In collaboration with M Sora, we also participated in their podcast called “Hiša”. In the ninth episode, our director Andrej Kosec gave an interview. Together with Barbara and Aleš, Andrej discussed massive timber frame construction in Slovenia and its building phases, comparing it to prefabricated wooden construction. A large part of the conversation focused on debunking ten myths about wooden houses, including:
🏠 Are wooden houses safe from earthquakes and fires?
🏠 Do wooden houses really deteriorate faster than brick ones?
🏠 Is maintaining a wooden house expensive?
🏠 Does a wooden house really “breathe”?
🏠 Are wooden houses truly sustainable?
Some myths were debunked, others confirmed.
If a wooden house is built correctly, it will be long-lasting. Wooden houses can even achieve higher fire resistance in terms of structure. Wood coatings are used less and less. The essence of a house is its people.
How would you explain the difference between massive timber frame construction and prefabricated construction?
In massive timber frame construction, most of the house is built on-site. With our building system, we can build using insulation materials that enable a diffusion-open wall system. This is difficult to achieve in an industrial process but is much easier and better on location. It allows moisture to pass through the wall—a major advantage that improves living comfort.
The first issue is that a prefabricated house cannot be built just anywhere. With massive timber frame construction, a house can practically be carried to the site by hand.
The construction of the wooden structure is relatively fast, but the time needed for the quality execution of details becomes evident in the later stages.
What are the phases from idea to moving in?
Clients come to us knowing we are a niche manufacturer. We’re closer to a craftsmanship-based approach and don’t offer standard house models. Clients either come with an idea or a concept design. If they don’t have one, we guide them to suitable designers. Most already have their own designer, who often refers them to us. We also provide technical support during the design process and help finalize the concept. We wait for the building permit, and then proceed.
The average time from obtaining a building permit to moving in varies depending on project complexity. For turnkey projects, the timelines are shorter. A specific aspect of our approach is that we often take over “engineering” tasks beyond just the wooden structure (e.g., basement work, window ordering, insulation…).
How many months does it take from the foundation slab to turnkey delivery?
The average is 9 months, though there are faster and slower cases.
Roughly what percentage of clients choose a turnkey house?
We offer all possible options. People have all kinds of preferences, and if someone wants to build partly on their own or with subcontractors, we make that possible. However, more and more clients are opting for a turnkey solution—not only the construction but also support before and after the build. Moving into a house is one thing, maintaining it is another.
We provide post-sale services—maintenance, preventive inspections—things that clients often forget during the build. Just like you service a car, certain elements of the house need attention to avoid damage.
The most important thing is checking the most exposed elements—walls, roofs. There are many houses in Slovenia without eaves, and this has become a trend. But with basic facade renders, that can cause issues. We inspect the house using a thermal imaging camera to detect any heat leaks or similar problems.
Are you a fan of houses with eaves?
We never limit clients regarding the look of the house. So we support both with and without eaves. But if a house has no eaves, then the wall is the roof, and it needs to be built accordingly.
Want to listen to the full episode? It’s available HERE.
Curious about the myths and truths about wooden houses? Stay tuned—we’ll reveal them soon.
