Timberframe=Barn

Hey Folks,

everytime I mention to my customers that my actual trade is Timberframing and that I want to get back into that because that is my passion and before I came into the States that is what I was doing in Germany for some years they immediately say: "Oh, so you want to build barns?" So I was shocked that they simply put it like that.
So then I started looking into Timberframes "Made in USA" and I kind of understood why they were thinking this way. A typical frame is build with 2 or more bends and purlins or some variation of it. So that layout looks indeed very much like that of a barn only it gets closed in with SIPS and becomes living space.
Do you run into that a lot, too?

Don't know if it's me, or the people I run into, but when I tell them that I timber frame, I am usually met by a blank stare, coupled with silence. That's followed by " Oh, you mean a log cabin?" Then I have to break out the "barn" analogy, usually they kinda "get it" then, and if they don't, I run away screaming.... So, E.H., consider yourself lucky, you get to bypass my first two steps. Good Luck my friend. Ron

That is sad to hear. But it also is some kind of relief knowing that I am not the only one out there that runs into this frequently and ends up educating people about other ways of building besides boxes made of match sticks.

I get that as well, closely followed by the "There is a lot of money in that" speech where they tell me how rich I am going to be. Right!

Dave

I do not believe for one minute that a conventional framed house is less costly than the same house build with a timberframe. That is assuming that in both instances the building envelope is designed and put together correctly. No "money saving or skimping". Now since timberframing is a somewhat specialized way of building, yet it is not rocket science, some guys out there may take advantage of that fact and charge more than it is really worth, hence the phrase that: "You could make a lot of money that way". If run the right way and with enough customers and demand on hand one can " make a killing" , let me rephrase that " make a living" either way.
Though it is still unfortunate that a majority of people think this way. I believe that we timberframers have a lot of homework to do to change the way Timberframes are categorized.

That is the flip-side of the coin, the "I can't afford a timber frame" speech. Take the frame in Jack Sobons book. I believe he states there is about 7200 board feet of timbers to build the entire frame, from sills to rafters. That would cost maybe $4000 for a softwood frame. How much would you have to spend to buy enough 2"x6"s to build an equal sized stick house? I know someone who just had a 1200 square foot modular cape built, and spent over $200k, not including the land.
I firmly believe that if you are comparing apples to apples, a timber frame should be cheaper. Yes, you can build a 10,000 foot sanded oak timber frame, but you can also build an 800 foot frame from rough sawn pine.

Dave

Dave

Dave,

guess you are right there. Only would not an oak frame be overkill if the frame is not exposed to the elements anyway? So that is a lot of money spend on something that is not needed. Not mention the extra work to cut the frame. Pine/Hemlock just cuts much more easily. Sure looks nice though.

I would be happier if they thought I could build a timber frame barn. I usually get...What kind of log houses do you build?

It's even worse when the bank tells you we don't finance log homes. :rolleyes:

I usually end up taking new people in the area on Timber Frame Tours, because they just don't get the concept. And because this is such a big timber framing community, there are plenty enough frames to show, so they get the point. I often have to explain that, no, they're not pre-fab homes, and no, they're not log homes. But I do like informing people to what a timber frame is, and I do tend to ramble on a bit obsessively, and make sure that I show them different styles and the difference between hand cut and machine cut frames (there are a few of both around). And the cost...yes, the cost. I know that one can build a timber frame with very little cost if one is willing to do it themselves. My husband designed and built a rustic straw bale frame for his buddy for under $20,000 CND (not including the $1000 CND in beer), using mostly salvaged wood a bunch of us volunteering labour - beer and experience being the pay-off

I once had a conversation with a tire kicker who said "Timber Framing must be cheaper because you don't have to buy any nails." Yeah and we all know that it is the NAILS that rack up the costs of any stick frame. :rolleyes:

David