http://www.timberhomeliving.com 67I
f you’ve followed the past three
installments of this series, you’ve
learned that Riverbend Timber
Framing has designed a home for a
Marysville, Ohio, family who need
plenty of space to accommodate their
extended family (and favorite furni-
ture pieces) and that specialty fabrica-
tion techniques have contributed to
the home’s ultimate aesthetic. Now, it’s
time to build the house — and get the
Riverbend stamp of approval.
INSPECTION 1:
THE FOUNDATION
There was snow on the ground when
the fi rst load of fabricated timbers ar-
rived at the job site. For eight weeks,
the builder prepared for their arrival by
excavating the earth, pouring the foun-
dational slab and completing the fl oor
deck. The team worked to lay a strong
foundation for the home, knowing an
inspection by Riverbend‘s project man-
ager Eric Dempsey was imminent. In
fact, the tale of raising this getaway is the
story of three inspections, all performed
or coordinated by Eric.
“The inspections we do are meant
to be at the critical stages of construc-
tion,” says Eric. A solid foundation, in
this case a slab-on-grade, has a huge im-
pact on whether the home is construct-
ed properly. Even a 1/8-inch error at
the foundation level could snowball
into 6 to 8 inches by the time the team
reaches the roof.
INSPECTION 2:
THE STRUCTURAL SHELL
With the foundation approved, River-
bend’s team of installers arrives to be-
gin erecting the timber frame. After be-
ing assembled on the ground, the bents
are raised into place with a crane and
joined with 7-by-11-inch ridge timbers.
During this step, bundles of scattered
materials transform into a recognizable
frame. “Everything falls into place, one
by one,” says Eric, “until the timbers are
able to stand on their own.”
Once the 6-and-1/2-inch wall and
10-and-1/4-inch roof structural insu-
lated panels (SIPs) manufactured by
Insulspan and windows are installed,
it’s time for Eric’s structural inspec-
tion. (After the drywall is up, there’s no
way to tell if the structure of the home
is accurately built.) It’s critical that ev-
ery aspect of the build adheres to the
construction plan and that each detail,
from load-bearing points to duct work
and roof seams, is solid.
Beyond structural necessities, it’s
the fi nishing touches that make a
house a home. Stone surrounds the
front door, support piers and an out-
door fi replace in the rear patio (which
serves as the home’s real entrance).
The bathrooms are tiled, while the
common area, which is built to accom-
modate a bar and pool table, is lined
with wide-plank hardwood fl oors.INSPECTION 3:
ENERGY AUDIT
Once the fi nishing details are com-
plete, Eric oversees the fi nal inspection:an energy audit to verify the home’s air-
tightness. During the process, a blower
door fan is used to depressurize the
home. Since air naturally moves to
equalize pressure differences, the
tester applies a consistent and mea-
surable pressure to get an accurate
reading of the air changes per hour.
In addition, thermal imaging of the
home is completed to identify areas of
leakage. The energy auditor and Eric
declared the structure of this home
“nice and tight.”
While the owners wanted their
home ready as soon as possible, build-
ing a timber home is a slow-and-steady,
measure-twice-cut-once process. “From
start to completion, the project took
around 12 months,” Eric says.
From the Riverbend Timber Fram-
ing team to Nicholson Builders to the
Marysville neighbors who allowed con-
struction equipment to be stored on
their property, there were countless
people involved in the raising of this
home. “That’s the story of timber fram-
ing for ever and ever,” says Riverbend’s
marketing manager Laura Jamison.
“It’s always a community effort.”Once the frame is enclosed and
weather tight, a blower-door test
identifi es areas where seals are
compromised and may leak so the
crew can address them.