Workshop dilemma.

[skipdiver]

Having moved house last friday, my abode is full of tools and containers full of all manner of stuff and my machinery is still at my old address, so i need to get a new shop together pronto.

It will be 5mts x 3mts internal floor area, which is a lot smaller than my old one, so space is at a premium. With this in mind, i have decided to put a flat roof on it to give a bigger internal cubic area and higher walls, which will allow me to put shelving round the top above head height for storage. I'm restricted to 2.5 mt height, so think this is the best solution spacewise.

I've been in the building trade long enough to know that flat roofs are not ideal in our climate, so am looking for ideas for roof coverings. Do i felt it, do i get it fibre-glassed, do i use one of the do it yourself flat roofing systems like Sealoflex? Given that it is cold and damp at the moment and my garden is as wet as hell, i'm worried that whatever i do will prove to be problematic as i can't see anyone getting up on my nice new roof without getting muddy boot marks all over it. I would have much preferred to do this job in the summer but my house purchase dragged on forever and i have to get one up now to clear my house for renovation work.

I will be concreting the footings today and bricking up to damp course level tomorrow. Monday i will be digging out for the concrete oversite and then on to the build itself, which presents another question; what to construct the walls from?

My previous 2 workshops have been block and render and this would be the quickest route now as my bricky mate will throw it up in 2 days, but this will hopefully be my last workshop build and something is nagging at me to build a wooden one for a change, with me being a woodbutcher for a living. For the sake of speed, my mate has suggested just putting up a framework and cladding it with OSB for now and finishing it off in the spring, when i have more time and funds available. Blockwork would be quicker and cheaper and i could render and insulate later when the house is done. Decisions decisions.

Anyone got a view?

 

[Paul Chapman]

For the roof I wouldn't use felt. I'd go for glass fibre. We have it on a few flat roofs and it's been great.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Jamesc]

N specific advice but I would say that if it is going to be your final workshop then do it right from the start. I apreciate that time is of an essance but can you really see yourself stripping out all your tools and kit to insulate and finish the job off?
If you area anything like me you will end up with a half finished workshop that will never quite fit the bill and will be a constant source of annoyance.
My last shop I took my time, designed and built it right (even though the nagging to get rid of my rubish was getting pretty fierce) I have not regretted it.

James

 

[cammy9r]

If the floor area of the building is between 15 square metres and 30 square metres, you will not normally be required to apply for building regulations approval providing that the building contains NO sleeping accommodation and is either at least one metre from any boundary or it is constructed of substantially non-combustible materials.

That was taken from the planning portal site, not sure if it means closer than 1m then build from block but sounds like it to me. Can you not build right up to the boundary giving more internal space and put a smooth render on to make it easy to paint with a roller on a pole from the roof
Our kitchen extension has a flat roof (previous owners built it) and has a few layers of felt on top of a deck with insulation directly underneath, think it is a warm roof construction, anyway 10 years old now and still in good condition but i fear it will only have a few more years before needing something done. I hear these EDPM one piece membranes are good.

 

[RogerBoyle]

For your last build as already mentioned do it right
Brick/block for the walls with a render
Ply/osb with one of the rubber membrane systems if you are having a flat roof Much better than Felt if done correctly

 

[skipdiver]

Just got in from concreting the footings and it was a right slog. Couldn't get hold of anyone to give me a hand which was made worse by my mate not dropping off the mixer 'til 11 o'clock. Mixed and laid 2 1/2 tons off ballast and barrowed it all down my very long garden which now resembles a ploughed field. I'm cream crackered.

Think your right chaps and have decided to build it from block and render with an OSB and fibre glass roof. My mate gave me the number of someone who does glassing and i rang him today. Said he'll do it for £300 to £350 labour and materials if i get all the roof boarded and ready for him, which i thought is a good deal. If i can find my camera, i'll take some pics.

Cammy, i know all the planning rules but with it being a timber instead of tiled roof and it being 500mm from the boundary i decided to stay within the rules as i will be building an extension next and will have visits from building control, so don't want to rock the boat, and to be honest, my garden is narrow and a bigger workshop would be too imposing in the position i have it in. When all my house is done and dusted, i shall be adding a timber and tool store at the back, keeping the shop just for machinery and my workbench. The new one is tiny compared to my old one but i'm sure i'll adapt.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[marcus]

Is noise likely to be a problem for neighbours? If so, wood not such a good idea.....

 

[Not a clue]

I'd be interested to see how your project turns out as I'am planning a building of the same size.
I was looking at the metal insulated panels for the roof as they looked like the easiest method for a novice like myself.
Good luck with it, especially in this weather

 

[skipdiver]

Thanks for that Marcus. Never considered the noise levels but you are right, blockwork probably better although i am a fair distance from the houses and will try to keep noise to a minimum as a courtesy.

Thanks also Not a clue. Will try and get some pictures up soon and thanks for the good wishes regarding the weather, it's been a right slog so far and my garden is a mess. Think i have had rain to some degree every day since i started it but have managed to get it bricked up to damp over the weekend and today i dug out the base ready for hardcore and concrete. It was pretty soft so had to go down a foot, which over 15 sq mts is a lot of wet heavy soil.

What are the metal insulated panels you mention?

 

[Not a clue]

Not sure on the rules here about posting links but if you google 'insulated roof panels' loads come up. I had a quote for 15sq meters with 80mm thick insulation and with all the trim and fixings and delivery came to about £650.
I've got some of the uninsulated stuff on my little shed and it looks the same as when I put it up 5years ago. These companies that do the very nice but very expensive garden offices use them a lot and from looking at there construction videos just have a single beam spanning the width of the building supporting the roof. I suppose they just screw into that and the walls. Goes up really quick, with the walls up and beam in place you would be water tight in a couple of hours

 

[devonwoody]

Why not put your tools etc. into storeage at one of those commercial setups and do your own workshop at a more suitable time.

 

[skipdiver]

Well, 3 years on and the workshop is built and been in use on and off but mostly off due to work commitments. At the last minute i decided to put a pitch and tile roof on it and this was higher than the permitted 2.5 mts under planning rules. OOPS!. Nobody has complained, so all's well that ends well.

Problem is that being half the size of my old place, it soon filled to bursting and i built a 9' x 8' timber shed on the end to store stuff. Still there was scant room for all my machinery and i considered selling the planer and bandsaw at one point but in the end i didn't and glad i made that decision.

So now, after working my nuts off all my life i semi retired recently and have spent the last week trying to sort out said workshop and fit everything in without having to move stuff around all the time when working. It is proving difficult and i think i am going to build a second workshop the same size and split them between prepping/sawing/noisy/dust producing in the original and assembly/benchwork/finishing in the new one. I never got round to completely finishing the block one and it is still uninsulated and very cold. The new one i have decided will be a simple timber design pent roof type, fully insulated and more comfortable to work in.

So, i am just in the thought processes at the moment for a start in the New Year and i will definitely post some pictures this time that i didn't get round to on the last build.

It's good to be back and see the forum is still very much thriving and now i have more time on my hands, i will endeavour to participate more. I'm sure i will have plenty of questions in the coming months and years. Maybe even a bit of advice for others here and there.