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Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism
PostPosted: Mon May 29, 06 4:33 pm    Post subject: Timber houses Reply with quote
    

Does anyone live in a house mostly made from timber? I.e. the frame and walls. I was just wondering what they would be like to live in. I've lived or stayed in all sorts of places from new build to very old properties with two foot stone walls but not a timber house.

Just wondering what they are like to heat in winter, what sort of insulation is used in the walls etc. Do they trasmit noise and what are the vibrations like. I also wonder what sort of fire precautions need to be taken or are they just like a brick house?

pricey



Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Posts: 6444

PostPosted: Mon May 29, 06 5:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I seem to recall you stayed in a timber building , the beginning of January

Sorry I will go now.

Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism
PostPosted: Mon May 29, 06 5:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

You mean the cold place that you could feel the side winds and where you could hear a mouse f*rt?

Penny Outskirts



Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 23385
Location: Planet, not on the....
PostPosted: Mon May 29, 06 5:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Treacodactyl wrote:
You mean the cold place that you could feel the side winds and where you could hear a mouse f*rt?


Are you sure it was a mouse, my dear darling OH was sleeping in the next chalet

pricey



Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Posts: 6444

PostPosted: Mon May 29, 06 6:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Treacodactyl wrote:
You mean the cold place that you could feel the side winds and where you could hear a mouse f*rt?


That will be the one

Rob R



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York
PostPosted: Mon May 29, 06 6:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Well I don't think they are any more vulnerable to fire than a standard brick house (which themselves are very flammable things). I found this on a wooden house manufacturers' website:
Quote:
Our logs have a ½-hour fire certificate carried out by TRADA (Timber Research and Development Association) to a British standard.


They've recently become quite popular round here with quite a lot of small holiday parks going up as well as residential houses. I just happened to be looking at the Grand Designs website before I came on here, looking particularly at timber houses, including that one of Ben Law's & the Finnish one.

Last edited by Rob R on Mon May 29, 06 6:27 pm; edited 1 time in total

Penny Outskirts



Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 23385
Location: Planet, not on the....
PostPosted: Mon May 29, 06 6:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Steve's Aunt lives in a wooden house in the US - we stayed with her a few years back, it was wonderful. Very cosy in December and a lovely warm feel to it. Most of the houses there seemed to be timber framed - it was NY state.

Rob R



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York
PostPosted: Mon May 29, 06 6:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

And in Australia you can go buy them cars in a huge lot, then just strap it onto the back of a wagon & off they go to your plot At least that's what I heard from someone who'd lived out there.

Cathryn



Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion
PostPosted: Mon May 29, 06 6:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Our house is ten years old and has three floors - the bottom brick and the top two timber framed. We have lived here for two years and moved from a standard forestry commission built cottage. Our bills are much smaller and this is despite it being built on the cheap, lots of the internal stuff being designed for a much smaller house and it's oil fired heating. Even in the coldest parts of winter we found we only needed it on for a few hours during the evening.

Course the downside is that the top floor is very hot in summer - but thats for such a short time it never seems to really matter

Cathryn



Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion
PostPosted: Mon May 29, 06 6:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Blast just realised you said the walls as well - I think I will just sit quietly and pretend I'm not here!

pricey



Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Posts: 6444

PostPosted: Mon May 29, 06 7:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

We were looking at buying a Finn lodge for Portugal, payed for the plan's etc.. then found the barn so decided not to.

I was very impressed with the spec of the building, after looking at 4 different companies, decided that this was the best, IMHO.

Penny Outskirts



Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 23385
Location: Planet, not on the....
PostPosted: Mon May 29, 06 7:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

pricey wrote:
We were looking at buying a Finn lodge for Portugal, payed for the plan's etc.. then found the barn so decided not to.

I was very impressed with the spec of the building, after looking at 4 different companies, decided that this was the best, IMHO.


Do you have a website for them, Pricey, or an idea of cost??

pricey



Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Posts: 6444

PostPosted: Mon May 29, 06 7:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

They dont have a web site, they have a advert in the country smallholding magazine, you just phone the no leave a message and they send you a price list etc.. once you decide which one you like you send off £20 I think it is for the initial plans what comes in the kit etc.. Then you go from there.

I will show you at the weekend if you want.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism
PostPosted: Tue May 30, 06 12:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Thanks for the comments everyone. Does anyone know how the Finn Lodge's walls are constructed? Boards on the outside, membrane, insulation etc I expect; but do you have a choice on the insulation used? I'm curious to see if something like the Finn lodge could be constructed on site using local timber, a bit like Ben Laws house but using more common square timbers and timber walls rather than straw bales.

pricey



Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Posts: 6444

PostPosted: Tue May 30, 06 12:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I have the diagrams some where I think, will have a look this eve TD.

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