Which Timber Frame Company?

[SelfBuild South West]

Hello, I am about to start off of a self build project for a 300 sqm house in Devon.  I am completely new to the construction industry, all be it,  I do have a fair amount of First and Second Fix experience from small projects I have done on weekends for friends and family.  

 

For the past year, whilst we've been waiting on planning, I have got a quote from about 10 different timber frame companies, as i have been searching for on that will offer me the most complete kit package at a cost effective rate [not the cheapest necessarily].

 

Now we have planning I have narrowed it down to four people to provide the timber frame kit, and wanted to see what other people's experience had been with them.

 

1) Scotframe  -  offer the most in terms of supply of materials, down to internal joinery [doors, skirting stairs etc] but not so much in erection, ie they don't erect internal studwork walls.  Also they are a large company, and some people have said you just become a number in their system once you have placed the order.

 

2) Fleming Homes - again Scottish, however smaller, only make 70 homes per year, you deal directly with the MD once you place the order, and they do offer more in terms of erection, they do erect all internal stud walls.  However they do not offer the internal joinery items.

 

3) All Timber Frame (Crediton) - small unit again, make 50 houses per year, they supply all fermacell board fitted to external walls, including electrical conduit in these walls, and one board fitted on all internal walls, all internal walls are erected.  Downside, is their wall insulation system for the external walls is maybe not as sophisticated as Scot frames etc, but their 235 wall system does meet U Value of .17 i think.

 

4) The Timber Frame Company (TTFC) - Irish Out fit, offer the most complete package, with all internal and external walls conduited for electrics and boarded, they say that the house build is 75% complete when they leave site.  I cant find many people that have used them or how much work they have done in the UK.

 

Can anyone on this forum offer me advice or feedback on any of these companies to help me make my decision?

 

Thank you

[Barney12]

I can only comment on No.1 as a collogue had a house frame from them. His review was that they were "efficient but inflexible" in other words once you've placed your order, you are in the system to be assimilated. He also went for the joinery package and to be quite honest I thought it was very average but that might have just been the low end specification he chose.

 

One name not mentioned in your list is MBC Timber Frame who a good few on this forum have used. My frame is going up as we speak in Devon.

[SelfBuild South West]

56 minutes ago, Barney12 said:

I can only comment on No.1 as a collogue had a house frame from them. His review was that they were "efficient but inflexible" in other words once you've placed your order, you are in the system to be assimilated. He also went for the joinery package and to be quite honest I thought it was very average but that might have just been the low end specification he chose.

 

One name not mentioned in your list is MBC Timber Frame who a good few on this forum have used. My frame is going up as we speak in Devon.

 

Thanks Barney12, are you using MBC Timber Frame for your one in Devon?

[Barney12]

23 minutes ago, SelfBuild South West said:

 

Thanks Barney12, are you using MBC Timber Frame for your one in Devon?

 

Yes.

[dogman]

Suggest you go and see some being built and or finished. Most companies will offer this and give an indication of the confidence they have in their builds. Ours is erected and waiting for the windows to go in on Thursday. Happy to show visitors around if you fancy a trip to Berkshire although there will be some closer.

 

[Stones]

We used Scotframe for our last house, and I obtained a quote from them for a current house before going down the route of ICF. I certainly found them to be happy to quote for whatever level of package / finish I wanted, were open to more challenging designs and how best to achieve them and were willing to look at changing part of a quotation to reduce costs (in our case looking at alternative ways to construct a vaulted roof space).  The actual kit (Valutherm) seems well made and engineered to the exact sizes specified.  No issues with delivery either.  

[Barney12]

32 minutes ago, dogman said:

Suggest you go and see some being built and or finished. Most companies will offer this and give an indication of the confidence they have in their builds. Ours is erected and waiting for the windows to go in on Thursday. Happy to show visitors around if you fancy a trip to Berkshire although there will be some closer.

 

 

Ditto that. I went to look at a MBC build in Gloucester which swayed me to making a final decision. Especially as they weren't the cheapest quote (but neither were they the most expensive) for our passive specification build. 

 

I certaintly cant knock their work ethic. The weather is appalling today, gale force winds and torrential rain showers but they're still cracking on. 

[SelfBuild South West]

46 minutes ago, dogman said:

Suggest you go and see some being built and or finished. Most companies will offer this and give an indication of the confidence they have in their builds. Ours is erected and waiting for the windows to go in on Thursday. Happy to show visitors around if you fancy a trip to Berkshire although there will be some closer.

 

Thanks Dogman, which company did you decide to go with?

[dogman]

Im an MBC client. Currently 90% finished. The advantage to me was they do the foundations to roof so need to worry about nothing till your windows go in.

[Jeremy Harris]

We're technically just in the South West, and you're welcome to come and have a look.

Edited June 6, 2017 by JSHarris
typo

[ProDave]

The difficulty is you cannot compare like for like as different companies are offering different levels of completeness.

 

Personally, I would not want a system where the walls are finished internally and conduits left for the wiring.  I want the freedom to change my mind on where switches and sockets go.  I would look for a system that has a complete sealed frame, then a battened service void before the final (plasterboard?) wall finish goes on.

[Redoctober]

2) Fleming Homes - again Scottish, however smaller, only make 70 homes per year, you deal directly with the MD once you place the order, and they do offer more in terms of erection, they do erect all internal stud walls.  However they do not offer the internal joinery items.

 

@SelfBuild South West we are using your Number 2 option  No seriously, we are at the stage whereby they are applying for the Building Warrant on our behalf.

 

We too looked at others but found the process can become a touch overwhelming when trying to compare things. In the end we visited the factory and liked what we saw and heard - at the end of the day, a decision has to be made. Hopefully the right one !

 

Anyway, we are more than happy with the service so far and the reasons why we went with them are because primarily, they are about 5 miles from the plot, we could cherry pick what we wanted them to supply, they offer a range of insulation options to suit various budgets and they also offer a service whereby they draw up building Reg. plans and secure the Warrant.

 

Although we are not using the joinery options they have to offer, my understanding is that they could supply skirting, internal doors and stairs etc., if required.

 

PW.

[lizzie]

We chose MBC after looking at a number of options including Fleming, Sylva and Beattie Passive.  MBC won by a whisker from Beattie and really that was because they do the foundations too. Beattie were a great company too. We visited MBC and Beattie completed projects and talked to owners.

 

We have a complicated curving roof and essentially have to build another roof on top of the flat deck mbc roof.  Tricia and Joe and all the MBC team have been absolutely brilliant all the way along. We have felt like people and not like a number and nothing has been too much trouble for them.

 

Our foundations were started this week but the weather has been so atrocious we are running a bit behind.

 

Liz

 

 

[caliwag]

You've probably made your decision by now, but if not talk to Solo TF...a few others on other forums have been complimentary. The can supply frame only or erect, organise other trades or offer the full package I understand. The offer layouts from a catalogue or carry out bespoke houses. I believe Solo also advise on underfloor heating and MVHR systems. Good luck