Oak Frame Garage and Insurance

[Chainsaw Rebuild]

Hello,

I am planning on building an oak framed garage. I have heard that insurance companies don't like this. However, I just called three big name insurance companies and they didn't have a problem with it, as long as it has 4 walls, is fixed to a concrete base and a lockable doors.

What is everyone else's experience? Is a timber frame garage ok with your insurers?

[myvision]

Bennetts told me as long as it has a concrete floor they'd treat my wooden shed the same as a brick built garage.

[ingenieur]

A lot of the time it doesn't matter as people 'coming equipped' will have the means to break into virtually any garage. So that leaves you with what risk there is for the opportunistic / average loser who would steal someone's car or possessions. If the door is lockable and cannot be simply leaned on or kicked-in then that only leaves it vulnerable to those who cannot really be stopped. So oak, concrete, bricks, metal.. whatever. Doesn't really matter. Crime in the area, value of goods have more of a bearing.

[podman]

I have some of my bikes in a log cabin, as said above, its the concrete base that the insurers deem as essential to provide cover.

[RATATTAK]

If the garage is on the boundary of your property, Building Regs require that it is built of substantially non-combustible materials. Maybe that's where you've heard it.

[Drawweight]

Some insurance companies specify a brick built construction, others don’t.

I’m with Bemoto and a wooden shed was okay with them but I phoned up just to make 100% sure as I don’t think the drop down menu had that option.

[KTMsm]

myvision said:

Bennetts told me as long as it has a concrete floor they'd treat my wooden shed the same as a brick built garage.

My insurers said the same