Walls Timber Frame - building year 2014 – Any Advice?

alwaysquestioning

I’ve finally found a property I can afford and would be happy living in. However, today I checked the EPC and noticed the Wall: Timber frame, as built, insulated.

I can see there is also a cavity wall, as you can see from the image below. EPC score is 81 so good.

The building is a 3-floor building and was built in 2014, so it’s not too old. But this is the first time I’ve come across Timber frame walls. I’m wondering if that’s something to be concerned about, especially when it comes to:

1. Mortgage Lenders – Will this affect my ability to get a mortgage now or in the future?
   
   
2. Selling the Property – Is it likely to affect the property’s resale value or make it harder to sell in the future?
   
   
3. Insurance – Will it make insurance more expensive or difficult to get?

Also, I’ve read that all of people say that new builds can be problematic because developers might use cheap materials, and the quality can really depend on the developer.

Is 2014 considered a good year for building standards, or should I be worried about the developer cutting corners?

Finally, any advice on how I can find out the developer of the building?

Thanks in advance for your help! 😊

bobster2

Do not rely on an EPC for an accurate description of the construction method. Notice it says wall types are "assumed" because the EPC inspector can't see inside them and isn't an expert.

I've seen various identical houses on the same estate all given different wall type descriptions on their EPCs.

But in general - many modern homes are timber frame and mortgageable.

stuart45

Modem houses often have the 3rd storey in the roof space, so those walls are timber frame apart from the gable and party walls.

comeandgo

No problem with timber frame houses, the majority in Scotland are built that way and it is becoming more popular elsewhere.  Regarding developers, can you not just google the name of the development and ask the question of the search engine, who built it?

alwaysquestioning

bobster2 said:

Do not rely on an EPC for an accurate description of the construction method. Notice it says wall types are "assumed" because the EPC inspector can't see inside them and isn't an expert.

I've seen various identical houses on the same estate all given different wall type descriptions on their EPCs.

But in general - many modern homes are timber frame and mortgageable.

I think you’re right. The more I look at the EPC, the more I feel like it’s not something you can always rely on.

I checked the EPCs of the other flats in the same building, and none of them mention a timber frame. It doesn’t seem likely that only one flat would have it while the other 6 don’t.

FreeBear

alwaysquestioning said:

bobster2 said:

Do not rely on an EPC for an accurate description of the construction method. Notice it says wall types are "assumed" because the EPC inspector can't see inside them and isn't an expert.

I've seen various identical houses on the same estate all given different wall type descriptions on their EPCs.

But in general - many modern homes are timber frame and mortgageable.

I think you’re right. The more I look at the EPC, the more I feel like it’s not something you can always rely on.

I checked the EPCs of the other flats in the same building, and none of them mention a timber frame. It doesn’t seem likely that only one flat would have it while the other 6 don’t.

I wouldn't trust an EPC to correctly identify a wall construction - There is a house a few doors down that said timber construction on the upper half. Anyone with even a passing knowledge of construction methods in *this area from the 1920s would know it was solid brick. And if not, just tapping the walls would show that they are a lot more solid.

Modern timber framed construction usually uses Structural Insulated Panels - These are prefabricated in a factory (better quality control) and perfectly acceptable to most mortgage lenders.

stuart45

There could be an area of timber frame in the upper bay on a 20's house which I think gets included in the RDSAP calcs.

FreeBear

stuart45 said:

There could be an area of timber frame in the upper bay on a 20's house which I think gets included in the RDSAP calcs.

The house I was referring to had no bay windows. Certainly other properties in this area of a similar age with double height bays are (as built) uninsulated timber construction on the upper section. Ruddy cold in the winter, prone to condensation & mould, and not a straightforward job to insulate.

stuart45

Not sure how the DEA made a mistake on that house then. 
Nowadays with special Catnic bay lintels and poles an insulated cavity wall can be used in upper bays, but years ago timber studwork, or a single brick skin was used, unless piers were built in the corners.