Timber frame (ICF/SIPS/...) vs Block & Brick

We have a plot, we have planning permission (Herts, England). I am looking for near-passivhaus standard insulation (+MVHR,ASHP). Currently trying to figure out construction method.

My understanding super high level it seems TF reduces risk by being very scientific in approach, but when issues do slip through they cause major trouble.

Details: please add/correct/comment

Brick&Block:
Pro: Easier to compensate for unexpected issues, e.g. uneven foundation, unavailability of some type of window.. etc
Pro: Likely a more "solid feeling" building.
Con: Load bearing walls cannot be changed easily, can't just move doorways
Con: Harder to spot mistakes because they can be glossed over, and small mistakes can cause big conflicts

Neutral:
Cost: TF more expensive to design, but theoretically cheaper to build, balancing out. Seems to depend more on the company choice than the choice of method
Total Build Time: TF is faster from foundation to finished, but takes longer to design and produce off-site so final time is roughly the same.
Sound Insulation: Seems to all depend on how well things are designed, both systems can be noisy or quiet. Perhaps brick has extra weight so some benefit but seems to be small.

Timber Frame:
Pro: From foundation to airtight in 7 days, less risk of bad weather issues
Pro: Easier to insulate to high degree - pretty airtight by design rather than something that needs to be kept an eye on 24/7
Pro: Precision: everything will be in exactly the designed spot. (design could be wrong of course)
Pro: Removes risk of ordering incorrect size large items
Pro: Easier on unstable ground since it's lighter.
Con: IF the design is wrong, changing during build (or 5 years later... extension?) is near-impossible?
Con: walls will be flimsy, so hanging e.g. large mirrors is a hassle
Con?: Public perception might negatively affect resale value

Questions:
- Can a TF design be structurally altered after it's built? E.g. with brick you can bridge a load bearing wall with a steel beam. Is that possible with TF?
- Will Brexit affect this choice? For example - are TF materials sourced from Europe and Bricks from UK?
- TF depends on if a crane can get to us, store resources on the plot.. how can we make sure this is all possible before we spend time/money on detailed designs.

Personally I would never have a lightweight timber panel building (I don't like to call them timber frame) simply because of durability.

If you get a hidden leak from defective plumbing, poorly installed vapour barrier, missing cavity tray etc. etc. it can very quickly cause extensive wet rot in the lightweight softwood studwork and panelling potentially causing tens of thousands of pounds worth of structural damage. I've seen several cases of such buildings less than 50 years old condemned due to extensive wet rot, especially one off self builds.

I've never understood the fashion in this country to build a lightweight timber panel house and then bury it behind fake brickwork. Why don't we do as in America and Scandanavia where there have a lightweight cladding such as timber which works so much better with the timber panelled construction.

Traditional construction for me every time.

In answer to a couple of your questions. Timber panelled houses can be altered quite easily and as a lot of our timber comes from Canada and Norway then I expect Brexit will have very little effect.

I will have moved into my TF house 25 years ago on 5th December after a 17 week build from first trench dug. I had a 6" frame as an extra, for the insulation. Probably the minimum now, I guess. I've had leaks, one or two good uns, with no adverse effect on the frame. To counter wessex, I'd never build a block house- timber far better for the environment. I will concede his point about cladding- wish I had been a bit more adventurous in design and outside finish. As for cranes, my blokes (2 of them, one 65) lifted every panel and truss into place by hand- shock horror these days, I suppose.

Cost (1995) Land, 1/3 acre brownfield, £26k, Build 1650 sq ft, £54k. I only add that to make you feel ill

Your house looks great

It's funny how the word "properly" basically clouds every discussion. (not that the first 2 responders here used it)..

- A properly built timber frame house should not have water/moisture touch the wood (plus wood is treated anyway), and it will last a lifetime.
- A properly built brick/block house will be easy to get airtight, high insulation
- A properly designed house will not overheat..
- A properly costed TF will not be more expensive..

Pretty much everyone leans towards one or the other factor, points out their method of choice is superior for that particular reason.. only to have opponents refute it in the "properly..." style

For now, I'm still at the beginning of my research, but high level it seems that any method "done properly" will be fine, which really only leaves two issues:

1/ Is timberframe "logistically" doable, access to the property (crane?) manufacturer lead times and perhaps brexit issues being top of mind
2/ Do I prefer longer, more detailed design phase up front, and quick build, or more natural flow
3/ How do I find proper teams to do all this..

wessex101 said:

durability.

Click to expand...

Heh, to be a bit blunt, I don't think I'd stay in the new house more than 20 (3yo kid, retirement etc). Even if you're 100% right it would not affect me massively although I'd try to be as careful as I can. But perhaps it's where some hesitancy in the resale market comes from?

I've never understood the fashion in this country to build a lightweight timber panel house and then bury it behind fake brickwork.

Click to expand...

Fair, I am a bit stuck with 'in keeping' with the rest of the road, so I probably have to do white render. Why is fake brickwork an issue though? Isn't it mostly self-carrying so not a major load on the TF? Sure, it'd only be aesthetic..

Timber panelled houses can be altered quite easily

Click to expand...

Would you say that "meaningful changes" after the house is built are equally hard/easy in both building methods then?

and as a lot of our timber comes from Canada and Norway then I expect Brexit will have very little effect.

Click to expand...

Oh I thought Poland was the #1 source for UK?

charliegolf said:

I've had leaks, one or two good uns, with no adverse effect on the frame.

Click to expand...

How do you know? Are there tests? Or are you assuming because it hasn't collapsed?

cladding- wish I had been a bit more adventurous in design and outside finish.

Click to expand...

Could you elaborate a little? Do you mean you'd go for timber? Or what materials? Frankly I'm not a massive fan of the scandinavian/timber "look" but that's a minor point really

Cost (1995) Land, 1/3 acre brownfield, £26k, Build 1650 sq ft, £54k. I only add that to make you feel ill

Click to expand...

Grumblegrumble. But, I bet you can't get into covidcentr.. I mean London in under 30 minutes!

Ha ha, no, I'm in Wales, and going nowhere soon. Leaks. No I haven't followed them up with inspections and so on. But there has been no deformation of the structure, and the timber condition is as it was back then. Cladding and design... I designed mine on school graph paper with sketch of a traditional pitched roof house. It was all about the money, and that seemed the safest way to go. I/we wish we had gone for a more contemporary design/ more glass/open plan/better orientation for views over the river and forestry we have alongside. Cladding need not have been stone and block/render. That said, I'm 64 now, so upkeep of timber cladding would be becoming an issue in my mind now, had we gone that way.