ASK THE EXPERT Fully kitted up


Your choice of construction method will affect almost every aspect of your project. Derek Dawson of Scandia Hus answers some common questions on kit homes, explaining how they can be the ‘ultimate solution’ for a self-build


WHAT IS A KIT HOME? Kit homes are pre-fabricated properties manufactured offsite and then assembled insitu. Individual components are measured and cut in a factory, eliminating a significant amount of time that would be required if this was done onsite. The degree to which the house is constructed prior to delivery is dependent on the chosen supplier and build route. Typically constructed from timber,


kit homes generally consist of a frame made of truss-graded timber studwork with OS Oriented Strand oard fixed to the exterior side. This is known as an ‘open panel’, it becomes ‘closed’ once insulation and plasterboard have been installed. A breathable membrane is usually factory-fitted to the outside of each panel which acts as a waterproof barrier; this will then be covered by external cladding brickwork, stone, weatherboarding, tiling, or render).


WHY BUILD A KIT HOME? Building a kit home is rapidly increasing in popularity, because the offsite nature of the process provides numerous efficiencies in time and cost, and the resulting property tends to be of superior quality. With pre-fabricated kit homes, precision-made components are created to exacting standards under strict factory-controlled conditions and then erected on the building plot by experienced teams. This process ensures


It is possible to employ an architect to draw up your plans – and simply have the kit company produce the structure 8 www.sbhonline.co.uk


jan/feb 2023


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