RMweb Gold Chris Chewter Posted September 4, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 4, 2010 Given the prices of houses these days thwarting a railway room, no garage to call my own, and modern house constructing preventing moving into the loft, the timber shed is the way I'm going to have to go. However, apart from electrics, what do people normally do to make their shed habitable? Is it worth insulating and plasterboarding the walls and ceiling to make it a bit nicer to work in? What about security? How to make it burglar resistant (I know a timber shed cannot be made burglar proof!) Any how about lighting? Will a single strip florescent do? What about spotlights? How can this be connected into the main house now Part P has been brought into the building regulations? Any advice gladly received! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tappa Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 My modelling room is a 10 x 8 heavy duty shed. If you intend to do any serious modelling in it, you will definately need to make it habitable. I insulated mine with polystyrene, then a breathable liner and finally covered with 6mm ply. The roof is insulated with a specialist reflective material. The floor has breathable liner, then insulation and then a floor covering. Externally it has been given at least 4 coats of preservative and I re-do it each year. Electric wise, it is worth getting an electrician in to hook it all up (P Regulations and all that). One thing I did was work out the number of sockets I would need and have them placed around the room. I have a 1.5m work top as a work bench and have several kitchen cupboards in the room for storage. I also got a heater installed - I tend to have it on for around 10 minutes and then have to turn it off as I am warm enough and the place retains the heat. I also had installed a small heater that I can run off a timer (the type that goes in a green house) to keep a constant temperature in winter. Mine is lit by florescent tubes and is fine. I do have additional lighting on my work bench. It doesn't matter how much security you install because if someone wants to be in, they will be!! However, in additional to the security that came with mine, I added locks. I also invested in specialist insurance which costs me around £60 a year. I'll take a couple of piccies of mine tomorrow and post, so you get the idea. If you do go down this route, make it as comfortable as possible as it is you who will be spending the time in there. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted September 4, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 4, 2010 Depends how much money you have available. I was fortunate to be able to have a 20'x12' wooden "Garden Office" built, which has double skin walls with moisture barriers and insulation. Double glazed windows with locks and a door with an Insurance approved 5 lever mortice lock. It still needs a bit of heat in the winter though. A Garden Room is a useful selling point when you come to move house so I decided to have something decent. The electrics I did myself as I couldn't get any local electricians interested in doing the job. And I thought people were short of work! I have been trained by a previous employer in installation and have a copy of the latest regs but being retired and not registered I am not able to certify it. The model railway equipment and building are covered by my standard house insurance - I asked about getting separate cover but the company told me that it wasn't necessary on the policy I have and the values I quoted were within the normal cover. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JZ Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 If you go to the link in my signature and go to the entry 'more', you can see what I have done. I did the electrics myself , but had it checked by a neighbour who is a qualified electrician. I use a 1000W electric radiator on a very low setting during the winter and boost the heat with a halogen heater when I go out there. I use an aircon unit if and, very occaissionally, when we get a hot day. The glass is obscure wired for security and an alarm is fitted. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted September 5, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 5, 2010 I did the electrics myself , but had it checked by a neighbour who is a qualified electrician. But it still can't be certified as it wasn't done by a ticketed electrician. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
APOLLO Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 If your house has a burglar alarm, run a link to your shed. Use a close shackle padlock. Cover windows with either net curtain or "double glaze" with polycarbonate sheet. What people can't see, they don't know about. Also check your house insurance cover for expensive items left in a shed. Brit15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tappa Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 As promosed, here a few pictures of my modelling workshop This shows my general work area - 1.5 metres. As you can see, there are a couple of cupboards, a test track and two angle poise lamps. This is the opposite corner and is another work area. Again I have a cupboard for storage. The small boxes on top are from Ikea and are used to store various bits such as wheels, transfers, etc. This is my small heater that I have on in winter to keep a constant temperature. The protective guard is useful as it stops me damaging it! This shows the height I have my sockets located at - there are one double socket on each wall, plus two doubles on my work bench. I still have space to construct and erect my layout. Hope the above helps you Captainalbino. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frisby Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 But it still can't be certified as it wasn't done by a ticketed electrician. Keith The work does not have to be done by a ticketed electrician. It must be inspected and tested by one who can then issue a certificate. Andy (Currently studying for the ticket!!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Pannier Tank Posted September 5, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 5, 2010 The work does not have to be done by a ticketed electrician. It must be inspected and tested by one who can then issue a certificate. Andy (Currently studying for the ticket!!) When you pass, you can come and inspect & certify my installation Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
77philg Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 Just as an admirer of tapas workshop area ,I was wondering if he could organize mine ?? mines inside the house, so not really relevant phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Bird Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 I've mentioned this before when this subject has cropped up but it bears repeating. It's fairly easy to put heavy duty padlocks on doors but, if the standard hinges are still in place held on with wood screws, it only takes a modest amount of force to prise the door off. Fit bigger hinges and use coach bolts. This also applies to any opening windows. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pennine MC Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 Whilst not really about sheds, the thread Loft or Garage from early this year might be of interest as regards insulation etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger440 Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 Ive found a combined de-humidifier/air con/ heater to be very effective, set to a low temp during winter. If its minus 5 in there, you simply wont go in there! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rail-Online Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 Hi, Mine are fitted with a seperate burgular alarm (hard wired not wireless), both with PIR's and door/window detectors even though the windows are fixed double glazed units. A DIY house alarm one is cheap, easy to fit and with a seperate back up batteries it at least gives you peace of mind! Having good neibours helps as well............... I have never regretted fitting out my sheds, in fact they are better insulated than my single skinned house! However do not under estimate how long it will take you to do the job, the insulation is easy but the inner lining I found very time consuming, mind you my big shed was a 22ftx 12ft former Tractor Repair Building constructed by a former resident out of whatever he could re-cyle and therefore nothing was square. Tony Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted September 5, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 5, 2010 The work does not have to be done by a ticketed electrician. It must be inspected and tested by one who can then issue a certificate. Andy (Currently studying for the ticket!!) What can't been seen can't be certified, so unless the electrician is prepared to strip off all the sockets, lighting and check all the wiring has been done correctly it can't be certified. Quoted from a qualified electrician friend. You can't just stick your meter on the end like was done in the past apparently! Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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