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Matt- Shropshire/Powys border


matt-shrops

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Good Afternoon Buildhub.

 

After researching on EBuild and on now on here I thought it was about time I joined.

 

I have planning permission to build a house for myself near Montgomery on the Shropshire/Powys Border.

I aim to build to Passive standards- raft foundation, 300mm warmcell, and triple glazing.

I have designed the house to face south with large windows passive gain.

I have had a few quotes from timber framers, including MBC, but they all were too expensive. So I am going to have an oak frame built and then I will build a twin stud wall or IBeams to hold the insulation and windows.

Thanks for all the amazingly interesting and helpful threads so far.... I am sure I will have many  questions very soon.

Cheers

Matt

 

 

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Welcome and looking forward to more details.

 

One aspect to think about (if not already done) is total cost - your approach may require more steps and / or materials to complete and what is the total cost compared to package timber framers? And impact to time to complete?

 

Also make sure you understand the impact to hitting passiv standard if going your own route.

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Hi and welcome. 

What cost comparison are you working to ? You need to be sure it's not more expensive to go 'bespoke' and that it'll achieve the same standard.  

Remember certain TF suppliers will guarantee a particular level of airtightness and that's not easy to do. If you get a mix of disconnected trades on site, continuity and attention to minute detail often slips, and it's the minute detail that will make or kill your target build quality. 

 

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Hi and welcome.

 

Which side of the border may determine which building regs you have to abide by.

 

I would be surprised if an oak frame and then infil with I beams would be cheaper than an MBC build. Make sure you are really comparing like for like i.e. including all the wall structure, insulation, air tightness detail etc.

 

Make sure lots of S facing glazing does not overheat the house in summer (the sun does occasionally shine in Wales)

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Evening all.

Thanks for your comments.

 

I understand that I am potentialy doubling up by having an oak frame and then a stud wall. However the oak frame was was a very good price (built reasonably locally) and I have time at the moment to give to the stud wall.

 

I have had a good quote for warm cell and will act as labourer to save a few more ££.

 

The MBC frame quote has gone up by about £20k in about a year. Otherwise I might of gone that route.

 

Understand it is the attention to detail that will determine the overall airtightness. However it is going to be my house so I am prepared to spend extra time on airtightness and details.

 

I am just in Shropshire, so no sprinkler system required and CIL exempt which was remarkably easy to apply for.

 

Cheers

Matt

 

 

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You will have to use an air tight membrane inside to get decent air tightness, I can't see your wall panels fitted into an oak frame being very intrinsically air tight as it is.  That will be several £00 for the membrane and a not inconsiderable amount of tape. Air tightness would come included with an MBC frame.

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10 hours ago, ProDave said:

You will have to use an air tight membrane inside to get decent air tightness, I can't see your wall panels fitted into an oak frame being very intrinsically air tight as it is.  That will be several £00 for the membrane and a not inconsiderable amount of tape. Air tightness would come included with an MBC frame.

Out of curiosity, which other TF suppliers ( offering a turnkey slab / weathertight & guaranteed airtight shell ) are out there that have been used by members here?

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6 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

Out of curiosity, which other TF suppliers ( offering a turnkey slab / weathertight & guaranteed airtight shell ) are out there that have been used by members here?

I can think of Beattie Passive and Touchwood for a start, we had discussions with both, and I am sure at least one person on her has used Touchwood.

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from my research, there are plenty of the NI based companies that are installing frame kits into the mainland UK

here's a few to try, I've had discussions with most of them re. our project and their open panel kits were ALL cheaper than MBC like-for-like.

Kilbroney

Leadon

Kudos

McCavana

QTF

Unique

TTFC

They've all got slightly different offerings, from bare installed frame kits, through felting and battening/ supply of insulation/airtightness/PB/ windows/ MVHR, and or fitting of all the above too. None however offer a direct slab or passive slab option.

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32 minutes ago, ProDave said:

I can think of Beattie Passive and Touchwood for a start, we had discussions with both, and I am sure at least one person on her has used Touchwood.

 

14 minutes ago, dpmiller said:

from my research, there are plenty of the NI based companies that are installing frame kits into the mainland UK

here's a few to try, I've had discussions with most of them re. our project and their open panel kits were ALL cheaper than MBC like-for-like.

Kilbroney

Leadon

Kudos

McCavana

QTF

Unique

TTFC

They've all got slightly different offerings, from bare installed frame kits, through felting and battening/ supply of insulation/airtightness/PB/ windows/ MVHR, and or fitting of all the above too. None however offer a direct slab or passive slab option.

Thanks both. Probably good to have a balanced overview to keep the thread healthy, and folk will then have sufficient information to 'shop around'. ;)

 

 

14 minutes ago, dpmiller said:

......were ALL cheaper than MBC like-for-like.

 

14 minutes ago, dpmiller said:

None however offer a direct slab or passive slab option

 

None exactly like for like then ?

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Hello Matt, welcome.

We have a closed panel timber frame I joist build from PYC in Welshpool. 300mm warmcell.They are not far from you.

I had quotes from MBC & Touchwood and a couple of others.

I think PYC were able to be more competitive because they are the UK distributors for Warmcell.

They were not the cheapest quote we had but I was happy with what we were getting for the money.

 

 

 

 

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Moira- looking great! I have visited PYC including their new factory in Welshpool. Unfortunately their quote was the most expensive.

@ProDave- sorry I did not explain properly- my stud wall will go to the outside of the oak frame, essentially a separate structure (but will be tied in). I am looking at smartply passive OSB or a similar product for the internal air barrier. 

 

MBC quote was a competitive quote from the ones I had but still expensive and did not include the slab (20k).

 

Matt

Edited by Nickfromwales
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@matt-shrops@PlumbersmateukI have ideal combi windows & doors.

Alu clad timber, all triple glazed. Cost about £12k.

6m glazing at the rear with 2 fixed panels & 2 centrally opening sliders with a solar protection coating.

2 fixed panels on the dormer with a centre sliding panel.

3/4 glazed back door.

Fully glazed front door with 2 fixed side lights.

2 1800w x 600h top hung windows & 2 smaller top hung windows.

They look great & really smooth operation of the sliders.

I am so pleased with the windows themselves but had a disaster on the initial installation.

A complete bodge job.

I had to have them all removed & installed properly by another firm.

Ideal combi were really helpful & the firm they recommended have done a great job.

Even though the installation is not completely finished the windows have been totally watertight.

I had expected with all the wind & driving rain some water may have got in but happily no problems at all & we are elevated & quite exposed.

I spent about 18 months finalising the glazing & had quotes from rationel, internorm, velfac, Olsen UK, Munster.

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