Timber frame design: What does it mean? What do you get from it? Why would you pay for it up front when you can get free estimates elsewhere?

Early in our discussion about your upcoming project, you'll hear us start to talk about design. We'd like to clarify what you should expect to get from it, and why it has enough real value that you don't want it for free.

There are really three major elements that are part of “designing” your timber frame, included here in the order they'll happen:

1. Gather information from you about your upcoming project. This usually includes the following events:

• We'll sit and visit, without schedule or agenda, in non-technical language, about you and your upcoming project. We're looking for a sense from you to fuel and guide our inspiration. We're not looking for hard numbers or building dimensions at this point.

• Drawings or sketches of your house done by you or by someone else.   These can vary all the way from napkin sketches to preliminary construction documents done by an architect.

• If you've already hired an architect, an engineer, or both, we'll want to visit with them as soon as possible. We'll want to integrate our specific knowledge of traditional timber structures with their overall design and engineering of your project.

• As the process continues, we will continue to bounce ideas off of you, and hope that you'll do the same with us. Our job as designers is as much one of translation as it is of creation. Our expertise as designers is translating piles of ideas, notes, and conversations into drawings of a house.

2. We'll produce drawings of your upcoming project. This translates the information we've gathered from you into the common language of all building trades, otherwise known as construction drawings.

3. We'll sit down with you and review the drawings. We'll talk about what we've designed, why we think it solves what you want from the building, and try to help you imagine the finished space that the drawings represent.   This is the best place for you to imagine other possibilities if you're not seeing exactly what you want.   We can change anything at this point.   If we need to redraw, we'll do that and then sit down with you again.

4. We'll do a preliminary round of engineering. Once you're satisfied with the overall design, we'll start to really focus on the details.   This first engineering step will allow us to confirm timber size and placement so we can build an accurate budget.

5.We'll develop an accurate budget . During the design phase, we'll work with you to develop the scope of work. The scope of work will determine the budget. See the budget page for factors in developing the scope of work.

6.We'll guarantee a price. After you've reviewed and approved the budget, we'll draw up the contract that locks in your price. There will be no “hidden charges” or change in budget unless the scope of work changes.