Q. What kinds of wood do you use?
A. Typically we use White Pine. 

It is readily available in Minnesota and is probably the least expensive of available wood species.

There are of course other woods commonly used in timber frames, i.e., Douglas Fir which is shipped in, Oak which is significantly heavier and difficult to tool.

If there is a wood species you prefer, I'm sure we can find the necessary documentation to engineer a frame with it.

Q.   How does a timber frame compare in price to a conventional home?

A.   If both house were otherwise exactly the same.   Our bids suggest the timber frame would cost basically what the frame costs raised on the site more than a stick frame.  This is based upon "OUR" construction costs.   We know there are contractors who charge significantly more to build a timber frame then they would a similar stick built home.  .

Q.  What does a timber frame cost?

A. "What frame?".  The price from one frame to the next vary considerably.   The price is the sum total of the board footage required,the labor to cut/fabrictate the frame, and the type of finish and details requested.   At a minimum a simple generic frame would cost about $35000.00 for a very simple 4 poster with no loft. .

Q. What do Timber Frames cost per square foot?

A.   I get this question a lot at shows.  It is a common means of predicting costs for stick built homes.   However for Timber Frames, it is in my opinion the worst possible means of determining the price for a home or who you should have build it.

Unless you have a very lengthy list of what is and is not included, a price per square foot for a timber frame is basically useless and often deceiving. 

For example on a 2500 sq. ft house if Company A tells you they charge $125.00 and omits $75,000.00 of expenses they know should be included and Company B tells you they charge $150.00 per sq ft and it is an all inclusive estimate then company B is actually less. 

Unless you know what is and is not included you will have no way of knowing which contractor is giving you the best price. 

The price most people want to know anyway is.....WHAT WILL THIS HOUSE COST....DONE.

Q.  Who should I buy my timber frame from?  

A.  There are a lot of questions many people don't take into consideration when choosing a timber frame company.

Is the company insured and what are they insured for?   

What has the company made them themselves legally and financially liable for? VS What has been simply helpful advice?

What disclaimers are included in a companies standard contract.

What happens when the frame you bought doesn't fit the foundation your subcontrator poured?

What happens when the subcontractor claims he poured it as per the drawings provided?

What happens if the foundations/supports aren't "exactly" where the posts are?

Who ensures there are no floor truss obstructions between the posts and basement supports?

Who provides the necessary dimensions for the SIPS company to PRE-CUT the SIPS panels.

Who ensures there isn't a post in the middle of your front door? and more importantly what happens if there is?

Who ensures the home you want to build will meet your local city, and state building requirements?

Has the frame been engineered by a structural engineer?   Architectual engineers and Structural (civil) engineers are not the same.

Who will raise the frame?  A team of professionals who are timber framers or someone who has never done it before?

Does the price include applicable state and local sales tax?.

Non-U.S. companies may not include or pay your local applicable sales tax.   They do however, report who bought the frame and where it is being delivered to.

If you are buying a frame from outside the U.S. your legal costs to pursue a loss can exceed the cost of an average frame.      

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Q.  Who should I hire to build my Timber Frame?
A.  Without exception the contractor who builds your home is the single largest unknown as well as the single largest expense.

We recommend hiring someone who has actually built more than one timber frame home.   There is no comparison between building a conventionally "stick-built" home and a Timber Frame Home.   From the initial design, footings/foundations, subfloors, mechanical, plumbing and electrical... Timber Frames and Stick Built Homes are two completely different homes. 

If the contractor you are thinking of using doens't know why......You don't need to ask any other questions....Find someone else.

 

Q. Are Air Exchanger Systems necessary?
A. If you are using Structurally Insulated Panels.....Absolutely. Since the home is so air tight it is very important an air exchanger

is used.  It is also important to monitor the humidity level of your home after it is built to ensure the humidity level doesn't drop to low

and contribute to excessive checking of the timbers.   This is especially true in northern climates during the winter.

Q. What kind of foundation can a timber frame be built on?
A. We have built homes "slab on grade",  on concrete block, and ICF concrete formed crawl spaces and basements.

Q.  I want to build a timber frame.... Where do I start?

A.  It helps if you already have some idea what you like and don't like.  

Look in magazines, libraries and the internet.   Anywhere you can find pictures of completed timber frames.  Find out what you like and put together a scrapbook of those ideas.  Have a basic idea of how the rooms should be associated with each other, ie, the dining room near the kitchen,

     

Then, find someone to design the house with your ideas in mind.   It is extremely important to hire someone who understands timber frames.   An inexperienced designer can add thousands of dollars to a project and months of sorting out the final drawings to incorporate a frame.   Not to mention increasing the possiblity of serious oversights and mistakes..  It is not as simple as drawing a house and putting a frame inside it.  The design process should INCLUDE the concept of the frame as the house is being designed,

  

Finally, have a budget number in mind for a completed home.   The cost of down-sizing 3 - 4 times to meet a budget can get expensive.  If the designer knows timber frames and knows your budget, they are much more likely to design a house that meets your needs and your budget the first time.

 

THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS YOU HAVE WHEN BUILDING A TIMBER FRAME HOME ARE YOUR BLUEPRINTS.