Timber Frame Companies

ChippingSodbury

Hi,
I'm just starting the research for building a new house. My preference would be for timber frame. Can anybody recommend any timber frame suppliers? I've had a quick look at century.ie and ijm.ie
It seems to me that ijm are a fair bit cheaper but are they comparable in terms of items installed/ supplied/ quality and insulation?
Any other decent companies out there?
Last question, roughly how much would it cost as a multiple of the timber frame supply and install price to complete the job for 1800 - 2000sqft house in North West?
Thanks.

CJhaughey

Scanhome.ie sell prefabricated Swedish timberframe houses, they do the foundation and the shell and supply the materials to finish the house as part of the package.

mjffey

Try Viking House, Scotframe, Kingspan Century or Ecotec (www.ecotechomes.co.uk)
Ecotech is in Co. Armagh. We just got a quote of them, but only for a 914sqft extension and that was 19057.00 excl VAT.

ChippingSodbury

Thanks guys.
Any more out there?

sas

ChippingSodbury wrote:

Thanks guys.
Any more out there?

www.kenmaretimberframe.com
www.cygnum.ie
www.ktf.ie
www.ttfc.ie
www.scanhome.ie

davidoco

€20 euro per square foot for timber frame seems to be the going rate, for that you get the frame, roof felted/membrane and battened out, with first floor floored.

Viking House

Try and get them to put the OSB on the inside, OSB on the outside traps moisture in the frame because it can't breathe.

davidoco

Viking House wrote:

Try and get them to put the OSB on the inside, OSB on the outside traps moisture in the frame because it can't breathe.

What do you suggest the build should be?

Is the render, block, gap, membrane, osb, frame/insulation, plasterboard, skim now dated?

Viking House

davidoco wrote:

What do you suggest the build should be?

Here is the build-up we are using starting from the inside.

Plasterboard or Fermacell 12mm
Softboard 50mm (we leave a 5cm gap in the softboard 50cm from the floor for services)
OSB 15mm taped and jointed for airtightness
150mm studs at 600mm centres (Paroc between the studs)
Green plasterboard on the outside of the frames (I am in the process of looking for a strong board that has the same breathable properties as plasterboard)
Paroc on the outside plastered with fibreglass mesh supported breathable plaster 100mm

This wall buildup is designed to give the best combination of high U-value, high density giving the optimal 12 hour Decrement Delay, airtightness and elimination of cold bridges.

davidoco

Seems like a good plan. I looked at this page on paroc http://www.paroc.com/channels/com/building+insulation/solutions/external+walls/default.asp and they don't quite mention the layout as you have suggested but the paroc seems, in my mind, to be a better product than wool or the harder lighter insultants.

Are there any Irish suppliers of Paroc?

Viking House

davidoco wrote:

Are there any Irish suppliers of Paroc?

We were thinking of becoming agents for it but we are very busy already. There seems to be a big shortage of Paroc in Europe, we are waiting 3 months for it at the moment so we bought 10,000m2 in order to try and build up a stock. Thats about enough for 10 houses and is about 10 artic truck loads. We might sell a bit of that.
We filled a bucket with water and immersed the Paroc external insulatuion for 2 days, then we took it out and cut it open with a knife, the water had only gone in 2mms into the wool and was dry 15 mins later.

AJL

Hi

i went with a kingspan tek house from the timber frame company in Wexford. Cost 30 euros a sq ft but is much stronger than a timber frame. Walls are made of 41/2 inch insulation with osb either side. Amazingly stong. Also airtight and quick to install. Roof is made the same so U values are low at 0.2 W/m2