A couple from Aberdeen are building for the future, using the latest methods of modern construction to create their forever home.
At just 27 years old, the pair are bucking the national trend – with three quarters of self-builders aged over 55.*
For a number of years, Lauren, who’s employed in the Oil and Gas sector, and Jack Lyon, who works in Construction and Property Maintenance, had been intrigued by a parcel of land adjacent to Lauren’s mother’s house – which was home to the derelict, former Toll House.
Lauren said: “We had always been curious about this plot of land and who owned it and had joked that it would be an ideal spot for a home. When we found out that the land was for sale, we jumped at the chance to buy.”
Supporting them through the process, the couple chose Kirkwood Timber Frame to provide the Open Panel System for their new property. The benefits of this were that – by working closely with Kirkwood’s design team – the timber frame structure, including windows, doors, insulation and service ducts were precision engineered at Kirkwood’s factory ahead of the frame simply being delivered and erected on site. Consequently, the timber frame structure was constructed within a couple of days.
Lauren added: “People are often surprised that at our age we are building our own home, but for many reasons it seemed the best option for us. With living with our respective parents – which we know is common for people saving a deposit to buy a home – we knew we could raise the capital for the build.
“Jack and I have carried out a lot of the hard labour in the initial stages, such as clearing the land. Thankfully, we have several friends and family working in construction, who have been a massive support.
“We also did lots of research and attended a number of self-build exhibitions. We knew that we wanted to build using timber frame – due to its green credentials, particularly in relation to its energy and thermal efficiency, which will save us on our energy bills.
“Kirkwood Timber Frame seemed a natural choice, being based in Aberdeen and with significant experience of delivering self-build schemes. The design and technical team have been a huge support and one of the focal features in the home is a split staircase, which was made possible by Kirkwood and our architects meticulous planning.
“Much like the foundations going in, timber frame delivery day is incredibly exciting as within the space of a working day, you have the structure – the fabric of your home – there to see!”
Barbara Massie, Business Development Manager at Kirkwood Timber Frame, added: “It has been a pleasure to support and watch Lauren and Jack’s vision come to life. Our team understand how important and unique each self-build project is and that is why we work hard to partner with all our customers – from planning through to design and in navigating building regulations and budgets. We can support clients at every step of the process to make the self-build journey a positive experience.”
For more information about Kirkwood Timber Frame’s Self Build services and products, please visit: https://www.kirkwoodtimberframe.co.uk/services/self-build or make an appointment to chat with the Kirkwood Timber Frame team at the Scottish Self Build and Renovation Show in Aviemore on 21st September by contacting Barbara.massie@kirkwoodtimberframe.co.uk
*Information taken from The National Self Build and Renovation Centre (NaCSBA), https://selfbuildportal.org.uk/news/consumer-survey/
