'Typically;, in the excellent Dr. Mullen's case, refers to good practice refined over the last 20 years. Cast-in-place hold-downs and conventionally-framed decks allow people to do what they know how to do, and provide for high-capacity connections between the foundation and the frame, which is always a good thing.

Traditionally, timberframing extended right down to the foundation, employing sills and joists in a configuration not unlike the floor system on the level above. Old buildings in northern New England continue to sit on dry-laid stone foundations,with effectively no connection except friction between the building and the Earth, and yielding epicly poor thermal performance.