Susquehanna Timber Frames LLC

The tree fell on the barn at 4AM during a heavy rain. It was enormous; we eventually cut five cords of firewood from the branches and salvaged the main trunk for lumber. We paid Bruce $200 to come to our property and evaluate the condition of the building and provide restoration estimates for the insurance company. The barn and stable are historically significant and we didn't want to replace them with modern 2x4s and vinyl siding. Susquehanna Timber Frames specializes in handcrafted heavy timber framing and trusses, and after paying to have the job evaluated by three different firms (at the insistence of the insurers) we chose Susquehanna because we liked their willingness to use traditional methods and their obvious dedication to the craft. These guys do this work because they love it, and it shows in the quality of their joinery. Their price wasn't the lowest or the highest of the estimates. It took 3 years to get the tree moved, the wreckage cleared, the stone foundations restored, the barn repaired, re-sided, and painted, the stable frame erected, the big doors hung, the stable sided and roofed and flashed, and the one thing we never had to worry about was the quality of the timber framing work. The scarfed joints in the big barn posts and beams are so clean you can't slide a dime into them a full year after the repair. The oak work in the stable is stronger and prettier than the original structure! Even though this job was restoring a barn, if anything ever happens to our old house I will have no hesitation in calling up Bruce; there's nobody else I'd rather have work on a traditional timber frame. He knows when to use a hand chisel and when to use a laser or a power tool. I rated punctuality a "B" because these guys service a large area and you have to get on their schedule. You might have to wait a week to get an estimate, and you might have to wait six months while they finish the jobs they already have scheduled before they can do yours. In my opinion it is worth the wait! They do show up on time when they say they will show up.