One of the myriad of barcodes I clicked on at the self-build centre at Swindon was for Tata Colorcoat Urban steel cladding. All hail Tata for sending through samples of two large slivers of panel so that you can see how they fix together, plus samples of all the colours. We're a little bit sold on it. Not sure British Steel would have had customer service as good. Not sure they would have had anything so innovative...
Meanwhile, our briefing for the architect is nearing finalisation. I've had an email back from them saying that they expect to get a concept of a house together in a few weeks. I really don't think it's that big a job - the site sets some of the constraints, the Council others, the budget more. Work within that; plans within a few weeks, surely?
I said they're happy (or they say they're happy) for me to send them my plans. It took me a while to spot, but having been using an American architectural software package I'd labeled the floors first and second - doh! I've also sent the plans off to two manufacturers of structural insulated panels (SIPs) to see what kind of ballpark a SIPs house would be in, cost-wise. A bit naughty, but I'm inclined to send them to the Council as a pre-application enquiry as well.
My thinking has moved on from timber frame to SIPs, although we've finally arranged a meeting with the Ty-Afal man. Maybe I've been taken in by the numerous videos on Youtube of houses going up in a week. I watched some with a family friend who builds mansions for footballers up north who wasn't convinced that they were as structural as the name suggests. I know the theory - they work like I-beams, stronger than the equivalent in wood, etc., etc., but I'm slightly wary myself. Be interesting to hear what the architects have to say about it all.
Meanwhile, our briefing for the architect is nearing finalisation. I've had an email back from them saying that they expect to get a concept of a house together in a few weeks. I really don't think it's that big a job - the site sets some of the constraints, the Council others, the budget more. Work within that; plans within a few weeks, surely?
I said they're happy (or they say they're happy) for me to send them my plans. It took me a while to spot, but having been using an American architectural software package I'd labeled the floors first and second - doh! I've also sent the plans off to two manufacturers of structural insulated panels (SIPs) to see what kind of ballpark a SIPs house would be in, cost-wise. A bit naughty, but I'm inclined to send them to the Council as a pre-application enquiry as well.
My thinking has moved on from timber frame to SIPs, although we've finally arranged a meeting with the Ty-Afal man. Maybe I've been taken in by the numerous videos on Youtube of houses going up in a week. I watched some with a family friend who builds mansions for footballers up north who wasn't convinced that they were as structural as the name suggests. I know the theory - they work like I-beams, stronger than the equivalent in wood, etc., etc., but I'm slightly wary myself. Be interesting to hear what the architects have to say about it all.
We can heartily recommend SIPs, and specifically the excellent service from SIPS @ Clays. We're based near Cambridge and you're more than welcome to pop round and have a look if you wish.
ReplyDeleteOur blog stopped at the point of walls going up (no excuse, just overwhelmed at the time!), but there are a few YouTube videos of the process which give a sense of how efficient the construction was.