People ask us about timber frames, here are some of the answers, by Earthwood Timber Frame Homes of Oregon - Timber Frame Homes by Earthwood Timber Frame Homes of Sisters Oregon

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to build a timber frame home?
To many people the process of planning and visualizing their dream home is very enjoyable and they may research and experiment with design ideas for a long time. Others have strong ideas of what they want and like, and can make decisions more rapidly. In general, we recommend allowing at least 4 to 6 months to work through the Preliminary Design Program. Construction drawings and documents will usually take 6 to 8 weeks. Timber procurement and shop scheduling depends on our workload at the time, but our average time from contract to raising is about 4-6 months; the actual raising of a timber frame takes about a week. Your General Contractor then completes construction, usually within 8-12months. If you are looking to build within the next one to five years it's best to begin design work as early as possible.

How much does it cost to build a timber frame home?
The cost of a timber frame generally runs between $50K and $150K depending on the size and complexity of the frame. We have found that the final turn-key cost for a home that includes timber-framing usually runs between $200 and $225 per square foot.

What factors affect the final cost of a timber frame home?
The cost of building your new timber frame home depends on choices you make. Your choice of materials, architectural details, design complexity, and General Contractor will impact your overall cost significantly. Site conditions and location are also important cost factors. We can help you make the right choices, and offer some alternatives you may not have considered.

When will I know the costs?
We can provide a bid based on your complete plans, or we can develop plans for you through our Preliminary Design Program.

Our Preliminary Design Program is designed to provide sufficient design and cost estimate information for you to make an informed decision about moving to the second phase—final construction documents. With preliminary drawings completed, we will provide you with cost estimates for work by Earthwood Homes as well as cost projections for the entire project.

What kind of wood do you use?
We usually build with high quality native Oregon Douglas fir, reclaimed from dismantled structures throughout the Northwest. Our recycling process retains the wood’s unique character features. This reveals its past utility and preserves its history. Another good choice is high-grade Douglas Fir that has been dried in a radio-frequency vacuum kiln (RFV). We have a terrific supplier of RFV timber right here in Oregon. Port Orford Cedar and Tamarack is also available by special order. All species are of excellent structural quality and offer their own unique appearance. Selection is tailored to your taste and the requirements of your design.

What is this "hybrid-design" I keep hearing about?
A "hybrid-design" is when part of the building is timber framed and other spaces are usually constructed with conventional methods.

What is a SIP?
SIP stands for "Structural Insulated Panels". Earthwood Homes is convinced that any timber frame home worth building deserves a nice warm structural panel enclosure system. Structural Panels have been used in construction for decades. Their use has dramatically increased in recent years as energy costs soar and made super-insulated building systems more cost effective.

SIPs are made of two exterior skins (usually oriented strand board, plywood, wafer board, sheet metal or gypsum board) bound to a rigid foam core (usually expanded polystyrene, extruded polystyrene, Styrofoam or polyurethane). Some panels also have their interior faces finished with drywall, wooden sheet paneling or tongue-and-groove paneling. SIPs are joined together with splines or metal cams that lock the panels together and are sealed with foam, caulk or a construction adhesive. The thickness of panels, which varies from 6 to 12 inches, is determined by the home's insulation requirements.

For additional information on Structural Insulated Panels visit:

Can I get a catalog of your house plans?
Earthwood Homes does not maintain a file of stock plans. We believe that a "stock-plan-with-modifications" approach severely limits a thoughtful exploration of the many opportunities available to create a harmonious balance between land, home and inhabitants. Each Earthwood timber frame home is unique and one-of-a-kind and we have developed a thoughtful custom design process that encourages extensive owner involvement and control over their project

Do you have a model home I could see?
All of the homes we build are custom designed and built for the folks who live in them so we don't have any model homes, however we do have tours and open houses each year. This is a great opportunity see the inside of a Earthwood timber frame home. Also special arrangements can be made - Call for details

Where do you build?
To insure the continuing quality of our products and services, we limit our geographical area of work to California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.

In California, our projects are managed through our affiliate "brother" company, Timber Creations, based in Santa Rosa, CA.

I've decided I want to build a timber frame home.. now what...?

Hope fully you've started a scrapbook that's full of magazine clippings and notes of what you have in mind, if not, now would be a good time to start!
Do some research
- Read timber frame related magazines.
- Talk to bankers or other financial institutions to find out about how to obtain financing and how much money you can borrow based on your expenses and income.
Review our entire web site.
Read the TFBC's "Building a Timber Frame Home: A Consumer's Guide".
Call us to discuss your project.
Get to know us through a tour our shop facilities, attend an open house tour and stop by one of our projects under construction.
Get Excited!
Enroll in our Preliminary Design Program.
Begin interviewing local General Contractors.
Retain our design team to generate final construction documents.
Develop a construction timeline.
Get a little nervous! But stay excited!
Review and finalize your production contracts with Earthwood Homes and your General Contractor.
Enjoy the process of developing a special timber frame home that is carefully designed and built just for you and your family.