Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
software for planning a timber frame home #5037 11/14/99 04:23 AM
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 1
L
Lowell Goecker Offline OP
Member
OP Offline
Member
L
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 1
We're planning to build a timber frame retirement home in the hill country of Austin, Texas. Please recommend the best ways (software??) to get ideas for designing the floorplan for a timber frame home.
Also, we need to know approximate costs per square foot for building a timber frame shell. We're anxious to have the shell completed within one year if that's feasible.

Re: software for planning a timber frame home #5038 11/14/99 02:26 PM
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 137
P
Paul Freeman Offline
Member
Offline
Member
P
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 137
Hi Lowell,

I am an architectural/timber frame designer and software developer, and am well known for heavily promoting the use of computer aided design of timber frame homes. That said, let me suggest that you don't use any software, at least not yet...

1. Start collecting pictures, plans, articles, ideas, materials and anything else that catches your eye in various books and magazines that focus on timber frame homes. This will expose you to a vast array of styles and design ideas. When you find something of interest include them in a "design scrapbook".

2. Look in the back of Tedd Benson's revised book "The Timber-Frame Home" (c)1997. In his appendices he includes a number of questions and topics to consider in the design of a new home.

3. After your preparatory thinking, reading and collecting is done, it may be time to start laying out a "schematic" floor plan. This plan's purpose is simply to establish the relationship of the different spaces to each other, it's really a bubble diagram that locates kitchen next to dining room on the first floor (for example) and so on.

4. At this point I strongly recommend you hire an experienced timberframe designer/architect to guide you along in the development of your design. Designing homes requires consideration of many subtleties and regulations. Timber frame homes provide great open spaces within which an endless combination of arrangements can be laid out. However when you begin to carefully align partitions with principal timbers, use the frame to delineate rooms in an open plan, and align plumbing walls and vertical chases you may find yourselves overwhelmed at best, or making a significant ommission or miscalculation at worse. A good designer can help you create spaces that fit your lifestyle and build in efficiencies that will allow you to put money into materials and amenities that will increase the value, quality, and comfort of your home, while not necessarily increasing the square footage.
(See "The Not so Big House" by Sarah Susanka)

The money you spend on the design process will be returned on savings on the job and more importantly, will help you realize the home of your dreams. It is extremely important that the designer of your home can portray the design concept and help you visualize the spaces in order for you to be satisfied with the end result.

You may want to consider an independent, experienced timber frame designer that can equip you with drawings to present to your favorite timber framing companies. This will do several things: It will convey your design ideas in an clear and complete format assisting all contractors to provide you the house you envision. It will save on the timber frame design time and expense and it will allow you to review several competitive bids and receive valuable design input from other experts in the field. In some rare cases it can also prevent you from being shoe-horned into a design that emphasize convenience and profit to the timber framer rather than focusing on your preferences and lifestyle.

Of course, there are many, many superb designers working for Timber Framers. However, this can result in placing the cart before the horse. I recommend establishing your taste and style first in the design process and then interviewing timber framers and contractors later in the process. As the plan formulates it is a good idea to start bringing in potential builders, framers, and sub contractors to get their valuable feedback and incorporate any suggestions that fit your needs.

Finally, regarding the issue of cost. Cost is affected signifiantly by taste in style and materials. Some timber framers specialize in frames that have practically no checking or twisting and joinery that rivals that of fine furniture, while others offer a more affordable rustic appearance including gaps around joints and dramatic twists and checks. Sometimes it is a matter of taste other times a matter of craftsmanship.

I would suggest reviewing your ideas with your designer (Step 1), and begin establishing size, square footage and how it relates to space (vaulted cathedral ceilings, two storey vs. one storey, simple box vs. a more intricate design of varying roof pitches, wings and ells. As your taste in materials and finishes materialize people will be better equipped to answer the question of cost.

Sorry, I didn't intend to write a novel!

Good luck.

p.s. One year is possible, use the winter for the design process and begin construction this spring.

[This message has been edited by Paul Freeman (edited 11-14-99).]


Moderated by  Jim Rogers, mdfinc, Paul Freeman 

Newest Members
HFT, Wrongthinker, kaymaxi, RLTJohn, fendrishi
5134 Registered Users
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.3
(Release build 20190728)
PHP: 5.4.45 Page Time: 0.017s Queries: 15 (0.004s) Memory: 3.1140 MB (Peak: 3.3984 MB) Data Comp: Off Server Time: 2024-03-28 10:48:49 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS