Self Build Stories

Construction Types

By far the two most popular methods of construction for the self builder are Traditional (brick and block) Construction and Timber Frame.
In modern traditionally built houses the walls are built in two leaves. There is internal blockwork wall and the external wall built of brick or stone. These, together with some internal partitions which are also built of blockwork, will support the structure of the house.

timber frame

In timber frame construction the internal structure is a wooden frame which has been designed to support the structure of the house. This frame is then clad by a facing material such as brick or stone, to provide an attractive finish.
For more information on Timber Frame visit the Potton Homes website.

The present building regulations mean that both methods of construction ensure that the structure is strongly supported and that adequate provision has been made in each case for insulation and inclement weather.

Whilst both methods can provide attractive homes, the traditional method takes longer to construct and finish as the actual building operation is more painstaking, the houses literally being built brick by brick. In many cases the necessity to have wet trades both externally and internally mean that a longer time is needed to build than timber frame where the kits are erected in a much shorter time and the internal works are drier and speedier.

brick and block

Building in steel has been popular in the USA and South Africa for some time and recently has been the subject of much interest in this country. The steel framework is lightweight, strong, weather resistant and quick to erect. Exterior panels are attached to the steel frame and then rendered. Most of the materials are made to measure prior to delivery on site and thus the house can be made weatherproof very quickly.

Beco Wallform Blocks Another construction method is through the use of a permanent insulated formwork system which provides a practical method of building insulated walls for houses. The leading exponents of this method are Beco Wallform. An Insulating Concrete Formwork (ICF) system, BecoWallform is based on large hollow lightweight block components which lock together without intermediate bedding materials to provide a formwork system into which concrete is poured. Once set, the concrete becomes an airtight, high strength structure and the formwork remains in place as thermal insulation, with U-values ranging from 0.30 W/m²K down to 0.11W/m²K - ideal for zero energy buildings.

Beco Wallform Construction The building process is quick, tidy and precise, with lower labour and equipment requirements than alternative methods.

Creative design (without compromising performance) is encouraged by the availability of a comprehensive range of components, which is further enhanced by the built-in option to incorporate reinforcement for basement and multi storey projects.

The flexibility of building with insitu concrete makes it more practical to co-ordinate other products and material systems - different types of floors, roofs, windows etc - with BecoWallform the need for specialised accessories is minimised.

All these methods of construction have their place and demand careful investigation as personal preference plays a large part in the kind of construction finally chosen.

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Planning Considerations