Read one client's journey to building his new timber frame home in Tennessee. Wade Max was the general contractor for his project and he is sharing his story with us about the construction process. Weather delays and jobsite challenges occurred, but in the end, Wade couldn't be happier with the end result, a beautiful timber frame he will call home.
Story told by Homeowner Wade Max
After 5 years of planning, we finally decided to start construction on our new timber frame home. After researching timber frame companies, we chose to work with Davis Frame Company. We worked with Davis Frame from the beginning on the design and there were multiple revisions and tweaks to fit the cost into our budget. Davis Frame was very gracious to work with us through this process and we finalized the contract with Peter, the Sales Manager. Peter was helpful and responsive through the process.
We started the construction process for our new home in late February of 2011 and nine weeks  and 100 yards of concrete later, we were ready to take delivery of the timber frame package. Through Davis Frame, we hired a private timber frame contractor, Dick Bird to oversee our crew (myself and a father/son team), to assist with the timber frame raising.
The timber frame raising was set to start right as we were experiencing tornado warnings in Tennessee, so there was a slight delay. The problem didn't only start with the weather delay, but the delivery truck couldn't make the turn into the driveway. After making a mad dash through the driveway entrance, the tractor trailer truck became stuck in the mud (probably from the 4" of rain from the night before). We used the Lull to try to move the tractor trailer a little further to unload. We soon found out that the truck wouldn't be able to make the next turn. After overheating the engine of the Lull (not meant to be a tow truck), we decided to start unloading the timber frame package in the mud. After letting the Lull rest and replacing the battery, the unloading went smoothly.
The 17 bundles of timber were finally unloaded, but we were still a quarter of a mile away from the house, so we shuttled bundles of timber with the lull and a 16' foot trailer on my truck. The Lull makes the first load and the brakes lock up, they are red hot and smoking at the end of the first trip. After checking the Lull, we find that it has picked up a nail causing a flat tire. We cooled the brakes, applied plenty of lubricant and ran a screw into the nail hole to plug the leak. We are finally ready for load 2; after unloading my trailer, the turn around induces a jackknife, with the truck and trailer making a v-shape. No problem we say, if a Lull can drag a tractor trailer, surely it can handle a 1/2 ton truck and trailer. We figure the best way is to pick up the back of the trailer and swing it around....bad idea. Lulls can pick up a lot of weight using two forks, but using one fork causes them to break off. So now the Lull is dead in the water for the rest of the day. The trailer is turned, but the truck is still stuck. Lull unsticks the truck; Lull gets stuck in the mud. We brought in a tractor to pull the Lull out of the mud. It is now 5:30 pm and we decided to call it a day.
The next day, the raising had to be delayed. Tennessee received another 3" of rain. This gave us time to regroup and weld the fork back on the Lull and make arrangements for a second Lull to finish the shuttling process. The new Lull arrived the next morning, a nice shiny one, but they failed to tell us the battery was dead, the front right tire was flat and the tilt hydraulics didn't work. Not to be discouraged, we put a screw in the tire (worked once, worked the second time too), jump started the Lull and played with the hydraulics enough to get it workable. We then shuttled the remaining bundles to the house site. Finally, the delivery is complete!
 We finally get a break in the weather, a cloudless sky and temps in the 70's. We started the assembly process mid morning and assembled 5 bents in the same day; kudos to Davis Frame for their production methods. We were expecting to use all sorts of tools to clean up joints and to fit the frame together, but the precision fit was immaculate and the frame went together without any additional hand work.
The next day we finished up the assembly and the crane arrives. We started the timber frame raising and had all 5 bents raised into place by 3 pm. We were making great progress, until the rain kicked in again and there was no end in sight for the weekend. Dick Bird and his assistant Josh made the journey back to Massachusetts since the forecast called for rain through Wednesday. Our crew worked in the rain for 3 days and completed most of the conventional framing and all the tongue and groove decking for the ceiling. Dick and Josh made it back down to Tennessee a few days later to help install the SIPs wall and roof panels.
 Davis Frame had told us to allow 4 days for the timber frame and 10 days for the SIPs, but the quality of the product and the guidance of timber framer Dick Bird, allowed us to complete the project in less than half that time. We are truly impressed with our total experience with Davis Frame to the point that we are using our home as a model to maybe build a house or two each year for clients in this area. The structure is impressive and it's everything we wanted it to be. Many thanks to Davis Frame for helping us to make it happen.
As you can see from this narrative, we faced many hardships and all those involved kept asking me why I wasn't frustrated and discouraged and I just simply told them that you have to expect some problems and delays, but in the end, it all works out. Just accept each days challenges, deal with them and move on to the next task-it's all part of the construction process.
Visit our jobsite photo gallery to see more pictures for this Tennessee timber frame home!
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