10 ways to stay on budget with a timber frame build
Want a keen price for the shell of your new home? Tim Doherty looks at how to keep spending under control on a timber project
Tim Doherty
Timber framing is a fabulous way to construct a bespoke new house using sympathetic, renewable and beautiful materials – and will deliver a warm, sustainable, energy efficient and comfortable living environment. I should know; I used to work in timber frame! It’s not right for everyone and there are still some prejudices about acoustics and vibration, but it’s quick, efficient and a great option for self builders. The market is awash with supplier options, so selecting a firm can be confusing and many of us don’t have the time to deconstruct the process. However, if you’re keen to save money all the way through your timber build, here are my top tips.
1 Think carefully about design routes
Some timber frame manufacturers offer architectural services, with varying degrees of flexibility. It can be a tempting option, with the benefit that they’ll know their system inside and out, plus it’s often very well priced. So it will suit those of you who have already decided on a supplier based on their reputation, location, past projects etc.
However, if you want to keep all your financial options open, the best way to do so might be to engage separate architectural services for the design, planning and Building Regulations phases. Doing things this way will enable you to search the market when you are ready, rather than being obligated to use a frame manufacturer because they’ve provided the design services initially. Copyright usually vests with the designer, so there could be restrictions should you want to change our mind and go elsewhere at a later stage.