ᐅ Timber Frame Construction – Is a 10 cm Exterior Wall Thickness Enough?

Although it dates from 1980, I still assume a wall thickness of 30 cm (12 inches) here (monolithic), and to me, the whole thing looks very much like a flat-roof bungalow with an added upper floor. I can hardly believe in a total wall thickness of 10 cm (4 inches), especially because of the roof, which needs proper support. The previous owner may be confused, but the building authority is not—the file knows more.

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11ant schrieb:

Although it dates from 1980, I would still assume a wall thickness of 30 cm (12 inches) here (monolithic), and to me it very much looks like a flat-roof bungalow that was later extended upwards. I find it hard to believe in a total wall thickness of 10 cm (4 inches), especially because of the roof, which needs proper support. The previous owner may be confused, but the building authority is not – the file knows more.

Thanks for your reply!
Yes, you are absolutely right, it was a flat roof before. The gable roof was added on top. The windows and front door are in good condition.

In the following photo, you can roughly see the exterior wall thickness of the timber panel construction.

Here is some information from the expert:

Partially renovated/modernized:
- Roof redone in 2012 with bitumen sheets
- Windows and front door replaced
- Heating boiler including hot water tank renewed
- Both bathrooms refurbished
- Water installations: central water supply connected to the public drinking water network
- Wastewater installations: discharge into municipal sewer system
- Electrical installation: basic setup from 1980
- Heating: gas central heating, piping (surface-mounted) and radiators from 1980
- Hot water supply: central via heating system
- Floor coverings: laminate, linoleum, tiles, and carpet
- Wall coverings: wallpaper and tiles in the sanitary areas
- Ceilings: wallpaper and paneling
- Windows: on the ground floor: aluminum frames with double glazing and roller shutters; on the upper floor: uPVC double-glazed windows
- Interior doors: simple flush doors
- Sanitary installations: bathroom with shower on the upper floor, bathroom with bathtub on the ground floor
- Kitchen equipment: not included
- Garage with electric roller door

Building construction (basement, walls, ceilings, stairs, roof):
- Construction type: prefabricated wooden frame / timber panel construction (prefabricated elements)
- Foundations: strip foundation
- Basement: masonry
- External walls: wood frame with gypsum plasterboard on both sides plus internal insulation layer (wall thickness approx. 0.10 m (4 inches))
- Stairs: steel frame with wooden steps
- Entrance area: aluminum entrance door with glazed panel, entrance covered by roof extension
- Roof structure: wooden roof, plank trusses as cold roof
- Roof shape: gable roof
- Roof covering: bitumen roofing membranes

Minimum purchase price: 125,000, our budget is 200,000

That looks more like a 20-25cm (8-10 inch) wall.

But where can you find such nice houses for this price?

Jens Kaufmann schrieb:

The agent said that they probably just left the heating on.

Nothing more than a stupid remark. It only reinforces prejudices against their profession. You are on the right track. When looking into insulation, keep in mind that old houses newly insulated often develop mold. Then the usual response is, "They just didn’t ventilate enough." Not every building structure is suitable for this.

hampshire schrieb:

Nothing more than a silly saying. It only reinforces stereotypes about their profession. You are on the right track.
When looking into insulation, keep in mind that old houses often develop mold after being insulated. Then people say, "They just didn’t ventilate enough." Not every building structure is suitable for this.

Hmm, so are you suggesting I shouldn’t insulate because there’s a risk of mold?

I’m a bit confused right now.
What would you recommend doing?

Is it even worth investing in such a house if I only have about €60,000 (around $65,000) for renovations? (We are still inexperienced)

I am far from giving a general recommendation. The important thing is to know that the building is also suitable for insulation—that was my point. Therefore, do not consult only an insulation expert, as they may not necessarily consider this or might not be interested in it.