oakbydesign
01423 593 794
Oak By Design have been pleased to work alongside the Project Manager/Architect, Andrew James, on the conversion of 3 former, single storey barns in Suffolk. Andrew not only designs homes, he also manages, and plans the building works on site.
His clients owned a cluster of buildings situated in glorious countryside , they realised this would be the perfect place to live, so went down the route of converting the barns to residential. The third barn was to be converted into garage spaces for the 2 homes.
Andrew set about designing a home within the confines of the limited space. In this case, each of the homes would be under 100 square metres. They had to maintain certain elements of the barns whilst creating an efficient, workable home. Both barns would be very similar, and would be converted separately. The first conversion would be for one of the companies’ directors.
To create a feeling of space and height, Andrew designed the main living space with an open pitched roof. He wanted this room to have the wow factor. By having the roof timbers on show, and made of solid oak, this would do the trick!
Andrew spoke to Joanne in October, when the initial building work was in the early stages, and discussed the timber sizes for the roof. An oak ridge, together with purlins and 4 oak roof trusses would form the main part of the roof.
Joanne had recently supplied some very similar trusses, purlins and ridge to a local client and sent some photos for Andrew to look at and see the quality of the finish etc. The top of the king posts had been notched out to accept the ridge, and the principal rafters on the trusses were notched to accept the purlins. This was just the look Andrew was looking for.
A quotation was provided for 4 oak roof trusses, the timbers finished at 190mm x 190mm with a span of nearly 6 metres. A ridge, and 4 purlins made up the full roof timbers for the open living space of approx. 7.5 metres in length.
The quotation was accepted, and final drawings provided for confirmation.
They chose the Osmo Protection oil in Natural for the finish of the timbers.
Once the roof timbers were all made, photos were sent to Andrew for approval. A delivery date of mid-January was arranged with our local Pallet Track company, Celkom.
The delivery was made first thing in the morning, and Andrew sent Joanne photos of the timbers in position at lunchtime! Everything had literally ‘slotted into place’.
A few weeks later, Andrew was back in contact, ready for the second set of timbers for the second barn. These would be exactly the same as the first set. At the same time, he also requested 5 oak timbers to sit on the outside of the barn to frame the windows and doors. The upright timbers would be sat on a staddle stone and would have a shaped top detail, which would sit under the front of the roof. This can be seen on the photo below.
These were ordered alongside the second set of roof timbers and these were delivered to site in April.
About the time that these were delivered to site, the first barn home was nearly ready to move into.
Speaking to Andrew after the first barn was finished, he explained how he managed to get the living/dining/kitchen space, hall, storage, 2 bedrooms (one with en-suite shower room) a house bathroom and utility room, all into the space, whilst still keeping the home looking bright and airy.
When entering the house, it opens into the living space. Looking ahead, above the kitchen sink, is a window that looks out across the garden. To the right, a corridor runs full length down to one of the bedrooms. The corridor has full length windows which let the light stream in. To the left, in the corner of the space is the dining area. This is flooded in light from the windows on both the front and side elevation.
By opening the roof up, as opposed to having flat ceiling, and revealing the roof timbers, the room is spacious, and the oak roof trusses create interest, drama and definitely the wow factor!
Flat ceilings would have made the space very enclosed and contained.
Andrew described the installation of the oak roof trusses and roof timbers as pretty smooth! The air-dried oak roof trusses and roof timbers had all been dry fit together in our workshop, and had been sanded and oiled prior to being sent out for delivery. The full oak roof trusses (seen on the artic, ready to leave our yard, below) were lifted into place with a telehandler, and positioned on the building, together with the ridge timbers (supplied as 2 pieces and jointed over one of the trusses), and the rafters (supplied as 4 timbers, and again jointed above the one of the trusses) all before lunch!
Having plenty of storage is the key to a tidy, workable home and Andrew has provided plenty in this compact home.
The dining area consists of fitted bench seating which lift to provide ample storage space. The kitchen units are full height, again, providing plenty of kitchen storage.
Accessing the utility room is via a small corridor with full height storage cupboards on the left-hand side, and the master bedroom has a dressing area, complete with full height wardrobe space/storage.
The exterior of the home pays homage to the black barns of the local area. Black cladding, windows and doors provide a contemporary barn look. The oak posts add a lovely warm contrast against the black.
The clients, who provide groundworks, civils, tarmacking etc, provided the newly finished driveway shown on the photo below.
Andrew said the beautiful colour of the oak trusses brings an enormous amount of warmth to the home, as well as adding interest and drama – a double whammy!!
Joanne asked Andrew for a review after the first was completed, he wrote:
“Oak By Design were appointed to be our fabricator & supplier for a number of large feature oak roof trusses and detailing into a cluster of barns we were converting into residential homes.
We have worked with many companies in our 40 years in the design & build industry, Oak By Design are up there with the very best.
It’s always a pleasure when you come across a company that has so much pride in what they do. With outstanding workmanship and an enthusiastic team of people who are clearly at the top of their game.
We’re always very particular with our design detailing, and always have reservations using new companies for the first time, in that they will understand our drawings & vision to get it right. Not only in the product itself, but delivering it within our times-scales to ensure our project runs smoothly.
Oak By Design completely exceeded our expectations on all accounts.
There’s always a large number of elements when designing and building any construction project. Surrounding yourself and appointing great companies is always a must, for a successful stress-free project.
This company will provide an outstanding product and service and should be your top consideration should you require stunning, hand-crafted oak products to add the wow factor to your projects
Thank you, OAK BY DESIGN!”
We would like to add that working with Andrew has been an absolute pleasure. They have always known what they wanted, and understood any technical questions we have asked of them. We look forward to working with Andrew and his team in the future.
Telephone: 01423 593 794
Locksley Park
Blind Lane
Tockwith
YORK YO26 7QJ
Opening Times:
Mon to Fri - 9.00am to 5.00pm
Bank Holidays - Closed
Christmas 2024 - TBC
Oak By Design is the trading name of:
Penny Bricks & Timber Ltd.
Reg Number: 04384416
VAT Number: 664 8012 33
Left us a star review
From the moment we visited the Oak Design showroom, we knew that we were dealing with a top quality local company. Richard the owner, showed us around his design works with real pride of his product and service offering. Jamie as sales executive has discussed and agreed the options & design with costs to us and we have now implemented the first phase of our home improvement, with more work to follow. We are highly delighted with the finished product and would strongly recommend Oak Design to other interested clients. I also suggest that you pay them a personal visit at the Home Building & Renovation exhibition in Harrogate, as well as their wonderful showroom of Oak Solutions in Tockwith to get a personal guided tour.
A great company to deal with. Professional from start to finish and always there to assist with any queries. Highly recommended.
Posting on behalf of my Mother in Law, Shirley Abbott "Having planned to shop around, Oak By Design was my first stop. I had no need to look any further. Joanne patiently and professionally guiding me through the confusion of choosing the right flooring. The service and support from the staff was exceptional, efficient and helpful. And - my floor looks amazing!"
Oak by Design were extremely helpful at all stages of my project from helping and advising me to choose the most appropriate beam through to advice on fixing the beam. They were extremely patient with changes to my beam dimension requirements finally providing a solution to suit my project. They provided photographs on completion of the beam prior to dispatch to ensure that my requirements had been met. I was extremely impressed by the quality and finish of the beam which has become the focal point for my fireplace project. Oak by Design provided customer care of the highest quality and I would highly recommend their services.
From start to finish Oak By Design have been incredible, nothing was too much trouble. Our new Oak doors are beautifully made and have really been the icing on the cake to finish our house renovations off. We have also had a fabulous outdoor oak structure with heating and we are very much looking forward to making the most of it in the months ahead. Thank you to the whole team I would throughly recommend.
Four years ago we took the decision to completely gut an old farmhouse and start again with it, we started looking for a supplier of oak to refit all of the internal doors, door casings, skirting and flooring. Our carpenter recommended Oak By Design. He wasn't wrong! All of the oak has been completely top notch. As the old house has settled into it's new skin it has moved and cracked in various places, the only thing that has been stable and unwavering is the oak. The customer service has been superb, with them continuing to supply exactly the same items, with the same quality over the course of 4 years. They even indulged our designs for furniture for our "boot room", with Shoe pigeon holes and a bench which we could store wellies under (as pictured). The doors supplied by them are reassuringly heavy and sturdy, with a proper "thunk" as you close them, cutting off sound from the rest of the house. There may be other, cheaper suppliers of oak out there, but none with the same level of quality, longevity and customer service as Oak By Design. If you want to do it right (& once!) use these guys.
We were delighted with our new porch. Right from our initial contact with Joanne at ObD, through the design and the installation by Jack and his team the service has been excellent. We would have no hesitation in recommending ObD and Jack to anyone thinking of a high quality oak porch. Thank you to all involved.
My client was looking for ways in which to make his conversion (of an early seventies house into a period family farmhouse) “stand out from the crowd”. whilst maintaining a commercial eye on his expenditure, as the house was being converted for resale profit. Making the choice to meet with Richard and explore possibilities for incorporating some Real solid Oak features into his plans proved to be the making of the project. By taking lots of advice from Richard on both the size and structure of the components we were able to incorporate three key features. The beautiful and bold roof trusses and purlins for the open plan kitchen are simply a joy to behold. The stunning full height gable window which is directly glazed into the large framework can be appreciated from both the the kerbside and of course from within the cosy snug on the ground floor or the amazing first floor main bedroom where we incorporated some additional exposed roof beams just purely for effect. All in all it is fair to say that these significant choices certainly created the wow factor my client was looking for. Having managed to pre sell the property well before completion it in itself demonstrates the benefits of keeping these sorts of real oak features as part of a modern build. I have no hesitation whatsoever is saying that if anyone is looking to get advice and is serious about investing in quality oak products they should have no need to look further than Oak by Design. Thanks again Richard for all your help , guidance and continued support which is a credit to you and the craftsmen you employ.
Great personal service to ensure we got what we needed specific to our personal requirements. Quality is outstanding and there was a helping hand there all the way. The porch we ended up with was not cheap but having looked at others the quality of the Oak by design product shines through. Very pleased with the result and the complements from both neighbours and our builders keep coming.
We got a fantastic garden structure from Oak by Design. It is a very handsome building and the design process was very patient, to say the least. We didn’t really know what we wanted, so we had to be guided through it. And we are delighted.
Excellent customer service. Very friendly. Explained in detail. Product is beautiful. Would recommend. Company sent photos of finished product prior to dispatch to confirm our happiness with their work.
I was sourcing an oak RSJ cover (circa 5m length) for my extension and found Oak by Design on the internet. All of the reviews I could were glowing and so I contacted them......And I'm so glad that I did. Joanne Fisher answered my initial call and she looked after my order from beginning to end - in terms of ensuring that I got exactly what I wanted she/they provided a superb service - everything on time - delivery in to the Peak District to suit when I wanted. The quality of the the RSJ cover is fantastic thick solid oak that matches my oak floor - looks amazing. If you want anything oak I can thoroughly recommend Oak By Design.
Firstly, the product quality was superb, a beautiful oak mantle piece for my fire place, gorgeous. The installation was quick, efficient and fitter very friendly. The price was very reasonable, actually very good value. But what makes it all SIX STAR, ( but we I can only give 5!), was the customer service. When walking in the shop I was perfectly attended to, I was given samples to take home and they remembered to call soma days later to see what I thought. Order to install time was very fast for such a bespoke service. My experience was world class, great to deal with a brilliant local/small business, I totally recommend.
Working with Oak By Design on our project was a pleasure and we were delighted with the results. Joanne was extremely helpful, quick to answer any questions and generally a great person to deal with! The quality and finish of the products - RSJ covers and Oak Windows & Doors were superb and look great. Would highly recommend working with Oak By Design and would not hesitate to use their services again for future projects!
Oak by Design have made 2 oak framed rooms for us, sunroom at the front and and "moonroom" (photo) at the back which encompasses a shower room, work area and storage. They have been helpful at every stage and the outcome is simply brilliant. They make the whole house feel roomier and brighter and are beautiful places to be. GE North Yorkshire
On behalf of John Docherty: Oak By Design were a great company to deal with; helpful, knowledgeable, professional. The quality of the oak supplied to us for our bespoke porch was first class. Nothing was too much trouble for this company, and we will definitely be using this wonderful company again in 2022.
What can I say, Oak By Design have been the most fantastic company to deal with. Joanne was so helpful, friendly and professional. She really seemed to care about our project, which made such a difference. We had 4 oak RSJ covers made and 2 fireplace mantles. The finish is outstanding. Everyone believes they are solid beams, which was just what we wanted. The care and attention this company will give you is 2nd to none and I would highly recommend them. Pictures will follow when we complete our project, thanks again Oak By Design. x
My wife and I recently purchased an oak porch from Oak By Design. We are delighted with the porch and it has been much admired. We did get some help assembling it but everything fitted together perfectly.
A fabulous service and supportive through the design and delivery process. Highly recommended
Great company, always on the end of the phone to talk through design, measurements, fitting. The Oak is very high standard, looks amazing.
From the beginning the customer service has been superb, excellent help and advice when choosing the flooring, delivery arriving when promised and a product which is extremely high quality. We have replaced the majority of our flooring downstairs and we are so pleased with the result that we would have paid more. Fantastic.
Spectacular service from start to finish! great design work and support from concept to installation. The builders were amazing! So pleased with the outcome! Thankyou so so much !
A first rate service from start to finish. We've used this company in the past for our floor - 40 foot of solid oak! 2 beams and 2 RSJ covers. This time a beam for our new kitchen inglenook and another RSJ cover. More than impressed with the products which more than met our spec. A very friendly and helpful team who I'd recommend to anyone.
Oak by design were a fantastic company to deal with. They made us some treads for a bespoke stair case from large pieces of air dried oak. They were very thorough in making sure that they understood exactly what we wanted. They made excellent suggestions for small changes to our own design in order to produce a better finished product and to manage the cost. We were very happy with the treads when they were delivered. They look fantastic and fitted perfectly to the steel frame which was made by a third party. I could not recommend them more highly.
Oak by design provided our engineered oak flooring. From our initial meeting and supply of samples to the final delivery we have been provided with excellent service. Carl has been in touch throughout the process and provided updates about the lead time and expected delivery dates. We are delighted with the flooring. Very happy to recommend Oak by design.
Fantastic service from start to finish, I would have no hesitation in recommending this company or using them again. Very professional and helpful. Joanne was great in assisting us with choosing both styles and colours of the beams and cladding.
From the initial quotation right through to the delivery and after service Joanne has been brilliant and given me an excellent product. I have just ordered another porch for another project from them and I will continue to do so for future projects . Thomas and Bell Building Contractors Ltd
My company has ordered 2 porches with Joanne from oak by design, and have more planned in the future. They've been brilliant from start to finnish. Great communication right through. And the quality of the product is exceptional. Do not hesitate to order.
Amazing craftsmanship from this company. The customer service from Joanne was superb. My questions and indecisiveness were never an issue and she was always on hand to offer advice and find the answers to my questions. Our oak porch has transformed the house and we are over thd moon with it. Would highly recommend Oak By Design. Joanne is an asset to the sales and promotion of this company and is very knowledgeable. Would give 10 stars if I could!
We purchased some engineered oak flooring and oak covers from Oak By Design and couldn't be happier with the finish and quality. They are spot on. Joanne was extremely helpful throughout the whole process and provided plenty of advice when necessary. Thank you
From the start of our enquiry, the service provided was excellent. Joanne was a great help and the oak porch structure looks fantastic on our new build. It completely changed the look of the house. Very quick delivery could not recommend enough.
Really delighted with the new porch by Oak by Design. It adds a super feature to my converted barn. Thanks to Joanne and the team.
Having lived with our porch for over 2 years I can honestly say it’s the best addition to our house we ever made. Not only does it look fantastic the quality is outstanding. I love that it keeps the mud out of the hall and provides a seating area to remove muddy boots.
First class service and product . Our car port and steps look fantastic and blends in with the existing buildings beautifully. Would definitely recommend them.
Exceptional service and beautiful flooring. Absolutely delighted with every aspect. Went above and beyond great customer service to meet our needs and timescales.
Ordered an oak mantle beam from Oak by Design and they quickly called to check the finer details. Unfortunatly, the beam was slightly damaged on arrival by the courier company. Oak by Design immediately arranged to have it picked by DHL, transferred back to Yorkshire from Kent, repaired and sent back within 2 days, with no quibbles. The beam is beautiful, as is the high quality customer service by these people. Fully recommend using this company. Anthony Slater, Tonbridge. Tonbridge.
Excellent quality workmanship and materials. Very easy and friendly to deal with on the phone. Everything done on time and no problems at all. Will definitely use again next time I need an oak porch or any other oak structures.
Found Oak by Design searching for a new front porch to replace a canopy and knew immediately that this was company for the job and I was not disappointed. I already knew what I wanted and Richard, very patiently, developed my basic requirements, with a number of iterations, into a full detailed design. As I live outside their site working area I decided go for supply only and to install the porch myself. It was delivered as promised and it looked great even on the pallet! It took me a while to fit but it was very satisfying and the result is fantastic. The quality of the aged oak and carpentry of the timbers is excellent. I’m delighted with the porch supplied by Oak by Design - it looks superb.
We worked with Jamie from Oak By Design on a super project near Wetherby. There was plenty of oak in this design for the team to really show their worth - and they did. The attention to detail was excellent. If anything was not quite how the client wanted it, they were straight back to attend to this. The customer care was superb. We look forward to working with Oak By Design on another project soon.
I could not recommend Oak By Design more highly. Joanne and the team worked tirelessly to resolve an issue that was the result of my mistake when I ordered the porch. Great customer service.
Found this company by accident whilst passing through Harrogate, but well worth a visit.Great products choice with helpful friendly service. The wooden flooring and beams look great in situ and we are very pleased with the transformed room. Would recommend and use again.
Amazing customer service from beginning to end . My builder was in awe at the quality of the oak porch components. Call them and ask for Joanne - what she doesn’t know isn’t worth knowing! It’s not every day you invest in a “proper” porch so do it right. You’ll definitely be delighted!
We decided to get an oak porch to make our home more attractive and we are so glad we did as it really is beautiful ! Joanne and the Team have been professional, friendly and just a pleasure to deal with ! Thank you so much !!
Fantastic staff with fantastic craftsmanship. Great communication and always on the ball. I would highly recommend oak by design, I don’t think you could get a better quality oak porch anywhere. Extremely pleased with ours , always getting compliments from fellow villagers
When embarking on a large renovation project assembling the right team of skilled work people is vital. It involves the need for skill, imagination and trust. It was important to us to use a local company and Oak by Design seemed to tick the right boxes although we had not dealt with them or indeed heard of them before. We soon came to realise that the combination of Ben, Billy, Jamie, Matt and MIck ( listed strictly in alphabetical order ) was a great success. Skilled: highly, imaginative: an excellent creative talent, trustworthy: 100% but also such great team players that all the other trades on site benefitted from their cooperation and great good humour. I would endorse the other reviewers who have commented on the quality of the materials used, whether in the replacement windows, the light oak internal doors. the fantastic oak staircase, the secret bookcase and the pièce de résistance: the oak conservatory. It has been a great project and much of that I attribute to the work of Oak by Design. A big thank you to you all.
