What TFHQ Plans and Kits Actually Cost
Unlike most timber frame companies, we publish our numbers. Here's what you'll pay for our plans and Ready-to-Raise™ kits, broken down by size band.
5 Factors That Move the Number
Construction projects can be scary, and we’ve all heard about builds-gone-wrong and unexpected mishaps that blow the price through the roof, but there are plenty of steps you can take to ensure this doesn’t happen and that your final price stays manageable. Here are factors that affect the cost of building a timber frame.
1. Structure Size and Shape
Larger structures cost less per square foot; the economy of scale is real and significant (see the tables above). Simple rectangular footprints are also cheaper than L-shapes, wings, or complex rooflines. Building up (two stories) is nearly always cheaper per square foot than building out.
2. Joinery Complexity
Traditional mortise-and-tenon joinery with through-tenons and exposed pegs is more labor-intensive than a simpler connector-based frame. The more complex the joinery, the higher the production cost, but also the more striking the finished result.
3. Timber Species
We work in Douglas Fir, White Oak, and Eastern White Pine. Eastern White Pine is the most accessible price point. Douglas Fir is the workhorse for larger spans. White Oak is a premium choice for its hardness and figure. Species selection affects kit cost and, in some cases, structural requirements.
4. Enclosure System
The timber frame is the skeleton. What you wrap around it — SIP panels, conventional stud walls, log infill- is a separate cost that typically runs $50–$100+/sqft installed. SIPs cost more upfront but reduce long-term energy costs significantly and speed up the enclosure process.
5. Regional Labor Rates and Site Conditions
The same frame costs the same wherever we ship it. What changes is everything else: what your local contractors charge to pour the foundation, frame the walls, and finish the interior. Remote sites, difficult terrain, and high-cost metro areas can each add 20–40% to the total build cost.
Timber Frame Only
Size | Cost |
|---|---|
Under 300 sqft | $70 - $120 |
300 - 600 sqft | $60 - $100 |
600 - 1,200 sqft | $40 - $80 |
1,200 - 2,400 sqft | $30 - $80 |
Stock Plan | Custom Design | TFHQ - Base Kit | TFHQ - Base + Kit | TFHQ - Base + Kit and Enclosure | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Complete Plan | |||||
Engineering | |||||
Ready-To-Raise Timber Kit | |||||
T&G Decking | |||||
Heritage Natural Oil | |||||
SIP Roof System | |||||
SIP Wall System | Optional | ||||
Nationwide Shipping | |||||
Dedicated Project Manager |
15 Ways to Reduce the Cost of Building a Timber Frame
Get the most house for your money now and keep planning that dream home. By using these 15 tips to save money building your timber frame home, your cost savings may make that vision happen sooner than you think.
Many people are under the impression that timber homes are all about “going big or going home,” but that isn’t the case at all! A lot of people find that they are happier with a slightly smaller floor plan because construction costs less upfront, it saves on utilities, and the saved money can be used to upgrade the interior and splurge on top-notch furnishings.
Do you really need a massive home with extra rooms? Build efficiently, and make use of every square foot in your new home. Be aware of your builder’s plan and make sure no space is going to waste. Also, some timber frame builders charge by square footage, so planning only for the space you intend to use can reduce costs.
Designing and Furnishing Your Small Timber Frame Home - 10 Good Reasons To Build A Small Timber Frame Home
Chances are you may have heard this one before. It might seem cheaper to build a one-story home that sprawls across the lot instead of building a multi-story home, but it’s actually the opposite. Multiple levels mean a smaller foundation and a smaller roof. These tend to be two of the higher-cost variables, and keeping them smaller by building up rather than out can be a great way to lower the cost of your timber frame home.
A 2,000-square-foot ranch and a 2,000-square-foot two-story colonial have the same living space, but the colonial has a much smaller basement and roof.
When building your home, it can be tempting to opt for cheaper materials to lower the initial cost. This, however, can cost you a lot more in the long run. Choose materials that will stand the test of time and that won’t need to be replaced in a couple of years. By deciding to build the right way the first time around, you can save yourself a lot of headaches and future costs for your new timber frame home.
By placing your kitchen, laundry, and bathrooms in close proximity, you reduce the amount of piping and time required to install your plumbing system. If you can stack bathrooms from floor to floor, that’s a significant saving as well.
A deck or patio is a great way to add affordable, usable living space to your home. With lighting and a roof for inclement weather, this area can become a favorite space for entertaining or a place for the kids to hang out.
How to Design A Deck For Function And Fun - The Front Porch – Bring Family Life Outdoors
Sheets of plywood, green board, rigid insulation, and drywall all come in standard 4’x8′ sheets. Design your house to make the most of standard-size building materials. Eight-foot ceilings and uniform wall lengths reduce material use and the amount of waste.
When we give you a quote for your timber frame kit, we will include a cost for shipping to your location. Please be very specific when describing the location we will be shipping to.
When we receive your order we will tell you a date and approximate time for delivery. A tracking number is supplied once the kit has shipped, and the trucking company’s dispatcher will coordinate with you and the driver.
A zero-clearance, direct vent fireplace can save many thousands of dollars over the cost of a traditional masonry fireplace. You’ll be able to create a beautiful hearth and mantle with some of the savings.
A straight stair design with no turns or curves will save a lot of time and materials. For extra savings, carpet it and use less costly wood.
You can opt for less costly items for the time being with the intent of upgrading later on. Builder’s grade faucets, lighting fixtures, knobs, and handles can save you money now and are easily replaced down the road. The basement ceiling and the garage walls can be finished when there’s time and money.
Enclose the roof over the timbered areas with SIPs and use a 2x conventional wall system for the wall enclosure system. Other roofed areas of your home that do not have timbers can also use a more conventional framing approach using 2x trusses and framing. This allows you to take advantage of the ease of using the SIPs and the speed and insulation values they give you on the timbered roof areas while taking advantage of the cost savings of 2x material for the walls and other roof areas.
If someone who is a professional suggests you do something to help save you a bunch of money, please listen to them, even if it means you have to lose some of the details you really want. Ask them how to save money, as they will often know ways to cut back on the cost of their services or how you can tweak your plan to make things easier.
The bottom line is that the biggest expense on your project will be labor, so anything you can do yourself will save you money in the end. Let’s take my timber frame staircase as an example. If I had a timber frame company cut and install my staircase, it would have cost over $12,000. With the actual material costs of $4,200 (I had most of the wood on site, drying for this occasion, milled 8 years earlier, which is not included in the price), I ended up saving about $7,800.
The one catch is that your time is worth nothing if you take this approach. If you are dealing with a bank or a deadline imposed by your significant other, time becomes an important factor. In this case, hiring folks will be the only way to go to save you money, because the faster you go, the less money it will cost you. Finding the balance is the hard part.
Both suppliers and contractors' prices will vary, so getting 3 estimates for everything is the best strategy. If you only get two, you will not have the third one to verify if someone is high or low. Make sure you make a good Request for Proposal document to send to everyone. That way, you will get true apples-to-apples bidding.
In the end, just don’t go with the lower price; instead, figure out which one is the best fit for you and your project…the person you can work with. In the end, that will give you the most savings.
If you live on the East Coast, you will find white pine and oak the least expensive species, and on the West Coast, Douglas fir would be the best choice. Shipping timbers across the country is certainly an added expense you do not need to include in the bottom line.
Another thing to consider is the material handling and cutting of the joinery. Oak is certainly harder and heavier to work with than white pine, and that takes more time and money
Timber Frame House Budget Calculator
Getting to the end of the design process for your home and realizing that your timber frame house plan is one that you cannot afford is unfortunately very common and can be devastating for you. To avoid this, we have devised a to help you estimate the cost of your project as you go through the design process. It will start saving you money right off the bat by showing you that you need to cut square footage or revise some of the finishes to meet your desired budget.
Bookmark this page so as you revise your floor plans, come back and re enter your square footage amounts to keep yourself up-to-date of what the costs will be so you can see the real picture. Remember, for this tool to really work, you must be honest about the numbers you enter into the calculator. It is all too easy to make the numbers match what you need them to be and not what they are.
Go to the Preliminary Timber Frame Budget Calculator
How to Guide:
- First, talk to your local builders and contractors and find out the average price per square foot for a custom home in your area. They will want to ask you a few questions to gauge your tastes and location. I have seen the same house built for $155/sq. ft and for $335/sq. ft, and it all depended on the finishes. It will be hard for the timber frame company to give you a good price at the beginning of a project because they don't have all the information they need. Tell them you are working with this calculator and ask for a rough estimate so you have a working number that can be revised over time.
- Second, enter the square footage amounts from your plans and adjust the percentage rate according to the information from your builder. As an example, the basement line has a rate of 50% and assumes a finished basement space in that rate. If you plan to have an unfinished basement that rate would decrease to say 25-30%. You can see that getting good information from your team at the beginning of your project will help you have the best picture of the cost of your project throughout the design process.
- Next, hold your breath and get the estimate. Remember that this is just a starting point for you to start to figure out the cost of your home and does not represent the final working number. After you have completed the design process your contractor and timber frame team can give you an accurate number that you can take to the bank.
Keep in mind that this list is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to building your timber home on a budget. As long as you take note of the suggestions here, spend a little time researching different options, and listen to the advice of other timber home owners and contractors, then you should be able to build a timber home that is well within your budget.
I like how you stated that the size of the house affects the cost of timber framing. My husband and I want to have a timber frame for our house. We’ll have to find an affordable timber supplier.