Seek post and beam expert

We have a troubled Lindal Cedar Home building project and we're looking for someone who has built a Lindal or someone who is familiar with post and beam construction to help us rescue it.

Rescue would include identifying the structural and other framing deficiencies and telling us how to fix them. It could also include doing the work, if the location works.

If you are interested, please respond to this message.

Lillian,
It would be nice to know the locale.
Is the home beyond the Lindal warranty ?
Depending on the location is winter a problem ?
Inspection/survey could be done by a qualified structural engineer giving a punch list for a qualified craftsman to be guided by.
Deralte

We are located outside of The Plains, Virginia - about 45 miles west of Washington DC.

This is a complicated problem and has now become a long story. We are working with a structural engineer. What we are finding, however, is that these houses are viewed as "over-designed." They will be "structurally sound" at a standard much lower than the structural standards built into the Lindal design. The recommended fixes will meet the local building code, but that's probably it. Since the framing failed the county's close in inspection, we are trying to get the basic fixes done by the builder so as to at least meet that standard. After that, we need someone who understands how these houses should be built to help us pick up the pieces.

Lindal warranties are definitely at risk. The Lindal dealer faded out of the picture as soon as problems arose with the builder he recommended. Lindal has been of some help, but their contract absolves them of any responsibility once the materials are delivered.

Lillian,
You are almost neighbor, my current abode is in western Fairfax County near Centreville.
What little I can glean from your request for help sounds like a classic case of the county or the engineer not knowing the forces which are found in a timberframe. Even mayhap some poor assembly at the expense of strength. Has the county inspector cited specific code violations or he just doesn't understand the problem trying to apply standards that do not apply ? This is a not infrequent dilemma depending on your locale. I would suggest you communicate with our esteemed Mr Exalted-TF-Engineer Sobon (no rock throwing here, only awe and appreciation). See the two works of his on the current guild home page.

Sometime within the next 24 hours your snow load may be tested. After I shovel myself out we can go forward from there.

deralte