Frequently Asked Questions

Does Jamison Builders, Inc. do whole house construction?
Jamison Builders, Inc.’s role is to act as a subcontractor to a general contractor or an owner-builder. We supply the timber frame and structural insulated panel system. We also offer a full-service design staff that can work alongside your architect or we can develop a full set of drawings to your specifications. Jamison Builders, Inc. provides whole house construction within the Chicago area and advisory services throughout the Midwest.

What style of houses do you build?
Timber frame construction is suitable for nearly every architectural style from Colonial to contemporary. Timber framing was the type of construction used to build most of the historic residential styles and continues to be very adaptable — it is not just for rustic buildings.

Do you have standard plans?
We have many home plans from which you can gain ideas. Our plan book on CD highlights many of our most popular home plans. Minor changes can be made to these designs at no extra charge. We can also design your home specifically for you.

Can you adapt a timber frame to an existing floor plan?
Yes. Floor plans are probably the most flexible element in timber frame design since the need for load-bearing interior walls has been eliminated (all loads are carried by posts). However, since we must balance the structural capabilities of the timbers with the requirements of the floor plan, we ask that you allow us a bit of flexibility to make necessary changes or adjustments; you wouldn’t want to end up with a post in the middle of the dining room.

Can I create my own design?
You can start with a simple diagram to express the important rooms and layout of your home. Then, working with you we can refine these ideas into 1/8” scale schematic drawings, including floor plans, elevations and a 3-D model of the timber frame.

Is timber framing the same as post and beam construction?
Post and beam is a type of construction in which vertical members (posts) are connected via horizontal members (beams) to create the structural framework of a building. The posts and beams can be wood or laminated solid wood. The pieces are connected with metal connections.

Timber framing, on the other hand, refers to a specific type of post and beam construction in which solid wood timbers are joined by means of traditional wooden joinery, secured with hardwood pegs.

Why does Jamison Builders, Inc. use traditional joinery?
We believe that traditional wooden joinery is the best way to construct a durable and inherently beautiful framework. This type of joinery has been used for well over a thousand years and there are hundreds of ancient timber frame structures that stand in testimony to its strength. Other methods may be faster and require less skill, but these advantages are to the manufacturer, not the structure.

What kind of wood do you use?
Most of our frames are made of Eastern white pine. Many species are suitable for timber framing, but we inventory Eastern white pine because it is the best, most plentiful, locally available species and therefore it is the least expensive material we can use. We often supply frames in other species upon request, including Douglas fir, oak, cedar, maple and salvaged timber.

Do the timbers ever warp or twist?
Solid, natural wood timbers cannot practically be kiln dried. Traditional timber frames have always been crafted from green timber and a certain amount of movement and shrinkage is to be expected. We take a number of precautions to minimize the amount of movement. Timbers are individually inspected and unsatisfactory timbers are rejected.

What is checking?
Checks are the grain separations that appear on the surface of the timbers. They are caused as the timbers dry and shrink. When wood begins to lose the water that can account for over seventy-five percent of it’s live weight, it shrinks in size. As the shrinkage occurs, the timber pulls itself apart in isolated areas along the grain lines. Occasionally, this can even produce a loud bang. It’s nothing to worry about, the timbers are just making themselves at home, acclimating to their new environment.

While timbers will not shrink significantly in length, their cross-grain dimensions (width and depth) can shrink noticeably. This usually begins to appear in the first and second year after construction. For example, beams that were tightly butted against posts at the time of the frame raising might show gaps a year or two later. This shrinkage is taken into account in our engineering of timber sizes and joinery, and does not significantly affect structural integrity.

Evidence of shrinkage will also appear where the timbers meet the walls and roof. As the framing members contract, more of the wall or roof surface will be exposed and a paint or wallpaper line may appear. After the timbers have stabilized (usually within three or four years) touch ups to the finish in these areas may need to be made.

What are structural insulated panels?
The structural insulated panels that are used to enclose and insulate our timber frames consist of a core of rigid foam insulation laminated between interior and exterior sheathing materials. The panels are manufactured in one piece in sizes up to 8’ x 24’. The panels are nailed to the outside of the frame. The panels have the structural integrity necessary to span the areas between timber frame members. With some minor modification, these panels can become fully structural building components, extending the many benefits of structural insulated panels to areas of the home that are not framed with timbers.

What are the advantages of structural insulated panels?
There are many advantages. Structural insulated panels are the most efficient way of enclosing and insulating a timber frame building. Standard “stick framing” with the accompanying problems of air infiltration and moisture condensation, not to mention the redundancy of building a structural wall around a structural framework, is very time consuming.

Structural insulated panels, on the other hand, not only wrap the entire frame in a continuous blanket of insulation, but also permit installation of drywall (or other sheathing material) in a fraction of the time required by other methods, and with superior results.

A home enclosed in structural insulated panels is strengthened and protected by two layers of Oriented Strand Board (OSB) — one on the outside panel face and one on the inside. The inside layer of OSB also provides a sturdy nailing surface, enabling you to hang shelves, cabinets and pictures without having to search for a stud.

How does a timber frame house compare in cost to a conventionally built home?
This is probably the most frequently asked question, and one that cannot be answered simply.

In order to make an accurate comparison, it is necessary to compare like structures, and that is where the difficulty lies. Given structures of identical size with identical floor plans, one timber framed and the other conventionally built, you still don’t have identical buildings; therefore, costs comparisons can’t really be made.

However, it is important to realize that the timber frame itself offers valuable elements to a home that are very difficult to duplicate with conventional methods of construction.

Timber Frame Assets:

Strength — The timber frame provides an extremely strong and durable structure. Historical evidence suggests that given a good foundation and careful protection from the elements, a timber frame will last indefinitely. There are hundreds of timber framed structures in Europe that are more than 700 years old. There is no evidence to suggest that modern timber frames should expect a shorter life span.

Temperature Control — The frame plays a significant role in maintaining temperatures within the home. The thermal mass of the frame helps stabilize temperature and control interior humidity levels. This helps to provide very even heating and cooling throughout the home. Typically, these homes can be heated and cooled for 30 percent less than stick-framed houses.
Style and Character — The frame adds significant architectural interest and creates a style and character of it’s own in the home. The strength of the framework revealed to the inside of the home and the warmth of the wood create a secure and relaxing ambience that feels like home.