Choosing a build method will dictate your entire build, so it is worth researching the options early on.
Around 70% of new homes in the UK are brick and block, a ‘wet’ system of building. With this you have an inner skin of blockwork tied-in with an outer skin of brickwork.
Houses are physically built on site, meaning that this route has a longer ‘on-site’ build phase, which can cause inconvenience to neighbours or be liable to theft of vandalism. But it’s on-site approach means that it can be forgiving of discrepancies in foundations.
As the dominant system there are loads of firms and tradesmen familiar with it, and – with training – ambitious self-builders can also get stuck in.
However, as a wet system, it takes time to dry on site and is affected by bad weather. It also requires load-bearing walls, so open-plan designs need to be carefully planned.
The second-most popular route, timber frames use wood products that act as the superstructure. They come in a wide variety of forms, and are often clad in materials that give little clue to the build method underneath, such as brick slips, tile or render.
Most rely on panels systems using OSB combined with high levels of insulation (see image above).
The companies that make these homes are often referred to as package manufacturers, and the homes are often designed by in-house teams, although they can work with your architect. These are Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) as they are built off-site in a factory to an agreed design, usually in a matter of weeks – a lead time that must be factored in. You may or may not need to arrange the foundations yourselves – speak to the company you are considering about how they work. Foundations need to be perfect for everything to fit once on site.
Once agreed stick to your design as changes are costly once commissioned, and there’s little scope for self-builders to work on the actual structure.
The frame is erected on-site in a matter of days, and the erection is all taken care of by your manufacturer and contractors.
Modern glued wood, such as Glulam, is enormously versatile, meaning it can create open-plan spaces and interesting designs with ease, and it can be concealed or become part of the design.
Homes can be completed by the company, if they offer this, or you can contract a range of trades to get the watertight shell through first and second fix.
This is not a build method as such but a set of principles that you build to. Building a passive house is about creating a home with lower running costs due to the way its constructed.
Consequently, attention is given to the orientation of windows to capture solar gain in summer with overhangs offering shading in the summer, as well as very high levels of air tightness and insulation. They typically have mechanical heating and ventilation (MVHR) systems that circulate air throughout the house, reusing heat rather than venting it outside. Find out more at the Passivhaus Trust.
There are hundreds of different companies and suppliers to the self build industry. The Self Build Directory offers a listing of companies experienced in custom and self build, all backed by NaCSBA’s Code of Practice, meaning they are trusted suppliers. Take a look at our CASE STUDIES to get a feel for how homes can be built in different ways.
The Structural Timber Association has a list of audited members for you to choose from for your project, or visit the self build section on its website for a range of guides to help you with the decision making process, including:
Build It’s guide: ‘Beginner’s guides: Structural options’
‘House Construction Methods’ [The Self Build Guide]
Check out the books in NaCSBA’s library.
