FEATURE: TIMBER HOMES
SETTING UP HOUSE Timber housebuilding is going from strength to strength with timber frame homes set to account for almost one third of the home building market in the next few years Photo courtesy of Taylor Lane Timber Frame
T
imber frame homes are not a new
The report reviews market share by open
a strategic move to enhance the company’s position within the offsite solutions market.
phenomenon but in recent years there
panel timber frame, closed panel, SIPs, post
has been a marked increase in the number
and beam and volumetric, finding that whilst
of dwellings built using one of the oldest
each sector has distinct characteristics, growth
sector now which are large conglomerates, such
construction materials known to man.
continues to outpace inflation for most products
as SIG and Legal & General,” explained Malcolm
despite Brexit.
Thomson, sales director at Scotframe. “Having
According to a recent report from MTW
Research, timber frame is the fastest paced
Scotframe is one of the biggest providers of
“There are other companies within the offsite
Saint Gobain behind us lifts us into that bracket. “It is obviously well known within the
sector of the UK housebuilding market with sales
full kit package homes to the self-build industry
rising by £400 million in recent years.
and has gone from strength to strength since it
industry and is well funded so there is monetary
was established in Aberdeen 28 years ago.
back up there for us to grow the business.”
Based on 80% of the timber frame market, the 230-page report reveals that construction
The company, which now has a £35m
Scotframe has since moved into the English
of timber buildings is set to top 60,000 units
turnover and employs around 160 people,
market, with the opening of a permanent
in 2018 with orders exceeding £700 million in
produces around 1,500 units per annum from its
showroom and sales office at the National Self
value, and timber frame homes set to account for
factories in Inverurie and Cumbernauld.
Build and Renovation Centre (NSBRC) in Swindon.
almost a third of the home building market in the next few years. It depicts a tale of two markets, with
It was recently acquired by multi-national
“Scotland leads the way in timber frame
corporation Saint Gobain – which employs
construction, with 83% of new-build homes in
18,000 people in the UK alone – as part of
Scotland using timber frame, compared to just
timber housebuilding going from strength to strength whilst commercial timber construction experiences more challenging trading conditions, although forecasts are positive for most key end use sectors. “The Government’s home building fund is set to generate 150,000 new homes from SME housebuilders, with timber frame playing a very significant part in this growth,” said MTW’s director Mark Waddy. “This initiative, coupled with a rapid rise in overall housebuilding has dampened housebuilders’ purchasing power, underpinning the timber frame market’s
Timber frame is a particularly attractive option for self-build, which is growing in popularity south of the border, thanks to the recent Right to Build legislation, which has been a big incentive for people.”
Malcolm Thomson, sales director at Scotframe
profitability to some extent.”
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WWW.TIMBERMEDIA.CO.UK
AUTUMN 2018