For people buying a timber frame kit, knowing exactly what they have bought can seem daunting at first but once broken down into the various components of the kit, planning and preparing for the arrival of your timber frame house is straightforward.
The Structural Frame Itself
A Timber Frame House Kit consists of the structural frame of your house, factory-cut to size and supplied with your drawings. The wall panels are made up of a sole plate, vertical studs, and head binder, all fixed together and usually covered on the outside with OSB board to form a strong outer skin. The roof is made up of pre-engineered roof trusses, ready to lift into position on completion of the walls below.
Insulation and Breather Membrane
The breather membrane, fixed to the outside of the panels, protects the building from wind and rain during the construction period but allows moisture to escape from within the wall. Rigid or semi-rigid insulation batts, supplied in pre-cut lengths to fit between the stud spacings, are also included in most timber frame house kits. Please check with the supplier of your timber frame house kit that the insulation is included and if so, what type.
Fixings and Connection Hardware
Joist hangers, truss clips, framing anchors and structural screws are typically supplied as a pack of fixings. These fixings are used to connect the panels together, from floor to floor up to the roof, and to link together between rooms. They are pre-selected by the supplier to be the correct fixings for your specific timber frame.
Drawings and Building Regulation Documents
There is normally also included with a timber frame house kit, the Structural Engineer drawings and the documentation required to obtain building regulations approval for a new home. For Timber Frame House Kits, see //merlintimberframe.co.uk/timber-frame-kits.
Erection Support
Some suppliers will also include the erection of the frame in their package, or they will provide a liaison officer to work with your contractor to co-ordinate the frame raise.
What Is Not Included
Foundations, outer covering, windows, doors and internal finishes are examples of items not typically included within a timber frame house kit.
It’s very important to know exactly what your kit includes so that there are no surprises when the delivery lorry arrives.
