New Build Wall Construction Guide: Costs and Options Explained
- irknowles
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
When designing a new home, selecting the correct wall build-up from foundation to eaves is a crucial decision.
A wall is not simply a “brick box”: it determines how warm the home feels, how it integrates into its landscape, how easy and comfortable it is to live in, and how much it will cost to build and maintain.
In the Norfolk and Suffolk region, where local character meets modern performance demands, the wall system must perform well, look good and last a long time.
Here are six common new-build wall types, what’s good about them, their drawbacks, and a rough cost estimate per linear metre to give you a sense of scale.
1. Timber Frame Wall with Brick Outer Leaf
A timber-frame structural inner wall (usually factory-prefabricated panels) with a traditional outer brick leaf. This is a very popular route for energy-efficient new builds.
Benefits:
The timber frame component can be manufactured off-site and erected quickly on-site, reducing build time and weather-related risks.
The outer brick leaf provides a familiar, solid look and good durability, which is particularly beneficial in rural/vernacular settings in East Anglia.
Good thermal and airtight performance when well built (timber frame lends itself to high levels of insulation and airtightness).
Negatives:
Higher cost than some simpler masonry builds because you have the timber frame plus the brick outer leaf.
Care is needed in detailing the junctions (e.g., floor slab to wall, window/door openings, roof eaves) to ensure that moisture management, air leakage, and thermal bridges are all effectively addressed.
Skilled trades and good coordination are required; errors in the timber frame erection or brick ties can occur.
2. Timber Frame Wall with Vertical Timber Cladding
A timber-frame structure finished externally with vertical timber cladding instead of brick. This is often used in more contemporary rural dwellings, especially where a natural aesthetic is desired.
Benefits:
Light and modern aesthetic – timber cladding gives a strong design statement and helps the building sit in a woodland or rural landscape.
Timber frame excels in factory precision and off-site manufacture, meaning less on-site time and potential waste.
Good sustainability credentials: timber is renewable, and when paired with proper insulation, you can deliver high performance and healthy indoor environments.
Negatives:
Timber cladding needs careful specification (species, durability, fixings, weatherproofing) and often regular maintenance (depending on finish).
More exposed to weather until cladding installed, so site programme must manage sequencing.
Because the external finish is lighter than brick, structural and acoustic performance may require additional detailing.
3. Masonry Cavity Wall (Block + Insulation + Brick Outer Leaf)
A traditional double-leaf masonry cavity wall: inner blockwork leaf, cavity space often filled or insulated, outer brick leaf. Very common route for volume housebuilders, and still widely used in new-build UK housing.
Benefits:
Very familiar to contractors and the supply chain, referring to the local availability of trades and materials.
Good robustness and durability: the brick outer provides weather protection, and the blockwork inside gives a sound structure.
Can integrate insulation in the cavity to meet required U-values and energy performance, and can use local brick choices (important for Norfolk/Suffolk vernacular context).
Negatives:
Less efficient than fully high-performance systems unless very well detailed and insulated; the cavity adds complexity and risk (thermal bridging, moisture ingress, cavity tray detail).
Heavier structural load so foundations may need to be more substantial compared with lighter systems (e.g., timber frame).
Build time may be longer compared to highly prefabricated systems.
4. Cavity Wall with Flint Facing
A variation on the masonry cavity wall, but with a flint facing (or flint/stone facing) to suit the Norfolk/Suffolk vernacular.
So you have blockwork inner leaf, cavity (insulated) and a flint/stone veneer or façe.
Benefits:
Strong local character and place-making value: flint is often a hallmark of East Anglia’s agricultural and vernacular architecture.
Good durability of stone or flint finish, weather resilience, and a unique appearance.
The cavity behind can still be insulated to modern standards, allowing you to combine heritage aesthetics with performance.
Negatives:
Higher cost: Flint or stone facing is more labour-intensive, skilled masonry work is required, and materials may be more expensive.
More complex detailing required (fixings for facing, ties, cavity trays, maintenance of stonework).
A slightly heavier finish, so foundations may need to be adjusted accordingly.
5. Insulated Concrete Formwork (ICF) Wall
Description: ICF is a system where hollow insulating blocks (often EPS or other foam) are assembled on site, then filled with reinforced concrete, giving structure + insulation in one system. The external finish (brick, stone, render, cladding) is applied over the ICF. This system is used for high-performance, airtight buildings.
Benefits:
Excellent thermal mass, insulation and airtightness characteristics (so low heat loss, stable temperatures).
Speed: the system can be erected relatively quickly, especially for simple geometry.
Good structural strength, which may allow less reliance on heavy blockwork or special foundations (depending on site).
Negatives:
Relatively unfamiliar to many local contractors (in some areas), so supply chain and skill may need extra management.
External finish still required (which adds cost); the initial ICF cost may be higher than standard masonry.
Detailing (especially around windows, doors, services and corners) needs care to avoid thermal bridging and ensure airtightness.
6. Timber Frame with Wood-fibre Wall Build-Up (Natural Materials)
Description: A timber frame structure combined with a “natural” insulation build-up, such as wood-fibre boards, wood-fibre insulation, breathable membranes/claddings.
This is a low-carbon, healthy home approach using natural materials.
Benefits:
Excellent sustainability credentials: timber frame + wood-fibre insulation reduces embodied carbon.
Good indoor air quality and moisture regulation: wood-fibre systems often provide “breathable” wall assemblies, which help avoid moisture accumulation and support healthy indoor environments.
Lighter than full masonry, it may allow for simpler foundations and faster erection.
Negatives:
Typically higher material cost (wood-fibre insulation is more expensive than conventional mineral fibre or PIR).
The external finish must be carefully selected (cladding or render) to match the breathability requirements; if incorrectly specified, you risk moisture issues.
Fewer contractors might be familiar with the exact detailing, potentially increasing design/inspection cost. High-Level Cost Estimate (per linear metre): Assuming wall height 2.5 m → area 2.5 m². Let’s estimate the price to be maybe ~£240-£300 per m² (given the nature of materials and timber frame). That gives ~£600–£750 per linear metre. Possibly more if high-end cladding or premium joinery is used.
Summary Table: Wall Types, Benefits, Negatives & Rough Cost Estimate
No | Wall Type | Benefits | Negatives | Rough Cost per Linear Metre* |
1 | Timber Frame + Brick Outer | Speed, familiar aesthetic, good performance | Higher cost, requires precision detailing | ~£650–£750 |
2 | Timber Frame + Vertical Timber Cladding | Contemporary aesthetic, sustainable | Maintenance of cladding and detailing required | ~£575–£700 |
3 | Masonry Cavity (Block + Insulation + Brick) | Common method, robust, well understood | Heavier, less high-performance unless well detailed | ~£500–£600 |
4 | Cavity Wall with Flint Facing | Vernacular character, durable finish | Skilled labour, higher cost, heavier load | ~£650–£750+ |
5 | ICF Wall | High performance, good airtightness, speed | Higher up-front cost, supply chain/finish still required | ~£700–£900 |
6 | Timber Frame + Wood-fibre Build-Up | Low-carbon, healthy indoor environment | Premium materials, fewer contractors familiar with | ~£600–£750 |
* Estimates assume a standard height of approx. 2.5 m and moderate specification; actual cost will vary with height, specification, site conditions, finishing, openings, trades rates and location (Norfolk/Suffolk may differ from national averages).
Choosing the Right Wall for Your Project
When selecting a wall system, consider the following key questions:
Performance: What U-value do you need? How vital is airtightness, thermal mass or sustainability credentials? Some systems (e.g., ICF, wood-fibre timber) offer higher performance, but at a higher cost.
Build speed and supply chain: In rural East Anglia, the accessibility of materials and skilled trades is crucial. Traditional masonry may be familiar but slower; timber frame or ICF may give faster build but require specialised contractors.
Site & context: On a sloping site, or where foundations are challenging, lighter systems may reduce cost. In conservation areas or where vernacular character is required (e.g., flint facing in North Norfolk), some trade-offs may apply.
Budget and cost control: While high-performance systems bring long-term savings, initial cost is higher. The cost per linear metre table gives a rough sense of comparative cost, but you’ll need detailed cost planning with your architect/contractor.
Future living and maintenance: Timber cladding or wood-fibre systems may require more ongoing maintenance than brick or flint. Consider your long-term homeowner commitments.
Detailing and construction quality: Regardless of system, poor detailing at junctions (floor, roof, window openings, movement joints) can undermine performance. The best wall system in the world will underperform if incorrectly executed.
Choosing the right wall build-up is more than a construction detail; it underpins how your home will look, feel, perform and age.
In Norfolk and Suffolk, where local character, sustainability and comfortable living matter equally, selecting the right system from the six above can set your project up for success.
Whether you choose the familiar reliability of a masonry cavity wall, the sustainable promise of a wood-fibre timber frame, or the high-performance credentials of ICF, the key is to match the system to your site context, budget and long-term goals.
At Ikonic Architecture, we help clients navigate these choices, ensuring the wall you choose supports your home’s comfort, aesthetic and longevity.
If you’re planning a new build in Norfolk or Suffolk, let’s talk through your options and find the wall type that works best for you.
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