Timber Home Designs

 

A cost effective, sustainable, modular, locally appropriate solution for rural homes in the South East.

Around 20,000-25,000 people build their own homes each year in the UK. Ninety-five per cent have never built anything before.

Four timber frame designs in addition to the Anderwood design (PDF 302 kb) have been developed. They are all suitable for construction using sustainably sourced, local timber for the primary structural frame and cladding, with either traditional studwork or a Structurally Insulated Panel system (SIP) for the secondary structure.
Roderick James Architects LLP retains the copyright on these designs, but no fee will be charged for their use by individual (non-commercial) applicants.

The designs utilise a primary loadbearing structure, which is a post and beam construction designed to be manufactured out of Douglas fir but could be constructed from other local timbers such as oak - cost would be a major factor in this decision. The use of a structural timber frame negates the need for loadbearing internal walls and therefore the internal layouts indicated can easily be adjusted to suit individual requirements.

The external appearance of all four house designs can be adjusted to suit the requirements of the individual planning authority but, in principle, locally sourced timber weather boarding has been specified with traditional timber windows and doors.

Two designs for Protected Landscape (i.e. National Park, AONB etc).

The Birch (PDF 100 kb)
This detached house design provides 105mē internal floor area and is a double-fronted house with traditional entrance porch and a simple, single-storey addition to one side. This type of extension could be added onto the core building at any time.

The Elm (PDF 88 kb)
This semi-detached house design provides 90mē internal floor area. It is also double-fronted but has a lower eaves level to the roof than The Birch (providing a cottage appearance suitable for a Protected Landscape).

Two designs for Unprotected Landscape (i.e. rural areas generally).
These two house designs are for rural houses generally and provide more contemporary solutions to housing design.

The Beech (PDF 90 kb)
This is a detached house design that provides 120mē internal floor area that can be used on a sloping site (or be adapted for a level site). The design indicated for a sloping site allows a split-level approach, with an upside-down internal arrangement of living rooms upstairs and bedrooms downstairs.
The construction of the house is based on a masonry ground floor (with retaining walls and loadbearing walls where necessary) and a structural timber frame / timber clad section at first floor level (with living rooms open to the rafters). The structural timber frame could be used on both levels if the house is situated on a level site.

The Hazel (PDF 170 kb)
A contemporary, detached, single-storey rural house providing 114mē internal floor area, based on modular bay sizes of 3 x 6m. The simple, robust arrangement is particularly suitable for rural locations.

Construction guidance (PDF 81 kb)