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CASUAL COUNTRY: Innovation and growth at Zirnhelt Timber Frames

LeRae HAYNES
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Custom timber framed decks bring the lake and home closer together. (Photo courtesy of Zirnhelt Timber Frames)

LeRae HAYNES

Casual Country 2017

At Zirnhelt Timber Frames, innovation, research and development is dovetailed with an entrepreneurial spirit and strong client satisfaction. Entrepreneurs since 1994, Sam and Damon Zirnhelt continue to improve and advance their family business from year to year.

“Starting a business is one thing, but maintaining it is the bigger thing,” Sam Zirnhelt explained. “You maintain it through the different cycles and the people who come in and out of your life, as well as employees and other business relationships that you develop.

“You also maintain levels of energy to stay on the cutting edge and keep pushing forward. You keep it fresh by making constant progress. What we do one year has to be a significant advancement from the years before – either the products or the way we do it.”

Zirnhelt Timber Frames designs, engineers, and builds sustainable hand-crafted timber frame homes, cottages, and commercial buildings, achieving balance between natural products and energy efficiency. They build complete homes from foundations through to finished cabinetry, or supply custom timber work and lock-up packages.

They have built more than 100 custom homes and cottages, as well as dozens of custom timber frames (barns, gazebos, commercial and accents. They do everything from foundations to finished cabinets and tile work and have built in the Gulf Islands and New Zealand, with a focus on B.C., Alberta and the Yukon.

They’re flexible with customers, balancing cost with energy efficiency, looking at their location, environmental considerations, their budget, local energy costs and the use of the building.

Sam explained that there are two significant areas of focus this year, adding that they have taken on larger residential and commercial projects. “This is really engaging and keeps it interesting for us. We have projects with involvement with Natural Resources Canada, BC Hydro and BC Housing – they’re very interested in the energy efficiency of new buildings,” he said.

“This year we’re focusing on building ‘net zero energy ready,’ which means that with the south-facing roof space on a building, if there’s enough room and you put up solar panes, it offsets all the energy that the building consumes.”

Zirnhelt pre-builds in their large on-site shop, making the building process much more efficient.

With larger commercial buildings, whether it’s an elder care facility, a day care or a health centre, Zirnhelt sees huge value in designing them as one process. “We’re fully pre-building them in the shop, and they’ll go out like our homes do, complete with siding and windows, and even insulation,” Sam added.

“There’s a global trend toward prefabrication – it’s more efficient in many ways.”

He said they can put a home warranty on smaller homes and cabins in seven days. That means doors, windows and siding. “When we send buildings to the Yukon, we go up for eight days—the whole shell is done, and it’s ready for the interior work,” he continued.

“We’ve been doing this pre-built work in the shop to varying degrees for at least 10 years, and the level of how much we finish has continually progressed. If it’s better value to the client in the shop, we’ll do it. If it makes sense from the client’s perspective, we’ll do it.”

Doing so much of the work in the shop increases efficiency, according to Sam, who said that they work year-round, allowing them to start people’s projects later in the spring, with a jump on delivery dates.

A new crane will arrive soon at Zirnhelt, to be installed in the new shop area. It’s 50’ by 70’, and will allow them to load wall panels up to 40’ long by 12’ tall. “We’ll be able to load the whole side of a house in one piece,” he stated.

“Another critical focus this year is a lot of research, development and testing. We want a base platform, up to the 1,200’ main floor; we can build the whole thing in four to six pieces, depending on the design. This works for remote housing in general, is just as applicable in other areas.

“We can set up all the walls in one day – finished.”

He explained that one way technology has changed over the years is mechanical ventilation systems in homes. “Indoor air quality is extremely important, as well as air tightness. This year we’re doing trials with cold climate air source heat pumps, that will work up to -26C degrees. It’s proven technology, but whether there is a pay back to the client is still up for research,” he said.

“Clients’ expectations of a home continue to rise, as they should. If they didn’t, we’d still be doing the same old things. Their expectations really have to drive the business.

“One of those expectations is that, no matter what time of year you set up a house, people now all expect it to be fully pre-finished – something we’ve been providing for the past five years. Now we’re applying that to the walls, too.”

Currently they’re doing a cabin where the goal is to send it out with the interior and exterior walls finished, and with the mechanical systems, wiring and insulation all installed.

He added that one of the best things about this business is the many friendships you develop with people over the years. “Anywhere we go in the province, there are people who invite us to visit, to stay with them. They are friends, and years later are still so happy with their home,” he said.

“We’re finding that the broad range of clients we typically work with are very interested in their homes – the details, the materials and the ‘why.’ When we’re done we want them to know why they picked that wall, or that floor. We want them to be knowledgeable about things like why windows are on a certain side of the house.”

He said that education goes both ways. “Clients learn from us and we learn from them. We’re constantly getting product ideas from clients, and our present research and development is more involved with clients than ever.

“It’s the information age of building,” he explained. “There’s so much information out there, and our job is to see that the right materials are there for the client’s circumstances – their budget, their building site and their goals for things like energy efficiency.”

There are certain basic elements of their building that all clients are going to have, such as durability and efficient use of space. “We want our buildings to appreciate in value over time, and say to our clients, ‘Let’s see if we can make your home for less, and still get exactly what you want.’”

“Our goal is when somebody moves in to their finished home, there is no, ‘I wish we had done, or I wish I’d thought of that.’” Throughout the design process we work through everything – the house should be perfect for them.”

For more information about Zirnhelt Timber Frames visit www.ZTFrames.com, e-mail info@ZTFrames.com or phone them at 250-296-3499.

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Photo courtesy of Zirnhelt Timber Frames Timber frame constructed with an incredible view of Harrison Lake British Columbia.
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Photo courtesy of Zirnhelt Timber Frames Located at Eagleview with additional stair and railing view.
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Photo submitted Horseback rider Robin Zirnhelt pulls cousins Tarn Zirnhelt (left) and Seamus Zirnhelt, both six years old, at the family’s ranch at Beaver Valley.
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Sam and Damon Zirnhelt from Zirnhelt Timber Frames bring innovation, research and strong customer service to each building and every client interaction. (LeRae Haynes photo)