Timber frame construction specialist SO Modular has announced its attainment of BOPAS certification – an accreditation recognised by principal mortgage lenders as providing the necessary assurance to address the perceived risks associated with innovative construction methods.

The Buildoffsite Property Assurance Scheme (BOPAS) has been designed to address the issues associated with bringing innovative or non-traditional building methods and materials to the market.

Historically, mortgage lenders have been reluctant to lend against forms of construction with which they are unfamiliar. In many instances, valuers may have refused to value properties, as part of the mortgage application process, if the property incorporated unfamiliar building systems.

To address this issue, BOPAS has been jointly developed by Buildoffsite, The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Lloyd’s Register and BLP Insurance, in consultation with the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) and the Building Societies Association (BSA).

Accreditation by the scheme provides comprehensive assurance to mortgage lenders that innovatively constructed properties will be sufficiently durable as to be readily saleable for a minimum of 60 years – underpinned by warranty.

BOPAS certification lasts for three years, at the end of which BOPAS assessors visit the manufacturer to complete a two-day audit before recertifying. During the three-year period, BOPAS make two ‘surveillance visits’ yearly, with one focusing on the design and manufacture, the other an on-site visit monitoring construction.

SO Modular are a rapidly expanding timber frame manufacturer with headquarters based in South West Wales. At the forefront of innovative and creative solutions within the construction industry, SO Modular are pushing boundaries and developing products that boost efficiency, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness across a diverse range of construction projects.

The company’s current research and development projects consist of manufacturing carbon-neutral but affordable timber-frame homes; homes that are so thermally efficient, with U-values so low, they require minimal heating and cooling, potentially completely removing the need for a central heating system at all.

Charlotte Hale, Operations Director, SO Modular, said:

“We’re very proud to have achieved this certification from BOPAS as a manufacturer and supplier. The scheme gives the correct assurances to mortgage lenders that our innovative products have the durability required to meet and exceed the BOPAS standards. “With the construction industry constantly changing to incorporate more environmentally friendly practices, and timber frame buildings fast becoming the norm across the UK, BOPAS is a positive encouragement for us here at SO Modular to continue researching, developing and adapting to meet modern housing demands.”