Timber framed new homes

StandingInTheSun

Any thoughts on these? We've seen a development we like and it ticks most of our boxes, but some builder friends have suggested these new timber framed homes are ticking time bombs. Other online reading has suggested they've gotten a bad rep based on older timber framed homes which had problems new ones don't.

It wouldn't be a home for life for us - we'd think maybe 10-20 years before upsizing - but still don't want to be stuck with something nobody wants to buy.

Has anyone any thoughts or experience with them?

jennifernil

Had our 5 bed timber frame house built some 33 years back, no problems at all.

Stubod

..I thought timber frame construction was/is a fairly common way to build these days?

Our first property was timber framed, (2nd hand), and we never noted any problems. Just got to make sure you hit an upright if you are going to fix something heavy to a wall, (eg kitchen units), but they are easy enough to find and tend to be at set distances apart...

stuart45

In the early 80's timber framed houses were getting really popular, but a World in Action programme slated them and the market for them collapsed overnight. I was really pleased, but to be fair a lot of the problems were due to either  poor construction, or applied to trad houses as well.
Nowadays these problems have been sorted, but a lot of people are still a bit wary of them. Developers normally give them a brick outer skin to please the buyers. In the USA cladding is just as popular as brickwork.

AdrianC

Yes, there's quite a few timber-framed houses around now. Some have even been around long enough for serious structural issues to show themselves, leading to floors, walls and ceilings that are not perfectly level...

Totally unsellable, obviously!

StandingInTheSun

Stubod said:

..I thought timber frame construction was/is a fairly common way to build these days?

Our first property was timber framed, (2nd hand), and we never noted any problems. Just got to make sure you hit an upright if you are going to fix something heavy to a wall, (eg kitchen units), but they are easy enough to find and tend to be at set distances apart...

It is more common now, yes, because they can go up much more quickly. We've been told a 4 month turnaround for this timber frame we're looking at, compared to a traditional build in a similar area for £15k more and a 10 month turnaround!

GDB2222

AdrianC said:

Yes, there's quite a few timber-framed houses around now. Some have even been around long enough for serious structural issues to show themselves, leading to floors, walls and ceilings that are not perfectly level...

Totally unsellable, obviously!

I don't suppose that the modern timber framed houses are built out of oak, so that's not a fair comparison.

Modern timber framed houses depend a great deal on the detailed construction, so as to exclude moisture.  

daveyjp

There's a new build development close to me which is timber framed.  About 15 houses and a couple of apartment blocks, 8 in each block.

I can't say it was a quick build though as it took the best part of 5 years.  I suspect the small developer was building them at the pace he could sell them to ease cash flow.

andy444

Building timber framed houses is fairly popular nowadays. The main drawback of them I think are that they do tend to have poor sound insulative qualities particularly if they adjoin other properties but otherwise they're fine.

user1977

StandingInTheSun said:

some builder friends have suggested these new timber framed homes are ticking time bombs.

If they think they're experts - have you tried asking them to clarify what they mean?

Mickey666

GDB2222 said:

AdrianC said:

Yes, there's quite a few timber-framed houses around now. Some have even been around long enough for serious structural issues to show themselves, leading to floors, walls and ceilings that are not perfectly level...

Totally unsellable, obviously!

I don't suppose that the modern timber framed houses are built out of oak, so that's not a fair comparison.

Modern timber framed houses depend a great deal on the detailed construction, so as to exclude moisture.  

Indeed, because modern fast-grown softwood is of pitiful quality compared to 'proper' timber.  But of course, there's little or no extra profit in it for developers to build a house capable of 500 years or more of useful life.

But modern oak-frame houses are definitely a thing, just more of a specialised thing and often more more discerning self-builders.

And they're not even particularly expensive!

https://www.homebuilding.co.uk/ideas/oak-frame-homes-gallery