Timber frame, or post and beam construction, is a time-honoured building method.  Large, squared timbers are assembled using mortise and tenon joinery, drawn and locked together with hardwood pegs to create the structural skeleton of a building.  It is the premise of all building today.

Because of the complexity of the joinery, the fact that timber had to be squared by hand, and the many people required to erect a timber structure, the process was very labour-intensive and drawn out.

With an ever-growing population came a great demand for buildings, in turn driving the evolution of building construction.  Industrialization brought mechanized mass production of smaller, more manageable lumber and modern fasteners that could be used to assemble this lumber very efficiently.  Construction time was reduced dramatically with less manpower.  As a result, timber frame construction fell out of favour, replaced by the less labour-intensive speed of stick-frame construction, something we see in the mass-produced houses of today.

However, in today’s market of truly custom-built homes in which clients desire vaulted ceilings, massive window walls, and energy efficiency, timber frames, in combination with highly energy efficient insulated roof and wall panels, can be very competitive.

Hybrid designs have become favourable because one can combine different construction methods to incorporate the individual desires of a client to achieve a truly unique custom home, yet making it more affordable at the same time.  The timber structure can be as encompassing as one wants, from a simple covered entry to a complete house, and can range in style from very traditional to extravagantly contemporary.

An exposed post and beam structure, with its massive timbers, is not only very aesthetically pleasing, but very comforting as well, from the warmth of its natural beauty to the strength and integrity you can physically see in the finely hand-crafted structure.

In collaboration with Timber Valley Post and Beam, Cobus Homes is proud to offer the finest hand-crafted timber frame homes to our customers.  Timber Valley is operated by my uncle, Andy Cobus, a tried, tested, and respected craftsman with over thirty years of experience and a passion to craft nothing but the finest.  This association allows us to build homes featuring the very best of both businesses, and resulting in the finest of finished products for our clients.