The Process

Working Drawings

Once planning permission has been granted, a full set of plans will need to be produced. At this stage a set of framing drawings are made detailing the whole of the oak frame structure. These drawings are then sent to our specialist structural engineer who supplies a full structural guarantee on the frame, which is then combined with the building regulation drawings and sent to the building inspector. This makes up the whole of the design work needed and firm prices can be supplied from these drawings. The design process is a partnership between the client, the architect and Westwind Oak.

Fabrication

Once commissioned and a deposit has been received, the first available time slot will be booked into the workshop schedule. The timber takes about 2 to 3 weeks to be delivered and when work commences a typical house frame takes 2 months to construct before delivery is made. In this time the ground works can be done and the site prepared for the erection of the frame. On delivery, the frame is usually erected and finished within the week. For this the services of a crane are employed and it is important to make sure there is access for one within the site. If this is not possible more traditional methods for raising the frame can be used.

Finishing The House

Westwind Oak's work is usually complete when the frame is erected. The full set of working drawings will allow you or any competent local builder to finish the project. These drawings will detail every stage of the construction and will marry the interaction between the oak frame and modern building techniques. Initially oak frames are susceptible to a small amount of shrinkage and movement, and to minimise these effects it is preferable not to expose the oak externally. This allows the frame to be completely insulated, cutting down on the cold bridging effect of the timbers and providing a draft free environment. The frame can be covered in a variety of materials, usually ones traditional to the local area. In the past frames have been clad with stone, weatherboarding, block and render and tile hanging.