Charming Timber Frame Farmhouses

Who doesn't appreciate the charm of a farmhouse? Historically, the farmhouse was situated not far from the barn and other outbuildings, and was the soul of the family farm and came to stand as a symbol of self-reliance, hard work and homey comfort. Farmhouses are still popular today due their traditional architecture and you can't help but feel at home!

Below are three sample farmhouse timber frame homes we have worked on over the years. 

This Martha's Vineyard post and beam features farmhouse charm inside and out. 

This Martha's Vineyard farmhouse inspired kitchen is a beauty! The homeowners' dressed the room with cherry wood cabinets, a porcelain farmer's sink, black marble countertops and Wolf appliances. 

A farmhouse bathroom wouldn't be as charming without a clawfoot bathtub!

This Connecticut farmhouse features a wrap around timber frame porch. Add rocking chairs, a porch swing and a pitcher of iced tea and enjoy farmhouse living at its best!

Although we traditionally use Douglas fir in our timber frame homes, this farmhouse features Eastern White Pine which actually works perfectly with this style architecture and gives it a nice rustic yet up to date look. 

The farmhouse timber frame master bedroom features a brick fireplace and cathedral ceilings to add warmth and comfort to the room. 

A classic post and beam farmhouse located in Vermont featuring a nice welcoming porch. 

A brick pizza oven works well in this farmhouse kitchen. Wood fired pizza anyone? 

Visit our floor plan gallery to check out our traditional farmhouse floor plans! 

Interested in learning more about building a timber frame home? Contact us today by calling 800-636-0993!

Timber Frame Cost: How Your Interior Finishing Can Affect Your Budget

In last week's blog post, we discussed how your timber frame house design can greatly impact the total cost to build and this week we are covering another big cost factor, and that is, how will you choose to finish the interior of your new timber frame home?

Timber frame homes often get the reputation of being expensive and although using timber frame and SIPs can cost a little more in materials than a custom stick-built home, what can really drive the overall cost to build is how you finish the interior of your home. What interior finishes drive the cost up? Adding custom cabinetry to kitchens and bathrooms, high end appliances, up scale showers and bathtubs, plumbing and lighting fixtures, molding, and flooring can greatly affect your cost per square foot to build a timber frame home.

For example, some clients have easily spent $50,000+ on their new kitchen and bathroom cabinets alone; adding high end cabinetry does come at a high price and will increase your overall cost per square foot. If you're on a tight budget, consider semi custom cabinetry, you will save more and can still create a kitchen and bathroom that meets your aesthetic needs. Also to stay within your defined construction budget, talk with your builder to discuss if your desired house design works with what you have budgeted for your new home and also talk about your ideas for how you plan to finish the interior.

We hope you found this blog post helpful! Visit our blog post on how the design of your timber frame home will affect your budget. If you're interested in learning more about Davis Timber Frame Homes, call us today at 800-636-0993!

The Skinny on How Design Affects the Cost of a Timber Frame Home

Simple timber frame home design

Are you on a budget and looking to build a new timber frame home? One of the most important factors to consider when budgeting for your project is to factor in the design. The house design you choose can make or break your budget. To keep your costs down, choose a simple house design and be aware of more complicated designs, as they can add up quickly. 

More complex house designs usually include complicated roof designs (such as a hip roof), gables, dormers, bump outs, porches and special architectural details. It doesn't mean you can't add some of these details, but these design elements will drive the cost of construction up, so its recommended to keep these to a minimum to contain costs. For example, you can design a simple house with a rectangular like shape and add a couple dormers, but know up front that it will cost you a little more. Our advice for those on a budget? Only add special details that will add space and value to your home. 

Check out our barn home line for cost effective design ideas. Also check out our samples below of what is a simple design versus what makes a complex design.

This modified 1,800 SF Classic Homestead features a simple shape and a small dormer on the second floor. This is a great example of a cost effective timber frame design. 

Our Classic Barn home is another design that tends to be more friendly on the wallet and it's a great example of how simple can still be stunning! The addition of the cupola does add to the cost, but it gives this rectangular barn home a nice architectural flare without going over board on the design. This model can be built with or without the cupola. 

We love this french country timber frame home we worked on several years ago, however, this is a good example of a timber frame home that will cost a lot more to build than a simple rectangular shape home. This timber frame home features one level living with cathedral ceilings which adds to the price per SF cost to build this home. The design also includes 9 gables and many angles and corners.

As you can see, this Mountainside home features 3 eave overhangs to give it architectural interest, however, it also adds a more complex design to the roof resulting in a more costly home to build.

If you are looking for cost effective ways to build your new home, the design is the first step to saving. Adding different architectural elements can result in the use of more materials and require more labor which will add to your overall construction budget. 

Check out our website to see our simple and traditional barn home plans and also be sure to check out our signature timber frame plans! 

Want to learn more about Davis Timber Frame homes? Call us today at 800-636-0993, we would be happy to answer any questions you have. 

Receive a FREE Copy of Our Construction Budget Worksheet

Are you planning to build a timber frame home soon? If so, you may find it daunting to figure out all the costs involved to build a new home. Building costs to consider are site preparation, foundation work, floor framing, weather tight shell package materials (framing, insulated panels, windows, doors, siding, roofing), interior finishings, labor cost, utilities, heating and cooling and cleanup.

We know that is one long list to keep track of and that is we at Davis Timber Frame created our own construction budget worksheet to help you factor in the costs to build a timber frame home. Our budget worksheet includes all of the above and what elements to consider under each category. If you would like to receive a FREE copy of our construction budget worksheet, send us a note or call us at 800.636.0993 and we will email you a copy.

Visit our blog next week to receive more tips on how to minimize costs when building your new timber frame home!

Learn more about timber frame construction!

Beautiful Lakeside Homes by Davis Frame Company

This Lake Sunapee home was built for family vacations. 

With the July 4th Holiday approaching, we thought we would share some gorgeous lakefront timber frame and post and beam homes we have worked on over the years! There is nothing quite like spending the summer around the water and its no wonder why many of our clients choose to build on a lake. Vacationing on the lake is a great way to make a lot of memories with the family, by boating, fishing, barbecuing, family gatherings and passing along the love of the lake from generation to generation.

Check out a few of our lakeside timber frame homes below:

This Lake Sunapee post and beam vacation home shows its American pride for the 4th of July.

This Lake Sunapee great room features double french doors to bring the outdoors in. 

This Greek Revival timber frame home is located on Lake Ontario in New York.

Imagine waking up to this lakefront view every morning!

This octagon timber frame vacation home is located in Virginia.

This custom lakefront home features our eSIPS panelized home system and was built for quiet family vacations.

This lakeside NH home features a large deck, perfect for enjoying summer evenings.

This timber frame boathouse stores the motorboats and water toys. 

This barn home is located on Lake Champlain in Vermont and features spectacular views of the lake from the great room. 

We wish everyone a happy and safe 4th of July! Visit our website to learn more about our timber frame homes or call us today at 800-636-0993!