Timber Frame “Kit “or “Stick “Build

Timber Frame “Kit “or “Stick “Build, a possible solution to the housing crisis.

With the UK government poised to commission 30,000 new affordable homes, from small to medium sized housebuilders, then Timber framed kit and stick built houses should be a winner. Structural timber being a cost effective way of achieving low heat conductivity, low embodied carbon, high structural strength, airtight construction, and a traceable supply chain, for those housebuilders with sustainability and low costs in mind.

The UK Government already allows a VAT refund on Timber framed building materials and services if you are:

• building a new home
• converting a property into a home
• building a non-profit communal residence
• building a property for a charity within certain parameters.

The UK Government administration has also asked “Planning authorities in rural areas with high demand for homes to consider amending their local planning policies to support the change of use of farm building to affordable homes where these are considered inappropriate for employment use, or take the need for affordable homes into account in assessing individual applications."

If the authorities adopt these proposals it could be a golden opportunity for the timber framed kit and stick build methods to show its capabilities within the conversion of barns and outbuilding role.