CoNTemporary
Familyhome
The1950sbungalow
onthissitewasjust
90m^2 .anewfirstfloor
extension,designed
byTonyholt, with a
duo-pitched roof,
has resulted in a
contemporary family
home of 210m^2. (www.
tonyholt-design.co.uk)find that if the existing ground floor external
walls have an irregular footprint, opting for
timber frame allows you to divorce the first
floor structure and to create an overhang,
which can result in an interesting design
solution,” adds Tony Holt.
“If the use of timber frame is considered
early and on-site fabrication is an option,
then the designer and engineer can work
together to reduce the need for steel
sections by using glulam and flitch beams.
“If on-site fabrication is opted for then
it’s important that the structural engineer
is comfortable with the design approach,
including designing the timber connection
details and timber frame panels, all of
which should be confirmed by written
calculations that have been submitted to
building control for approval.“If off-site timber frame is chosen, the
timber frame specialist will have their own
structural engineer who will cover the
structural design of this element. They
should, as part of their service, provide
line and point loads. These loads will need
to be passed onto the structural engineer
responsible for designing and ascertaining
that the ground floor masonry walls are
adequate to take the loads,” says Tony Holt.
In terms of the associated build costs,
Tony Holt advises that timber frame tends
to be the cheaper option when compared
to masonry construction — although this
can obviously vary from project to project.
This is due to the fact that it is typically
comprises of just 140mm insulated
timber frame, finished with a breathable
membrane, battens and cladding.The Build
BeFore