Mark Greenfield

It's not expensive compared to traditional methods at all when everything is considered. Trad building can often end up costing more - try comparing a trad build with the same performance at timber frames such as MBC and you'll soon see why!

Isn't always AS easy to get the 10 year structural warranty in place. Plus, many lenders won't lend against a build system unless it comes with what they call 'third party accreditation' - ISO:9001, or similar.

Kind of; typically a Larsen truss is a complete truss (joist) fixed to the structural element, which is a bit wasteful and isn't quite as effective in terms of thermal bridging as a twin frame, but agree that in principle they're similar.

Yes - I'm familiar with twin-frame (and MBC - I'll be asking them to price for me), but I don't really want a twin-frame as it's expensive.

Seems a lot of kva to be fair; is there a mid-point?

Stick build is a nightmare for structural warranties, and even if I could get past that lenders really don't like it either. I've done a few for extensions over the years, but warranty not required. It's not a standard arrangement at all - but if you can point me to a manufacturer and installer that works with it and can give me the accreditation standards I need for a warranty and mortgage I guess I could look into it!

The problem is you don't really have anywhere to go with this I don't think - there's no competition for the Grid, so they can name their price. £15k seems better than I would have expected for a 50kva transformer to be honest, although I appreciate it's not in the budget. It'll cost you more than double that to consider a proper off-grid solution.

I don't think this build-up would meet the approval of warranty companies would it? The problem is I would have to find a company that manufactures this type of timber frame that is accredited, and of all the shows I have been to I've never seen this arrangement, so that strikes me as tricky! Out of interest, the load bearing frame element of the image would also be the service cavity in this scenario I guess - which seems great! Also, where would the racking board go as it's not shown on the drawing?

Problem seems to be the junctions; where frame meets blocks etc.

It doesn't work for timber frame construction though, I don't think?

Keen to know the answer to this too - there must be a way to mitigate thermal bridging using a standard block and beam? I saw on another thread on here, which I'll try and dig out, that someone used some insulation in the outer cavity but wasn't sure how keen building control would be on that idea.

That happens with builders too (and kitchen companies, window companies, etc etc)! There's no need to insure against it, lenders will lend - and do. Some won't, but it's a tiny amount (Coutts, for example). Buildstore provide mortgages tailored for self-build - and they even do advance stage release so you can draw-down the funds needed in advance of the work being carried out. They don't even ask for vesting certificates. It's a no-brainer; I guess the self-build market is one they want to be in. If anything, working with a bona-fide timber frame company would de-risk a build, surely? All engineering and materials accounted for, accredited manufacturers and installers, the ability to check their credit scores and so on is all possible.

Problem with stick-build is that I know my lender won't accept it. We need to provide "third party accreditation" - ISO9001 or something like that. As far as I can tell, these accreditations can only be applied to factory-made products so stick-building won't be an option. I've used stick-build for extensions before, but for my next home it's just not an option. Factory-made timber frame will also be a lot faster on site, and less dependent on weather etc.

Isoquick did the lot for you? Design, supply and installation (including all site prep work)?

Cladding will probably be a mix of masonry and timber, but that all depends on final design and planning. I'll go for a u-value of 0.12 or less which is pretty straightforward and most TF companies seem to offer that as an option for peanuts. That said, I may opt for a masonry cladding all over and then clad - depends who I use for a mortgage.

Not really - for no other reason than I haven't needed to look there yet really; we often shop there (Northampton is rubbish for shopping, but very good for road networks). There are some stunning villages around MK.

You can't compare a timber frame quote per m2 though - it's a 3D kit, and fully engineered so it'll include steel, joists, rafters, sometimes fascia and soffit, floor boards etc. Like for like, spec for spec, TF seems about the same in my experience - just faster to build and usually easier to get airtight.

You can't compare timber frame costs using m2, or m3 - too many variables that will skew it, and different companies will use different methods of pricing (comparing them can be problematic!)

We (my wife and I) like the idea of a passive foundation slab, but can't find a company that will help design, supply and do all the work. We can source the materials from Ireland, but I'm worried about getting something wrong that will slow the build and cost us more money! Ideally, I'm looking for a company to do it all for us, and we take over from there (with a timber frame). Build-Lite is the product we have seen - but they only supply. Surely there are others? We can't seem to find any though. We had a similar scenario with screw piles, but that's another story - just odd there isn't a bit more 'joined-up thinking' for these things.

I have it currently and it's true that it's unlikely to be used frequently, but occasionally we have used it. Some rooms will get very cool in the winter if they have large glazed areas; my sons room has a 2.4m x 1.2m window on the west and north elevation; triple glazed and it can get to around 17 degrees which is a little too cool for some people in my opinion - grandma wouldn't be happy! Better to have the option of heating rather than having to stick a space heater in. Our rooms all have individual stats, so heating-up time isn't an issue - selling the house might be awkward without heating too.

I get that, but my concern is that someone buying my house in a few years time may have a hard time getting their head around it. Better to install it and not use it for that reason alone (cost isn't significant) - too many people still don't even understand heat pumps, let alone grasp the concept of no heating in bedrooms!

I've been through all the costings, and even when timber prices were sky-high in 2022 we still couldn't make other methods stack up, but that aside bricks and mortar doesn't give us the performance or levels of airtightness we are looking for. It also seems to be a bit 'bitty' - we found that timber frame companies were able to cover off all of the structural elements (beams, steel etc) as well as understand how to integrate ventilation systems and and under floor heating systems (which we're having on the first floor too). Without that integrated approach we wouldn't know who could take overall responsibility for it. Some builders wouldn't let us speak to their joist and roof truss suppliers, and the builders we spoke to didn't even know what MVHR was! We won't be trying to design our house - we have set aside some funds to make sure we get a good architect to do that for us!

Hi - Mark here! Just found BuildHub online after looking for thoughts on self-build mortgages etc. My wife and I will be embarking on a self-build as soon as we can find a plot (which we think is imminent); hoping to appoint an architect rather than buy a plot with detailed planning permission so we can get exactly what we want. Have looked at Graven Hill a few times as it wouldn't be a huge upheaval for us to move there, but it's not for us. We have renovated a few times before, including large extensions, but this time we're set on a timber frame system as we like the efficiency and time (any advice on which companies to use (or avoid, if allowed to say!) welcome).