Larger structural members, fewer connections, long service life; often paired with non-structural infill walls.
Cost
Medium
Upkeep
Occasional
Skill to build
Basic
Lifespan
50-100+ years, often longer than light frame, fewer, larger connections
Embodied carbon
Low
Space / material use
Medium
Output timing
None
Skill to repair
Basic
Regulation (FR example)
Part of the structure or footprint: covered by the building permit (permis de construire) for a new dwelling. Rural sites are additionally constrained by the commune's PLU zoning, outside a constructible zone, a new dwelling is generally refused.
Note: Cost, carbon and footprint are rated against the other options for this same need, not in absolute terms.
Inputs
none
Outputs
none
Sources
Timber-frame/post-and-beam structural lifespan industry sources (Western Timber Frame; World Construction Today)
What this page does not tell you
No sizing or quantities: how much a technique yields, and how much a household needs, both depend on the build and the people, so the catalogue compares options rather than dimensioning them. It carries no bill of materials and no build sequence, and it is written for an oceanic, clay-soil climate (Normandy, France). Regulatory notes are indicative and need confirming locally.