Framing Cornwall

We catch up with Post & Beam founders Tim Simpson and Tom Jubb, after three lucrative years of framing some of Cornwall’s most beautiful spaces.

Since setting up the framing yard near St Ives in 2014, the team at Post & Beam has taken on a variety of projects, from small domestic extensions and remodelling work to large commercial builds across the county. Current live projects for the first half of 2018 include a function hall on the Isles of Scilly, a new house on the Roseland peninsula, an extension in Coverack and an all-timber build near Bude.

The beauty and versatility of a post and beam timber frame has proved to be a winning formula across the region, along with the growing appeal of using a material that’s both natural and sustainable.

Indeed, no two projects are the same, and each building is bespoke, designed individually to suit the needs of the client. Of course, each project depends on budget, but the possibilities of each site and what each building will be used for are vast, whether it’s to improve and extend an existing property, or create a completely new space, like the gallery at Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, completed last year.

Tim Simpson and Tom Jubb, who set up the workshop, are both originally from Cornwall. Having started their timber framing careers with Carpenter Oak yard in Devon, they were keen to bring their expertise back to Cornwall and cater for the local market.

“Being local to a project has huge advantages,” Tim explains.

“Each job is different, so every design and detail has to be thought through by both our Designer and Head Carpenter. Some projects require multiple site visits throughout the build, so it’s a huge benefit that we can be available for these. This helps each individual job run as smoothly as possible.”

Since 2014, Post & Beam has supported the Cornwall Home & Lifestyle Show in Wadebridge, meeting many future clients at the show.

Tim tells us: “Over the last three years, several projects have blossomed from seeds sown at the Wadebridge show. Off the top of my head, this includes extensions in St Ives and Porthtowan, a studio in Padstow and a new Woodland house near Falmouth. The show is a great place to chat informally and get ideas off the ground with the next step often to then meet on site.

“We have always really enjoyed putting our oak frame up at the show and seeing the reaction it gets from visitors. Seeing the wood up close and understanding the hand crafted methods and work that goes into every frame we design really gives people a tangible sense of the work we do.”

The show takes place at the Royal Cornwall Showground on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th May and includes a huge range of self-build companies offering a multitude of options, as well as interiors and gardens and some of the best food producers in Cornwall. Post & Beam has close working relationships with many other exhibitors whose trades help piece together the jigsaw of building a project, all on the same day under one roof!

Tom Jubb finishes: “No matter what stage your project is at, it really helps us when people bring along as much information as possible. It might be site photographs, architectural drawings or examples of something you’ve seen. Even if it’s a sketch on the back of a napkin, the more we know about your project, the more advice we can give you to get you excited about the possibilities!”

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Even if you’re unable to make the Cornwall Home & Lifestyle Show, with last year’s addition of an office to their yard near St Ives, you can now meet the team at the Post & Beam headquarters and see where the magic happens!