OAK FRAME
Q Is an oak frame house a fire risk, making it difficult to get a mortgage or insurance?
A There’s no fire risk. All houses have to comply with the same Building Regulations whether they are built with brick, timber, oak or any other construction material. This outdated fire risk view goes back to the early 1980s when Building Regulations weren’t so stringent and there was an issue with softwood timber houses. Standards have improved dramatically since then. In a fire, the outside of oak chars and protects the inner core. When oak is used for building construction, it’s given a char rating to calculate fire resistance. Gareth Edmunds
PLOT TYPES
Q Should I steer well clear of building a new home in a conservation area?
Contrary to popular belief, conservation areas are very good places to find some fantastic home property plots. They offer beautiful street scenes and they’re often located well within settlement boundaries. While they may still be affected by issues
