Cyprus Timber Houses

• Why build in wood?

Wood is a natural product that has been used for building houses for thousands of years.  It is better for the environment, cheaper than most alternatives and most importantly gives a much nicer place to live.

• How can it be good to cut down trees for houses?

All the timber we use comes from certified sustainable sources.  That means for every tree cut down three replacements are planted.  The trees that are cut down are near the end of their growing cycle and the replacements are young, vigorous and at their most active, removing CO2 from the atmosphere and converting it to oxygen as they grow into maturity. 

• How bad for the environment is concrete?

The manufacture of concrete accounts for between 5 and 8% of all greenhouse gas emissions – over twice as much as created by aviation.  Every tonne of concrete poured produces a tonne of CO2 and other gases as well as using resources that cannot be replaced.  At the moment there is no viable use for concrete at the end of the buildings lifespan – it will just be added to landfill.

• What difference does it make if I build in wood?

If you build a 100 sq m two storey house in wood instead of concrete you will save approximately 4 tonnes of CO2.  That is the same as 14,000 miles of driving.  A recent study in Sweden found that if all houses build since 1945 hade been made of timber they would have saved 300 million tonnes of CO2 – under the Kyoto conventions, it will take their government another 200 years to achieve that saving.

• Surely wood houses won’t last as long as concrete?

There are many buildings made of traditional timber logs in Scandinavia that are dated from the 15th century.  Log-houses in Canada and the USA have lasted many generations.  Most reinforced concrete starts to need major renovation after about 25 years.

• How does the wood react to the heat of Cyprus?

Our suppliers regularly send buildings to Spain, Mexico, California and Texas, areas with a climate just as hot as Cyprus.  For most construction methods, the serious concern is the temperature range the materials will be subjected to.  In Canada, log-houses deal superbly with weather going from -30C up to +40C.  Heat does not adversely affect well treated solid timber.

• What about the strong sunlight then?

Any timber used in strong sunlight must be treated as soon as possible to protect it from UV radiation.  We build the houses and treat them immediately with a high quality preservative with suitable pigmentation to protect the wood.  The timber then needs to be re-treated periodically throughout its life (normally after 1 year, 5 years and then as required).  The wood should not be painted in order to let it breathe naturally and maintain its natural level of moisture.

• What about termites and other insects?

Termites and other insects love damp and rotting wood.  All our timber is first kiln dried to ensure there are no insects in the timber and the wood is dry.  It is then treated with preservative and built on solid concrete bases or piles which avoid contact with the ground.  In areas particularly prone to termite attack, we would recommend treating the soil with a guaranteed insecticide prior to construction.  The termite problem in Cyprus is very small compared to the USA and log-houses are commonplace there.

• Is it going to be weatherproof?

All our products use modern factory milled joints (and gaskets in the larger houses) to ensure a completely weather-proof seal.  The weatherproof shell for a full house can be erected in about a month

• Will it be warm in winter or cold in summer?

Wood is an excellent insulator; it will keep your home cooler in summer and warm in the winter.  It is 15 times more thermally efficient than the same thickness of concrete and 400 times better than steel. Cyprus Timbr Houses perfect for insulated houses in Cyprus

• What about fires?

A major fire destroys any building regardless of the type of material from which it is made.  Timber houses subjected to fire form an outer coating of charcoal but resist burning of the core very well.  Unlike steel reinforced houses the structure does not twist and distort in the heat and the surface does not flake and explode.  Timber houses meet and usually exceed all the EU directives with regard to building performance in fires.

• What about earthquakes?

Our log-houses are supplied to many parts of the world with much worse seismic problems that Cyprus.  They are designed to survive and being lighter and more flexible in design, they fare well, so earthquakes in Cyprus are no problem.  Wood will flex and cope well with vibration but will not crack and distort in the same way concrete does.

• Can I self-build?

Our smaller garden houses and cabins are suitable projects for a competent DIYer.  Full written instructions are available and we provide site visits and inspections to ensure the buildings are put up correctly.
Our full sized houses are built by our own builders who are all trained by our suppliers to ensure complete satisfaction. 

• Where are these houses best suited?

The traditional log house looks best in the mountains or a forest location, so wooden houses in Troodos is an ideal location. However our suppliers are now producing designs and looks that are far more contemporary, so timber houses Limassol area would also be a good location.  These modern styles are more suited to towns or sea-front locations where you want something different to the common concrete apartment look.  Our builders are also experts in the use of local stone so it is possible to blend in with villages and traditional Cypriot localities.

• If all your houses are imported, isn’t it expensive?

Even allowing for the import of the timber and the high quality specification of our houses, our prices are very competitive with concrete and brick buildings. 

• Can you arrange purchase of land in Cyprus from you?

We work closely with Century 21 one of the World’s largest Estate Agents.  They can assist you in finding the right piece of land for your log home

• Do we need planning permission?

Strictly speaking you need planning permission for any form of permanent construction on your land (fence, garage, shed, whatever).  We can help and advise you on this issue.

• Do you have an architect and engineers to do all the plans and permissions?

Yes, we will put you in touch with an architect with experience of this type of building and he can help find engineers and other expert advisors as well as processing your applications.  He would supervise all aspects of the work in accordance with your instructions.

• Where can I get more information about your Timber houses?

See the following websites:

 

www.cyprustimberhouses.com

www.lugarde.nl

www.dowandduggan.ca

www.century21cyprus.com

or phone 99 515983 or 96 320023