Design Services

At Hampshire Timber Frame, you will be working directly with our owner/in-house architectural designer/timber frame engineer, Dana Roberts. Dana started in the timber frame industry back in 1986 and has since designed over 360 timber frame homes, with clients from Maine to California and up into Canada, turning their ideas into reality. With your ideas, needs and wants in hand, along with our design staff's experience and creativeness, the process will move forward smoothly and professionally allowing you to enjoy the experience.

We understand the need for efficient design as budgets get tighter and tighter. By developing more effective design specifications and systems, our focus naturally led us to specialize in building “green”, downsizing and retirement home design. A well-designed and well-built home will function at peak efficiency for your whole family for the life of the home. This is why today’s empty-nesters’ and retirees’ design and construction needs fit flawlessly into our architectural philosophy.

Energy efficiency and minimum maintenance are extremely important in every new home today. Not only are Hampshire Timber Frame homes beautiful, they are extremely strong, quiet and energy efficient. We also focus on design features and products that require minimum maintenance thru-out the life of the home. Our homes will save you time and money that you can be spend on loved ones and things you want to do, not on things you have to do.

Drawings

Hampshire Timber Frame will provide a complete set of architectural drawings for your entire project including conventional and panelized sections.  This set will include all applicable drawings listed below:

Architectural Set

• 1st floor plan
• 2nd floor plan
• Loft plan
• Basement plan (if finished)
• Four elevations
• Section through structure at stairway location

Construction Set

• Completed Architectural set, plus
• Foundation plan & details
• Additional sections & details
• Timber “Frame” drawings
• Panel layout drawings

Notes

• Architectural drawings are done when you enter the design phase. Construction drawings are done when you go to contract.
• Mechanical drawings such as heating, electrical and plumbing need to be drawn up locally usually by your local subcontractors in order to meet local codes.
• Engineering costs for reviews and certification are the responsibility of the owners.

The Design Process at Hampshire Timber Frame

1. We may provide quick pencil drawings to start with, if warranted per our design information and discussion with you, just to get “on the same page” with you in understanding your ideas.
2. We would then provide preliminary plans that includes 2 sets of drawings consisting of: 1st & 2nd floor plans and one or two elevations.
3. You would then review all the drawings and mark both sets with changes if any, in red pencil or red ink. You can also mark corrections and write down any questions or concerns you have about the plans or about any aspect of designing or building your new home.
4. You would then return one set to Hampshire Timber Frame and keep the other.
5. Dana will then review the red-lined set with you before any redraw is done.
6. We would then provide a 2nd preliminary draft that would include a basement plan (if it’s to be finished as a livable space), 1st, 2nd & loft floor plans, all four elevations and a section drawing at the main stairway location.
7. We would then repeat steps 3-6 as needed.
8. After you are completely satisfied with the design, we will then provide a quote for the components you have requested Hampshire Timber Frame to provide, along with estimated installation and trucking costs.
9. Hampshire Timber Frame will then provide preliminary architectural sets for you to use in appropriating pricing from contractors, permits from municipalities and financing if required from financial institutions as needed.
10. Once you have your design and financing in place and have chosen a general contractor and your start date, you can now start signing contracts.
11. Our contract needs to be signed around 12 weeks prior to the delivery date.
12. We would then immediately draw up your foundation and 1st floor deck plans as they may be needed by your general contractor ASAP.
13. Contract phase production drawings may involve a similar review process as the design phase.
14. After the contract is in place, all changes are then processed through contract change-orders.