Westmeath has seen plenty of growth over the last decade or so with the Celtic Tiger hitting the midlands county with the same vigor as it has the rest of the country. New houses, roads and businesses have made the county one of the mainstays of the country and one such company that has thrived during this period is Riverview Timberframe Systems Ltd based on the Killucan Road Kinnegad The company was established in September 1999 by two experienced Westmeath carpenters - Gary O' Reilly and Gerry McCarthy. Both men saw a niche in the Irish house building market for locally produced, high quality timber frame structures. Gary and Gerry had worked abroad in Australia and America where they saw that Timberframe houses were commonplace in these countries, so when they returned from their travels, the decision was taken to establish their own business. The fact that the two men are Westmeath natives helped get their business off the ground when they started off almost eight years ago. Gary hails from Killucan and Gerry is from nearby Crookedwood and each can be pleased by their local team's performance last year. Killucan reached the senior football semi final having won the intermediate title the previous year, while sister club Raharney won the senior hurling championship following a 12-year drought. For Crookedwood, it was an historic year as they plied by trade at senior level for the first time in their history and acquitted themselves very well as they retained their status for the coming year, while their underage teams having been making steady progress also. "It was a good year for Crookedwood, they done very well in staying up. They have a very young team and hopefully can build from this," said Gerry. "The club has a very good underage structure in place and hopefully they can keep the majority of these lads coming through on to the senior team and who know in a few years we could be winning senior titles." Riverview Timber Frame Systems Co. Ltd is a member of the Irish Timber Frame Manufacturers' Association (ITFMA), which is the body that regulates the industry. "We are members of the NSAI Timber Frame Manufacturers' Approval Scheme operated under the auspices of the National Certification Authority for Ireland," said Gerry "NSAI approval stipulates that our factory built timber frame panels are designed and manufactured in accordance with the Irish Building Regulations and that they comply with specific NSAI requirements and standards. We are also members of TRADA (Timber Research and Development Authority)." Kinnegad was once known as an employment blackspot following a government survey, but Riverview Timber Frame Systems Ltd has done its bit to change that as the company employ in the region of 40 to 50 people, depending on how busy their schedule is. Any potential customers can be guaranteed that they will be dealt with in a proper and efficient manner as experienced personal will look after your every need. "From the point of contact, our experienced personal become part of your team. We will work closely with you on the design of your home, and incorporate any special requirements you may have, to ensure that you will get the home of your dreams, built to a professional standard," added Gerry. All frames are manufactured at their state-of-the-art premises in Kinnegad before being transported to the site where the finished product is erected. All homes are custom made to the clients' desire. Riverview Timber Frame Systems Co. Ltd utilizes a manufacturing process that guarantees individual attention for each and every structure at all stages of manufacture. Riverview TFS strives to maintain its emphasis on the importance of meeting the individual needs of each customer, by producing high quality, high spec timber frame structures. All the timber used by the company is brought in from Eastern Europe and Scandinavia, which is the best of quality and meets the certain requirements needed. "We work closely with you on the design of your home or can build your dream home from your existing house plans. Our design team can, if you desire, design and produce house plans to your requirements, or alternatively your existing house plans can be adapted to meet our specifications." Our homes are not mass-produced so each project is given individual attention. This allows for greater flexibility in the construction process, giving customers their dream home - built to a professional standard. A range of outer claddings can be applied to our homes including brick, stone, render, hanging tile and timber boarding. "We pride ourselves in the fact that we can take each house to whatever stage the customer requires - from supplying the basic kit to the finished home. We can supply your internal joinery requirements such as internal doors pre-hung in their frames, pre-mitered architrave and skirting and fully assembled stairs," revealed Gerry. "Our priority is customer satisfaction and the accumulated knowledge of our professional team means that we can offer guidance on every aspect of the build." Gerry revealed that there many attractions and benefits in building a timberframe home in Ireland and he added that the firm is currently building on average 100 houses per annum. "Energy efficiency is the main selling point. Houses built using timber frame are highly insulated, which means they cost less to heat and are ideally suited to modern day lifestyles. They heat up quickly and the heat is retained. Conversely in summer, the insulation keeps them cooler and more comfortable." Another plus in timberframe houses is that they can be constructed in as little as ten weeks, which is a massive time saving compared to the houses built with blocks and bricks. The timber used by Riverview Timberframe Systems Ltd is klin dried stress graded for structural strength and suitability and pressure treated against decay and insect attack, which means that the homes can last as long if not longer than houses built with other materials. "Timber frame buildings meet the same fire regulations as all other types of construction and pose no greater risk to their inhabitants. The structural elements are well protected by plasterboard, a material with excellent fire protection characteristics. Fire stops and cavity barriers prevent fire spread through concealed cavities." The success of the company is down to good organisation, an excellent reputation for their work, while experienced employees also play their role in making Riverview Timberframe Systems Ltd number one in their field of expertise. www.riverviewframesystems.ie Tweet

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