Exposed beams overhead, an open floor plan below, and the warmth of natural wood in every room: this is the timber frame home many people picture but assume they cannot reach. Timber frame kits are how that home becomes attainable. Hamill Creek Timber Homes is a specialist timber frame designer and manufacturer with more than 35 years of experience, and our timber frame kits give you a proven design and a precision-crafted frame as the starting point for a home that is unmistakably yours.
A kit is not a downgrade from custom work. It is a smart way to get the craftsmanship, heavy timbers, and character of a full timber frame home while keeping your spending focused where it matters most. We are a timber frame company, not a log home builder, and every kit carries the same joinery and quality control as our custom projects.
What Is Included in a Timber Frame Kit
A Hamill Creek timber frame kit includes everything needed to raise the structural timber frame of your home. Each package contains:
- The complete timber frame in Douglas Fir or Western Red Cedar, cut with mortise and tenon joinery, the traditional joint where a projecting tenon fits into a carved mortise pocket
- Oak pegs and any required hardware to lock the joints together
- Engineered drawings, plus 3D and 2D shop and installation drawings so the frame goes together correctly on site
- Timbers cut, planed, sealed, and test-fit at our Meadow Creek facility before they ship
Before any frame leaves our shop, it is fully test-fit in Meadow Creek, British Columbia. This confirms every mortise and tenon joint meets specification, and the timber ends are sealed to reduce checking, the natural surface splitting that happens as wood releases moisture. What arrives is a labeled package that raises smoothly.
It helps to be clear about what timber frame home kits do not include. A kit covers the frame itself, so you source the land, foundation, siding, most windows and doors, interior finishes, and local labour separately, unless your design specifies a timber enclosure system with SIPs, windows, and doors. Knowing this split up front lets you budget accurately from the start.
What a Timber Frame Kit Costs
Hamill Creek timber frame kits typically run $60 to $100 per square foot for the timber frame structure. That figure covers the frame, the engineering, the oak pegs, and the required hardware. On-site raising is quoted separately, because crane time and crew size depend on your home’s size and site access.
The value of timber frame kits becomes clear across the whole build. The timber frame is usually a small share of your total project cost, roughly 5 to 15 percent, yet it delivers around 95 percent of the visual impact that makes a timber frame home feel special. For how kits fit into complete project budgets, see our guide to timber frame home costs.
We quote clearly, with no hidden fees. Cost ranges do move with material and market conditions, so we confirm current pricing before anything is finalized. You get real numbers you can plan a build around, not a ballpark that balloons later.
Timber Frame Kit vs. Hybrid vs. Full Custom
Your satisfaction is top priority. This focus on delivering above and beyond expectations is what has made Hamill Creek a trusted name in timber frame homes. We offer the kind of quality and expertise you can depend on. When you are investing in something so significant, it’s crucial to work with someone you trust.
Most buyers weighing a timber frame home are choosing between three paths:
- Timber frame kit: A pre-designed package you adjust to your needs, starting at $60 to $100 per square foot for the frame. Best for buyers who want proven timber frame house kits and a predictable starting point.
- Hybrid timber frame home: Combines timber frame with other methods, such as stick frame, so you get the timber beauty where it matters most, often the great room, at a lower overall cost. Hybrid packages typically start around $125 per square foot base, with finishing in the $350 to $450 range.
- Full custom timber frame home: Designed from a blank sheet to your exact vision, with a complete turn-key home running $350 to $500 per square foot depending on finishes, location, and complexity.
In short, a kit gives you a proven design you personalize, a hybrid timber frame home concentrates timber where it has the most effect, and a custom timber frame home is drawn entirely around you. Many buyers start with a kit or hybrid and direct their spending toward what they care about most.
How Much You Can Customize a Kit
Yes, timber frame kits can be customized, and how much you can change depends on where the kit is in the design process. Before your plans have been engineered and stamped, there is real room to adjust the layout, size, shape, and timber elements. Once the plans are engineered and stamped, the structure is finalized and the timber package is ready for production, so major changes become limited. Smaller adjustments may still be possible after that, though significant changes can affect timelines, engineering, and cost.
Our in-house design team makes those adjustments using real-time 3D CAD modeling, so a proven plan becomes a strong starting point rather than a fixed box. Timber frame home kits can be reshaped to suit your lot, your lifestyle, and your vision.
The Mt. Lavina is a good example. It began as a bungalow, and we worked with a client to add a basement level, creating a home that better fit their property and how they wanted to live. That version has since become one of our most popular designs. Our timber frame floor plans work exactly this way, and browsing timber frame house plans by size is a practical first step toward the right kit.
Why Build Your Kit with Hamill Creek
Hamill Creek controls the entire process, from sustainably sourced British Columbia timber through CNC engineering, test-fitting, and shipping. That vertical integration is backed by more than 35 years of specialized experience and a team of 20+ skilled craftspeople. We operate our own sawmill and shop in Meadow Creek, and our craftsmanship pairs traditional mortise and tenon joinery with a Hundegger K2 5-Axis processor and decades of hand-fitting skill. For how we calculate loads and prepare each frame, see our timber frame engineering page.
We ship across North America and internationally with professional, licensed, and insured trucking, and every frame is labeled with clear installation instructions. A timber frame home is a significant investment, and our goal is to help you balance your priorities, your finances, and the home you want.
Timber Frame Kit FAQs
A Hamill Creek timber frame kit includes the complete mortise and tenon frame in Douglas Fir or Western Red Cedar, oak pegs and required hardware, engineered and shop drawings, and timbers that are cut, planed, sealed, and test-fit before shipping. It does not include the land, foundation, or interior finishes.
A standard timber frame kit covers the structural frame, not windows and doors. If you want those included, our timber enclosure system adds SIPs, windows, doors, and insulation to the package.
Yes. Before your plans are engineered and stamped, you can adjust the layout, size, shape, and timber elements. After engineering, smaller changes may still be possible, but major ones can affect timelines and cost.
Once your design is finalized, production takes about 4 to 6 weeks and on-site raising typically takes 5 to 10 days depending on size and complexity. A complete build from design to move-in is usually 6 to 12 months.
Start Planning Your Timber Frame Kit
Timber frame kits are the most direct way to bring home the craftsmanship and character of timber framing while keeping your investment focused. Whether you build from one of our proven timber frame house plans or adapt a design to your site, you start with a frame engineered, test-fit, and refined over decades. From design to raising day, Hamill Creek guides you every step of the way. Contact our timber frame specialists to start planning your kit-built home.