Mitigate Site Delays with Timber Frames

Last month, construction buyers reported a sharp July slump – with activity levels falling at the steepest pace since May 2020, with site delays cited as one of the reasons why.

S&P Global UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index posted 44.3 in July, down from 48.8 in June – the sharpest contraction in over five years.

Site delays cause problems – and this is a pain point that Aberdeenshire based Kirkwood Timber Frame know its customers have felt for some time. And when faced with these delays, Kirkwood argues that developers should be looking to adopt an approach that enables them to build much more quickly.

Timber frame not only delivers cost savings to a build programme, it can reduce build times by as much as eight weeks when compared to traditional construction methods.

When launching its FastBuild timber frame systems last year, Kirkwood Timber Frame Managing Director, Malcolm Thomson, had the issues developers were facing at the forefront of his mind.

He said: “We were determined to develop a simple yet highly effective solution that would deliver significant benefits to builders and developers, primarily speeding up the build process without compromising on quality or sustainability.”

And by incorporating additional features such as pre-fitted windows – an additional product for which Kirkwood was an early adopter – further significant reductions in both time and cost can be realised.

CHAP, one of Scotland’s leading privately owned construction companies, utilised Kirkwood’s FastBuild ClosedPanel timber frame product with InSite pre-fitted windows, on a development creating 87 new homes in Aberdeen.

Fraser Taylor, Operations Director with CHAP, said: “Kirkwood Timber Frame engaged from early tender stages to look at value engineered off site solutions. Their 10-meter panels reduced erect times and we worked together with Kirkwood – and window supplier Pinefield Glass – to get all windows pre-fitted in the factory – which accelerated wind & water tightness dates. I would have no issues recommending Kirkwood Timber Frame to potential customers.”

To find out more about Kirkwood Timber Frames’ time saving and precision engineered products, visit: https://www.kirkwoodtimberframe.co.uk/