Brick & Block

In a modern traditional "wet build" brick house, the walls are made up of two levels. There is an internal block work wall and an external wall built of brick or stone. With some internal partitions, also built of block work, this will support the structure of the house.

The brick plays a vital part in your build and affects the entire appearance and character of your property. It is one of the first products you will choose and it is also one of the largest cost factors to be considered. Remember...it's not all about the colour - texture, composition, size and availability will all play a crucial part in your selection.

If you are planning an extension or renovating a pre-existing building, then you might also want to match new bricks to old. Build Center can help you carry out a brick match and find the right brick for your building work.

Visit the Build Center website to use the handy brick calculator!

Timber Frame

It might surprise many people to know that over 70% of people in the developed world live in timber frame housing. In the UK, timber frame is the most popular form of house construction in Scotland and is becoming increasingly more popular with self builders throughout England and Wales.

In a timber frame house the internal structure is a wooden frame designed to support the structure of the building. The timber frame is then clad by an external material such as brick or stone, to provide the finish.

A timber frame home can be bought as a kit with a precut frame. This means that timber frame buildings can be assembled much quicker than houses made from brick and block. In two to three days an average size timber frame home can be erected and within a week to two weeks after that the shell of the house is ready for drying in, which is to say, ready for windows, mechanical systems, and roofing.

House building is entering a period of change which is unprecedented in living memory. The changing environment in terms of economics and climate change demands that the self-builder must get the best quality product whilst also getting best value for money.  The Building Regulations and the Code for Sustainable Homes are changing in 2010, 2013 and 2016, and the results of those changes will mean more environmentally friendly, well insulated, energy saving homes. Timber frame construction meets both demands, today and for the future. It gives the best, most efficient AND cost effective means to allow the self builder to future proof their home now, so that it is able to meet and exceed the demands of both the self builder and the Planet.

Timber frame is typically 30% quicker than traditional methods of construction. Brick work is removed from critical path to enable works to proceed internally sooner. An average 4 bedroom house can be erected within approx 6 days. Timber frame is non weather dependant, which makes planning your project more predictable, and also has a reduced drying out time.

In the 21^st century timber frame is one of the most advanced forms of construction. Factory prefabrication insures high quality, reduces overall build cost and shorter programs. Over 70% of the population in the developed world lives in timber frame housing. Timber is the only renewable construction material and the availability of soft wood is growing as the rate of planning exceeds the rate of felling. Timber frame easily exceeds the 60-year requirement of institutions such as insurers and building societies.

Frame Wise Limited are suppliers of bespoke, high quality timber frame to the Self Build Market through Build Center. Frame Wise offer the complete solution for timber frame. Our 18,000 sq ft manufacturing facility is based in Presteigne and offers the very best in modern automatic timber processing machinery. Frame Wise are one of the few company's in our industry who carry the following certification, PEFC, FSC, ISO 9001, we are working towards ISO 14001 this summer and are also members of the UKTFA and are Q Mark Plus certified which is the gold standard for the industry, demonstrating our commitment to quality from conception through to completion.

Steel Frame

The more adventurous self builder may chose to build their home using a steel frame construction. Steel frames offer a strong framework, but are 60% the weight of a timber frame and can be constructed as quickly. Steel framed houses are popular in America and in designs incorporating large open spaces.