Responsibility o When the owner engages an Architect and/or Structural Engineer of Record (SER) to design the project, the Timber Frame Contractor (TFC) shall not be responsible for the suitability, adequacy or Building Code conformance of the design. When the Architect and/or SER delegate design responsibility to the TFC for engineering portions of the timber frame structure, such as connection joinery, the TFC shall engage a Specialty Structural Engineer (SSE) to perform the required timber engineering services based on load criteria specified by the SER. If no loading criteria have been specified, the SSE shall establish the loading criteria based on the requirements of the applicable Building Code.

Responsibility of the Construction and Design When the owner enters into a direct contract with the TFC to both design and construct a complete timber frame structure, the TFC shall engage a Specialty Structural Engineer (SSE) and shall be responsible for the adequacy of the timber frame design. The owner shall be responsible for the suitability, adequacy and Building Code conformance of the non-timber frame elements. When the timber frame is not the exclusive Main Force Resisting System (MFRS), but acting in conjunction with Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) or another structural system to resist lateral and/or gravity loads, the TFC shall coordinate the timber frame design with the SSE responsible for engineering the complementing structural system.

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