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Janice Walker

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Top Five considerations when selecting an Oak Frame specialist

Top Five considerations when selecting an Oak Frame specialist

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Choosing oak for your new build, extension or porch is an easy decision. Choosing who is supplying and erecting it, not so simple. We’re obviously biased here at Essex Oak Frame, but we’re equally confident that by sharing our top five factors to consider when making that choice, you will understand why so many happy customers choose Essex Oak Frame.

Passion

Skilled craftsmen are invariably passionate about what they do and it’s important to find a contractor who is as invested in your project as you are, shares your vision and understands what it is you are creating. Ask them about their three favourite creations and sit back to listen to them wax lyrical about everything from the selection of the wood to the client’s reaction to the end result.   Essex Oak Frame was founded after our Managing Director, Adrian Chapman hand-built his own oak framed home in the style of a medieval hall house, using only historical construction methods. He wanted to share his passion with others and has surrounded himself with like-minded consummate professionals.

Expertise

Just because you’re passionate about something doesn’t necessarily mean you are good at it, and when you’re investing in an oak framed build, you need to know that your investment will bring a durable return. Do some research and ask questions. If you don’t understand the answers, ask the craftsman to explain. If they know their trade, they will happily explain every detail to anyone who will listen!  At Essex Oak Frame our expertise and craftsmanship are visible in every project and we’ll be happy to talk to you about as many of our projects as you would like to hear about. In the meantime, why not take a look at some of our oak construction case studies?

Previous work

There’s no better way to judge a craftsman than by his previous work. Ask to see evidence of projects, original testimonials and perhaps ask if you can speak to a few customers. Here at Essex Oak Frame, we keep a catalogue of images that show the progress of our projects and will happily share all of our customer feedback. We can talk you through your challenges, give you working examples of how we can help you overcome them, and answer as many questions as you have. We have great long-term relationships with our customers, and can put you in touch with clients who had similar builds who are happy to share their experience with you.

Turnkey

One of the things that sets Essex Oak Frame apart is our ability to off an end-to-ends solution from design to final finishing. Turnkey services are very much a personal choice which is why we offer our customers the option of leaving everything to us from design and planning right through to final snagging and landscaping or taking delivery of their bespoke manufactured in our workshops oak frame and erecting it themselves.

Make sure you check with your prospective specialist that their skillset covers every area of the project that you want them to carry out and that there will not be any issues with your project managing the bits you want to.

At Essex Oak Frame your dedicated project manager can take care of your planning application, work with building control, manage listed building consultation (if required), source materials and additional contractors on your behalf and will take care of every aspect of the construction, liaise with contractors, and ensure the project plan is running to schedule.

Sustainability    

We believe a passion for oak starts with sustainability. Check a potential company’s credentials and ask which associations they work with. Find out where and how they source their oak and what their general environmental policies and beliefs are.

Essex Oak Frame is aligned to TRADA and the Timber Framers Guild and is committed to the most sustainable methods of sourcing and working with timber. Most of our raw oak is sourced in the UK from managed woodlands or large-scale motorway clearance projects, to be aged and stored at our workshop site in Essex. We are also a preferred end-user of local woodland management schemes and will seek to sustainably coppice from local woodland close to projects. 

If you need any further advice or information about choosing who to work with on your exciting oak framed building project, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

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Oak frame home improvement

Don’t move, improve!

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It’s a well-worn phrase, it even has an awards ceremony named in its honour, but ultimately those three words are music to our ears here at Essex Oak Frame. We know that when you take all the costs associated with moving to a new house into account, you will have a significant proportion of funds to put towards your extension, conversion, garden building or multi-use cart-lodge, whichever oak-framed improvement you choose for your home.

How do I decide which option works best for me?

Before you start deciding on the style of your improvement, we believe it is important to ascertain exactly what it is you are lacking in your home right now. It could be as simple as needing an extra bedroom, a study now you’re working from home, or an extension to your kitchen to give you more family and entertaining space. Once you have decided, look at your property as a whole, and this includes the outside areas. Are you making the best use of what you have already? For instance, if you’re looking for more entertaining space, could you knock through and convert the garage and then build a bespoke oak framed cart lodge with a games room above it? What about building a detached home office in the garden; allowing you to escape the distractions of the household but negating the need for a daily commute?

At Essex Oak Frame we can be involved in your project from the very first steps. Providing options and ideas to ensure you end up with the solution you seek, in traditional, long-lasting oak.

Extensions      

If you are considering a timber-framed extension, solid oak creates so many opportunities in design, development, and durability. With wow factor in spades, you can maximise the aesthetic value of exposed timber and create an addition to your home that will age beautifully.

The additional benefit of an oak framed extension is the reduction in upheaval to your household. Whilst the preparation and groundworks are being carried out, we are building the oak frame in our workshops, delivering it pre-assembled so it can be erected and completed in days.

Conservatory or Orangery   

An oak-framed conservatory or orangery look amazing on period and modern houses. We can build a traditional or contemporary addition to your home that will make a statement and add value to the property.

Our expertise in designing and building oak conservatories allows us to maximise the aesthetic potential of oak as well as ensuring we work with the natural properties of the wood to create a secure, weatherproof, long-lasting, quality addition to your home. 

Garden buildings

An oak-framed garden building is a bespoke, hassle-free (as the oak frame is delivered ready to be erected) opportunity for you to create the space you need, easily accessible but suitably distanced from your home. Whether it’s a home office, a guest annexe, gym, den or games room you will have a stunning addition that can include design features such as vaulted windows, exposed beams, and even a free-flowing veranda or decking. 

Why Essex Oak Frame?

With the Essex Oak Frame turnkey service, we can manage everything from planning (if required) and design to groundworks, installation, glazing, finishing, and landscaping. Alternatively, we can just supply the oak frame to your contractors. Our craftsmen are here to share their skills and expertise so you can have the home of your dreams.

If you’re looking to improve your home rather than move, contact us today and find out how Essex Oak Frame can help you to realise your dream.

environmentally friendly oak frame

The Environmental Benefits of Oak Framed Buildings

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Oak framed buildings aren’t just the epitome of quality and architectural perfection, they are also made from one of the most ecological natural material choices for any building project.

Here are our top five environmental benefits of oak frames:

  1. Flexibility and Strength  Green oak is particularly flexible due to its high moisture content and skilled craftsmen use this pliability to its best advantage to create stronger joints and provide more aesthetic character to the frame. As the oak ages and dries out it gets stronger and is a natural choice for supportive beams. The wood’s natural resistance to water, pests and rot gives it longevity, which is why so many listed oak frame buildings retain their original timbers.
  2. Sustainable sources At Essex Oak Frame we use only sustainably managed sources of oak from the UK and Europe. In short, a new tree is planted for every tree that is cut down or timber is coppiced from local woodland (coppicing is the woodland management technique of repeatedly felling trees at the base (or stool), and allowing them to regrow, in order to provide a sustainable supply of timber. This practice has a number of benefits over replanting, as the felled trees already have developed root systems, making regrowth quicker and less susceptible to browsing and shading).
  3. Working with oak  Compared to many construction materials, obtaining and processing oak ready for use has minimal negative impact on the environment, particularly when locally sourced. There are no dangerous by-products produced, little water is used and traditional methods of cutting, planing and working with oak involve only a small amount of machinery. Oak doesn’t require the treatment other timbers do to make it ready for use, and the whole preparation process renders very little wastage as offcuts are often used to make pegs and braces or fuel.
  4. Durability Because oak is so strong and long lasting, when it is used in conjunction with good design and traditional craftsmanship the end product can last for generations, reducing the need for further, and possibly less environmentally friendly, building work in the near future.
  5. Carbon neutral Oak, from sustainable sources, is deemed carbon neutral. Its insulation properties reduce energy consumption in homes, and construction methods require less machinery or chemical processes than alternative building materials. The CO2 trapped by the oak tree as it matures is not released back into the atmosphere even when it is sawn.    

When you combine the above with the opportunities to create the perfect oak framed space in your home whether it’s a cart lodge, extension, porch or complete new build, that will last for generations, it’s no surprise that so many people are choosing oak for their building projects. If you’d like to know more about how we can help you to realise your architectural aspirations, get in touch today.

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Blind Veterans Archery Centre Benefits from Showpiece

After the RHS show at Hampton Court in 2017 the Blind Veterans UK award winning reception structure, crafted and constructed by Essex Oak Frame, was dismantled and taken to the charity’s training and rehabilitation centre at Brighton, along with other parts of the celebrated garden.

The structure was rebuilt for use by the Blind Veterans Archery club members to keep them sheltered from the elements. The Blind Veterans Archery Club competes all over the country, against both vision-impaired and sighted archers. Some archers use foot-locators and a tactile sight to aim at the target, with a sighted spotter telling them exactly where the arrow hits; other archers have sufficient vision to use a bow-sight.

We were very proud of our part in the creation of the Hampton Court garden, and delighted to support the charity to make the most of its investment by rebuilding the structure in such a fitting site, overlooking the English Channel, and providing shelter for the wonderful veterans who partake in such a challenging sport. To find out more about how Essex Oak Frame can support your project, get in touch. 

Carved clock Alex Chinneck and Johnathan (1)

Essex Oak Frame Works with Elite Sculptor Alex Chinneck

We’re proud of everything we produce at Essex Oak Frame and we consider ourselves to be highly skilled craftsmen but sometimes you get the opportunity to work on projects that really test your skills and creative talents.  Working with London based sculptor Alex Chinneck MRSS is one of those incredible opportunities.

If you’re not already familiar with Alex’s work, take a look at his website to view some of his outstanding projects. We have been fortunate enough to be involved in several of his creations including Growing up gets me down and Alphabetti Spaghetti.

The clock carved by Essex Oak Frame’s Jonathan for Growing up gets me down demonstrates the level of talent and craftmanship we nurture in our team. This masterpiece started off as a black walnut tree in our yard. The fact that this sculpture is created from one tree is truly amazing given the drying character of timber. We’re very proud to be associated with such a prestigious project and the ingenious artist behind it.

To find out more about our services and how we can support your project, get in touch.

New archery centre blind veterans UK Brighton

Essex Oak Frame’s Contribution to Blind Veterans UK Award Winning Garden

In 2017 the Blind Veterans UK sponsored a special garden at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. The circular It’s All About Community Show Garden was created by celebrated designers Andrew Fisher Tomlin and Dan Bowyer and was designed with blind and visually impaired veterans in mind.

“The garden reflects a sense of community, exploring many different aspects of what Blind Veterans UK does – bringing people together, supporting passive and active therapy, providing vital life skills and independence, offering learning, training and recreation opportunities.” Andrew Fisher Tomlin

Essex Oak Frame built the reception centre for the garden, where the Countess of Wessex was greeted and learned about the concept behind the design and the work of Blind Veterans UK, and the stunning round structure, which featured beautiful carvings and provided a perfect frame for part of the willow vine sculpture which wrapped around the whole garden and was created by artist Tom Hare.

Visitors to the garden were escorted by blind veterans as they experienced the textures, colours and scents of the garden whilst discovering the array of sculptures and special features made by some of the blind veterans the charity supports.

“It is not the traditional idea of a ‘sensory’ garden for vision impairment, but celebrates the ability, activity and vibrancy of the blind veterans the charity supports. We are so proud to be working with Blind Veterans UK once again.”

Dan Bowyer

The garden was awarded a gold medal and an award for best construction. After the show it was dismantled and divided between the charity’s two main training and rehabilitation centres in Brighton and Llandudno, so blind veterans can enjoy the flowers, trees and incredible structures made by master craftsman for many years to come.

Get in touch to find out how Essex Oak Frame can support your building project.

Colwood House Oak Building

Colwood, the birthplace of Essex Oak Frames

Not many businesses have a physical birthplace, let alone a hand-crafted replica medieval hall, but oak frame specialist Essex Oak Frame has. It is the beautiful family home of managing director and company founder, Adrian Chapman: Colwood Hall in Ashingdon, Essex. 

Adrian, a structural engineer and builder with a passion for working with oak, began the realisation of his dream to build his own medieval hall in 2006 when he and his wife moved out of their home into a caravan on the site of a condemned, dilapidated bungalow. Three years and an incredible amount of hard work later, the couple moved into the beautiful Colwood, built from scratch by Adrian using only 400-year-old building methods.  

The heritage, design and conservation award–winning oak framed medieval hall is completely bespoke and was designed, engineered, and built by Adrian using only traditional methods and materials. The only concrete in the structure is in the foundations, and that was only because it is a legal requirement for modern buildings. The brickwork, roofing and carpentry were completed using the same craftsmanship and traditional methods, creating a stunning exterior.  

Inside, Adrian used the same local oak and traditional craftsmanship to create stunning traditional features including mullioned windows, solid oak flooring and panelling, a feature oak carved staircase, exposed timbers and minstrel’s gallery.  

The building has a full crown roof which was completely hand-built, and Adrian had to bring a mobile sawmill in and cut all the logs on site because they were so big. There is no paint in the house, instead every wall is lime-washed and interestingly, despite the medieval build, the property is remarkably energy efficient.  

In 2007, as Adrian saw the end of the Colwood project in sight, he decided to set up a business with the vision of creating beautiful bespoke oak framed buildings and extensions using traditional methods and utilising the skills of like-minded, equally highly skilled craftsmen. Essex Oak Frame is now an award-winning company specialising in the design, manufacture and construction of some of the most incredible oak framed structures in the region. 

No doubt Colwood Hall will still be standing in hundreds of years; the perfect legacy of a man with a dream, who has built a company that realises the construction dreams of others. 

To find out how Essex Oak Frame can support your new build project, get in touch today.   

Colwood winter (3)