Self-build mortgages for timber frame and timber clad

[thaldine]

Hello,

Now that Ecology have suspended their self-build mortgage offerings are there any other lenders who consider timber frame and timber clad builds ?

Thanks.

[G and J]

Our investigations were that having more than 50% cladding on a timber frame house limited options. (We haven't pursued as we were researching for the eventuality we needed to sell in the future to someone who was going to take a mortgage or we decided to take a lifetime mortgage (yes we are getting to that age!), neither of which are what we are planning but never say never).

 

Is it possible to tweak your design? In the end we've reduced the cladding and gone block skin for the ground floor.

[thaldine]

Yes, that concurs with what I've so far found. There seemed to be a few lenders for traditional mortgages (i.e. not self-build) for timber frame and timber clad, which I think many folk switch to after the build, but less so for self-build mortgages.

 

I suppose if you think selling to a mortgage dependent buyer or remortgaging, possibly via a lifetime mortgage, is likely to happen before the timber cladding needs replacing (and hence could be rendered instead) the future options are restricted. In my case I may start failing before the cladding though !

[Mr Punter]

I would avoid timber frame and timber clad at all costs. Very difficult to mortgage, insure or sell.  If it is a planning requirement, go back to them siting changes post Grenfell.  You could suggest cement fibre cladding.

[Alan Ambrose]

I don't get that. We have a barn conversion which is all timber - well apart from the founds, plasterboard etc. It doesn't have a mortgage but we've had no problems insuring it. Also, what do our lovely Scottish members do with their lovely timber framed houses?

Edited November 27 by Alan Ambrose