In collaboration with M Sora, we participated in their podcast Hiša (House). In the ninth episode, our director Andrej Kosec was the featured guest.
Barbara and Aleš talked with Andrej about solid timber frame construction in Slovenia and its building phases, comparing it to prefabricated timber construction. A large part of the conversation was dedicated to debunking ten common 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?
- Do wooden houses “breathe”?
- Are wooden houses truly sustainable?
Some myths were debunked, while others turned out to hold some truth.
When built properly, a wooden house is durable. Wooden houses also achieve a high level of fire safety from a structural standpoint. Wood coatings are becoming less necessary. At the end of the day, the essence of the house lies in its people.
What’s the difference between solid timber frame and prefabricated construction?
With solid timber frame construction, most of the house is built directly on-site. Our system allows for the use of insulation materials that enable a diffusion-open wall system. Achieving this in an industrial setting is difficult, but it’s much easier and more effective to apply on location. This allows moisture to pass through the wall, which is the greatest advantage and leads to better living comfort.
A key issue with prefabricated houses is that they can’t be placed just anywhere. With solid timber frame construction, a house can practically be carried on your back to the site. The wooden structure goes up relatively quickly, but the time required for detailed, quality execution becomes more apparent in later phases.
What are the phases from idea to move-in?
Clients come to us knowing we are a niche builder. We’re closer to a craftsmanship-based approach and don’t offer pre-designed model homes. Customers arrive with an idea or conceptual design. If not, we help guide them toward suitable architects. Most already have an architect who often refers them to us. We also provide technical support during planning and help finalize the design. Then we wait for the building permit and move forward.
The average timeline from obtaining a building permit to move-in depends on project complexity. For turnkey projects, timelines are usually shorter. A unique aspect of our service is that we often handle the “engineering” side of things not directly tied to the timber structure (e.g., basement construction, window orders, insulation, etc.).
How long does it take to build a house from the foundation to turnkey?
On average, the entire construction process takes about 9 months, though faster and slower cases do occur.
How many clients choose turnkey construction?
We offer all options. People have different preferences, and if someone wants to build parts of the house themselves or use their own subcontractors, we support that. However, more and more people are opting for turnkey homes – not just for the building process but also for pre- and post-construction support. There’s a difference between moving into a house and maintaining one.
We offer post-sale services such as maintenance and preventative inspections – things people often overlook during construction. Just like a car needs regular servicing, certain aspects of a home need regular attention to prevent damage.
It’s especially important to inspect the most exposed parts: walls, roofs, etc. There’s a strong trend in Slovenia of building homes without eaves, using standard facade plasters, which can lead to issues. We inspect the house using thermal imaging, check for leaks and more.
Do you personally prefer houses with eaves?
We never limit clients when it comes to design. We support both houses with and without eaves. But if a house has no eaves, that means the wall is the roof – and must be treated accordingly.
The full podcast episode with Andrej Kosec is also available at this link.
