame during the winter, and then store it in our shop until spring, when the site becomes accessible.
	Order SIP Panels. This should be done as soon as possible to avoid delays.
	Start carving frame. We try to time the timber delivery so that we can start carving it immediately. This typically takes from 2-4 months, depending on the size. You are welcome to come and visit the shop any time to see your timbers taking shape.
	Site Preparations. Meanwhile, the general contractor is preparing the building site for the timber frame, If needed, a driveway, septic system, and well are installed. The foundation is excavated and the footings are poured. The basement walls may also be poured or made of concrete block. Then the foundation cap is installed. This is typically a floor truss system with a plywood subfloor laid on top. Sometimes the site prep is done in the fall, the frame carved over the winter and raised the following spring. This allows construction to start as soon as possible after the snow melts.
	Raise the timber frame. This is a really exciting part of the project and we encourage the homeowners to take part. Traditionally, the homeowner gets to drive the first peg! We deliver the timbers with a tractor-trailer rig and unload them with a crane. We use the crane throughout the raising process. Large sub-assemblies are put together on the ground and then lifted into place. The whole timber frame raising process can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the size.
	Install panels. The next crew on the site is the SIP crew. They can usually enclose a frame in about a week, depending on the size.
	Dry in. Now your builder takes over again. Doors and windows are installed in the rough openings in the SIP panels. Roofing is installed and the house is wrapped in a vapor barrier. Siding may be installed now or at a later date. At this point, the house is considered "dried in" and is protected from the elements.
	Finish. Now your builder can complete the interior of the house. Electrical work, heating and air conditioning, plumbing, drywall and paint, flooring, appliances, etc. are installed just like in any other new construction.

Of course the process is more detailed than the steps we just listed, but those are the highlights. Because we build only one home at a time, you will be our only customer for the duration of the building process and will have our undivided attention. If questions arise, we are only a phone call away. We look forward to working with you!