Frame Design Beginnings

[Rougespear]

Hello all,

I am in the process of designing a small house for the wife and I.  I am thinking 18-20' wide x 30-36' long, so a simple rectangle with a 12/12 roof.  This is my first frame.  I have read a decent amount of literature on timber framing, but I am still unclear about where to begin designing the structure.  Considering I am so green, I would prefer to just purchase a plan so I know it will be a sound and strong frame.  I have been looking online, and found one supplier of plans for a reasonable price (Gibson Timber Frames) out of Canada.  I inquired and they are not structurally approved by an engineer.  How can I be assured these frames will be solid if they are not approved by an engineer? 

Can anyone here suggest other online retailers where I could purchase a set of plans for a simple timber frame rectangle with a 12/12 pitch?

Thanks so much for the guidance!  Brent

[WmFritz]

I would  start with Jim Rodgers. Looking forward to your project.

[Ljohnsaw]

The problem with buying "engineered" plans is that they would be engineered for a specific location, i.e. snow load.  If permits are required, then they will likely need an engineering stamp and the specs would need to meet your local requirements.  You could buy some un-engineered plans and have them reviewed but if changes are required, it could get costly, quickly.

I decided to invest in SketchUp and found a great engineer that let me maintain control of the plans to control the costs.  If you have to pay a draftsman to make changes, the costs can go way up.

[Jim_Rogers]

Thanks Bill, but he'll need someone qualified to work in Canada. I am not.

Jim Rogers