Timber Framed Construction - good or bad?

[Richard Knight]

Currently looking to buy a house in Peterborough and we're down to two which we like. One is timber framed. Although I've learnt a bit about timber framed this morning by reading what I can find on the internet, I would be interested in peoples views on the negatives of this building type.

It's possible that my ignorance is the biggest issue here - thoughts are what about damp / rot, life span of property / is it really just the wood holding up the entire house or do the brick walls bear the load, hanging heavy things on a wall must be a nightmare as there's no brick to drill into / you have to find a wooden upright which sods law won't be in the right place....?

The house in question is an ex. Development Corp. semi in a reasonably nice area of Peterborough (Werrington) and constructed around 1984.

So....what things should concern me with timber framed properties?
Thanks.

 

[Nige F]

If it`s a semi......Noise from next door . If it`s 14th. Century timber frame ...nice Otherwise I personaly think they are C rap

 

[^woody^]

Properly built, timber frame will be just as god as traditional.

Improperly built then they are less tolerant of problems. Likewise for how they are lived in, or adapted.

The vapour membrane (behind the plasterboard), is easily punctured by the homeowner, or improperly fitted by the builder. This can lead to damp/rot issues of the frame. But normally moisture in the frame can dry off via a cavity behind the rainscreen (ie brick or cladding)

If these were built in 84, then any issues would normally have developed by now and be visible.

Some systems can be heard to creak as the frame expands contracts, and some systems can be noisy with reverberation as air moves within the frame/cavity

Main thing though, a timber frame has less thermal mass than traditional, so rooms may heat up quicker, but they cool faster too - may be too hot in summer and get colder quicker in winter when heating goes off

Also adapting or just fitting a shelf may be problematic due to locating timber studs.

 

[jono_h]

I'm a tradistionalist, so hate them with a passion! Having also worked in them, I can also say that hanging anything on a wall can be a pig of a job - particularly the 40" TV I was asked to do once.

Interestingly when I was studying Building Surveying one Lecturer repeatedly referred to a 70 year design life for timber framed houses, which didn't sound like much (but I extended indefinately with the correct maintenance).

You see more and more timber frames going up now - they can't be all that bad. Either that or there's going to be a lot of homeless people ina few years....!

 

[Richard Knight]

Interesting replies....many thanks.

With regards to the potential noise from neighbours, does that mean that the party wall would be just plasterboard with a 25 year old element of soundproofing between it and the neighbours plasterboard?

 

[stuart45]

Party wall should be double boarded for fire regs. In 1983 World in Action virtually destroyed the Timber frame industry. To be fair most of the problems exposed related to defective workmanship, or problems which applied to traditional builds.