Who to do timber frame repairs?

[jocelyn plummer]

So glad you found somebody reliable Malcolm, and your last sentence is exactly how we have managed to kick start our projects---thanks to a recomendation from another forum member we chose our stove installer--he led us to a very good plasterer, who led us to an excellent painter and decorator, and now we have found two plumbers to choose between, all with a wilco approach and happy to do a bit at a time.

I tried a written brief, but I don't think NN trades are used to that!!!

 

[Penners]

I must confess that a written brief does assume a degree of literacy, but in its absence you could always resort to a series of grunts and hand gestures.

Here in Suffolk, we always provide a written brief manuscribed on vellum in copper-plate script with a quill pen.

 

[malcolm]

It was something I didn't spot at first. Employing a carpenter to sort out the wood seemed the obvious bet, but carpenters might shy away from supporting the rest of the house while the structural frame is removed - that's a builder's job. The only people prepared to take on the work were specialists equipped to do all those things. The specialists appear to do a fine job but I hope to be able to do an equally fine job for about a quarter of the price. Saving money is important as it allows me to do more conservation.

For this job the problem was my lack of experience and confidence. The oriel window was past repair which made things much easier. I had the carpenter measure up, I cut some profiles from the window, then removed the old frame to provide a flat surface for him to screw the new one to. The other parts of rotten timber are not structural and can be routed out and new sections scarfed in.

My confidence is improving and I think we can take a similar approach with the original oak frame in the gable which had turned to dust after being concrete rendered for 105 years (an very early use of concrete render unfortunately). I've spent at least a week measuring up and working out how to prop the rest of the building, and the propping and removal of the old frame will take at least another week. I can see where the money goes when you pay people to do that sort of thing especially if you ask them for a fixed price.

I have a written brief for the whole project and I did share it with the builder I asked to fix my barn, but communication with trades has been verbal and reasonably informal.

 

[Penners]

Saving money is important as it allows me to do more conservation.

A principle that I think we all live by, on this forum.