It is a good idea to select your team early in the design-build process. Why? When all the professionals on your team are involved from the beginning construction costs can be monitored during the design process and redundant work can be avoided. Good design-build teamwork encourages each participant to do his best work and helps to prevent conflicts by encouraging regular communication between team members.

It makes good sense for you and your designer to consult with a timber framer at the beginning of the preliminary design process. His knowledge of the timber-frame building system can help you make informed decisions and avoid costly mistakes. A timber frame professional can provide you with an estimate for the cost of the timber frame at an early stage in the development of the design. Timber frame companies may charge a fee for this service.

The other good news is that you now have a team of professional advisors who can suggest changes to the plan that can help reduce your building costs.

If working with a design-build team is such a good idea, why do homebuyers wait until construction documents are complete before asking builders to bid their plans? Some homebuyers assume that awarding a building contract to the lowest bidder is the best way to proceed, but you may not get the best value by selecting the low bidder.

Other factors, such as the quality of the builder’s previous work, the satisfaction of his former clients and your comfort with the builder as a person are equally important.

When design and construction are regarded as separate functions architects and builders are sometimes forced into becoming adversaries. It stands to reason that if a builder has had no involvement with your design and material choices he may underestimate the level of quality and workmanship you and your designer expect. Or, as sometime happens, a ‘very’ low bidder may have forgotten to include an item or find that the work takes longer to complete than his schedule allows. When problems like these arise it is much easier to blame a person than to fault the process.

Although still a few years away from retirement, Bob and Alice started planning their new house soon after they acquired their property. They both liked beautiful wood and vaulted spaces and thought a home built with posts and beams would be perfect for their wooded site. An ad in “Timber Frame Homes Magazine” led the couple to a design-build firm that specializes in timber framing. They checked references, visited some projects and decided to work with us to design their home.

Bob, Alice and I spent a summer afternoon discussing their design program. Then they returned to Nebraska and we exchanged information about the design during the next several months. About a year later we met at the site again to confirm the final plan. By the time the construction documents were ready to submit to the building department the following year Bob and Alice were on their way to Washington State, and ready to start building their house.

They wanted to participate in the construction process, so they were pleased to learn that a timber-frame company can be a good partner for an owner-builder. Bob decided to act as the general contractor. He and Alice also decided to finance their own construction costs. The O’Connell’s hired Timbercraft Homes* to install the timber frame, the wall and roof panels, and the windows and the siding.Additional items such as the custom built staircase and fireplace mantle were included as change orders later. Other sub-contractors were hired to install the foundation, the drywall and the finished roof.

When I asked Bob how he and Alice chose the people on their design-build team Bob replied, “Relationship was the most important criteria for us. When I found a person I liked and trusted I didn’t ask for competitive bids. Sometimes I just kind of pretended I was going to.”

Alice was a novice builder when they started the project but Bob had helped build a house when he was just out of college. He says “We spent many long winter evenings reading building codes and construction manuals.” Wide smiles from both assure me that they really did have a great time learning building technology and working together to install their in-floor radiant heating and central vacuum systems.

Alice and Bear

When I asked if building inspectors challenged any of their work, Bob laughed.

“The Electrical Inspector in this county is so convinced of the superiority of a timber-frame house with S.I.P.s he said ‘Heck, you could heat this house with a match’. “When the Building Inspector came to inspect the plumbing I was having trouble setting up the test to prove that there were no leaks in the drainpipe.” He said ‘Did you do the plumbing?’ I said yes. He said, ‘Are you going to live here?’ I said, yes. He said ‘are you satisfied with it?’ I said, yes. He said ‘OK, that’s good enough for me.’”

About his decision to be an owner-builder Bob says, “We felt that building the house would be a good way to make the transition from our demanding professions to a retirement life style. We instantly went from feeling mentally stressed to being physically exhausted.”

Alice agrees. “Bob and I worked on the house every day for the first year. Oh, I forgot, we took a half day off on Christmas.”

Bob says, “ I think Alice and I work together so well because she is goal oriented and I’m process oriented. When Alice paints, she needs a wet suit and gloves. I spend days analyzing something and refining my technique. Alice will look at my plan and say ‘that’s bull----! Let’s get this done.”

Alice nods in agreement.

Saving money was not the main factor in the O’Connell’s decision to take a hands-on approach to building the house but Bob estimates that he and Alice may have saved as much a $100,000 by contributing their own labor to the project. Bob is quick to point out that a professional builder could have completed the house in half the time. “I would never recommend building your house while you are employed,” says Bob. “It would be much too stressful. You could probably save money by paying someone else to do the work.” One of the benefits of being an owner-builder is that you have more control over the final product, but you need to be willing to accept the risk usually assumed by the general contractor.

Bob says, “Alice and I welcomed the risk. It was stimulating to learn so many new things and we knew we could take as much time as we needed to complete the house because we were financing it ourselves. Building a house together turned out to be exactly the right way for Bob and Alice to make the transition from demanding careers to a new life as serious artists.

Dick and Sandy Curtis built their dream house in the woodlands above Beaver Valley, a few miles inland from Puget Sound. The design-build team they chose included an architect, a timber frame company and a general contractor.

When they started planning their dream house in 1990, Dick, a Master Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy, and Sandy, a schoolteacher, didn’t imagine that they would actually become so involved in building their house when they retired ten years later. They made that decision when the bids for the building construction came in higher than expected.

Instead of giving in to a feeling of panic, they asked their contractor if they could use their own labor to ‘buy back’ parts of their construction contract. “Thanks to our accommodating contractor and our willingness to work on the house, Sandy and I were able to build the house we really wanted to build” says Dick.

“It was an absolutely wonderful experience,” says Sandy. “We had so much fun.”

They were living in Alexandria, Virginia when Dick brought Sandy to the Olympic Peninsula to see where he had camped and fished as a boy. They were still ten years away from retirement, but “I fell in love with the Northwest,” says Sandy.

On the last day of the visit, as they were leaving the area they found a piece of land with a spectacular view of the Olympic Mountains. “We drove back into town, signed some papers and flew home the next day. I couldn’t believe it,” says Sandy. “I don’t even buy a dress that fast.”

Dick and Sandy returned to Beaver Valley several times during the next ten years. Each visit brought them one step closer to building their house. They chose a site, installed a septic system, arranged for power and telephone, dug a well and got acquainted with their new neighbors.

Back home, in Virginia, they dreamed about their new house, collected photos and floor plans from magazines, eventually they filled up a book with all the ideas they liked, including some of their own sketches. In August 1999 when retirement was just a year away they were ready to interview architects, timber framers and contractors.

“We chose Architect Richard Dunbar* to help us develop our plans. He was able to incorporate most of the ideas in our ‘wish book’ into the house plan. “He even designed spaces for specific pieces of furniture that we wanted to move from the East Coast,” says Sandy.

“When the plans were finished we were very pleased with the design but we wished we had monitored the construction costs more carefully as the plan was being developed,” says Dick. “Fortunately, when contractor, Bob Little* became involved in the project he helped us make changes that helped to reduce the cost of construction.” Roofing was changed from metal to sculptured architectural shingles, Formica counter tops replaced granite, clad windows were used instead of wood frame windows, and modular cherry cabinets were substituted for custom cabinets.

“We did not go with high dollar appliances, but we did follow ‘Consumer’s Reports’ recommendations on all the appliances,” says Dick. “Our contractor preferred using 2 x 6 conventional framing as a wall system rather than Structural Insulated Panels. He believes that the two systems are comparable in value but the 2 x 6 system costs less. We definitely wished we had involved the contractor earlier in our project.” Dick’s advice to future homeowners is, “Define your budget carefully before starting your project and make sure your architect knows what your budget is.”

Thanks to the flexibility of their contractor and their willingness to work on the house Dick and Sandy were able to build the house they wanted to build. By living on site in a ‘comfortable enough’ RV, they were able to reduce their living expenses. An unexpected benefit of living on the land and working on site is the ability to make instant decisions.

Working alongside the construction crew Dick did most of the electrical wiring and installed all of the decking. Together, he and Sandy painted and stained everything that needed it. They kept the building site clean and regularly hauled away all the trash. Sandy says, ”We were known as Curtis Trash Haulers (Trash is cash in the long haul) and Holiday Painters (Everyday is a vacation day with Holiday Painters.), Humor is a key element in maintaining your sanity when you work on a building site.”

“When we told people we were going to help build our house we heard comments like ‘Well, I hope your marriage is stable.’ Or, ‘Good Luck, You’re in for a nightmare.’” “Actually “ Sandy says, “It was a wonderful experience. We loved being part of it and it provided a perfect opportunity to practice patience, flexibility and optimism.”

Dick and Sandy named their house ‘Beaver Lodge’ because of its timber structure and it’s location in a circle of Douglas fir trees overlooking Beaver Valley.