Timber frame houses Questions

k123456

My 1st time, thinking of TF, coming from a block build

Timber frame houses Questions

Looking at a new build BER B rated , so v efficient rating

Does Timber frame make a house warmer, and if so how (than block)

The frame itself, what stops the wood being affected by damp/and or insects
- woodworm etc

Is it true TF is noisier, the house we are looking at is a semi

Long term, does TF lose it's value more quickly then Block

Imagine I want to wall hang a large TV, no problem with block, long rawl plugs and bolts, how do you wall hang Tv's etc with TF

Thanks Folks

k123456

Hi Folks, any advice ?

Max Moment

k123456 wrote: »

My 1st time, thinking of TF, coming from a block build

Timber frame houses Questions

Looking at a new build BER B rated , so v efficient rating

Does Timber frame make a house warmer, and if so how (than block)

The frame itself, what stops the wood being affected by damp/and or insects
- woodworm etc

Is it true TF is noisier, the house we are looking at is a semi

Long term, does TF lose it's value more quickly then Block

Imagine I want to wall hang a large TV, no problem with block, long rawl plugs and bolts, how do you wall hang Tv's etc with TF

Thanks Folks

Hi,

Timber Frame is comparable IMO to Block Build regarding a warm house. Even if the insulation levels etc. are similar in both types, the devil is in the detail regarding air tightness, quality control upon construction etc. to prevent heat loss.

Personally, I have a Timber Frame House and am very happy with it. It heats up quite quickly and retains heat for a long period. It's B2 rated. I don't find it any noisier than a Block Build House (TF will generally have the same type of Floor and internal wall construction as a block build). It's your choice of floor finishes that will make the difference in noise levels - carpets v's wooden floors.

Regarding dampness, again it's the attention to detail regarding installation on site and making sure DPC's are installed and lapped correctly. A properly installed frame will last the test of time with no issues.

There is no problem installing a TV as you describe. Flat Screens are hung with a Bracket which gives multiple fixing points to suit studs. All you need to do is locate studs with a stud finder (generally at 400mm or 600mm centres).

Also, alot of Timber Frame Internal walls are lined with a high grade board such as Fermacell which allows direct fixing to it to support heavy items such as TV's, Kitchen Units etc. Personnally, I have a 42inch Flatscreen hung in this manner and it hasn't budged in 6 Years!

Both types of Build are as good as each other IMO.

The choice as they say is yours...

BryanF

k123456 wrote: »

My 1st time, thinking of TF, coming from a block build

Timber frame houses Questions

1. Looking at a new build BER B rated , so v efficient rating
2. Does Timber frame make a house warmer, and if so how (than block)
3. The frame itself, what stops the wood being affected by damp/and or insects- woodworm etc
4. Is it true TF is noisier, the house we are looking at is a semi
5. Long term, does TF lose it's value more quickly then Block
6. Imagine I want to wall hang a large TV, no problem with block, long rawl plugs and bolts, how do you wall hang Tv's etc with TF

Thanks Folks

1. were at A rated minimum building regulations (at the worst B1, depending on house size) I would advise you to look into passive house design
2. this is a big question. on very very simple level block transmits heat easier than timber. so timber is a better insulator, BUT neither of them compare to Insulation and air-tightness measures which is how today's heat retention/energy standards are met. block v timber is about the designer and quality of workmanship. block is a few % cheaper and from the 30's/50's the more commonly used material in Ireland - but imho timber is more suitable to low energy construction and more environmentally sustainable that concrete block.
3. good treatment of timber and proper design of the construction details will ensure timber homes do not suffer such issues. see the links below for more info
4. potentially but this is more to do with a lack of detailing/ acoustic consideration - there are ways to stop the transfer of noise in timber frame homes - unfortunately alot of developer built homes of the last 15 years were not built to any decent standard but do note that concrete built homes were not constructed any better, and suffer from their own set of problems.
5. there are some decisions to be made regarding the external weatherproofing, there are Norwegian timber frames homes standing hundreds of years and as far as I know nothing to suggest block v timber homes, have any long term value difference
6. locate the studs,its not a big problem - if your getting a home designed for you, your designer & subsequent builder will consider such things.

this is a http://www.irishconcrete.ie/ v http://www.woodspec.ie/ or http://www.trada.co.uk/index.html v http://www.brmca.org.uk/ debate (best you develop your own opinion) I'm a fan of timber, so my comments are tainted in this regard, when debating these two opposing materials ask yourself who has more money for marketing, who creates more CO2, and when did they both actually start to be used as construction materials..

muffler

My short answer to the query is by way of asking a question. Do you want a house for your lifetime or the lifetime of your mortgage?

BryanF

muffler wrote: »

My short answer to the query is by way of asking a question. Do you want a house for your lifetime or the lifetime of your mortgage?

can you elaborate a little muffler?

muffler

BryanF wrote: »

can you elaborate a little muffler?

As you said yourself you're a fan of TF houses so do you honestly believe that they will stand the test of time compared to conventional build?

mathepac

The vast majority of family homes in the US & Canada are of timber frame construction, a lot of them with timber cladding / shingles as the exterior layer.

Given the extremes of weather in North America compared to here their housing stock has a much higher survival rate and a more consistent value retention history than any of the the pots of shyte we have allowed builders and developers to foist on us over here. We're the victims of a multi-generational con job and the coming years will see "boom" house in the thousands become virtually uninhabitable / unmaintainable IMHO (it has already happened with apartment block and some single family buildings but I believe the worst is yet to come)

BryanF

muffler wrote: »

BryanF wrote: »

can you elaborate a little muffler?

As you said yourself you're a fan of TF houses so do you honestly believe that they will stand the test of time compared to conventional build?

Yep

muffler

BryanF wrote: »

Yep

Good. Im happy for you

brophis

Currently building a timber frame myself. From a self build point of view I think it makes it easier to manage. Having a load of open stud walls and open web floor joists makes fitting services a piece of cake. Having the frame built to measure in a factory removed a lot of the concern regarding build quality. Granted a lot of planning has to go in beforehand but that also helps iron out a lot of issues before they happen.