Building a house

AidoX

Has anyone built a house using timber frame? I have found a few companies (in Ireland & UK) but have heard a few horror stories about one or two of them.

I guess like anyone Im looking for the best value per square foot and a company who (really) delivers on time.

Also anyone's 2 cents on the cost of uPVC windows, workmanship, value for money, recommendations yada yada would be greatly appreciated.

Like everyone else Im doing my homework the old way, pen, paper and phone calls... Im just trying to catch the early birds/ I told ya so's and the I know someone who could have done that ..... cheaper

(Seems prices outside Dublin seem lower, why am I not surprised)

Thanks.

Victor

Originally posted by AidoX
Has anyone built a house using timber frame? I have found a few companies (in Ireland & UK) but have heard a few horror stories about one or two of them.

Century, etc. are reputable companies.

Originally posted by AidoX
I guess like anyone Im looking for the best value per square foot and a company who (really) delivers on time.

Largely irrelevant. A timber frame is in competition with conventional build and they will be similarly priced.

Originally posted by AidoX
Also anyone's 2 cents on the cost of uPVC windows, workmanship, value for money, recommendations yada yada would be greatly appreciated.

uPVC will eventually bleach if you use a colour and can't be painted. It isn't recyclable either. Modern timber windows are just as good, as are aluminium or steel.

Originally posted by AidoX
Like everyone else Im doing my homework the old way, pen, paper and phone calls... Im just trying to catch the early birds/ I told ya so's and the I know someone who could have done that ..... cheaper

What is cheaper? While cost consciousness is important, the search for the super deal will remain just that - a search.

yop

Doing a TF build myself so what ever u need to know about who to get and how much etc send me a PM and I can give you the details.
There are two of us doing two separate self builds at the moment, one started last week, I am still waiting for my planning ( nearly 10 months later..)
But we have a lot of costings and investigative work done.

Century are well known but do not want the likes of us "single" houses. They will wreck your head with phones calls for about a month, then they eventually quote you, took them over 3 months to quote me. They are not the best priced by a long shot.

Originally posted by AidoX
I guess like anyone Im looking for the best value per square foot and a company who (really) delivers on time.

One thing to get straight, NO ONE DELIVERS ON TIME! Sorry for the caps but you really need to get it that it will not come in on the timescale you are looking for. That is of course if you are going self build. If you are going with a contractor to do your house, add another 8 weeks or so to the expected delivery time.

uPVC will eventually bleach if you use a colour and can't be painted. It isn't recyclable either. Modern timber windows are just as good, as are aluminium or steel.

Ya I have heard that the facia and soffit fades but not the windows. Have you come across the windows fading???

AidoX

yeah I had talks with Century and it took 3 months for them to send a quote, it was only a matter of hours before the calls started coming form them.

A builder told me IJM and Century are the result of a family fued generations old at this stage and that they compete against each other big time.

Ive got some other companies to look at such as Youngs in Cork and a builder (family friend) has details of a crowd up noth whom he deals with.

Plans are in the final design stage once we're happy with them I'll send to all for quotes.

As for PVC the facias and soffits are easily replaced. My folks built 12 years ago using timber which are nice but a lot to maintain.

jay567

For windows, Munster Joinery. Alot of jobs i have been on used them, cork based.
good luck!

CON23

Munster Timber Structures (MTS) in Waterford, their located out beside Waterford Regional Airport, excellent service and they will put the frame up on the day they told you they will put it up - ask for Johnny

Wavey

@Yop

How much (%) should you allow for to cover the work that the tf company dont provide?
And what exactly do they not provide?

Im starting to look at tf housing aswell at the moment.

Will it really work out cheaper than a concrete house after everything is paid for?

Cheers
Wavey

yop

Wavey - I would not say that TF is any cheaper to be honest, and if you build a non standard (hard to define this!) house you may end up spending more.
Your TF will probably be about 1/3 of the cost of building the house.
What they would include is the TF frame, doors, skirting, architrave, insulation, felt, batens, plasterboard, stairs.
I does not include the crane hire, about 70 Euros per hour

Lex Luthor

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=178323

ednwireland

my experience with munster joinery is that their timber windows are adequate
timber doors crap single skin no insulation buy better ones ,service none but they are the cheapest people out there, there patio doors are crap too. their quality has also deteriotaed as some i saw on amates house were crap.

there is a company that ships in high quality german timber doors and windows which have high insulation values and look fantastic try www.schmidt-visbek.de
and the ones i've seen are really high quality and good finish just a shame i couldn't get them when doing my house 5 years my doors from munster joinery are ready to be replaced

BaZmO*

Victor wrote:

Largely irrelevant. A timber frame is in competition with conventional build and they will be similarly priced.

This is not irrelevant. TF Houses are only similarly priced with Conventional build houses if you are buying them already built by somebody else.
One of the big reasons for TF Houses being brought into the Irish market was to bring down the price of houses because of the high labour costs particularly down to bricklayers. But builder's realised that while their costs were going down for the build it was still possible to charge the same price for a TF house as a Conventional house.

The overall price will be cheaper for a TF house. Just ensure that you have a compent builder and a good project manager.

Yop is definitley right about the deliveries though. Although if you're vigilant enough and plan things long enough in advance you should be able to keep a handle on deliveries.

B.

Lex Luthor

ednwireland wrote:

my experience with munster joinery is that their timber windows are adequate
timber doors crap single skin no insulation buy better ones ,service none but they are the cheapest people out there, there patio doors are crap too. their quality has also deteriotaed as some i saw on amates house were crap.

there is a company that ships in high quality german timber doors and windows which have high insulation values and look fantastic try www.schmidt-visbek.de
and the ones i've seen are really high quality and good finish just a shame i couldn't get them when doing my house 5 years my doors from munster joinery are ready to be replaced

I have Munster Joinery wooden doors & windows all round for the last 8 yrs and have been stained 3 times since new and they look as new. Neighbours have yet to stain theirs and looks like they could be replacing them soon.