It’s possible to build your own home doing almost everything yourself, as long as you have the necessary commitment, time, energy and knowledge. In this article Andrew Stanway covers what you need to know if you plan to go DIY on your build, including: How to save money with a DIY build How to determine […] More
MMC, or modern methods of construction, is a catch-all term to describe everything from innovative building solutions to cutting edge materials. Here’s a bird’s eye view. In this article we cover: Different types of MMC, from building methods like ICF and glulam to materials like graphite How to use modern methods of construction in your […] More
It’s possible to build your house with oak – find out how you can do it, the different configurations, cost, benefits and drawbacks. In this article we cover: What is an oak build How much does it cost and how does it compare with a traditional build? Different post and beam structures from cruck to […] More
Blockwork remains the most common building method in Ireland today. In this article we cover: What is masonry construction and blockwork specifically How much it costs to build with blockwork Advantages and disadvantages of working with blockwork What is brickwork and how to incorporate it in your self-build Types of concrete blocks, mortar strengths What […] More
Next generation timber: The concept of laminating wood to make it stronger has been around for centuries, but it’s only relatively recently that cross laminated timber (CLT) has made an appearance and is being used on self-builds. CLT was first developed in mainland Europe 30 years ago where it is fast becoming a mainstream product. And […] More
Sarah and Mark Ballantine took a hands-on approach to their ICF build. In this article, Sarah and Mark share their experience building with Insulating Concrete Formwork (ICF) including: Plot size: 2/3 acreHouse size: 2,500 sqft Why did you choose to build with ICF, what other methods did you consider? Sarah: We briefly considered other building […] More
This quick and cost-effective method of construction is increasing in popularity among self-builders. Insulating Concrete Formwork (ICF) originated in Germany in the 1950s and has since proven its worth, especially in North America where, even after many years of development, severalmanufacturers still complete only a few thousand homes per year between them. In the UK […] More
Ronan McKee provides a bird’s eye view of the most common building methods available to self-builders in Ireland today. In this article, we cover: How self-builders are building homes in Ireland today Design considerations before choosing your build type How Building Control will be involved Building Regulations requirements Full chart comparing the most popular build […] More
Building an eco-home nowadays doesn’t so much mean making it energy efficient as it does choosing the right materials, says architect Micah Jones who partly built his home out of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT). In this article we cover: “The future of domestic architecture is zero carbon homes; it’s something that’s becoming the norm. What […] More
An increasingly popular build route, timber frame is the method of choice for offsite construction and is often used as the structure upon which to layer other ecobuild materials such as straw bale, hempcrete (lime and hemp mix), and rammed earth. All images courtesy of tomraffield.com Most common are layering with boards, often OSB, and specifying […] More
Package suppliers aim to take some of the stress out of self-building; so what do you get when you sign up? Self-build kit homes may be a relatively recent phenomenon but they have their origins in the pattern book builders of the 18th Century. Pattern books allowed people in one country to copy the styles […] More
If you want to build a stone house make sure you familiarise yourself with some basic concepts before you get started. X More
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