All our buildings are architecturally designed and built to the highest standards, complying with current Building Regulations.
We always strive to use the best, sustainably sourced, eco-friendly materials wherever possible and to reduce our carbon footprint as much as we can. Our finished product has a very low U-value (which is good!).
Below is a summary of some of the standard materials we use in our builds:
Foundations
The cost of the foundation is included in our price – we just ask that you ensure the ground is clear of debris(trees, bushes etc).
We typically use a concrete pad with a steel based plate so your building does not rest on the ground and is slightly raised, so there is a vented space underneath which prevents rising damp.
Floors
The build up of our floor is as follows:
Firstly we start of with a damp proof membrane, on this we fit a 9mm OSB board to the underside of the floor joists. The floor joists are 140 x 38 treated CLS timber. In the joist, 80mm pir foil back insulation. Our floor joist is then covered with a vapour barrier with 18mm TxG OSB board fitted, on top our sheets are both glued and nailed to prevent squeeking. On this we lay the finished floor which is quality laminate floor of your choice.
Walls
Our walls made up of 4 x 2 timber stud with 100m earth wool fitted between studs, on internal we fit an air tight breather membrane, we then fit either a 38.5 or 52.5 insulated plaster board depending on U-value recommendation. For the external of the stud, we fit 9mm OSB board followed by a breather membrane, followed by timber baton to support the cladding of your choice usually Canadian red cedar.
Roof
Our roof rafter consists of 6 x 2 treated timber with 150mm earth wool fitted between rafters with standard plaster board / insulation plasterboard (depending on U-value) fitted to underside & skimmer. On top of the rafter a counter baton is fitted and on top 18mm OSB.
A durable, water-tight roof is essential. We use a rubber product produced by Firestone which is single-ply and laid in one piece; it is called EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer).
This product significantly lowers the carbon footprint of a structure in a number of ways:
-The lifespan of a rubber roof is up to five times that of a felt roof, and 2-3 times longer than an asphalt roof
-EPDM is installed without the lengthy and dangerous use of heat and flames
-Rubber sheet roofing provides excellent thermal insulation properties and is an outstanding sealant against water penetration
-EPDM is renowned for its strength, stability and durability and has no accompanying odour or fumes normally associated with rubber
-It can be totally submerged and will never leak; it is a suitable base material on which to mount living roofs (e.g. sedum)
All our roofs have a minimum 2-inch fall across them to encourage water to run off into guttering usually situated at the rear of the building and, if building regulations do not apply, this water can drain into the soil or we can fit a rain-water butt/harvester.
We can also supply and fit green ‘living’ or Sedum roofs, sun tubes or skylights as extras.
Windows & Doors
We use quality hardwood, uPVC and powder coated aluminium frames in our garden buildings.
For glazing, as standard, we use Pilkington K. We offer a wide range of window and door configurations, including sliding and folding doors. There are numerous window and door combinations to choose from; we can incorporate virtually any into the design, including for wheelchair access. In addition, further glass options include laminated, opaque, fire rated or acoustic glazing as well as integrated blinds which sit inside the glazing units and provide a seamless finish (and come in a variety of different colours).
In addition, all windows and doors have high security locks as standard, giving you both security and peace of mind.
Key points:
- Draught-sealed, treated hardwood
- Durable clear coat’ screens from sustainable sources made by specialist manufacturer fitted with high performance units with double glazed coated low-emissivity
- (Low-E) glass with min 16mm cavity
- Optional Argon cavity fill available for improved thermal performance
- Glazing (where necessary) has manifestation to limit the incidence of collision and is toughened
- Doors finger hinge protection to prevent finger trapping
- Doors feature relevant fire safety instruction
- Low thresholds to entrance doors permitting easy access
Lighting & Electrical
Included in our builds is the provision of a new electricity supply via a consumer unit, fitted at a high level to avoid tampering; the wiring is concealed out of view.
In addition to the consumer unit we will install 4 x 13amp double sockets (dependent on the size of the building and your requirements), a wall mounted (timer and thermostatically controlled) slim line convector heater and lighting tacks complete with ceiling mounted down-lights and external recessed ultra-low watt soffit lights over decked areas.
The sockets, heater and lights are all supplied in a brushed stainless steel finish; remember however that we can fit your choice of lighting, heating, ironmongery and sanitary ware.
Cladding & Decking
All our rooms are fitted with Western Red Cedar tongue and groove external cladding as standard; it can also be used for building overhangs or decking, as an optional extra.
This desirable softwood is superior to all other coniferous woods; it is highly resistant to shrinking, warping, decay and insect attack, the latter due to naturally occurring fungicidal acids in the wood. Western Red Cedar is a versatile, adaptable and attractive species of timber, well suited for external timber cladding and roof shingles. The rich and warm brown, red, gold and pink colours add individuality to each build; it slowly silvers over time and is incredibly low maintenance.
The conduction of heat in wood is directly related to its density; woods with low density have the highest thermal insulating value because such woods contain a high proportion of cell cavities. Western Red Cedar, with its low density and high proportion of air spaces, makes it the best thermal insulator among the commonly available softwoods, far superior to brick, concrete and steel.
In addition, an important acoustic property of wood is its ability to dampen vibrations. Western Red Cedar is particularly effective in this regard.
We can also supply and fit other types of cladding and decking, dependent on your requirements.