Build a shed Mike's way

[MikeG.]

.......When you say 250mm think I assume that also means with thicker edges as well.......

No. Just a flat pour. It's one of the things an engineer always wants, but with a light building like these I have never had an issue with just a flat slab, and I reckon that at least 200 sheds/ workshops around the world have been built following the guide in this (and other) threads. My suggestion of 250 depth pre-supposes you find tree roots in the dig. If you don't, you could reduce the thickness to say 200mm.

 

[DBT85]

.......When you say 250mm think I assume that also means with thicker edges as well.......

No. Just a flat pour. It's one of the things an engineer always wants, but with a light building like these I have never had an issue with just a flat slab, and I reckon that at least 200 sheds/ workshops around the world have been built following the guide in this (and other) threads. My suggestion of 250 depth pre-supposes you find tree roots in the dig. If you don't, you could reduce the thickness to say 200mm.

OK, not quite so bad then. I'd be surprised if there are no roots, even the bloody bay tree that was in the middle of the lawn had sent inch thick main roots out in almost compass like precision. Though I don't think they were that deep. The difference in cost on a 250mm or 200mm isn't enough to worry about though.

My bigger worry is that the nearest a truck can get is probably 15m beyond the bottom left of the aerial photo.

7 cubes by barrow is a pitb and a pump only adds extra cost. Though I would easily be able to squeeze a small dumper through the opening to the field which would make life much easier and they look cheaper than the beer vouchers I'd need to hand out to barrow voulenteers :lol:

I'll ruminate further and get back to you with more!

While you sit eagerly waiting to give away your heard learned and earned knowledge for free, how long could I leave between the pour and starting further work? Is there any reason (I don't think there is) it couldn't be done now and not covered with workshop based entertainment for another 6 months?

I'm also still wondering about insulation in the slab or on it. If in it I'd go for the power float though maybe not to ice rink polish!

 

[MikeG.]

You can put insulation under the slab if you want, but maybe the best idea is a floating floor, with say 50mm of insulation above the slab and a ply or chipboard flooring on top of that.

You can leave the concrete as long as you like before building on it. The longer you leave it, the stronger and harder it gets (well, you know, within reason). A dumper is a brilliant bit of kit, and more people pouring their own slabs should consider hiring one.

 

[DBT85]

You can put insulation under the slab if you want, but maybe the best idea is a floating floor, with say 50mm of insulation above the slab and a ply or chipboard flooring on top of that.

You can leave the concrete as long as you like before building on it. The longer you leave it, the stronger and harder it gets (well, you know, within reason). A dumper is a brilliant bit of kit, and more people pouring their own slabs should consider hiring one.

I was quite surprised to see a day rate for one being less than a cube of concrete. My back feels better just looking at it!

Can I ask why you have a penchant for Onduline? When I first saw the product I assumed it would be just dismissed with "get a proper roof".

Maybe I'll consider getting the slab down and then leave a few months getting everything else together.

 

[MikeG.]

That's really old, the original post. I think there are much better products now, even at the budget end of the scale. Don't get me wrong, in the right circumstances Onduline and its copies make a great roof for not much money, but I wouldn't really be advocating it today in the way I did way back then.

 

[DBT85]

That's really old, the original post. I think there are much better products now, even at the budget end of the scale. Don't get me wrong, in the right circumstances Onduline and its copies make a great roof for not much money, but I wouldn't really be advocating it today in the way I did way back then.

Ah OK!

Have you ever considered adding a short YouTube series to your catalogue? Could show photos of others builds to highlight things, answer common questions, explain a bit more the choices you have made? I think it would be a slow burner but it would get views for years and years.

 

[MikeG.]

Have you ever considered adding a short YouTube series to your catalogue?........

Erm........no.

 

[DBT85]

So I emailed Cemex who are all for a mile away for a quote. I think I'd need about 7m3

RC40 - 20G - S2 SLUMP - CEM1 – WRA

@ £113 per M3 + vat

Part load is £55 per M3.

They only have 6m3 trucks, so that's £1280. :shock:

It's been an off week for financial stuff with some ir35 decisions being taken at companies to work for as well as the in laws deciding that they don't want to help my kids nursery fees any more. So while I'm going to continue my planning and budgeting to get an idea of where I need to be, it may not be this year

 

[DBT85]

......I'd most likely apply for planning anyway just to be able to build closer to the boundary than 2m while also going over 2.5m in height, that obviously negates any real need to stay under 30sqm......

Not so. You are confusing two entirely separate issues: Planning Permission and Building Regulations approval. Planning has no set limits on size, but Building Regs does. If you stay under 30sq m (internal floor area, and walls can take up a surprising amount of space) then you don't need Building Regs approval. If you go over 30 sq m you will need to put this building on orthodox foundations or on an engineer-designed raft, and this adds massively to the cost and trouble.

Mike, on this note.

https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/2 ... tbuildings

• Outbuildings and garages to be single storey with maximum eaves height of 2.5 metres and maximum overall height of four metres with a dual pitched roof or three metres for any other roof.
• Maximum height of 2.5 metres in the case of a building, enclosure or container within two metres of a boundary of the curtilage of the dwellinghouse.

So from a permitted development perspective. If building within 2m of the boundary, I can only go to 2.5m in height, correct?

PP can give me permission to go to 4m and say only 30cm from the boundary regardless of its size? My mistake in the original quote was conflating 30sqm with PP rather than BR.

I am in the midst of making my own thread on the subject but Covid-19 and IP35 are likely to end all hope of doing it this year.

 

[MikeG.]

There are no numerical limits on what you can apply for under the Planning Permission regime. Each local council will have its own planning policies, in addition to the national ones, and these will inevitably talk about the form, massing, and relationship of the proposal to existing buildings. In other words, judgement on what is appropriate is down to the council.

As for your reading of the Permitted Development guidelines......As you said, if building within 2m of the boundary you are limited to 2.5m height unless you go for Planning Permission.

 

[space.dandy]

@MikeG. I'm building a shed which will be close to a boundary on two sides, so no access for maintenance. What would you recommend for the cladding on those sides? I see someone asked about Plastisol in 2018 further up the thread, is that the best option?

 

[MikeG.]

I've no idea what Plastisol is....but it sounds like it might be plastic-based. If it is, I wouldn't use it.

There are squillions of options if you look at a sheet material such as aluminium paneling (rainscreen)/ crinkly tin roofing, or cementitious boards, or render, or Onduline-type products, or EPDM. I lot is going to depend on whether you have access to fit the material after the wall has been built, or whether you've got to fix it to the wall then lift the wall into place.

 

[space.dandy]

I've no idea what Plastisol is....but it sounds like it might be plastic-based. If it is, I wouldn't use it.

Some kind of plastic coated corrugated steel, I think. ObservantGround28 mentioned it above and you seemed fairly approving of it at the time.

There are squillions of options if you look at a sheet material such as aluminium paneling (rainscreen)/ crinkly tin roofing, or cementitious boards, or render, or Onduline-type products, or EPDM. I lot is going to depend on whether you have access to fit the material after the wall has been built, or whether you've got to fix it to the wall then lift the wall into place.

I’ll have to fix first then lift in to place.

 

[Sheptonphil]

@MikeG. I'm building a shed which will be close to a boundary on two sides, so no access for maintenance. What would you recommend for the cladding on those sides? I see someone asked about Plastisol in 2018 further up the thread, is that the best option?

I had that dilemma, I went with Hardie Plank cement based boards that look like painted timber cladding. The twenty plus colours have a fifteen year life before even considering any maintenance at all. That assumes you will have access for one day to actually fit the boards. I was at least able to add the membrane and counter battens as I built the framing panels. this meant the sides were weatherproof straight away.

 

[ObservantGround28]

Some kind of plastic coated corrugated steel, I think. ObservantGround28 mentioned it above and you seemed fairly approving of it at the time.
I’ll have to fix first then lift in to place.

Suggest you go down the plastic coated metal sheeting route. I ended up building out of dense blockwork with a fibreglass roof, but even now I'm 50/50 on that decision.

 

[Crumblybiscuit]

Just wanted to say thanks for all the information in this thread. I completely stumbled across the forums when looking for shed ideas. And it has been great.

I work in IT and putting my mind to such a different task has been almost therapeutic. Although I am still unsure on a million things!

 

[Lancashire Wood Studio]

Super info, thanks.

 

[HAMMERHEAD]

FANTASTIC..... Just what ive been looking for... im literally just starting out as a hobbyist/ diyer and my little outhouse/ shed has very quickly filled up with just the basic tools , i now wish to purchase a table saw, thicknesser/planer and maybe a small lathe, so now i have to build a tidy size workshop
Thanks for taking the time to draw, illustrate, explain the process and sharing it....top man.

 

[Myfordman]

Mike no longer visits this forum but can be found on the woodhaven2 - the gentleman’s woodworking forum lol

 

[kenpem]

Many thanks, @MikeG. I'm just embarking on my own build (very slowly, so don't expect regular updates), and this thread will be invaluable.