Emily Smith
TIMBER FRAME
Key advantages:
Groundworks can begin while the frame is manufactured
Easy to make airtight and well-insulated
Choice of open- or closedpanel frames
Fast build time and less labour needed on site compared to masonry
According to the Structural Timber Association, over 75% of self builders use this system as their primary build method. There’s a great deal of choice out there, both in terms of how you want the house to look and how much of the structure you want the supplier to manufacture for you.
Timber frame dwellings are built using panelised systems, formed of a network of structural studs wrapped with sheets of plywood or oriented strandboard (OSB) to create whole wall sections. They are created in factories by specialist suppliers and a range of package options is available. You can work alongside an architect of your choice, opt for a firm’s in-house designer or choose from a company’s catalogue of pre-set, tweakable designs.
Some firms simply offer a structural design and erection package, but others can provide follow-on services – or even a turnkey route where they complete the whole project on your behalf. “When choosing a supplier, ask questions about the performance of the structure, its overall robustness and its anticipated energy efficiency,” says Oliver Grimshaw from Hanse Haus. “Visit one of the company’s completed houses and look at the quality of the details – you don’t want to cut corners.”