Timber Ridge Craftsmen

We design and build homes in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, on Smith Mountain Lake and including areas of Bedford County and Franklin County. Ours is a holistic approach that weds your goals to a home site, mindful of an organic architectural form and energy-efficient function. We are adept at designing and building most 'green home builder' programs, from simple EarthCraft through Energy Star, Passive House to net Zero Energy, and also designing and building with most 'green' systems, from simple advanced framing to Structural Insulated Panel (SIPs) and Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs).

Through our custom design-build construction company in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, we find the greatest satisfaction in helping clients create and realize their build dreams. Being equal parts art, engineering, project management, and craftsmanship, we enjoy guiding owners through the integrative process of design, specification and building. Serving as an educator for the builder and remodeler coursework of the NAHB University of Housing, and as co-creator and teacher of the 'netPLUS' Energy School, we find the greatest satisfaction in assisting fellow craftsmen and women to master the concepts and techniques of high-performance construction.

Timber framing is an ideal structural system for lake and mountain views - something Smith Mountain Lake in the Blue Ridge is well known for. Wood columns, beams, and rafters provide substance, strength, and dramatic design flexibility. Hand-worked timber joinery, here in white oak. These rafters became part of the finished Craftsman style porch seen in the picture below. Timber Ridge Craftsmen Inc, in Moneta - at Smith Mountain Lake, VA. A hallmark of timber frame home building is hand-crafted joinery.

It's easy to dive into the subject of home energy efficiency and get lost "in the weeds" rather quickly - especially when you begin discussing the industry leading Passive House standard. As builders of beautiful, energy efficient homes with experience in building to Passive House standards, we answer a lot of questions about how to build an energy efficient home. If you're looking to build an energy efficient home and envision one day becoming energy independent, the Passive House standard is for you.

Timber Ridge Craftsmen, Inc.is proud to be one of Virginia's finest and most diverse custom home builders, serving Roanoke, Bedford, and Franklin Counties. In addition to our experience and expertise designing and building homes with advanced home building systems, we specialize in historic and traditional building systems such as timber frame, hybrid timber frame, post and beam, log, and conventional "stick" construction. The exposed wood structure of a timber frame or post and beam home offers exceptional beauty.

Timber Ridge Craftsmen, Inc.is one of Virginia's most diverse home builders. We have experience and expertise designing and building with a broad spectrum of advanced home building systems, including SIPs, hybrid timber frame, ICFs, modular & panelized homes, advanced framing techniques, engineered wood components, and metal frame construction. Structural insulated panels (SIPs) offer valuable benefits, including strength, accuracy, and speed of construction. SIPs must be installed in an airtight manner for optimum comfort, air leakage reduction, and energy saving benefits.

True, 'green' home building, as a label, is a popular 'flavor of the month' for slick marketeers. Pitched as the latest can't-live-without fad accessory by some builders and product manufacturers. Wariness of magical claims is well placed. Skepticism is warranted. Perceive the intentions of the 'professional' you are talking to. Read their eyes, and mannerisms. Do they care more about filling a 'pipeline' of supply, or do they want to learn what you need, want, expect, and care for? A true professional - is a servant of others.

As you research and prepare for building a new home, gathering information from a variety of sources much like honeybees collect nectar from many flowers, it's common to feel bewildered by methods, options, styles, and so forth. Recommendations may sometimes contradict. Best practices may be incomplete, if found at all. We want a trusted partner to help explain the first step, the wise sequence of planning steps, 'who' does 'what' when, so that the bottom line is clear and manageable. Ours is an easier and direct approach.

Timber Ridge Craftsmen, Inc.designs and builds beautiful mountain homes that fit seamlessly with the Smith Mountain Lake region landscape. Whether you want to build a log home, timber frame home, or post and beam home, we'll design your custom home with your goals, and lifestyle in mind. Our homes incorporate smart features like holistic design, universal design, and energy efficiency. Our team helps you fine-tune your vision for your new home. We'll walk the ground together, learn about your property's unique views and features, and help you narrow your numerous options to a few core themes.

At Timber Ridge Craftsmen, we make designing and building a custom home at Smith Mountain Lake easier. Together we explore your goals with care and attention. We explain each step of planning and building processes. We are genuinely open to answering any and all questions. We value clear communication, and we strive to educate on important options and alternatives that will help save you time and money. We empower you as an active, knowledgeable project participant - to achieve your goals. We take an easier approach which involves establishing a trustworthy connection and solid foundation with our clients.

Alternative to hiring a homebuilder general contractor, our local Bedford County and Franklin County each allows a property owner to construct their personal home as an Owner-Builder. If you have the time, energy, patience, perseverance, and attention to detail - being an Owner-Builder is a viable pathway to sucess in building your dream home. You serve as your own general contractor, working with and directing vendors, suppliers, specialty trade contractors, and coordinating with the members of your project team.