Also pay close attention to the clothes that the carpenters are wearing. Notice especially, they are NOT wearing the apparrel of the so-called 'Zimmerleute' or 'Geselle', Journeymen Carpenters and apprentices. Not even the master carpenter who is the one in front on the peak. These are not guild-affiliated carpenters, but farmers and rural workers. Guilds were not very important to rural practices. These guys are just wearing what would have been everyday farmers' clothing at that point in time.

Most of the times, the farmers would have built these houses with the experience of seasoned craftsman. The master may have traveled from another village, someone who was experienced in this work and knew how to lay out and design the frame. But he usually wasn't (unless the owner was very wealthy) associated with any type of guild. It's amazing the depth of skill and knowledge that was possessed by farmers with no formal training at all.

In many regions, this is actually still how it is done. The carpenters aren't always accredited, just learned it by tradition.