Workshop choices

[fingerless]

Hi all,
So I've just moved house, and the new house has a lovely long garage which is crying out to be extended further backwards, and split in half, with the back half converted to a workshop. The workshop would then be ~4x3m. However, there are numerous options and potential issues, so I'd appreciate people's informed opinions.

The first (and main) question is whether to have a pitched tiled roof, or a flatish felted roof. One builder has recommended the tiled roof as more permanent and attractive, whilst another builder has raised concerns that the existing garage foundations may not take the weight of a tiled roof. The roof is currently corrugated asbestos cement (blurgh!) and is leaking. Tiles sound much more expensive, and the pitched side of things adds cost in terms of brickwork and timber. However, I'm not sure how much maintenance felt roofs need nowadays.

Given the access, I also need to put a doorway through the dividing wall, so that we can get stuff out from the garden, and wheel a pram into the garden, through the workshop. I was planning on double doors so I can get big machinery through should I ever be able to afford it. Does anyone have an opinion on this, and should the doors be fire doors or not? I'll think they will certainly need to be secure.

One final thought. One of the builders suiggested making the whole thing out of timber, which should be signifcantly cheaper, leaving more money for internals and tools. Given the choice, would you go for brick or timber?

I'll leave it at that for now. Thanks for any input anyone can provide.

fingerless

 

[Lons]

Hi

Suggest you post a couple of pics if you can.

As a builder, I would always prefer a pitched roof to a flat one and certainly wouldn't contemplate a flat roof at my own property. you can now however specify a butyl type roof covering which has about 30 year life span if I remember and much less trouble prone than bitumen felt which has a projected life of 10 to 12 years (though I know people with sound roof more than double that age :? )

It's easy to calculate the weight of a tiled roof as the timber and tile specs are available on line and certainly you would need to dig and inspect your original founds to see if ok.

If the division is purely garage to workshop, and asuming any entrance to the house has an appropriate firedoor then std dividing doors would suffice and you could possibly make these yourself. Personally, I'd put firedoors on anyway :!:

on a general note:-
* assuming you've bought the house, then a pitched roof and brick or stone built garage / workshop will be much more attractive to any potential buyer should you come to sell in the future.

* a pitched roof in lieu of existing will probably need planning approval and building regs but your extension might anyway and removal of your existing roof will certainly be strictly controlled if there is any suggestion of asbestos. - There are severe penalties if you try to remove or dispose of asbestos yourself so apart from health issues - be careful. Aslo be aware that if you employ / instruct a company to remove it, you can still be held responsible if they aren't registered or illegaly dispose of it.

 

[devonwoody]

I've got a double garage with corrugated asbestos roofing.

Its gets too hot to work on a summers afternoon.

I've also got a large cabin with a bitumous roof, its gets to hot also in the summer.

Both are very cold in the winter.

 

[fingerless]

Thanks Lons for the comprehensive reply. I'll try and get some pictures up later.
The garage is detached from the house, so there's no fire door issue there, but I think I'll do as suggested and go for the firedoors.
I agree with your point about how much more attractive the pitched roof will be. I think I don't need planning permission as the total height will be less than 2.5m. The roof would actually be a set of two pitched roofs to cover the length (one over the garage part, one over the workshop part. The pitch is front to back rather than side to side as there is no space to put guttering on the sides (the pictures will make this clearer). So the limits are the foundations and the cost.

If I go for pitched with tile, and during the build discover the existing foundations are insufficient for the roof, is it possible to improve them, or will the whole garage need taking down and new foundations dug?

I will contact the local council for information on removal of the existing roof.

Devonwoody, thanks for your input. I was intending to insulate the roof, which should improve matters. My previous "workshop" (tiny shed) had a felt roof, and I experienced much the same as you.

Cheers gents,

fingerless

 

[mailee]

Why not use a ptiched roof with felt shingles. They look pretty attractive and are not as heavy as tiles or slates. :wink:

 

[Halo Jones]

I can second for the felt tiles. I have just fitted them to our shed and they do look good. If you go for this I would shop around as the price varies tremendously. I can PM where I got mine from if interested.

 

[Lons]

hi fingerless

If you are running the pitch front to back keeping height under 2.5m and using concrete tiles then you may not achieve the minimum pich specified for the tiles (can get this from the specs) though some will go down to 17.5 or even less. If you create a pitch too low then wind blown rain canl penetrate and the tiles can be lifted by strong winds.
Good idea about felt or shingles. very effective if properly fitted.

If the founds aren't up to it then provided you can access easily, you can dig down and underpin the existing. hard work but not difficult or expensive if you can DIY

Bob