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Great
Lakes home is Built to Last for Generations with Insulspan SIPs.
Timber
Frame Homes • Fall 2001
Story by Jason Peak • Photography by Roger Wade
Reprinted with permission. Copyright © 2001 by Timber Frame
Homes
A cozy timber frame home, which was conceived
as a guest house on Lake Huron in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, underwent
drastic floorplan changes and several com- promises to become the
favored retreat of a busy Michigan family.
Owners David and Charlotte Gray built their
home in the oddly named community of Detour Village, on the eastern
end of Les Cheneaux Islands, because of the area's easy access to
the water, There they can be found engaging in their favorite hobbies,
like cycling, sailing and other watersports. "It's a great
get- away," Charlotte says.
The Grays never set out to build a spectacular
timber frame home. "It was a compromise between my wife, who
likes drywall, and me. I like rustic wood," David says. "For
us, it was more practical than a log home, but we get some of the
same feel."
The couple's house is set on an 8-acre
site abutting a harbor that was formerly used for commercial purposes.
In quick succession, the harbor operator lost his license, his house
burnt down and he got divorced. Deciding to get out while he still
could, he sold the land to the Grays in 1995. Their house now sits
where the harbor operator's home once sat.
David's brother introduced them to the possibility of building a
timber frame home, but the couple became serious about it after
touring one. The beauty, strength and longevity of the timber frame
truss system captivated them. "We were so impressed with the
method and the look," Charlotte says.
Along
with the soaring fireplace, a radiant floor heating system helps
warm the great room.
"It balances the best of both worlds,"
David adds. "It's a great building method."
They began working on plans to build a small timber frame guest
house on the harbor. Their idea was to stay on their sailboat in
the harbor during the summer, then retreat indoors during Michigan's
harsh winter months.
The cost per square foot to build a small timber
frame turned out to be too expensive-"ludicrous," as David
puts it -- so they decided to scrap that plan and construct a full-sized
home. Working with Riverbend Timber Framing, a Blissfield Michigan,
company that has been in business since 1979, the new floorplan
was drawn in only 10 days. "Everything just came together,"
Charlotte says.
It was a fairly simple process, according to
Jim Balmer, Riverbend's regional project coordinator. "You
design around people's lifestyles," he says. "David told
us what they enjoy and what they wanted, and we put it down on paper."
Once construction began in July 1997, the frame
-- a hammerbearn truss system -- was raised in a day and a half.
The structural insulated panels, with precut openings for a1l the
windows and doors, were up the next day.
An
area rug and unique lighting create a visually defining space for
the dining room. Stainless steel appliances finish the space in
the kitchen.
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