1. A design bespoke to you

Our bespoke design services mean we have the flexibility to give you the exact extension design that you want with the benefits that come with building in oak. Fancy a curved room with a conical roof and vaulted ceiling? The Britton’s did just that.  Or maybe you’d prefer a more traditional look with a roof lantern and French doors onto the garden? The Arnot’s orangery is a good example. Our gallery is great for inspiration – but you don’t need to be limited by what you see.

2. Choice of styles

You’ll achieve the best style impact when an oak frame extension is designed in keeping with the property – and it will please the planners too. For example, you might live in a barn so an extension that looks like a converted agricultural building will be fantastic. Mostly extensions fair well when they look subservient to the main property. The Bowden’s extended both sides of their cottage, but kept them single storey and stepped back at the front. An oak frame extension suits all kinds of properties, both traditional and contemporary. Our design team can advise on ways to achieve a more modern aesthetic using an oak frame, though one tip is to introduce some oak to the main property – cladding, a porch, an oak front door – to tie the architecture together.

3. Choice of materials

To customise the appearance of your extension you can combine materials. Take cues from your property first – is it built in stone or brick? Does it have render or cladding? Slate or clay roof tiles? Where possible, source reclaimed bricks or stone to match-in with your home, and choose the same coloured render. The Carney’s painted the upper floor door frames of their annexe-extension the same colour as the pebbledash on their Victorian home.

4. Capture light and views

Extensions are all about creating light and maximising views (as well as making more space) and we achieve that with floor-to-ceiling glazing fixed within the oak frame and opening windows. Doors can be in a traditional style or fold back if you want to open up more of the room to the garden. 

There’s an opportunity to create ambient light too. Roof lanterns project above the extension and with an opening mechanism are good for ventilation in warmer months. This is what the Totty’s have done in their traditional orangery. Glazed gable ends are another lighting trick, as the Dundas family found out in their kitchen extension. A glazed gable above the back wall of their kitchen draws in the morning sun, which otherwise they couldn’t enjoy. Another feature are the corner windows to the side of the doors, creating a panoramic view of their garden.

5. A seamless connection

An oak frame extension is a standalone structure built independently from the house so careful detailing is needed to connect the two. Our expert oak frame designers have the technical know-how, as well as a holistic design eye to make sure the layout integrates smoothly with the rest of your home. The Gasquet’s double-storey extension is linked by a library corridor on the ground floor and a master ensuite above.

6. Versatile interiors

There’s no doubt vaulted ceilings and exposed oak trusses look amazing but this may not fit with the style of your home. Our oak frames look just as good pared back with just the main structural timbers left exposed for the character, and ceilings plastered and painted. Cost savings can be made with our hybrid approach by constructing the hidden timbers with softwood.

7. An energy efficiency build

Building an oak frame extension doesn’t meant compromising on energy efficiency. To keep the frame exposed inside, we wrap the building and roof externally with highly insulated panels, and between the ceiling rafters inside. Where the structure is mainly doors and glazing, we we conform to Building regulations so you will be cool in Summer and warm in Winter.

8. A long lasting choice

Building in oak – An oak frame extension is an investment that will continue to reap rewards. The timbers will strengthen and age over time, enhancing their appearance and natural character. If you do decide to sell your home later on, then your extension will be an asset and likely increase the value of your property.