Timber Framers Guild Forums General General Forum Questions What makes up cost?

I am a student at Brigham Young University-Idaho. I am a Construction Management Major seeking a bachelors of science. I have recently been assigned the topic of Timber Framing to research and report. I am research not so much what it is, but how it the industry has grown. I am looking for things like What makes up the cost of the framing portion of the timber framed home? Is it design, square footage, board feet, types of joints, material used (solid timbers, engineered lumber, recycled timbers) and such that effect the cost. I am sure that all of that does. I guess I am looking for specific examples of how much a spread of cost there could be using various designs, materials, and such.

Holy smokes, where do we begin? Each of these topics is worthy of a book. How about picking them off one at a time?
Growth - not much in volume, but significantely in prestige and quality.
Cost - labor of TF labor compared to stick labor is biggest cost difference, then other fun stuff. Cost mostly dependent upon number of pieces of wood to cut.
Cost spread - huge, lots of options.
Glad to talk off line if you like, I have been working with the TF Business Council on these issues for years. Email direct to arrange phone call.
randychurchill@mac.com