Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Begin?
Start by thoroughly reviewing your Timberpeg® portfolio. Many of your questions will be answered. Please contact Midwest Timbercraft for further advice and consultation.
Can We Talk To Other TIMBERPEG® Home Owners?
Yes. We will be happy to introduce you to other Timberpeg® home owners so that you can discuss their home-building experience with them. We can also supply testimonial letters. Visiting a long-standing Timberpeg® timber frame house will allow you to see how the wood ages and how tight the frame remains.
Am I Limited To The Plans Featured In Your Design Portfolio?
Over 95% of the timber frame designs we produce are custom. Often this is a variation on a theme from the portfolio developed with the Independent Representative. Sometimes it is based on a plan from your architect, or it can be a collaboration between you and one of our designers.
What Is The Cost To Prepare “Study” Drawings For My Home?
Typically, Midwest Timbercraft will provide you with sketches of floor plans and elevations for your project. “Ballpark” pricing is done at this state. Upon your approval these sketches will be sent to Timberpeg Design Services with your deposit of $4,000 for more formal, preliminary CAD drawings of your home. We can provide a firm quote for the package after these are prepared. After a contract is entered into, final frame and erection plans are prepared and a loading date is scheduled to coordinate with the builder.
What Is Included In The TIMBERPEG® Package?
The Timberpeg® package includes a full mortise and tenon, post and beam frame, and a package of materials to fully enclose the timber frame in an insulated, weather tight shell. These materials, acting in concert with one another, are more than just a “package”; they constitute a total Building System.
How Complete Are Your Packages?
Our packages include well-detailed blueprints, a mortise and tenoned timber frame, interior finish for exterior walls and roof, sub-floor/ceiling decking between levels, insulation for exterior walls and roof, any required blocking and strapping, hand-split cedar shakes (or an alternative) for roofing, clear cedar siding and trim, windows, all fasteners and on-site instruction for assembly by the local contractor. The components we provide include virtually everything necessary for the exterior shell of the building. When these materials are assembled, the building appears finished on the outside. All windows, doors and roof windows are installed, the building is fully insulated and the interior surfaces of all exterior walls and ceilings are completely finished.
Do You Provide Just The Timber Frame?
No, not usually. Our components and details have been carefully selected and engineered to work together as a complete Building System. We offer several optional components and can accommodate other selected materials and custom details as part of the Timberpeg® package.
Who Will Erect Our TIMBERPEG® Package?
A Midwest Timbercraft representative will be at your site to assist the unloading process and then to work with your general contractor in the erection of the Timberpeg® timber frame. This person will also be available, if required, during the enclosure of the shell, and will be on-call should any questions arise throughout the building process.
Midwest Timbercraft can function as your general contractor for the construction of the entire house.
How long does it take to build a TIMBERPEG ® home?
Once the building site is prepared and the foundation has been completed, raising the frame usually takes about one week, then the house is made weather-tight within 2 to 4 weeks. The amount of time needed to complete the home will depend on your choice of finish materials.
Is a TIMBERPEG ® home more expensive than a stick-built home?
In our experience, post-and-beam homes average 15-20 percent more than production homes built in developments. However, the cost of a TIMBERPEG ® home is comparable to that of most custom-designed homes.