• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
DIY Doctor
MENUMENU
  • DIY Doctor menu logo
  • Home
  • DIY Projects
    • All Projects
    • Brick, Block, Marsonary and Concrete
    • Damp, Condensation, Rot and Woodworm
    • Doors, Windows and Conservatories
    • Electrical
    • Fencing, Decking, Paving and Patios
    • Floors, Walls, Ceilings and Lofts
    • Garages, Sheds and Outbuildings
    • Gardening and Landscaping
    • General Building, Self Build and Renovation
    • General Repairs and Cleaning
    • Green Living and Eco DIY
    • Ground work, Foundations and Drainage
    • Heating, Central Heating and Boilers
    • Joinery and Carpentry
    • Materials, Fixings and Fixing
    • Painting, Decorating and Finishing
    • Planning Regs, Project Management and Safety
    • Plastering, Plasterboard and Rendering
    • Plumbing
    • Roofing and Gutters
    • Tiling and Tiles
    • Tools, Appliances and Access
    • DIY Tips
  • UK DIY Forums
  • DIY Videos
    • Bathroom DIY Videos
    • Building Foundation Videos
    • Building Videos
    • Carpentry and Woodworking Videos
    • Damp and Damproofing Videos
    • Decorating Videos
    • Electrical Videos
    • Fitting Blinds Videos
    • Flooring Videos
    • Gardening Videos
    • Green and Eco Friendly Videos
    • Hand and Power Tools Videos
    • Heating and Central Heating Videos
    • Kitchen Videos
    • Plastering and Drylining Videos
    • Plumbing Videos
    • Security Videos
  • Find Tradesmen
    • Find a Tradesman
    • Contract Download
    • Working with Tradesmen - Ultimate Guide
    • Home Improver Protection
    • Price Doctor
  • Tool Store
    • Tool Store
    • Bookstore
    • Tool Reviews and Product Reviews
  • Blog
    • Blog
    • DIY Competitions
  • About us
    • About DIY Doctor
    • What we do
    • Trade Shows and Exhibitions
    • Master Classes
    • Contact Us

Home > DIY How To Projects and Tutorial Guides > Timber Framed Houses – Benefits and Advice for Self-Builders on Timber Frame Construction

Timber Framed Houses – Benefits and Advice for Self-Builders on Timber Frame Construction

Advice on timber frame home construction for self-builders, whats involved in construction, how long it can take and what mortgages are available to self builders for DIY timber framed kits. Also find out the benefits and advantages of using a timber frame construction in your home building project.

Don't want to do this job yourself? Let us help you find a tradesman local to you

TwitterFacebookPin ItBuffer
Project MenuProject Menu
  • How to Tutorial
  • Video
  • Find Tradesmen
  • Help

How are Timber Frames used in Building and Construction?

In the drive to reduce carbon emissions in the UK, the growth in the demand for timber-framed housing is playing an important role. This form of construction is not new.

Timber-framing was popular in Elizabethan times and more recently it has seen an increase in popularity in North America and Scandinavia.

In these northern countries, the window for construction work can be as little as three months in the brief summer period. Therefore as much pre-site work as possible is carried out in the winter, mainly in the construction of housing kits.

This type of construction has spread across the roof of Europe including those countries that enjoy a twelve month construction period!

In a traditional brick and block house the weight of the roof is carried by the external walls, but in a timber-framed house, the roof is supported by vertical timber members. The space between these members is usually filled in with panels of facing bricks which are non load-bearing.

How Timber Frames Work and what are their Advantages

Externally, a timber-framed house looks much the same as a traditional one with brick on the outside of the external walls and plasterboard on the inside. The timber is treated to prevent insect infestation and to reduce the fire risk and must conform to current Building Regulations in all respects.

Any concerns felt by mortgage providers a few years ago have now disappeared and the same has happened to insurance companies. Both these financial bodies now treat timber-framed houses the same as traditional ones.

Another benefit in timber-framed building is the high level of sound proofing achieved from the use of timber framing and plasterboard.

The two main advantages that timber houses have over their rivals are that they can be built quicker and cheaper.

Although some irresponsible claims have been made by the timber lobby (watertight in three days!) there is substantial evidence that comparing production rates between the two, produces favourable results for timber.

A good bench mark for comparison is the completion dates for the watertight stage. That is, foundations, external walls, windows, external doors and roof coverings. In similar houses, this stage would be expected to be reached in 6 to 8 weeks for timber and 10 to 12 weeks for masonry.

This advantage is also evident in the cost of the construction.

For a three bedroom detached (160m2) house, the total cost per square metre would be about £900 for timber and £1,000 for masonry. This figure for timber would reduce to £700 if a contractor took the house to the watertight stage and a self-builder completed the work him/herself (except for the electrics).

It is estimated that over 70% of timber-framed house kits are sold to self-builders and there are special mortgages available to cater for their needs.

These mortgages pay before each agreed stage so that the self-builder is ahead of the game and does not have to deal with upset sub-contractors waiting for the release of monies from the mortgage provider.

All project content written and produced by Mike Edwards, founder of DIY Doctor and industry expert in building technology.

TwitterFacebookPin ItBuffer

Video

Back to the Top

Apologies, but we don't seem to have a video for this project yet, but we will do our best to get one up soon

Find a Reliable Local Tradesman

Back to the Top
Don't fancy doing this project yourself? We work with the industries best to ensure that we recommend only reliable and trustworthy tradesmen.
Let DIY Doctor help you find a tradesman

Find a tradesman now!


Give us Some Feedback!
Was this page useful:
We read and respond to all feedback by email. To allow us to do so you will be added to our email list, however you can unsubscribe at any time using the links at the bottom of any of our emails. Find out more in our privacy policy. Any DIY questions should be posted to our Forum
Sign me up to the DIY Doctor Newsletter:

Primary Sidebar

DIY Doctor deal of the week

DIY Utility Kit:

Build your own work bench!

RRP Price: £49.99

Special Price: £39.95

Get it here now

See our other deals now!

Master Basic DIY - By DIY Doctor

Our Book - Master Basic DIY

Grab your copy now for all the DIY help you need right at your finger tips!

Buy it Here!

Signup for our Newsletter

Keep up to date with our DIY projects, tips and latest deals

Sign Me Up!

Our Sponsors

Find out about advertising on DIY Doctor

Advert

Footer

DIY Doctor

Site Menu

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
  • Media/Press
  • Community Work
  • DIY Projects
  • DIY Videos
  • Superstore
  • DIY Tips
  • DIY Suppliers
  • UK DIY Forum
  • DIY Webinars

Other Stuff

  • Advertise
  • Competitions
  • T and Cs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies
  • NHIC
  • Sitemap

DIY Doctor Social Channels

Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Follow us on YouTube
Follow us on Pinterest
Follow us on Tumblr

DIY Doctor are members of:

© DIY Doctor Ltd 2021 All Rights Reserved