The Timber Frame Process

Approaching a Timber Frame design is not unlike other types of construction. However there are some methods which can lower the building costs and streamline the process. We will address these concerns in the following sections. For now let’s concentrate on the preliminary steps.

Okay, you want a Timber Frame. You may have some idea of a style, size and cost.

What now? Many of our Clients have dreamed of building their home for years. This can make the process much easier. Over a period of time they have looked at different projects, accumulated binders full of magazine clippings and may have a general plan in mind. However if you are just starting down this path, you are not necessarily ill prepared. You may just need some help to define your tastes into a coherent plan of action.

There are many roads forking out in front of you at this stage, and some very big decisions. Behind you are the decisions that first, you want to build, and second, that you want to build a Timber Frame. Now you need to think about your personal level of design ability. Do you have the skill to put your ideas down on paper in the form of rough sketches? Or are you unable to gel your ideas into a plan? In either case, it is time to begin talking to Timberworks.

When you work with a Designer, they should give you an idea of their design fees and prepare some preliminary sketches. Timberworks can fill this role for you, or you can work with an outside Designer or Architect. Keep in mind that many Designers are not familiar with the intricacies of Timber Frame construction so at this point you should also set up a meeting with us.

If you have sketches or a plan you like, bring them along. Clippings, articles and pictures too. The more information you provide, the easier it will be for our Designer to visualize your dream.

It is very important to bring Timberworks into the discussion at this early stage. We can spot problems in the layout, suggest cost saving measures and help to integrate the utilities into the Timber Frame. Too often the Client or Designer proceeds far into the design and drafting before contacting us. At that point we often have little input on the design, resulting in awkward solutions to what are everyday problems for us.

Even worse, is when a Client or Designer requests that we “bid” the project. A bid is a set price, based on the drawings and specifications as provided by an outside Designer. This cuts us out of the design conversation altogether. Please bring us in early!

Next, based on our meetings and discussions, we can propose Timber Frame designs to fit your needs. If you want to develop your floor plan yourself we can integrate our Timber Frame design with your plans. If you want to work with an outside Designer or Architect we can mesh with their efforts. Or, of course, we can do all of this in house and provide full design services.

As we mentioned before designing a Timber Frame is not much different from designing any building. However, there are different approaches to this end. Does form follow function, or function follow form? The answer is yes!

Some of our Clients come to us with a set idea of how they want the outside of their home to look. Perhaps they want a particular style such as an Early American Saltbox or Craftsman Bungalow. While they may have a vague idea of how they want their rooms arranged, the outside appearance of their home is the overriding concern. For these Clients, function definitely follows form.

Others come with ideas of living spaces, traffic patterns and views. These Clients want a particular order to their home. They may want the design in a certain style, but the major concern for them is the interior living space. In this case form follows function.

We enjoy working with both types of Clients and melding both styles of design into their project. By coordinating living spaces, traffic flow, lifestyle and exterior views with a classic building style we provide our Clients with the best design to fit their needs.

By the time you arrive at a preliminary design for your project you should be looking for and ready to purchase your property. Many people underestimate the influence that the building site has on the overall design. It may be futile to design a structure without knowing the characteristics of the property.

The following is a list of questions to ask before proceeding:

* What is the slope of the site?

* What will be the primary exposure? (North, South...)

* Where does the sun track at summer? At winter?

* What are the natural features? (Trees, rock outcrops...)

* Are there any planning or zoning restrictions?

* How about building setbacks, easements or rights of way?

* If on site sewage disposal is necessary, what is the percolation rate?

* What is the soil type? (A surveyor or engineer can help)

* How far away are utility lines, and how will they be brought to the site?

All of these elements effect the siting and design of the structure. If any one of these elements is ignored they can severely impact the esthetics, cost and construction.

We have now taken into consideration the physical aspects of the building site. Now the real fun begins! Whether you choose to develop your design by yourself, hire an outside Designer or work exclusively with Timberworks the following steps should be similar. You will know what your building site is like. You have been collecting ideas, clippings and photos. You may even have a floor plan in mind. The next step is when we really get to know you.

We need to get together now and learn about each other. Bring all of the materials you have collected to this meeting. We will walk you through our design questionnaire and really get a much better idea of your dreams. How do you utilize your current home? How do you foresee this changing in the future? What are your daily routines? What are your preferences? This is where we like to say that you are really designing your project. Sometimes, without knowing it, our clients are defining the style and layout themselves. We are acting as the “medium” between you and the drawing paper, interpreting your requirements and desires into a workable design. Now is the time to analyze your ideas on paper.

Keep the T-square and scale in the drawer for now. We work with a technique called bubble diagraming. We make a list of spaces and features you have requested and arrange a series of bubbles on paper to designate each area. Without too much detail we analyze the spaces, their relationship to each other, the site and traffic patterns. This is the stage that every feature in the overall design comes into play. Where will the view be maximized? What about solar gain, storage and shading? Do you want the morning sun in your bedroom? Is your office easily accessible but private? Will this design meet your requirements into the future? If need be, this the best and least costly time to make major design shifts.

The next step is to give shape to all those bubbles. Preliminary sketches or drawings refine the design further. Now the process is an interplay between the design vision and many aspects of the reality of building. The overall concept must fit into building code requirements, the building site and the integration of climate control systems, electric, plumbing and budget (more later).

Once the preliminary drawings are acceptable we begin production on the working drawings and specifications. When we hit this stage it can get very intense. We are simultaneously finalizing the floor plan, building shape, the Timber Frame, the enclosure system and all of the utilities. These drawings typically include a site plan, floor plans, exterior elevations, building sections, foundation, Timber Frame plans and Structural Insulated Panel design. There are many other elements of the structure contained within the drawings such as electric and plumbing layouts, and window and door schedules. We also generate written specifications for as much of the construction details as possible. All this is required to obtain financing, apply for building permits and for accurate quotations from Contractors or Subcontractors. Changes to the design after this stage can be the most disruptive and costly.

Depending on many factors, this overall design time can encompass from three months to a full year or more. While we have fast tracked some projects in as little as thirty days, this is not always possible. Circumstances such as project size, construction timetables, number of revisions and the Designer’s schedule all impact on the time required.

For these reasons we urge our clients to tackle the design stage of the project as early as possible. A good design and set of construction documents will not go bad. Even if your proposed construction date is some time off, getting your design phase done early can’t hurt. In fact it can only help you with long range planning of a realistic construction timetable.

Part of your preliminary homework in getting to the design phase needs to include a budget. Before entering into a design phase you need to know how much you can afford. Talk to bankers or other financial institutions, as they can help with rule of thumb estimates based on your expenses and income. Find out how much financing will cost and how much money you can have available.

That is only the first step. Next, as soon as you feel comfortable doing so, let your Designer know what budget you would like to meet. The Designer’s experience with construction will help you to stay within your budget. If the Designer sees the size or quality of the building exceeding your budgeted amount, they can red flag the problems and suggest alternatives. This is part of their job and they want to see their work get built.

There are some cost cutting measures that may be suggested, other than making the building smaller or lowering the quality of materials. Keep in mind that there will be some compromises made throughout the design process. Most have to do with the budget not design restraints. Timber Framing can be substantially more expensive than conventional building but it does not have to be. Listen to our Designer and keep an open mind. We can help to lower your costs.

The first place we will look for savings would be your general design. For instance, elaborate or complicated roof framing could be simplified. Also, in any type of construction, corners cost more. This is even more so with Timber Framing. Also, it may be very attractive to use recycled timbers but is the added cost worth it? As we look further we could have more ways to save you money on your project.

We may also suggest a “hybrid” design, where we timber a section of the building and use Structural Insulated Panels for the remaining. This can run anywhere from Timber Framing only one section, to only having timbers for just the ceiling of the first floor. This system allows us to give you a Timber Frame in the major sections while maintaining a sound and well insulated envelope.

For a family just starting out we may suggest building in stages. Plan in the design for additions to the building as your needs grow. While this lowers construction costs in the short term, it can lead to overall increased building costs, as additions always cost more than new construction. If however these costs can be spread out over a period of time, it may be a good alternative.

If you have fallen in love with Timber Framing, and are looking to build in order to have more living space, we have an answer for this too. We can put a Timber Frame addition on your existing residence. Do you need a family room? Would you like a master bed room suite? Timber Framing is very adaptable to additions since the entire frame can be self supporting and not bearing any additional weight onto the existing structure. We have done several additions to buildings where either a steel or timber structure was the only viable alternative.

Where to go from here depends entirely on your requirements. Our hope is that you have found this short outline helpful and educational. As each of our Clients is unique we are sure that you will have questions pertaining to your individual project. In any case contacting Timberworks Housewrights would be the next logical step.

When you contact us we can answer your questions and discuss your ideas. At any stage of your planning we can schedule an initial meeting. If you have a preliminary design ready we can provide Estimates on the Timber Frame and Structural Insulated Panel (SIP) enclosure. We may also be able to give a rough estimate of the completed project cost based on similar structures.

When you are ready to move into an active design phase we can go beyond these basic services. If you will be developing your design alone we can provide a Estimate for design and drafting of the Timber Frame and SIP drawings. If you have an outside Designer or Architect we can offer our Consultation Agreement for our hourly consultation rates. And if you have chosen to have Timberworks provide complete construction documents we can provide an Estimate for this package.

After the construction documents are finalized we can provide Quotations on any of our services. If you wish to “lock in” a production or construction time frame, we can offer our Letter of Intent to place your project in our schedule. Once we have your approval we will schedule the work and begin procuring materials.