TIMBER CONSTRUCTION: THE TIMBER FRAME COMPANY

32 BUILDING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION MAGAZINE www.bdcmagazine.co.uk

“This is the cutting edge of timberframe technology,” says LeighPorter, Sales and Marketing

Manager, at The Timber Frame Company(TTFC). The company’s revolutionary newSynergy Home closed panel timber framebuilding system really is ahead of the game.Indeed, as Leigh tells Building Design andConstruction, “we have no competitors”.

TTFC is the only company to offer a comprehen-sive fully designed and built closed panel wall systemin which windows, insulation, air tight membrane,high density plasterboard and electrical conduits areall factory-installed then delivered to site and erectedas a complete wall panel ready to plaster.

Highlighting the quality of TTFC’s system is itsaward from Isover in 2011 when it received the cer-

tificate for "One of the most outstanding EnergyEfficient Construction Projects in Europe”. Indeed,the company is the market leader in sustainablemanufactured off-site housing in the UK. SynergyHome closed panel system gives the client a windand watertight house within the space of a coupleof weeks. It provides a high quality finish and excel-lent air tightness that is more easily achieved with-in a dry, factory-controlled environment.

The process eliminates the requirement formany other sub-contractors, improving qualitythrough tightly controlled factory standards. It alsoincreases the speed of the building process, bothfactors not available through any other method ofbuilding.

“I would describe the system as the next devel-opment on from SIPS,” says Leigh. “It was devel-

oped through looking at the whole process anddevising a better way of delivering a more finishedproduct. Taking installation to site in some sort offinished format is a good idea but we took this onestage further and can do the whole wall, engi-neered to complete the building.

“It is the real cutting edge of timber frame,and while other companies are developing similarsystems we don’t feel anyone is doing it to theextent we are. And, unlike us, those companiesnew to the technology don’t have the six years of experience we have. Therefore, we are themost experienced company at this end of theindustry.”

Certainly, that experience has aided the com-pany throughout the recession where, following amove from Ireland to England, it has seen growth

LEADING THE WAY IN MODERN BUILDING TECHNOLOGYMarket leader in sustainable manufactured off-site housing

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year on year. TTFC business is split equallybetween commercial projects (schools, carehomes, apartment blocks, etc.) and the domestichome market having engineered whole housesystems for a variety of types from contemporaryto traditional styles, from detached homes topenthouse suites on tower blocks, to those withstone or brick finishes, thatched roofs or greenroofs. Indeed, timber frame provides such a flex-ible building method it is perhaps surprising tosee its adaptation in the UK so far behind the restof Europe.

“This country is so behind the times when itcomes to timber,” agrees Leigh. “Once compa-nies begin to understand the technology and seethe benefits of timber frame it will change theface of construction in the UK.”

The Synergy Home closed panel system com-prises a number of components pre-installed, whichare completed within the factory and then deliveredto site and quickly erected. These componentsinclude the timber frame wall panel, insulation, win-dows and doors, gypsum Rigidur board (very highdensity plasterboard), vapour barrier (to ensure airtightness), electrical ducting, sockets and switch cutouts. The outside of the Synergy Home can be fin-ished as the client desires with traditional block/ren-der finish, cementation board factory-fitted ready forrender, stone or timber cladding.

Stewart Mason, TTFC managing director, says,“We work with a vast range of suppliers whichenables us to tailor our product to meet our clients’individual requirements. The client is able to choosewindows from several of the country’s leading win-dow manufacturers, they are then delivered to ourfactory to be installed into the wall panels prior todelivery to site. This enables us to fit and seal thewindows which is imperative in achieving good airtightness. The wall thicknesses and insulation prop-

erties can be varied to achieve an A rated U-Valueof 0.18 W/m2K as standard and as low as 0.11W/m2K if desired.

“The feedback we have received from our cus-tomers tells us that they love the ease with whicheverything comes together on site with minimalmess and one point of contact instead of trying tomanage numerous subcontractors and large vol-umes of on site waste and damaged materials.”

Key to TTFC’s success thus far is its vast experi-ence. Other companies are looking at similar sys-tems but none have six years of on-the-groundknowledge working with them. Offering a com-pletely bespoke method also makes the SynergyHome closed panel timber frame much more attrac-tive to potential customers. Along with its inherentquality and environmental benefits, it is, perhapsmost crucially, very flexible in its adaptation andvery quick to construct on site.

“With our experience it puts us ahead of thecompetition,” acknowledges Leigh. “As other com-panies begin to see the benefits and launch their

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TIMBER FRAME ENGINEERSArmstrong Timber Engineering Ltd., is one of the leading suppliersand manufacturers of engineered timber product solutions tothe Irish construction industry. We pride ourselves on deliveringa top quality product and service both locally and nationally andwe are committed to fulfilling ourcustomers needs.

Armstrong Timber Engineering LtdBlock B, Kish Business Park, Clogga Road, Arklow, Co. WicklowTel: 0402­33477 Fax: 0402­33490Email: info@ate.ie Web: www.ate.ie

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own systems, we have that head start that potentialclients can see. The award last year was greatbecause it gave us a stamp of approval that high-lights our experience and our ability to produce thehighest quality. Isover wouldn’t merit us with such aprestigious award, across not only the UK butEurope wide, without the credentials and finishedwork to back it up.”

SAFER CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

Recently, TTFC’s specialist work was seen on a six-storey tower block in London. Here it was addingthree penthouses to an existing block of flats. Whenyou consider the logistics of completing such reno-vation at significant height using conventional build-ing methods, it becomes a lengthy and costly task.However, TTFC were able to deliver essentiallywhole wall sections with windows, doors and theinternal finish all factory-fitted, allowing for not onlya safer construction process but also one that wasmore quickly put into place with less disturbance tothe residents.

Leigh notes that TTFC have a number ofenquiries for similar projects, particularly in city cen-tre areas, or those near shopping districts or busystreets where construction work can otherwisecause disruption.

With its industry-leading approach it is little sur-prise to see TTFC making great strides in construc-tion. Establishing a range of clients and long-termrelationships in many sectors including small andlarge housing developments to hotels and hospitals,it has exhibited the flexibility and quality of its prod-ucts across both the UK and Ireland.

www.ttfcuk.co.ukTel: 01296 622227

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