Timber framed house

blindside88

Hi all,

I know there have been a number of threads in this already but the ones I can find are fairly old.
My wife and I have submitted pp for a 1850 sq foot bungalow in the south east. We are in the middle of getting prices from contractors and on individual trades to self build.
We're starting to consider timber framed houses but some family members that have rented timber framed houses previously have put of off a bit.

I'm looking for some advice from anyone that has build a timber framed house in the last few years.

1. I know the houses heat up very quickly but do they also cool down very quickly?

2. Is the sound proofing very poor compared to block built?

3. Is there still a considerable saving to be made in building timber framed?

Thanks for your help and sorry for the long post.

Blindside

BryanF

1 & 2: shouldn't be BUT depends on how you detail & construct
3. Timber has a reputation of being more expensive.

Re self-build I recommend you read this thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056921361

You will need a certifying professional to see you through the detailed drawing submission and construction phase. I suggest you engage an Arch now and utilize their experience of construction to answer your questions.
Best of luck with your project

blindside88

Thanks for the reply, we have an architect and will be employing an engineer also if we go direct labour. I was under the impression that timber frame was cheaper than block build in the past? This may have changed now with the number of block layers out of work

BryanF

Please ask you arch about the new regs and the problem with self-build or read the thread I linked to above.

As regards your block v timber question. Perhaps cheap labour is a factor

blindside88

I had looked at that thread previously but never in detail. It does appear that self build will be improbable now. Thanks for the help

alfa beta

built a 2,400 sq ft timber frame house 3 years ago

and her's what i think re your three points:

1. it's all about the insulation - and very little to do with what you build your walls out of. If you opt for TF, then go for as deep a stud as possible and ram it with insulation!! We opted for 20cm stud filled with cellulose. Attic has rolls of insulation laid on ceiling in two directions on top of each other. Heat retention is great - only let down by ****ty windows that I now really regret buying.

With the TF construction there's a lot of air between the outer block wall and the TF - this is to allow the timber to breathe - the main thing to watch is that this air gets no further and doesn't penetrate the TF - so make sure to seal for example where the TF meets the concrete base etc - and again watch the detailign in the attic at the top of the TF walls. We built on a very windy site and if doing so again I'd pay much more attention to the way air flows through and around the house. For example our house holds heat much much better on a very cold calm night than it would on a milder but windy one.

2. sound proofing is fine - most sound will travel through gaps, so as previous poster said watch the detailing. seal bottoms of internal walls (we insualted all internal walls) - look out for sound travelling through light switch and socket cavities etc - overall we have absolutely no probs with excess sound travel in the house

3. TF worked out slightly dearer - but what I liked most about the process was the fact that the structure of the house was essentially built in a factory environment, delivered on a lorry and put up within a few days. We went direct labour and it was reassuring to know that because the house was built this way, we weren't reliant on the knowledge or skill of individuals on site. For example the blockwork on a tf has no structural requirement, it is literally there to keep the rain off the TF. Similarly the entire roofing structure came with the TF, so I wasn't dependant on carpenters knowing what they were doing on site etc.

To be honest - at the end of the day if I was to build again, I don't think I'd be overly fussed about whether I'd go down a block or TF route. Again as the other poster said, the quality of the house you end up with will largely be dependent on the smaller details - the insulation, the windows, the heating system, even the amount of sunlight you can bring into individual rooms - these are the sort of factors that will really come into play when you eventually live in the house.

rathulf

alfa beta wrote: »

built a 2,400 sq ft timber frame house 3 years ago

and her's what i think re your three points:

1. it's all about the insulation - and very little to do with what you build your walls out of. If you opt for TF, then go for as deep a stud as possible and ram it with insulation!! We opted for 20cm stud filled with cellulose. Attic has rolls of insulation laid on ceiling in two directions on top of each other. Heat retention is great - only let down by ****ty windows that I now really regret buying.

whats with the windows? could you give a little info on where u or window company went wrong and what u would change if u were doing it again?

galwaytt

blindside88 wrote: »

Hi all,

I know there have been a number of threads in this already but the ones I can find are fairly old.
My wife and I have submitted pp for a 1850 sq foot bungalow in the south east. We are in the middle of getting prices from contractors and on individual trades to self build.
We're starting to consider timber framed houses but some family members that have rented timber framed houses previously have put of off a bit.

I'm looking for some advice from anyone that has build a timber framed house in the last few years.

1. I know the houses heat up very quickly but do they also cool down very quickly?

2. Is the sound proofing very poor compared to block built?

3. Is there still a considerable saving to be made in building timber framed?

Thanks for your help and sorry for the long post.

Blindside

1. Not necessarily, depends on a variety of factors.
2. No, depends on the quality of kit, and finishes you use. Can be done to exceed block values. Remember, blockwork wall performance can vary too depending on quality of workmanship and detailing. Lots of semi-d's in the country with noisy Party Walls despite using 215mm block on the flat. It's not a black & white issue.
3. Not necessarily.