Cornwall · Self-Build · Timber Frame
Self-build timber-frame homes in Cornwall — designed for the climate, built to last.
Modern closed-panel timber frame is the fastest, warmest, driest route to a Cornish self-build. We design, plan, coordinate the manufacturer and (if you want) build it — from Bude on the north coast to the Lizard in the south.
Why timber frame works here
Three reasons we recommend it for most Cornish self-builds.
Dries-in fast
Frame and roof up in 5–10 days, weather-tight within two weeks of slab. Critical in a county that gets 1,200mm of rain a year.
Hits Part L 2025 easily
Closed-panel walls routinely hit 0.15–0.18 W/m²K U-values out of the box, with SAP and airtightness designed in from day one.
Coastal-grade detailing
Stainless fixings, render-on-board or larch cladding with concealed fixings, and rain-screen junctions designed for north-coast wind and salt loading.
Frequently asked
Self-build timber frame in Cornwall — straight answers.
- Why timber frame for a self-build in Cornwall?
- Timber frame is the fastest dry-shell route for the Cornish climate. The frame goes up in 5–10 days, dries the building in within two weeks of slab, and the airtightness and thermal performance beat traditional masonry without bolted-on insulation. For exposed sites — north coast, Lizard, Land's End — it's almost always the right answer.
- Can I self-build a timber-frame home in Cornwall under permitted development?
- Not usually. New dwellings always need full planning permission. The exception is Class Q (agricultural-to-residential conversion) or replacement dwellings on the same footprint — both routes we use regularly. We screen the site against every PD and prior-approval route on day one.
- How much does a self-build timber-frame house cost in Cornwall in 2026?
- Budget £2,300–£2,800 per m² built for a high-spec timber-frame shell delivered turnkey. A 180m² four-bedroom self-build typically lands £420,000–£500,000 all-in including frame, slab, finishes and external works. Coastal and exposed sites add 5–10% for upgraded cladding fixings.
- Do you design and manage the build, or just supply drawings?
- Both options. We can deliver feasibility, planning, Full Plans building regs, structural engineering and SAP coordinated as a single package — handed to your chosen timber-frame manufacturer and builder. Or we can run the project end-to-end with our full-build arm.
- Will it pass Building Regs and Part L 2025?
- Yes — and easily. Modern closed-panel timber frame routinely hits 0.15–0.18 W/m²K wall U-values out of the box, comfortably below Part L 2025. We coordinate SAP, MVHR and airtightness detailing inside the Full Plans pack rather than as an afterthought.
- Bude, the North Coast, the Lizard — do you cover the whole county?
- Yes. Free first visit anywhere in Cornwall. The studio is in Penzance and we travel weekly across Bude, Wadebridge, Truro, the Lizard, the Roseland and Land's End.