FAQs

We are typically open from 9-5 Monday through Friday, and Saturdays by appointment.  We recommend calling ahead so we can better prepare for you, but it is not required.  Please check our online calendar for more details, especially around holidays.  For information on our appearances at home shows or open houses, please go visit our News & Events page.  We also are happy to make appointments outside of these hours to better fit your schedule.

Habitat Post & Beam has supplied the materials for over 3,000 homes, additions and commercial buildings since its opening in 1972.  We are a member of the Better Business Bureau of Western Massachusetts, and are listed with Dun & Bradstreet.  Upon request we will be pleased to furnish you with names, addresses and phone numbers of our bank, supplier and previous client contacts.

We do not provide financing, but may be able to provide names of banks or other loan institutions in your area that our previous clients have used.  The most competitive lending rates are obtained through banks specializing in construction loans and permanent financing.  Some lenders advertise that they specialize in timber frame and/or log home construction loans.

Habitat homeowners are very proud of their projects and welcome the opportunity to talk about them.  Please contact us for referral contact information, and visit our Testimonials page. 

Post and Beam and Timber Frame are terms that are often used interchangeably; however, there are some technical differences between the two:  a Timber Frame structure typically has interlocking wood-to-wood joinery.  A Post and Beam features less complicated joinery, and typically uses hidden metal fasteners for additional strength.  Recently, more timber frames have included hidden metal fasteners, as engineers generally prefer the consistency of a metal-to-wood connection over a wood-to-wood connection.

The framing systems also differ regarding assembly.  Timber Frame structures are typically assembled in bents, which are entire cross sections of the structure that must be assembled and raised one bent at a time.  Often, these sizable bents require larger machinery, a larger crew, and specialized tools and knowledge.  Our Habitat Post & Beam package assembles in the same order as a conventionally framed structure (first floor walls, mid-floor, second floor walls, then roof), and most of the tools used are consistent with those used in conventional framing.  A Timber Frame structure will require a framer who is very experienced with Timber Frame construction, while our Post and Beam system allows easy assembly, with no specialized skills on the part of a framer who is accustomed to conventional construction.

Contact us today to discuss your building location We are in frequent contact with real estate companies and land developers in many areas throughout the country, and look forward to assisting you with your land search.

Habitat's web site and catalog feature standard plans that can be modified to suit your needs, as well as examples of projects that were completely custom designed as a starting point.  Many people bring us their ideas, photos, sketches and plans from their own research as a starting point for their own fully customized package.  We have a number of plans on our web site that you can view; for houses: https://www.postandbeam.com/plans/houses, for additions: https://www.postandbeam.com/plans/additions, and for commercial structures: https://www.postandbeam.com/plans/commercial.

Habitat has worked together with independent architects and engineers, providing them with post and beam engineering and technical expertise for our mutual customers' projects.  If you already have an architect's plan, we would be pleased to collaborate with you and the architect on your project.  Please note that Habitat provides all plan drawings and revisions as part of our service, so an outside architect for developing your plans isn't typically necessary.

Part of our material package is your Habitat-provided custom design.  We work with you to create your own design based on your own ideas and/or the library of plans we have to offer.  Blueprints include custom floor plans, elevation plans, foundation plan and complete structural plans for assembly of Habitat Post & Beam material package that are typically needed for building permits.  Changes made to these plans are at no additional cost.  Our primary goal is to make certain that the final design fits the site, local building codes, and our client's needs.

Advanced CAD software programs allow us to redesign and modify most details very easily.  These changes can be sent to clients quickly by mail, fax or email to help expedite the design process.  We will generate custom plans based on your specific needs and make subsequent revisions to those plans, all at no extra cost.

New plans take about two-to-three weeks to generate.  Revisions generally take less time, depending on the complexity.  Two or three revisions are not unusual.  As many revisions are done as are necessary until you are satisfied.

Our large-format printers and copiers are capable of producing full-color designs and renderings that are visually effective presentations.  Once floor plans and elevations are complete, a 3-D image is generated that allows the client to see the home with a more realistic perspective.  This is a very important visualizing tool that helps prevent mistakes in design and layout.