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A Chinese philosopher once said, "If you have one clock, you know the time; if you have ten, you're not too sure."

A similar dilemma is faced by those with the responsibility for building or renovating a church. Today there are more construction choices than ever before. Advances in techniques and materials allow structures not imaginable a century ago, resulting in virtually no limits on custom-designed and custom-built options. Add to this advances in pre-designed, pre-engineered options. As if this was not complicated enough, rising construction costs necessitate comparing one option to another and trying to reconcile quality with price.

This overview of the main construction types available today will certainly not answer all your questions, but it may help you to sharpen the questions you put to your architect or builder—to make sure that the church you get is the one you want.

"Timber framing uses heavy timbers with traditional mortise and tenon joinery, the typical structure of the American barn," says Dan Trimble, representative for Riverbend Timber Framing, Inc. in Indiana, Pennsylvania. "The roof and exterior walls are super-insulated with structural panels, with the long-term benefit of reduced heating and cooling operating costs."

To cover this insulation, the exterior finish uses conventional siding material such as stone, brick, or even wood. But it's the interior of timber frame construction that really glows. The wood framework, oiled and finished in the factory and typically clad with tongue-and-groove wood, creates an outstanding ambience.

"It looks great on the inside and creates a wonderful, warm feeling," Trimble says. He adds that parts of the interior, such as the ceilings or walls beneath the ceiling, can be covered with drywall and painted. In fact, the entire interior can be covered with conventional finishes, but this in a sense defeats the aesthetic value of the timber. "The timber naturally creates big open spaces, so it is very conducive to sanctuaries," Trimble says.

Trimble advises that timber frame construction can be very cost-competitive with other types of structures. Today's timber frame structures can be custom-prefabricated in the factory, and they go up on the site in a short amount of time. He adds that churches considering a timber frame structure should begin working with the timber frame company in the very early stages of design. This is needed to bring the specialized expertise to the project and coordinate the timber design with the entire system.

Different dome manufacturers make domes in different shapes, says Shawn Barrett, sales director of United Church Structures in Davison, Michigan. "Some are a half sphere, others are five-eighths sphere or other variations, while ours is one-fourth of a sphere," she explains. "We've streamlined ours so it's very attractive. It has a unique style, so it's good for churches looking for something a little different."

A dome creates a free, open, and spacious look, says Barrett. For this reason, the dome is best for a sanctuary, a multipurpose space, or a gymnasium, but not for educational or other spaces where you will probably want to use a drop ceiling. Barrett says that because you will always pay a premium for a large clear span, it's not the best use of money to then break up the large span into smaller rooms.

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