Post & Beam Kits For Beginners

Post & Beam Kits For Beginners BUILDINGS Houses 31-6-19 You don't need to know a mortise from a tenon to build a post and beam barn, garage or even a house with do-it-yourself kits from Shelter-Kit, Tilton, N.H. The kits are designed to be so easy to construct that the owner says two people can build them with no experience needed. "Our primary goal in starting the business was to produce affordable buildings that people could put up themselves," says Dave Kimball, owner. "We have kits that go from 144 sq. ft. to 2,800 sq. ft. The most complex unit we have sold so far was a barn house with two 24 by 40-ft. kits that fit together in a T-shape." Shelter-Kit kits have been shipped all over the U.S. and Canada. Kimball has even shipped one to Spain and three to Japan. He claims more than 1,400 satisfied customers in the 35 years the company has been in business. The most popular size, Kimball says, is the 24 by 32-ft. barn model. Kits are available in a wide range of styles from one-room cabins to garages to barns and barn/houses. "We don't use mortise and tenon construction, which reduces the cost and makes assembly easier," says Kimball, noting that members are joined by heavy-plated steel hardware and fasteners. "The energy efficiency is comparable to or better than stick built construction. Our customers save quite a bit on labor and design-build costs because everything is precisely cut in our factory." Posts are made up to the point that ledgers are attached for supporting girts or headers. Kimball says some header assemblies will be made up at the factory if they are difficult to do in the field. Each piece is precut, numbered and labeled on the plans. Larger buildings are designed so the frame for the first floor is completed before the second floor is started, eliminating the need for mechanical lifts. No single piece is too heavy for two people to lift. "We customize most building plans for people to some degree," says Kimball. "We offer optional doors and windows and can do different spans to accommodate different uses of the buildings. We can also provide engineer-stamped drawings that meet the 2006 International Building Code." Kits can be ordered complete with everything needed for a weather tight shell, or windows, doors, roofing and other components can be purchased locally. Prices vary with a 16 by 16-ft. standard barn selling for $11,610 and a basic 24 x 64-ft. two-story barn priced at $45,000. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Shelter-Kit, 22 Mill St., Tilton, N.H. 03276 (ph 603 286-7611; fax 603 286-2839; buildings@shelter-kit.com; www.shelter-kit.com).

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