Design costs

[addicted]

Hey guys
I'm new to the forum and have been looking at building my own TF  home for about a year now.  I've come up with some questions that if anyone with experience could help it would be greatly appreciated.
1. What kind of options do I have for design work? i.e architect,designer,draftsman, me.
2. What do you get from the different professions?
3. What are the different costs associated with each?
4. How do the lenders and townships requirements relate to each for approval?
I'm planning on being the GC and doing a lot of the work including joinery myself to cut costs.

Thanks for you r help

[Jim_Rogers]

addicted:
Welcome to the forum.
And you've asked some very good questions.

Let me start with #4.
I'm not sure how lenders will react to drawings, it would be best to have an informal discussion with them, but I'd assume that if you need to get a building permit then the permit set should be acceptable.
And again, you'll have to discuss your plans with the township and see what they require. They are the ultimate permit granting authority and you'll have to comply with their rules if you have to get a building permit. Most, I would think, would have some type of information prepared to explain what you'll have to have in order to build.

#1 From this information you can see whether or not if you'll need an architect to be involved. You may not need one at all.
Have some one experienced in timber frame design is best when you talk to "designers" or "draftsmen". It will cost you more to educate them then having someone who has done it before do it for you.

#2 Drawings, some better then others.

#3 Hard to say, depends on a lot of unknown factors....

And you should see whether or not your design will have to be engineered. That is the design reviewed by an engineer to verify the timber sizes and spacing for the loads the frame will have to carry and endure.

[witterbound]

If you've got any computer skills at all, and you have a glimmer of what you want your frame to look like, learn to use google sketchup.   You can do alot of design work using it, and it's all free.  I came up with my frame using sketchup, then sent it to an engineer to review. 

[addicted]

witterbound
I know about 98% of what we want. I feel somewhat confident about the frame but not at all about the foundation/basement.  What did the engineer charge you for their work?

addicted

[witterbound]

$500, just for the frame.   I didn't ask him to review the basement, foundation, footings, etc.  We winged that.  I built out in the country where I don't have any code requirements.   My frame was about 1200 sf.

[shad]

Hello, you could just buy Jack Sobon's book " Build a Classic Timber Framed House"
All the beams are already sized and you get step by step guides to cutting the joints.
That's the route we decided to take.
I designed a timberframe house floorplan and got estimates to design and size the frame from several timberframe designers. Estimates ranged from $3000.00 to $17000.00 to draw frame and size it.
$20.00 book is a bargain and it tells you how to size it up or down.

[Brad_bb]

Are we talking a somewhat basic or modest sized structure, or something fancy and elaborate and big?  If the latter, then you'd be wise to consult an experience timberframe designer/builder, even if you will be doing the building.  I will be designing my home, and I also will consult, not just from the technical end, but to maybe get some ideas I haven't thought of, some additional creativity, and hopefully some experienced advice.  By that I mean "I would advise against that, because...  or  consider switching these rooms or rearranging this for better flow..."  Even if a modest structure, I'm sure the cost of some consulting with the right person could more than pay off.   I already know a couple people I'd consult with that I met through the Timber Framers Guild.

I would advise you to Join the Timberframers Guild.  You'll get the publications, get to know who's who in the guild, and you'll likely find the framer you want to consult with, the contacts of several experienced TF engineers, and you'll meet some really cool people.  I highly recommend attending some guild events.  It's paid off for me.  I learned how addicting axe throwing is.

[addicted]

Thanks for the advice Brad
The size of the house right now is around 2500 sq' with a foot print of 50x30. The consultation from an experienced framer was exactly where we wanted to start from. After talking with a few local companies we realized they were more interested in a turn key operation, and not really interested in the hands on owner builder. I will be joining the guild and look forward to going to some of the events.

Shad
thanks for recommending Sobons book.  I do have a copy and it has proved very informative.  I'm in the process of going through all of my TF books an collecting of the good stuff from each.

addicted

[ljmathias]

I sometimes throw my ax, too, but rarely hit anything (hope I don't anyway  )

As to joining the Guild: I have been a member and currently am not.  I went to a couple of guild meetings and found them to be real expensive for what  I got out of them.  Sure, met lots of interesting people, got SOME good information (most I could have gotten on-line) and did see products and hands-on experience that was real useful.  Biggest problem was the "value" which I take as benefits over price- just wasn't high enough for me to stay a member.

I should point out, though, that I've gotten side-tracked over the last year trying to get houses built for my two boys- pay-as-we-go so there's no mortgage.  Being half-retired, I'm doing the majority of the work, which is fine with me- keeps me alive and focused on something productive- but has used up time I'd planned to devote to learning and applying timber framing skills.  Still have a TF workshop in pieces that I need to get back to- really need to get my woodworking tools out of the barn and into a controlled environment- here in the Deep South, we have a problem with humidity (duh!) and things rust real bad unless you take preventative action on a continuous basis.

Sorry to get side-tracked, just the way my mind works...   ;D.  Point is: TF skills take a while to acquire, hands-on workshops are the best way to do that, and then you have to use them on a regular basis to adapt and develop them for your needs.  With  housing down the way it is here, not much need for such skills right now so I've put that on the back burner.

Just my 2 cents worth- sorry to be long-winded.

Lj