Hello!
I'm an all-around handy guy who's been researching timber framing for several years now. I intend to design, cut, and erect my own timberframe. My wife and I bought some land last spring, at which time the house planning shifted from fanciful dreaming to house-building reality.
I'm nearly done with the plans - including floor plans, elevation drawings and frame design. I've borrowed an exterior design (not a timberframe) and am designing a frame to fit inside of it. (Note: I purchased the plans for that house so I didn't cheat those architects.) I'm a structural engineer by trade, so I plan to create a finite element model of the frame to convince myself that all the members are of adequate size.
Even with all that planning, I'd feel better if I could get an experienced TF guy to review the design.
I've checked with some design services, but the fees, and the services, are far beyond my needs. I'm looking for a half-day of someone's time and can't pay $5 a ft^2 for it. I'm thinking of taking a TF course just to get some time with the instructor. Trouble is, I miss a week's work to do that.
Anybody have any suggestions where I can find a consultant to review my plans?