DIY Network

Lake Erie Timberframe: Introduction From "Be Your Own Contractor: Vacation Homes" episode DBCV-102

	The Ziebarth's timberframe home in Put-In-Bay, Ohio.
	The Ziebarth's vacation home features a view of lake Erie and access to an airstrip.

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Each episode of DIY's Be Your Own Contractor: Vacation Homes introduces viewers to dreamers and do-it-yourselfers who oversaw the building of their own vacation home and hear about the challenges that they faced. In this episode of we meet homeowners Rick and Paula Ziebarth from Columbus, Ohio as they reveal what it's like to build a vacation home on an island.

Rick acted as his own contractor on the building of a timberframe home on South Bass Island at Put-in-Bay, Ohio. The island is located in Lake Erie and is accessible only by boat. Viewers also learn about Put-In-Bay, why Rick wanted a vacation home there and why he chose to build a timberframe house right on an airstrip. Rick tells why he decided to act as his own contractor and discusses the various challenges of what he calls "island factors" i.e., building in a location where access is limited -- as are availability of materials, sub-contractors, and where there is no municipal sewer system or natural gas connections. The couple also discusses how the weather on the island played a role in the materials they used, the type of construction, and how they planned and designed the home -- particularly the bathrooms and kitchen. Finally, Rick and Paula have advice for people who are acting as their own vacation home contractors.

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Homeowners and do-it-yourself contractors Rick and Paula Ziebarth.

Meet the Ziebarths

Rick Ziebarth is a commercial pilot. He and wife Paula have two teenage boys. When Rick first set out to build his vacation home in the town of Put-in-Bay, Ohio, he initially hoped to hire a general contractor to contract out the entire job. However, the challenges of building on an island, and the limited number of builders available in the town, quickly led to a change in his plans. That's when he began to research the possibility of being his own contractor and directing the project himself. He researched the do-it-yourself contractor idea via books and the internet until he felt comfortable taking on the job of managing the project. Potential costs and the need to be frequently present at the building site were initial concerns of both Rick and Paula.

	Figure A
	Figure B

A Jewel on Lake Erie

The town of Put-In-Bay is on South Bass Island (figures A and B), which is known as the "jewel" in a chain of islands of the coast of Ohio in Lake Erie. The island is a 20-minute ferry ride, plus about a 1-hour drive from both Cleveland and Toledo, Ohio. It's about 2 hours by car from the Ziebarth's home in Columbus. "Once you get on that ferry boat and come on over," says Paula, "it's almost like another world. It has a resort feel to it. There's also a lot of really rich history on the island. The battle of 1813, where Oliver Hazard Perry won the war of Lake Erie, was fought here, and there's an international peace monument here."

After giving aerial tours of the island from his vintage bi-plane for more than ten years, Rick thought this would be the perfect place to build a second home for his family. When a lot became available on a quiet portion of the island, adjacent to a runway, and with a water view, the situation was just right for the Ziebarths. With the house now completed, they visit about once a month, and every weekend during the summer when Rick is giving tours.

The house was designed with the bedrooms on the ground floor and living areas on the second floor (figure C and D) with lots of windows to maximize the views of the lake and airport.

Figure C

Figure D

Timberframe Construction

Originally, Rick's concept was to build a log home. A visit to a home show in Columbus introduced him to the concept of timberfame homes (figures E and F). After studying plans and information further, the Ziebarths decided that this type of design would work best. Timberframe construction uses large timbers, with mortise-and-tenon joinery, to create a skeleton that supports the building. The Ziebarth's home was then enveloped with structured insulated panels (or SIPs) which consist of rigid foam between two layers of structural board. "It provided the most cost-effective way of enveloping the home," says Rick, "as well as superior efficiency and insulation of the home."

Figure E

Figure F

With this type of construction, the framing can go up in a relatively short period of time. Using cranes, the work crew first erected the timber frame then finished the shell of the house with the insulated panels (figures G and H). Rick describes the process as looking like a large erector set being put together. Rick before deciding for certain on a timberframe manufacturer, Rick visited the factory of the company he eventually selected to make certain they could provide the expertise and assistance needed to build this particular home.

Figure G

Figure H

Since Rick spends much of his time on the road, access to plans and blueprints was essential so that he could coordinate plans with his sub-contractors.

Airplanes, Cell Phones and Best Laid Plans

The construction took about a year to finish, and Rick's job as a professional pilot meant that frequent travel prevented him from being directly onsite for a majority of the construction. Cellular phone technology was what enabled Rick to stay in contact with his subcontractors and stay on top of the project. Having the house plans with him for referral was essential during construction so that Rick could discuss specific questions and details with the subcontractors during the building process. "Carrying around the plans was an absolute must," says Rick, "in order to complete this project from the road."

For the times that Rick was required to be onsite, his vintage plane helped get him there. With his home about 120 miles from his "second home," he could use his plane to fly from one location to the other in about 30 minutes. The home being built adjacent to the airport helped facilitate matters even further, so that Rick could spot-check progress as the work was being completed.

In the segment that follows, the do-it-yourselfers discuss a few of the challenges faced building on an island with no direct access to the mainland.

RESOURCES :

Additional information on timber-frame construction:

Riverbend Timber Framing
Website: www.riverbendtf.com

Moonstone Timber Frame
Website: www.moonstonetimberframe.com

Wind River Timberframes
Website: www.windriver-timberframes.com

GUESTS :

Rick and Paula Ziebarth, homeowners
Columbus, Ohio