Timber frames

We have decided that this is the way for us to go. A timber frame is very versatile, it allows for open plan living as walls don't need to be load bearing, and it looks neat as well. A timber frame building is very solid and many last for hundreds of years. We did some searching around and we found a local company called Hamlet Heavy Timberwork. They make frames in the traditional way using wooden crafted joints and French scribing techniques. They will even harvest our own trees to make the frame or at least the floor. Needless to say, this method doesn't come particularly cheap but it might allow us to build the house in stages rather than all in one go. After the frame is erected, by the guys who made it, all we then need to do is enclose the frame with some walls and a roof, and stick some windows in. Simple! That should give us a weathertight shell and some breathing space to consider where the rest of the cash will come from. Maybe if we half build a house a bank will consider that enough equity to lend us some cash to build the rest of it?