Tigh Na Mara was self built and designed by Roderick James, who initially had the intention of letting it out as a holiday property: instead as the project progressed the family decided to retain it for their own use. With no time constraints the build was completed by a local builder using a timber frame designed and built by Carpenter Oak.
See some other examples of timber framed houses Scotland, or contact us to discuss your plans.
The oak frame house uses a combination of styles to great effect. The frame has oak common rafters giving a weight and character to the roof while the glazed walls use stainless steel cross bracing to accentuate the amazing views.
Each plot brings different constraints and benefits to a self build project, and it’s these elements – when addressed in the right way by your timber frame designer and architect – which feed the most interesting design outcomes.
Property featured in: Homebuilding & Renovating, December 2012; Coast, February 2009, 25 Beautiful Homes, September 2008, and Homes and Interiors Scotland, August 2008
A funky design for an amazing location, situated on the edge of a loch this 2 storey oak house combines traditional elements of oak framing with contemporary additions such as stainless steel bracing – a favourite detail among the Carpenter Oak folk.
Look out for the oak and glass roof light and the stainless steel bracing in the large windows.
"A very neat, contemporary frame, the diagonal cross metal bracing was an element I'd never seen in a timber frame before, which was great fun to create"
The focus of the design was to construct a frame which was able to support Roderick’s open plan design. An abundance of light was created by the open plan living space and large windows, the spectacular views of the waterside are seen throughout the inside. The fact that this house is partially built into the ground reduces its visual impact from the rear. Roderick explains:
"the lack of walls means that each living area ‘borrows’ space from the next making it feel larger than it actually is because you are looking beyond, not just to the next area but for miles and miles on a good day"
Tigh Na Mara was constructed using an 'Evolution Frame' - a series of affordable timber framed houses that can be adapted and extended easily in the future to respond to the owner's future lifestyle changes and family requirements.
The cutting edge cladding system can be unclipped from the timber frame and reused on future extensions. Each enlargement of the basic house design provides additional living room or bedroom space:the evolution concept house can evolve from a £60,000 two bedroom starter home to a £150,000 four bedroom family home.
See some other examples of timber framed houses Scotland, or contact us to discuss your plans.
Budget considerations are of course one of the primary factors for anyone undertaking an oak frame self build project whether it's a new build oak frame or a timber frame extension. 'How much will it cost?' is therefore a question which will be asked over and over and will almost certainly form a central thread of your project.
Overall build costs for a complete new build oak house typically vary from £1,500 to £2,000+ per square metre (referring to the useable area of the lower and upper floors added together) i.e. for a two storey property times the area by 2. We would suggest that you budget from £1,200- £1,800 per sqm (or £120-£180 per sqft).
For extensions we would suggest budgeting from £2,000 per square metre - don't forget to add VAT (for UK customers). It is worth noting that guide price is for a complete build based on a contractor doing the work with the timber frame is usually a 20-30% proportion.
If you intend to self build then expect to budget toward the lower end of the scale (although of course it may take longer!). There are several caveats with this guide price including the following key considerations:-
At every stage your decisions will affect the overall costs, from the complexity of the design to the level of finish. Engaging an architect will almost certainly save you money in the long run. Getting advice from us on the timber frame concept prior to going in for planning will minimise the risk of sending your architect 'back to the drawing board'.
We are happy to discuss your ideas with you at an early stage and can offer you advice along the way. It is helpful for you to build a scrapbook (you could use Pinterest) of your ideas and wishes – this makes your brief to us and your architect much clearer. Once you have a plot in mind we would encourage you to come and see us in the show barn at our yard to discuss your ideas in more depth and help you establish a concept design and rough costs.
You can meet with one of our frame designers and an architect if required (Roderick James Architects offer a free initial consultation). We can offer you an estimate for your budget costings at that stage based on a timber frame sketch scheme. You will then be in a position to draw up a planning application, knowing that you will be able to achieve what you want with the frame. We can offer you an accurate estimate based on a timber frame sketch scheme once you have architects drawings. Once your planning application has been approved we can get going on a detailed frame design for you.
Yes! We are happy for you to visit and look around. You can book in here to see the Show Barn or Show House. Or, pick up the phone and talk to us. Generally, our advice would be to wait until you have a plot and an idea of what you are wanting to build but we are very willing to talk through plans for a plot at any time.
At that stage you can meet with one of our frame designers, and a free consultation with one of the architects if you would like. You will get far more from your visit if you do this – it is a chance to really talk through the design, layout, style, costs, materials, options with everyone in one place. We look forward to meeting you!
We have two show houses for you to visit - read more about the different options.
As in most walks of life, if it looks too good to be true then it probably is.
We are different and instead pursue excellence – we look to be the best at what we do whilst maintaining affordability, accurate and realistic pricing – we seek the trust and loyalty of our clients as this is the basis of positive working relationships which last beyond the raising of the frame.
All of our Oak is from sustainably managed woodlands located around a single sawmill in Normandy, France (PEFC certifified). When this mill is unable to fulfil our order we divert to an alternative mill in Germany. The mills have access to a plentiful supply of exceptionally well managed and very high quality timber.
Why not use UK sourced oak, I hear you ask? Sadly, the lack of investment and good timber management for hardwoods in this country over many years means our domestic supplies are generally of a lower quality, inconsistent supply and can be more expensive. Although the situation will gradually change, it means that currently continental Oak is the best option for our framing. Carpenter Oak Ltd are investing in the future of UK woodlands.
For every tree used in a project we will donate 10 Oak saplings to an organised planting scheme in the UK
Douglas Fir and Larch all comes from sustainably managed UK forests.
Yes. If you are looking for a complete build or ‘Turnkey’ service, we can offer a solution to include each stage of the process, from the feasibility assessment, design, management and construction, right through to completion. We pride ourselves on being adaptable as every client is different. We can offer a number of routes for you and your project, depending on how involved you want to get. We aim to understand your particular situation and respond to deliver what you need. For many people that means us working as a contractor alongside your architect and builder, for others, involvement at each stage or a self build project. Get in touch to find out which route would suit your project best and we can deliver a range of options from a finished frame to a finished house, ready for you to move into.
Find out more about Carpenter Oak's Complete Build solution Click here to visit our 'What We Do' page.