Preparing For Your Initial Home Planning Meeting

The excitement of building a new home is a very palpable thing. The joy in the air can be felt the minute you walk through the door, and the energy is infectious! In the same way that you are excited to see your timber frame home come to life, we too are excited to see your dream come true.

With each highly anticipated milestone reached, there is plenty of preparation inherent with the process of building a home. It all starts with a little bit of homework before we even step foot in the conference room. Here are eleven ways to prepare for your initial meeting with us that will help ensure that the process of building your custom timber frame project proceeds smoothly and efficiently.

1 – Cultivate a Photo Reference Book:

With the help of the internet, putting together a binder or scrapbook of ideas has gotten much easier. Image oriented search engines like Houzz and Pinterest allow you to create idea books and boards of your favorite ideas. Additionally you can share boards and books with us long before we meet face-to-face. Start an account with both sites and begin gathering everything that fits your vision as you see it.

2 – Wants Vs. Needs:

You may have a budget in mind as you begin the process. You should keep in mind that it can easily slip out of your control as the want list gets longer. There are many hurdles when it comes to budgeting, but wants and needs will likely trip you up most. Develop separate lists for each category and begin stripping away the wants you feel will inflate your cost the most. Remember–bigger doesn’t always mean better!

3 – Diagram Your Rooms:

Having a good idea of where you would like each room located can be a big help to the design process. Create a bubble diagram like this one that indicates the placement of each room and bring it with you to your first design meeting.

4 – Make a List of Questions:

Questions are a vital part of the learning process and we welcome each and every one you may have. It’s only natural when making such a big decision to ask questions about anything from the process of the build to the timeframe from design to raising. We encourage you to make a list of questions you’d like to ask before we meet. It helps us pinpoint ways in which we may help you.

5 – Visit Our Shop:

There’s no better way to understand what kind of work will go into your home than to stand side-by-side in sawdust with our joiners. You’ll get a shop tour the day you meet with us, but you are more than welcome to come in beforehand to meet our joiners, watch them work, and ask questions.

6 – Attend a Raising:

Just as visiting our shop will give you a bird’s-eye-view of a timber frame taking shape; attending a raising will allow you to see our joiners at work as they install someone’s frame. Not only is it awe-inspiring to watch, it’ll give you an idea of just how quickly and accurately your own frame will go up. Often we will invite the public to attend select raisings, so keep an eye on our Facebook page for upcoming events.

7 – Read Up on the Basics of Timber Framing:

This can go a long way in clarifying a lot of the terms we’ll be using. We give each client who comes in a list of books we deem essential reading to learn about the craft of timber framing. If you’d like a copy of the list, click here to contact us.

If you discovered Homestead Timber Frames through our website, have you visited our social media pages? There are plenty of wonderful photos and insightful articles to be found on each profile we maintain. We currently keep a presence on the following sites: Houzz, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter, with a revamped YouTube page forthcoming. Follow us for timely updates!

9 – No Need to Rush:

It’s completely understandable to want to jumpstart the process as soon as possible once the excitement of building a new home has set in. However, it’s a good idea to hold off until you’ve crossed two big hurdles: Having a patch of land; and knowing the cost of building a custom home in your area. Until you’ve found where you want to plant your roots and you have a clear figure on how much it may take to build what you want, it’s going to be tough to bring your dream to life. It’s also important to take your lifestyle into account. Our timber frame homes are tailor-made to suit the way our clients live. If you’re looking to lead a quiet life by the river on twenty acres in the country, your home will look vastly different from the city dwellers’ who require a great deal of space for guests and entertaining.

10 – Keep a Devoted Notebook:

As you’ll likely be taking notes through the duration, keep a notebook solely devoted to the process of building your home. It’s a great way to keep your thoughts, figures, and ideas organized before you come in to discuss details. It will also come in handy during the latter half of the process.

11 – Look At the Bigger Picture:

It’s very easy to focus on one or two small details. It’s much easier to let them overwhelm your project before it even gets moving. Take a step back and look at the whole idea as opposed to a few small parts. You may decide that those little details are the most important factors in your eventual design. Furthermore you may even see that you don’t need them at all.

Now that you’ve read through these eleven tips, bring your inspiration for your own dream home and come see us. Let the excitement of building that new home become a reality today. We’ll be looking for you!