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to Build Your Home, Your Way
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Choice
Comfort & Economy
Better Built?
NHBC A
Better World
More Trees Self
Build & Multi-Storey Further
Information FAQ's
Timber Frame
-v- Wet Trades
Welcome
- to the world of factory
built, pre-fabricated timber frame kit houses for
developers and self builders.
A world where custom designed eco-homes are
snug, warm and draught free; a world where low running
costs are matched by precision engineered quality; a world
where, by using pre-fabricated timber eco-homes, new
homes, house extensions, rooms in roof,
attics, home offices, granny flats, and so on, don't need to come at the expense of
future generations.
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The
Choice is Yours - Right across
the developed world more people choose timber frame than
any other building system, with timber-frame accounting
for some 70% of low rise family housing. In the
UK more and more builders are choosing to build houses
of all shapes and sizes, right up to multi-storey flats,
using factory built housing in natural wood timber
frame. Most of the top 25 companies
and virtually all self builders now use system for self build wooden kit houses.
So more and more people are finding out what it's like
to enjoy living in a timber frame home.
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More
Comfort and less expensive to heat -
Nowadays
all new 
buildings have to conform to new thermal efficiency standards.
But because wood is such a good natural insulator, enhancing
the efficiency of the insulation
materials, timber frame buildings have been meeting, and
exceeding, these standards for years. And they are
more comfortable to live
in, thanks to the excellent insulation of the structural
shell, the whole home heats up more quickly, without any
cold areas. Better insulation, hand-in-hand with
detailed draught proofing, means a smaller boiler, lower
heating bills, and a cosier, more comfortable home.
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Better
Built? - Precious
little has changed in the way masonry houses have been
built over the years. They rely on the building
skills of a dwindling number of craftsmen working on messy
sites in all weathers. Timber frame homes, on the
other hand, are precision-engineered under factory conditions,
doing away with many of the building processes that were
needlessly done on site. Room dimensions are more
accurate too - useful when you're fitting a kitchen or
a carpet! A 'dry' plasterboard lining system is
used, rather than wet plaster, allowing decoration to
be carried out immediately the house is finished and eliminating
the need to make good where shrinkage of on site plastering
has occurred.
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NHBC
- The National House Building Council - records
show fewer problems with timber
frame houses than other construction methods. When
you choose a Benfield Advanced Timber-Frame Technology
you can rest assured that the frame design, manufacture
and build are covered by an independently monitored Quality
Assurance scheme.
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A
Better World - As well as using
less energy to heat, timber frame homes use less energy
to build, because wood grows naturally, needing only minimal
energy to fell, mill, transport and construct. By
contrast, the production of concrete blocks, bricks, plaster,
cement, steel and so on takes a great deal of energy and
creates unwanted pollution.
Using more
wood is a good way to help reduce the growth of global
warming because wood is a renewable building material.
As trees grow, they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
and give out the oxygen we breath.
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More
Trees - In Northern Europe, our forests are managed
so that there are more trees
growing than being harvested. In fact the annual
surplus of growth over harvest is a staggering 252 million
cubic metres - roughly 30 times the UK's total annual
consumption of wood (source: UN-ECE FAO TBFRA
2000)
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From
Self Build to Multi-Storey -
One in ten
of the new homes built every year in the UK is 'self-build',
i.e. an individually commissioned house, either built
by the owners themselves, by a builder, or by a combination
of both.
And 9 out of
10 of these 'self-builders' choose timber frame.
Because no other building method is as simple, versatile,
or cost effective.
Contact us
for more information on how to go about building your
own home and on the range of timber frame housing types
and styles available.
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Further
Information, the Choice is Yours -
We believe passionately that timber frame is the best
solution for most homes. But it's your choice.
If you would like further information on specific aspects
of timber frame, please contact us. We are here
to help you.
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Your
Questions Answered:
Q: "How is a timber
frame house different from a masonry house?"
A: A
modern masonry house is normally made of an inner supporting
wall of concrete blocks and an outer supporting wall of
brick. A modern timber frame house replaces the
inner wall with a timber frame strong enough to carry
all the loads of the house. This is usually covered
by the plasterboard internally and a brick, stone or timber
'siding' external finish.
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Q: "Are
you more at risk from fire in a timber frame house?"
A: No. In common with
all other forms of construction in the UK, timber frame
has to meet all Building Regulations. Safety in
timber frame is our number one commitment
and timber frame has an excellent performance record.
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Q: "Will
a timber frame home last?"
A: Yes.
A new timber frame home will last as well as, if not better
than, any other type of new home. Softwood timber
frame houses have been built in the UK since the 19th
Century and are still going strong. Your timber
frame home will still be there for your great grandchildren
to enjoy ... and beyond.
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Q: "Will
I get a mortgage on a timber frame home?"
A: Yes.
But don't just take our word for it. Patrick Snowden,
Head of the Professional Services said; "Halifax
takes the view that properly constructed timber frame
housing with a suitable
external cladding is equally as good as housing
which is brick or block and
we make no differentiation in the lending terms offered
on either form of construction."
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Q: "Will
I have to pay more for insurance?"
A: No.
The Association of British Insurers says; "Insurance
companies generally draw no distinction between modern
timber frame and brick and block construction,
provided the external roof covering is also of tiles,
natural or mineral slates, or concrete."
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Q: "Will
a timber frame house look different?"
A: No.
Typically, timber frame houses are clad in brick and look
like any other house. But a range of materials are
suitable, e.g. stone, block and render, or timber boarding.
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Q: "Can
I still do DIY jobs around my timber frame home?"
A:
Yese. Many jobs are easier, because of the good
fixing you can get in the vertical studs (structural timbers).
But, as always with DIY activities, you need to follow
health and safety guidelines and a few simple rules.
Visit www.timber-frame.org,
or contact us for free advice.
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Q: "Are
timber frame homes quiet?"
A: Yes. Modern
timber frame systems enjoy better acoustic insulation
qualities than masonry and fully conform to, or exceed,
the latest Building Regulations. So you'll stay
on speaking terms with your neighbours (but not through
the wall!)
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