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Building Restoration Traditional Framers, LLC. is a company that specializes in standing structural repair and restoration to historic timber framed buildings of all shapes and sizes. We are also available to handle the dismantling, relocating, and re-raising of buildings as well. In addition, we can help assess the historic uses and adaptive re-uses of a building, perform surveys, and connect you with other professionals involved in the preservation trades. Prior to beginning, we will assess your building's condition and provide an accurate and prioritized repair schedule that fits your budget. We work with clients of all types from small emergency repairs for private residential owners and working farms to large scale historically appropriate restorations for non-profit groups and government institutions.
Standing Repairs:
Matching species and dimension of existing timber is important. White oak and black locust are local woods of choice here in New England for floor framing due to their extraordinary ability to resist rot. However, these timbers are often pricey and difficult to obtain in long lengths. For appropriate repairs using timber, we have an arsenal to choose from. Several thousand years of evolution in traditional wood joinery have been well documented by members of the Timber Framers' Guild. Two types of traditional frame repairs include the bladed scarf joint (right) and the bridal joint for post bottoms (above).
Rigging and raising new timber into old buildings and connecting them back using traditional mortise & tenon joinery can be some of the most challenging aspects of our work as well as the most fun.
Each building differs in regards to how it has failed and what the consequences of that failure have been. We've dealt with every issue from sills to rafters and can help locate the causes of structural failure and provide useful solutions to those problems. Channeling water away from your building is the greatest priority and challenge. Keeping the perimeter clear of surrounding vegetation helps and having the land properly graded will increase the longevity of your building's foundation. We advocate a long term maintenance view for the successful preservation of buildings. Often, not everything the building needs has to be done at once. We'll help you prioritize the issues and proceed as the budget allows. Many people can be put off by the amount of work it can take to turn a failing building into a functioning one and give in to having it bulldozed. More often than not, simple repairs can be performed to give much life to and old frame. Dismantling, Relocating, & Re-raising Often, simple repairs can be done to a frame to warrant keeping it where it stands. However, if an old building needs to be removed from your site, or perhaps dismantled and moved to your site, we can help evaluate the condition of the frame and develop a plan to deal with it. Often times it can be more cost effective to dismantle a building and fix it on site then make patches and repairs that only buy the owner time before dealing with bigger problems to come. For more information, please contact Joe at (413) 512-1860 Or send an email: joe.traditionalframers@yahoo.com
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We
handle all aspects of frame repair from the floor to the peak. Some of
the most common work done to standing old timber framed buildings are
post bottom and sill repairs and replacements as these are the members
closest to the ground. Any water infiltration from the roof runs
straight down and rots these parts of the frame first. 
