Extending Timber framed houses?

SilentSteve

We're looking at buying a timber framed house, where the kitchen is too small. There's room in the garden to extend it (just) but I only have experience of block & brick houses.

Can you make openings in timber framed houses like you can with conventional ones, putting in a joist and removing external walling?

System

Of course you can

Andy123.

I don!!!8217;t see why not. Just get a structural engineer involved.

SilentSteve

the_r_sole wrote: »

Of course you can

Great - was thinking that the panels would've been designed not to be modified, and that two masonry skins gave the house more strength than timber + brick cladding.

System

SilentSteve wrote: »

Great - was thinking that the panels would've been designed not to be modified, and that two masonry skins gave the house more strength than timber + brick cladding.

Timber frame is actually pretty easy to modify, standard panels have studs at 600 centres and then doubles or triples where there are openings with timber lintels. So it's just a case of adding the correct bracing in when you make the openings. As said above get an engineer to look at any significant openings and they'll tell you how to go about it (or get a contractor with timber frame experience)