Tithe Barn.

In May of 2010 we were given the opportunity to tender on the build of a brand new tithe barn which was to be built to replace the marquee the client had been using to stage wedding receptions and functions in. The new building was to be nearly forty meters in length and at its widest point twenty meters in width.
Our involvement began very late in the tender stage and as a result we needed to have the full quote in order by the following Friday, a period of only seven and a half days.
This Project would be the most involved to date, as Norton Timber was not only quoting to build the Oak frame but also a softwood/steel framed two story section, to house offices W/C and stores, plus all the insulation, cladding, roofing and joinery would come under our remit.
In the week composing the tender Mr Norton working with our engineer had to design a tithe barn frame building in design features the clients had stated they required, namely the removal of the isle divides and timber plates which are traditionally used to hold the barn base together; this was to enable guests to be able to walk around the posts of the main frame thus giving more usable floor space uninterrupted by the walled off bays.
Our tender was finished and delivered with just hours to spare. After we had shown the prospective clients around some of our finished projects we were awarded the contract.

In the following four months after securing the contract, we finalized the frame design, prepared the timbers ready for pre-assembly, designed the unique piled raft foundations and reinforced slab with a special plinth detail on which to securely fix the frame. This will take the place of the timbers removed so as to give access around the main frame posts. We are now underway with the frame fabrication in our workshop.

The overriding objective of this project is the date of completion; we are duty bound to hand this build over to the clients by April 2010, as there are already events booked to take place in what will be their stunning new venue.

We will be updating this project to show how the build is progressing.

Update 10th Jan 2011

We completed the prefabrication of the frame three days before Christmas and are now in the process of raising the frame. So far the build has gone very well, we have put pictures up of the raising in progress and will update as the build progresses.

Update Sunday 13th Feb 2011

The scaffold roof is finished, sand blasting of the Oak well underway and should be finished by the end of this coming week. The steel and softwood section is coming on well with sheeting to start tomorrow, once sheets are on the roofs between the Oak frame and softwood can be connected.

Update 7th Apr 2011

It gives the whole team at Norton Timber enormous pride and pleasure to be able to show you our latest and most complex build to date.

In total we worked six months on this build, three months in our framing yard assembling the frame and the three months on site. The reaction to the design we came up with to accommodate the original brief and planning drawings that were given to us, has been very well received. Without exception everyone that has been to see the Old Kent Barn's new venue has been delighted, with descriptions like beautiful, outstanding and stunning being used. Please take time to have a look at the final batch of pictures of the finished project.