oakbydesign
01423 593 794
Nikki Whitelam, who, along with husband Scott, run Building Plastics Direct in Castleford and Barnsley, had been following @oakporches on Instagram for some time when Nikki first contacted Oak By Design in September.
They knew exactly what they wanted, (see 'doctored' photo below) and asked for an initial quotation which Joanne arranged.
At the time, Nikki couldn’t find a builder to complete the work required prior having the porch built so didn't want to order until she had one lined up.
In February, however, she messaged the good news. She had managed to find a builder who would rebuild the walls, and install the coping stones required for the porch and then install and roof the porch. Once she had discussed the project with him, things started to move!
They ordered the porch at the end of March, and paid their deposit. Oak By Design allocated time in the production calendar for the porch to commence manufacture after the builder had finished building the porch walls.
Nikki sent Joanne a drawing in June showing all the relevant measurements of the newly built wall. A drawing of the oak porch, showing all the dimensions, was sent to Nikki for confirmation on design, and for her to confirm the measurements with the builder. A few minor changes were made: Nikki chose to have a couple of curved brackets to the front elevation and added curved braces to the truss.
The coping - stones on the porch were 300mm wide, on a wall that was 800mm high at the door level. The overall width of the porch is 1900mm wide and 955mm deep.
Nikki wanted the braces on the truss to be diagonal and she wanted the house name, Sycamore House, to be engraved on the tie beam. Wanting a natural finish to the oak, she chose the Osmo Polyx UV Oil in Natural 429 tint.
In early August, the porch ready, Nikki arranged collection of it and the builder set to installing it.
Absolutely over the moon with the oak porch, Nikki couldn't wait to start planning its decorations for Christmas. Much to Scott's dismay, Nikki arrived home one day with 2 large Nutcracker Soldiers and started planning the rest of the porch decoration! Scott had only one request, Nikki couldn't screw, nail or pin ANYTHING to the oak. Nothing can spoil 'Scott's' porch!
Having an initial quotation from a florist for garlands for the porch at £650, Nikki set about sourcing her own and making some adjustments. She did this for just over £100!!
The family are absolutely thrilled with the porch, even having their own personalised Christmas cards made by friend Julia Charlton, featuring their very own personalised oak porch!
If you’d like to see more of Julia’s work, or would like to commission your own cards, please see here. Julia Charlton Studio
Speaking after the installation Nikki said:
"We are so in love with this beautiful oak canopy we had installed last week. It finished the front of the house off and the courier, finally, (after 10 years of no house name on the front) knows which is ours. @oakporches have been amazing, start to finish, deciphering my measurements and photo's I sent them to create this thing of absolute beauty.
I can't wait to dress it up for Halloween, Christmas and everything else. It's been constructed so well by Oak Porches (Oak by Design) and our builder said it will probably outlive the house!"
Oak porches are a popular addition to many homes, offering both aesthetic appeal and practical benefits. This article will explore the advantages of adding an oak porch to your home, focusing on three key areas: increased property value, enhanced curb appeal, and improved functionality.
One interesting statistic that highlights the value of oak porches is their ability to increase property value. According to a study conducted by the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA), adding an oak porch can increase the value of a property by up to 5%. This percentage may vary depending on factors such as location and size of the porch, but it demonstrates the positive impact that this feature can have on overall property worth.
In addition to boosting property value, oak porches also contribute significantly to enhancing curb appeal. The natural beauty and timeless charm of oak create an inviting entrance that immediately catches the eye. A well-designed porch not only adds character and visual interest but also complements the architectural style of your home. This attention to detail creates a cohesive look that appeals to potential buyers or visitors.
Apart from aesthetics, oak porches offer practical benefits in terms of functionality. They provide shelter from inclement weather conditions such as rain or snow when entering or leaving your home. Additionally, they serve as transitional spaces between indoors and outdoors, allowing you to remove outdoor clothing before entering your living area. These functional aspects not only enhance convenience but also add value by improving daily living experiences for homeowners.
The utilisation of timber in construction is a time-honoured tradition, with oak being a popular choice due to its durability and aesthetic appeal. However, there are distinct differences between green oak and air-dried oak that warrant careful consideration when selecting the appropriate material for building projects.
Green oak is derived from recently felled trees, retaining a substantial moisture content ranging from 60-80%. As this timber undergoes seasoning, which refers to the gradual drying out process, its moisture content diminishes. The visual imagery of water gradually evaporating from the wood aptly depicts this transformation.
In contrast to green oak, air-dried oak is cut into desired sizes and exposed to natural elements for an extended period. This exposure allows for air circulation between the timbers, facilitating the reduction in moisture content over time. The pace at which air-dried oak dries out is captured by the evocative phrase "25mm per year," highlighting the slow but steady progress of drying.
Air-dried oak possesses lower moisture content compared to green oak due to its lengthy seasoning period, typically ranging from three to ten years depending on thickness. This reduced moisture content enhances stability and minimises movements or shrinkage associated with timber use in construction projects.
Understanding the distinctions between green oak and air-dried oak grants building experts invaluable knowledge when making material selections. By considering factors such as moisture content and stability, professionals can ensure optimal outcomes in their construction endeavours without compromising quality or longevity.
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:
Oak By Design Ltd.
Reg Number: 04384416
VAT Number: 664 8012 33
Left us a star review
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.
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.
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.
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.
Fantastic service and quality of product. I couldn’t be happier with my Oak porch, which was designed to my specification with the minimum of fuss. Joanne was so helpful and nothing was too much trouble. Incredibly well engineered and looks fantastic. Thank you so much.
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.
A great company to deal with. Professional from start to finish and always there to assist with any queries. Highly recommended.
Great service from start to finish, Joanne was great help. Designs were spot on and so happy with the porch. 10/10. Fully recommend.
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.
I first used Oak by Design in 2021 for a oak porch, I used them again 2023 for an oak pergola. Both times my clients have been Delighted with the finished product. Both times the product was delivered when stated, everything i needed was on the delivery. Oak by design listened to what I required for both jobs. The quality of the oak is excellent, all joints fit correctly & if I had a problem I only had to ring and speak to them. R Brown Carpentry always recommends Oak by Design when asked about oak structures.
As the owner of a local joinery business, Robert Davis Joinery, I have had the pleasure of using Oak by Design on several occasions over the last 8 years. They have produced bespoke interior products for me including Oak doors and timber moldings. The staff in the office and the workshop are always very helpful and friendly and the standard of the workmanship and materials are always of a very high quality.
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
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.
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.
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 !
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.
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!
I wish I could give more starts!! We looked at many companies before finally choosing Oak by Design. We are so glad we chose them. They were excellent from start to finish. They worked with us to find a workable design that was to our liking. Our door looks amazing (despite the building site that still surrounds it!). Their customer service is of the highest standard, Joanne could not do enough to help us. I would not hesitate to recommend them.
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 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.
We worked with the team who designed a wonderful porch for our house near Harrogate. It has been an amazing addition. Simple but effective - excellent craftsmanship using authentic materials. We are absolutely delighted with the transformation and everyone who sees the porch says how great it looks. Thanks to all the team at Oak By Design.
This is the second time that we have used Oak By Design for oak products and once again we weren’t disappointed. We recently ordered some internal oak doors and from the very start they were a pleasure to deal with. Joanne especially was extremely helpful and friendly, nothing was too much trouble. We were kept updated about the progress of our order. Unfortunately we needed to delay acceptance of the doors for a few weeks and Oak By Design happily agreed to store them in their workshop until we were ready for them. The quality of the doors is very high, they are very well made and finished, far better than any oak doors that you will buy “ off the shelf. “ They are all installed now and look fantastic. I would highly recommend Oak By Design and we will certainly use them again in the future if we require any more oak products. A huge thank you to Joanne and the whole team for a great service and a great product.
Very impressed with Oak By Design. Customer service is fantastic and they were very patient in helping me ensure what I needed was the right size. Photos sent of oak cover before it was sent to me and end product was great. It was also not the most expensive either. Would definitely recommend.
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!"
We can thoroughly recommend Oak by Design. Not only did they provide the best of oak floors and oak staircase to suit our new, contemporary home, but they returned to make good a problem which was not their fault. Going the extra mile separates great companies from ordinary firms. Thank you Jamie & Billy. From Mike & Barbara, York.
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
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.
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!
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.
Great company, always on the end of the phone to talk through design, measurements, fitting. The Oak is very high standard, looks amazing.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
A fabulous service and supportive through the design and delivery process. Highly recommended
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.
First class service and product . Our car port and steps look fantastic and blends in with the existing buildings beautifully. Would definitely recommend them.
We are ‘over the moon’ with our beautiful oak porch made by Oakbydesign .From our initial enquiry to delivery and installation the service and attention to detail has been outstanding! A very big thank you to Joanne who was so helpful and friendly from start to finish which made the whole process such a pleasure. Highly recommend anyone looking for an oak porch to choose Oakbydesign . Yvonne Grant.
On behalf of Shears PHG Our customer was looking at having an oak porch built for their property in the West Midlands we got in contact with Joanne at Oak by Design and she was really helpful, always friendly on the phone and polite nothing was too much trouble. Joanne kept us up to date through every stage and our customer is really pleased with the results of the Porch it looks great and we wouldn’t hesitate to use them again in the future
Great service by a friendly professional team, a pleasure to work with. The end result of our oak glazed leisure spa and outdoor kitchen looks fantastic. Great job
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.
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.
We were looking to have a bespoke oak and glass atrium for the front of our new house renovation. We wanted to find a company we trusted, who clearly understood our brief and could manufacture and install a high quality product at a competitive price. A big ask, but OakByDesign ticked all our boxes. Jamie and the team from the initial discovery meeting to completion of the installation were fantastic. The design, material quality and installation were first class and I would highly recommend you to include them within your project plans. Thank you all. Ben and Lindsay.
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.
