A timber frame company interview is a structured comparison of scope, engineering, enclosure, schedule and contract terms. Interview at least 3 companies using the same project brief. Choose the company that gives the clearest answers about your site and responsibilities, not simply the lowest price.
For U.S. projects, ask which code edition the local jurisdiction has adopted and whether the 2024 wood design standards apply. The code answer should come from the company's engineer or the building department, not from a sales representative.
Timber Frame Company Interview Checklist
| Area | What you should receive | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Relevant experience | Similar completed projects and references | Only generic portfolio photos |
| Scope | Written list of included and excluded work | "Turnkey" without detail |
| Engineering | Site-specific structural design and responsible professional | Vague answers about engineering |
| Materials | Timber species, grade, finish and connection details | No written specifications |
| Building enclosure | Wall, roof, insulation, air-sealing and moisture strategy | Focus only on the visible frame |
| Pricing | Itemized proposal with allowances | One unexplained lump sum |
| Construction | Schedule, delivery, crane and erection plan | No logistics plan |
| Contract | Change-order, payment, warranty and cancellation terms | Pressure to sign quickly |
1. Prepare Your Project Brief Before the Interview
Give every company the same information. Your brief should include:
- Building location
- Approximate floor area
- Number of stories
- Preferred architectural style
- Site conditions and access
- Whether you have purchased the land
- Soil testing or foundation information
- Existing architectural drawings
- Target budget
- Desired completion date
- Whether you already have an architect, builder or engineer
- Whether you want a frame-only package, shell package or complete design-build service
A shared brief makes the proposals comparable. Without one, a company may price a complete shell while another prices only the timber frame.
Also request the documents you will use to compare the proposals:
- Written scope of work
- Exclusions and allowances
- Timber and connection specifications
- Structural engineering information
- Wall and roof assembly details
- Preliminary schedule
- Delivery and erection plan
- Warranty terms
- Sample change-order process
- Client references
2. Establish What Type of Timber Frame Company You Are Interviewing
Ask this question first:
"Which parts of the project do you handle directly, and which parts are completed by the owner, architect, general contractor or subcontractors?"
Timber frame businesses commonly operate in different ways:
- Frame supplier: Designs or manufactures the timber frame but does not complete the house.
- Frame-and-erect contractor: Supplies the frame and assembles it on site.
- Timber frame shell company: Handles the frame plus the roof, wall enclosure or weather-tight shell.
- Design-build company: Coordinates design, engineering, construction and completion.
- Custom home builder with timber frame experience: Manages the project but may subcontract frame fabrication.
These services are not interchangeable. A low frame-only price may not remain low after engineering, delivery, crane work, enclosure, weather protection and general-contractor coordination are added.
Ask the company to identify, in writing:
- What it designs
- What it manufactures
- What it supplies
- What it installs
- What it subcontracts
- What remains the owner's responsibility
3. Questions About Experience and Past Projects
Ask for projects that resemble your proposed home in more than appearance. Useful similarities include:
- Floor area
- Structural complexity
- Climate
- Site access
- Roof form
- Span lengths
- Glazing areas
- Scope of work
Ask:
- How many timber frame homes have you completed?
- How many have you completed in the last 5 years?
- Have you built in my state or local climate?
- Have you completed projects with similar spans, roof forms or glazing areas?
- Do you work with independent architects, or do you provide design services?
- Can I visit a completed project?
- Can I speak with 2 recent clients?
- Can you provide a reference for a project completed several years ago?
- Which parts of your previous projects were performed by your own employees?
- Which parts were subcontracted?
Do not rely on photographs alone. Ask to see a project that demonstrates the company's:
- Joinery
- Frame-to-wall connections
- Roof details
- Finish quality
- Completed interior work
A completed project can also show how the frame looks after exposure to normal changes in moisture, temperature and use.
4. Questions About Design, Engineering and Building Codes
Ask:
"Who is responsible for the structural design, and who will seal the drawings for my site?"
You should receive a clear answer identifying:
- The structural engineer or engineering firm
- Whether the engineering is site-specific
- Who designs the foundation connection
- Who accounts for snow, wind and seismic loads
- Who coordinates architectural and structural drawings
- Which building code edition applies in your jurisdiction
- Who responds to building-department comments
- Whether engineering revisions are included in the quoted price
In the United States, the applicable code depends on the jurisdiction that adopted it. The International Residential Code covers many one- and two-family dwellings, while the American Wood Council publishes design standards for wood construction. The American Wood Council states that its 2024 National Design Specification and Wood Frame Construction Manual are referenced in the 2024 International Building Code and International Residential Code. Your company should still identify the code and standards required by your local building department.
Ask these technical questions:
- How are unusual spans and point loads designed?
- How are large window openings supported?
- How are timber beams protected from moisture?
- How are frame loads transferred into the foundation?
- How are nonstandard structural elements documented?
- What happens if the building official requests additional calculations?
Structural elements outside prescriptive code provisions may require accepted engineering practice and certification by a registered design professional, depending on the jurisdiction and project.
5. Questions About Timber, Joinery and Workmanship
Ask the company to put its material specifications in writing.
Timber Questions
- Which species do you recommend, and why?
- What grades and sizes will be used?
- Will the timbers be green, air-dried, kiln-dried or reclaimed?
- How will moisture content be managed before installation?
- Are replacement timbers allowed if the specified material is unavailable?
- How will visible checking, movement and color variation be handled?
- Will timbers receive a factory or site-applied finish?
- Who is responsible for refinishing exposed timbers in the future?
Joinery and Connection Questions
- Which connections will use traditional wood joinery?
- Which connections will use concealed or exposed steel hardware?
- Can you show connection drawings?
- How are concealed connections inspected?
- Which joints are cut by CNC machinery, and which are hand-finished?
- How are joints protected during shipping and erection?
- What tolerances are allowed during installation?
- How are plumbing, electrical and mechanical penetrations coordinated?
A company should be able to show sample connection details. Terms such as "authentic," "premium" or "handcrafted" do not explain how the frame is designed, fabricated or installed.
6. Ask How the Timber Frame Will Be Enclosed and Insulated
The timber frame is only one part of the building. The wall and roof enclosure affect energy performance, comfort and moisture durability.
Ask:
- What wall assembly do you recommend?
- What roof assembly do you recommend?
- Where is the continuous air barrier?
- Where is the vapor control layer?
- How are windows integrated with the water-resistive barrier?
- How are wall-to-roof and wall-to-foundation transitions sealed?
- How are timber penetrations through the enclosure treated?
- Who installs insulation and air sealing?
- Will the project receive blower-door testing?
- Who is responsible for correcting air leaks?
- How is condensation risk evaluated?
- How are overhangs, flashing and drainage designed?
The U.S. Department of Energy describes a high-performance home as having a continuous air barrier around the building envelope, with careful sealing around wiring, plumbing, ducts, windows, doors, floors and wall connections.
Wood framing can create thermal bridges because wood conducts more heat than most insulation materials. Continuous exterior insulation is one way to reduce heat flow through framing and help control condensation risk.
Do not accept the claim that a timber frame is automatically energy efficient. Ask for the full wall and roof assemblies, including:
- Insulation type and thickness
- Air barrier location
- Vapor control layer
- Water control layers
- Flashing details
- Installation responsibility
- Testing and correction procedures
7. Clarify Construction Logistics
Timber frame construction requires coordination between fabrication, delivery, site access and erection.
Ask:
- How long is the design and engineering phase?
- How long is fabrication?
- When are final dimensions frozen?
- Who verifies foundation dimensions before delivery?
- How are the timbers packaged and protected?
- Who arranges transportation?
- Who pays for storage if the site is not ready?
- Is a crane included?
- Who supplies the crane operator and rigging?
- How many days will erection take?
- What happens if weather delays erection?
- Who protects the frame before the building is enclosed?
- What site access and staging area are required?
- Who coordinates with the foundation contractor and general contractor?
The company should explain the sequence from final design approval through fabrication, delivery, erection and weather protection. It should also identify the information required from the foundation contractor before the frame is shipped.
8. Compare the Quote Line by Line
Ask for an itemized proposal rather than a single total price.
| Cost category | Included? | Notes to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Architectural design | Drawings, revisions and permit support | |
| Structural engineering | Site-specific calculations and sealed plans | |
| Timber package | Species, grade, size and finish | |
| Joinery | CNC cutting, hand work and tolerances | |
| Steel hardware | Exposed, concealed, bolts and specialty plates | |
| Factory finishing | Product, number of coats and touch-ups | |
| Delivery | Freight, unloading and site restrictions | |
| Crane and rigging | Equipment, operator and standby charges | |
| Frame erection | Labor, supervision and duration | |
| Roof structure | Rafters, decking, trusses and sheathing | |
| Wall enclosure | Sheathing, insulation, air barrier and siding | |
| Windows and doors | Supply, installation and flashing | |
| Mechanical coordination | Ducts, chases and penetrations | |
| Taxes and permits | Responsibility and allowances | |
| Storage | Costs if the site is delayed | |
| Warranty | Coverage, duration and exclusions |
Pay close attention to allowances. An allowance is not a fixed price. Ask what happens if the actual material, labor or site cost exceeds the allowance.
Also check whether the proposal includes:
- Foundation coordination
- Temporary weather protection
- Site protection
- Crane standby time
- Storage
- Touch-up work
- Travel expenses
- Permit support
- Engineering revisions
- Cleanup and removal of packing materials
9. Ask About the Contract and Change Orders
Before signing, ask:
- What documents form part of the contract?
- What happens when drawings and written specifications conflict?
- How are design changes priced?
- Are change orders approved before work begins?
- Can the company increase the price because of material cost changes?
- What payment schedule is required?
- Are payments linked to completed milestones?
- Who owns the drawings?
- What happens if the project is delayed?
- What happens if the company cannot complete the work?
- What warranty applies to the timber frame, finishes and installation?
- How are warranty claims submitted and resolved?
Have a construction attorney review the contract if the project represents a large financial commitment. A proposal, brochure or email summary is not a substitute for a complete agreement.
10. Call the References and Ask Practical Questions
Ask former clients:
- Did the final cost match the contract?
- How much did the price change?
- Were change orders clearly explained?
- Did the company meet its schedule?
- Were the timbers protected from weather?
- Were there problems with cracks, movement, leaks or finishes?
- Did the company coordinate well with the builder?
- How quickly did it respond to problems?
- Were warranty issues resolved?
- What would you do differently?
Speak with at least 1 client whose project was completed several years ago. That reference may be able to discuss how the timber finish, enclosure and warranty process performed over time.
11. Use a Simple Scoring System
Score each company from 1 to 5 after the interview.
| Decision factor | Suggested weighting |
|---|---|
| Relevant experience | 15% |
| Scope clarity and project coordination | 25% |
| Engineering and code competence | 20% |
| Enclosure and moisture strategy | 20% |
| Contract and price transparency | 15% |
| References and warranty support | 5% |
These weightings are a comparison tool, not an industry standard. They help prevent a low initial price from outweighing gaps in engineering, enclosure design or contract clarity.
Red Flags That Should Stop the Interview
Be cautious if a company:
- Refuses to provide recent client references
- Cannot explain who performs the structural engineering
- Offers a price before understanding the site and scope
- Gives only a price per square foot
- Treats insulation and air sealing as someone else's problem
- Has no written timber or connection specifications
- Cannot explain foundation tolerances
- Excludes delivery, crane work or erection labor without highlighting it
- Promises an exact completion date before design and permitting
- Pressures you to sign before you can compare proposals
- Describes the frame as inherently energy efficient without discussing the enclosure
The Final Decision
Choose the company that is clearest about responsibility. It should be able to explain the path from design and engineering to fabrication, delivery, erection, enclosure and warranty support.
Before signing, confirm that the contract states:
- What the company will provide
- What it will not provide
- Who is responsible for engineering and permits
- How the building will be insulated and air-sealed
- How the frame will be delivered and erected
- How price changes and delays will be handled
- What warranty applies after completion
A defined scope is more useful than an impressive portfolio or the lowest initial quote.