40 Years in the Timber Frame and Cottage Industry

The past 40 years have been years of great change and growth in the timber frame industry and certainly here at Normerica Timber Homes and Cottages. We are most known for creating timber frame homes and cottages of unparalleled quality and timeless beauty.

In honour of Normerica’s 40^th Anniversary we sat down with David McFarlane, Founder and President to discuss how the Timber Frame Industry has changed since the company’s inception in 1979.

After gaining several years of experience working for a large development company, David McFarlane stumbled across an article about post and beam construction and was instantly hooked. He had always dreamed about starting his own company and he saw an opportunity right there. Since then, Normerica, originally named Upper Canada Post and Beam, has created the highest quality timber frame homes and buildings across North America and around the world.

Timber Frame Design Trends

When asked about new trends and what has changed over the years, David immediately commented on the shift from traditional timber frame construction to the more modern contemporary trend. He believes the contemporary trend is definitely something new we are seeing in the timber frame industry and will be big in the Ontario 2019 cottage season. “People are now looking for a cottage with a modern look to it, and Normerica offers it all,” explains David. “Contemporary timber frame designs offer a great combination of wood, glass and stone, which blend perfectly into any setting. Asymmetrical shapes and angles are also present in the design of contemporary custom timber frame homes.” In David’s opinion people are starting to realize that the trend is changing and that a timber frame home does not have to be a traditional cottage design and can be incorporated into the contemporary home design trend. With that in mind, Normerica offers a range of fully customizable plans the clients can choose from and use as a starting point in the design process or solely as inspiration along the way. “The sky is the limit when it comes to designing a home with Normerica, our clients always work with our team to design a truly custom home that meets all of the needs of their own unique lifestyle, ” says David.

Normerica, originally founded as Upper Canada Post and Beam has gone through it’s own shift over the years. Beginning with just 6 standard designs and evolving to the thousands of custom designs we have in our design database today, our arsenal is packed to address the constant shift in trends.

On behalf of our entire organization, we thank you for your business these past 40 years and we look forward to working together in the future. Contact us for a consultation, learn more about Normerica here or download the newest 2019 edition of the Lookbook for inspiration.

In the months to come, to celebrate our 40 years in business, we will be sharing with you some of our stories, memories and industry trends, so stay tuned!