For New Energy Works project manager, Evan Clow, this timber frame porch is a project to remember, because it was his first. “I started as a sales assistant with New Energy Works right around the time that we were selling the job. So, I was making the model and doing some of the sales work around the porch. That was cool because I got to be a part of the project from cradle to finish.”

The clients had relocated from the Midwest to Portland, Oregon and had always dreamed of a timber frame home. With both children now grown, staying in Portland was a priority so they could be close to grandchildren. With timber frame still in their hearts, the clients decided to invest in a space the family could enjoy together.

“The clients had a plan to do something unique to make their suburban home stand apart from the crowd a bit. A special place in their backyard that their entire family could share,” Clow shared.  “They decided, ‘Let’s just go the full nine yards and build the most awesome timber frame porch for our backyard!’ We drew up a few pretty elaborate frames for porches that we could fit into one spot, and they were excited by the results.”

Clow says, “The clients, were very engaged and wanted to be a part of the process as much as possible."

They were so excited for their new timber porch that they visited our McMinnville mill to witness their timbers being cut. That doesn’t happen often, and it was really special to be able to share that moment with them.

Timber Frame champion for this job, Seth Douglas recalled some of the challenges raising a frame in a suburban environment. “Working in occupied space and in urban areas poses unique site consideration and raising challenges. No access for heavy machinery meant this frame was unloaded, assembled, and raised the old-fashioned way, by hand.”

Kerry asked her husband, “why can’t we do that in Texas?” while looking over different images of bespoke timber frame homes. Brad and Kerry loved the look, feel, and vibes of a mountain lodge. Brad had lived in Denver for ten years and enjoyed the look of exposed timbers and the rustic aesthetic and Kerry felt the same way. Thus, began a series of conversations between the couple over the course of the next five years about how to build their own timber frame home…Texas style.

“During that time, we looked through all the magazines we could, and I would read and try to understand—ok, what about trusses? What do we need to understand about insulation? What do we need to understand about cost?” shared Kerry. 

Choosing a Partner

The first company Kerry & Brad worked with had a hard time understanding the ideas they had in mind, so the couple put their dream timber home on pause but continued to keep their eyes peeled for partner who understood their vision.

They continued their research, with Kerry pouring over an abundance of magazines that would hopefully provide them with a builder that could articulate their hopes. They perused several ads in Log & Timber Home Living and found that, “over the next couple of years 75 to 80 percent of the houses we liked were built by New Energy Works,” Brad says.

Our Farmington, New York campus recently had a visit from Tennessee clients who are looking to move from their current dwelling and into a hybrid timber frame home high in the Blue Ridge Mountains. We love taking folks through the shops and talking wood with families who are on their home building journey.

Our clients purchased 400 acres of Appalachian Mountain property bordered on both sides by National Park lands. Their dream is for a high craft home that exhibits their love of elegance with the privacy and rustic opulence of a mountain chalet.

New Energy Works West Coast Architect David Shirley explains, “We’ve been working with these clients for over a year now, as the site work is completed, to get prepped and brainstorm the design. The clients wanted to build on the top of the mountain, so instead of leveling the summit of the peak, they built a retaining wall system to create a large flat landing space for the home. There is a huge amount of engineering work and roads, plus the retaining walls needed to make this project feasible.”

“The house will feature 360-degree views at 3000’ above sea level. Directly behind the home is a National Park to the North. The South goes down to the main valley and up the other side of the mountain to more National Park lands—so it’s sandwiched in nature.”

The home is in its formative stages, with collaboration and idea sharing the central focus. The clients really wanted connection to the land and people who live there. It turns out Shirley, who grew up in Tennessee is very familiar with the build location. It turns out that as a kid he spent much time four-wheeling on the land where the clients are building their dream home.