Timber Frame or Concrete Block?  This is the choice many self builders have to decide on. Both methods have their good and bad points – here is the
Timber Frame industry version of why to build a Timber Framed House:

1) Timber Frame can dramatically cut your heating bills. Timber is a natural insulator and due to the thickness of the inner leaf timber wall, you get more insulation as standard than with a Block house. Savings of between 30 and 40% on heating bills are fairly typical.2) Timber Frame buildings are strong and durable. In fact there are many Timber Frame buildings across the UK and Europe dating back many hundreds of years, some as far back as the thirteenth century.

3) Fire Resistance. Timber Frame houses perform excellently in cases of fire. It is perhaps natural for people to think otherwise however, as we all know that timber is hard to beat when placed in your stove. However the timber in a Timber Frame home is treated, as well as being covered by fire resistant dry lining board. Timber Frame buildings need to meet the same exacting standards and regulations as any other method of construction, and they meet these regulations comfortably.

4) Speed and accuracy of construction. The average Timber Frame home is weather proof in five days or less. This means that tradesmen such as plumbers and electricians can get to work on the inside of your house from virtually the outset. You can be moved in within six to eight weeks. That is an incredible saving in time, which can mean big savings in rental and storage costs as well as a faster return on investment. Also due to the modern technology and equipment used in the controlled setting of the factory, the accuracy of the walls can be measured to +/-1mm accuracy, making laying carpet or installing kitchens trouble free. That really sets the standards for other building methods to follow.

5) Timber Frame is very environmentally friendly. The timber used comes from managed forests, mainly in Scandinavia, Canada and Ireland. Replanting of these forests ensures that every tree that is cut down is replaced. In fact there is a net growth in the number of trees planted in these forests each year. Timber uses far less energy and creates much less CO2 than concrete or steel to bring it to its finished state. In fact Timber acts as a carbon sink, storing CO2 which it takes from the atmosphere. Another spin off is that as you use less energy on heating a timber frame home which is an enormous benefit to the environment.

6) Flexibility of Design and future Modification. Timber Frame is a very adaptable form of construction and has already been utilised in Ireland to build Hotels, Office blocks, nursing homes, apartment blocks, as well as large housing developments. Buildings as high as seven stories are being produced. Extending a Timber Frame building is a very easy and clean process as well, making it a wise choice for people who want to start small and let the house grow along with the family. Finally, a Timber Frame building can be clad with many different materials including brick, block, timber, cement board or stone amongst other materials. In other words, the building can look as traditional or different as you like.

7) Better build quality. As each building is an engineered solution which utilises the latest CADCAM systems, consistency of build quality is extremely high. This leads to a higher customer satisfaction rate, fewer call backs and less dependency on site skills.

Reduced material handling and waste. Timber Frame buildings arrive on site in panellised form, labelled and stored in order of erection, which in turn reduces the need for handling. Also, as the structure is for the most part manufactured in a factory environment, there is far less on site waste, which leads to a safer and tidier site.

9) Timber Frame buildings are very suited to the Irish climate. In Scotland with whom we share a very similar climate, Timber Frame accounts for approximately 65% of all new homes. The growth of Timber Frame in Ireland has been phenomenal, growing from just 5% of all new buildings in the mid 1990?s to around 25% at present. Many industry commentators expect this figure to reach 50% in the next 5 to 7 years.

10) EU Directive 2002/91/EC on the Energy Performance of Buildings. This directive was recently passed into European and Irish. Essentially its? purpose is to ensure higher standards of energy efficiency in all buildings Europe wide. All buildings are to have an energy Audit, and will be given an Energy Rating similar to what you would find on a new fridge. Whenever a building is to be sold or rented an energy rating certificate must be presented to the buyers or tenants, which will enable them to estimate their annual heating costs. It is expected to have an impact on the speed at which property is sold and it is quite likely to affect the price of a building as well, especially in a downward market. The benefits of Timber Frame Technology will really be brought to light in the face of this new directive. The Timber Frame Industry in Ireland is perhaps not surprisingly calling for an early implementation of the directive.