Designs
Examples of how different Ecoframe houses could look like.
From Tiny houses to large family homes, people have different needs. Here is a list of examples, some of them built, that are the best design for a given category. These are meant to give some inspiration and maybe as a first step on your design journey.
FAMILY HOME
Spacious family home
A slightly wider version, with 3 posts creates an upstairs that fits 2 bedrooms. At the same time downstairs can be 3 rooms, 2 bed and one bathroom. The now wider living/kitchen area could be up to 6 x 8m or extended with another stopped truss. Depending on how big the rooms need to be, the floor print could be from 7-9 x 12-15m.
LARGER FAMILY HOME
Family with several children
In this style, timber-frame trusses are not used. Instead, a "normal" 1 1/2 story building is extended with a timber-frame downstairs only. Upstairs normal trusses are used. Because often the budget is a limitation for families building larger houses, and this way is at least 10% cheaper. See here for details.
An 8x13 or 9x14m house can thus have 4 or 5 bedrooms, with a total area of 160-200 sqm.
TINY HOUSE
Single person or young couple
The tiny house a simple large kitchen living space, with a small bedroom and bathroom attached. The rooms are situated at the back of the house, and there is a terrace at the front, which doubles as the entrance. The upper space is quite small but may be used as storage. The house is 35m2 in total, 22 of which are the main room.
As you see, many of the templates have a 1 1/2 story design, as this is a cost-efficient way to use timber frames to achieve open spaces.
The open space provides natural access to the upper storey, and the used upper space, in turn, retrieves some of the higher cost incurred by the extra timber-frame, more here.