Thread: Building Ryan's Timberframe home

The madness begins!

Good luck with your new larger than life project Ryan.

Are you planning to have the timber "stress graded" (eg F5, MGP10 etc). I imagine you will need to do this if you intend to build the structure in accordance with the BCA.

All these wowsers! Like the add Ryan - Just do it! Good for you.

This is gonna be good.... [jiggy jiggy] this is gonna be good [jiggy jiggy]


cheers
RufflyRustic

Having visited your property, viewed those trees first hand, and spoken with you about your respect for nature, I know you will undertake this monumental task with the greatest care. Being true to your appreciation for things natural will be a guiding principal in your journey. I along with many other members of this board will be with you joint-by-joint. Thanks for sharing it with us, Ryan.

Go for it Ryan!
A dream many of us have but never quite get the courage to undertake. I friend of mine, a multiskilled plumber down in northern NSW, did a similar thing, using trad joinery. I think he went for red cedar, silky oak and camphor. My only concern would be termites and their penchant for pine...it will mean a strict spraying regime.
In the meantime, I'll pull up a comfy chair and sit back for the ride. I might even get time to actually make a comfy chair

Cheers,

Hi Ryan,

I will be watching from the sidelines, too, and cheering you on....while working away happily on our home, too! Your home will be unique & I'm sure you'll do well with all of it.

Cheers,

Jill

Originally Posted by TARLOX

Are you planning to have the timber "stress graded" (eg F5, MGP10 etc). I imagine you will need to do this if you intend to build the structure in accordance with the BCA.

The WA in Bellingham WA refers to Washington State in the US. Our building codes don't apply, obviously, but there will be local codes that will apply (equally obvious I suppose).

I know of a person who built a house using traditional methods so there weren't any bolts and nails and screws.

He had a difficult time getting it past the building inspector who insisted on bolts through some of the beams. He eventually seemingly relented and glued the heads of bolts on one side of the beams and the washer, nut and some thread on the other. It then passed inspection! The bolts are no longer there now.

The trouble with people who enforce some of these standards is that their imagination would make dog droppings look creative. The fact that traditional building methods have been around for thousands of years and proven themselves seems lost on these control freaks. No you have to have bolts, not listening you have to have bolts, not listening you have to have bolts, not listening ....

Obviously all buildings must be safe and sound for the protection of the inhabitants and any else who may be affected if they fail but to blindly insist on using current methods with no ability to appeal is pretty dumb and ignorant.

Perhaps Ryan might need to employ similar methods to keep his local authorities happy if they are as hopeless as our authorities.

Go for it Ryan, if anyone can do it you will!
Look forward to pics as it progresses. Also looking forward to the BBQ you throw for us all when it's finished - I'll PM you where to send my ticket.

Originally Posted by boban

Hi Ryan,

Haven't you read our owner builder thread. What are you doing mate?


Please excuse my ignorance.

Mitch my brother, no excuses are needed.

1. Why not just buy the timber from a yard given that its only pine.

Cost. I can have it all cut and rough sawn for about $2000. that's about 1/10th the price of buying it.

2. Will you have enough timber.

I'ts gonna be close :eek:

3. Isn't the timber too green to use

Most western timberframes are cut green. It's impractical to air dry large dimention timbers like that (7"x10"), and kiln's don't work too well either. you just have to design joinery that will accept movement.

4. I assume the joinery you are talking about will be exposed.

damn straight

5. Are you sure you want to lose that view.

hopefully the view will get better

Originally Posted by tarlox

Are you planning to have the timber "stress graded"

I'm sure the engineer will spec. the timber be graded select and better. this shouldn't be a problem, just cost some money .

Originally Posted by WB

He had a difficult time getting it past the building inspector who insisted on bolts through some of the beams.

Yeah, sometimes the state can get a little anal-retentive. but the truth is that i wouldn't be opposed to adding a few hidden bolts (disguised as pegs) if the state engineer thinks it's safer. and ofcourse, my personal engineer's stamp trumps all. after that all the inspector can comment on is the quality of workmanship. and if he's a better carpenter than me, he can have the job.

thanks for all the encouragement everyone. I'm sure i'll need it. Don, Mitch, Rob, Alex, Scott, Wendy, Jill, and everone else - you're all family. And i'm glad you're all on board for the ride.

maybe we can get a group discount on airline tickets for the raising day party

-Ryan

Thanks Ryan - a discount airfare for the party, now you're talking - jiggy jiggy


cheers
Wendy

Well Ryan,

There's no point playing around you may as well jump right in at the limitless depth end eh?

My hat is off to ya & I hope all goes as you have planed. I'm sure that it will as you have demonstrated with the other projects you have done!

[QUOTE=Auspiciousdna]How is cutting down trees environmentally friendly?





How is pulling a carrot out of the ground enviromentaly friendly ?
If you eat the carrot Zen was not it put to its best purpose ?






Go for it Ryan. It looks like a great life plan but remember it will not be easy and be prepared for lots of heartache and hard work . Be original but try to stick to as many standards as you can , like wall heights , door sizes , window sizes , stud spacing . This may well prove to be very handy in the future for sheet sizes of gyprock and insulation batts for example .
Try to keep on the good side of the council , as an owner builder I had a great relationship with my inspector and he helped me out a lot with ideas and also lieniency with laws but others in the same municipality had great problems with him as they tried to pull the wool over his eyes .
One of the stories I know of is a couple who had the inspector up and showed him the reo all laid out in the slab and after he had gone they returned it all for credit at the local hardware store . Silly but true .
Do the right thing by most people and they will treat you right . Karma .
Rick