How much for a block workshop in 12x12?

Nick85

How much would it cost to build a block workshop at the bottom of a garden? I would want to use it for a gym so it wouldn't have to be anything fancy. Obviously a concrete base, then some breeze blocks or something cheap then to have it rendered outside and a door on it and a roof.

Just a rough figure please if anyone know. Cheers.

cyclonebri1

You need to ask a builder if that's who you intend building it.
If you need an idea on materials I could probably take a stab.

The fact that you added "and a roof on it" last just seems to sugest it isn't too well considered? Have another think, what type of roof?, how high, how close to the neighbours etc., as there are regs on height near the boundary.

Also, can you get a mini digger and tipper shovel down there?, not many builders like trenching foundations and humping(;);)) these days.

27col

Build it yourself and you will find that you are pretty fit long before you start using it as a gym. I built my double garage entirely by myself and I was as fit as a fiddle by the time it was finished.
I did a 2 day brick laying course before I started. If I say it myself, I made a pretty good job of it. Also, you will save a lot of money.

cyclonebri1

27col wrote: »

Build it yourself and you will find that you are pretty fit long before you start using it as a gym. I built my double garage entirely by myself and I was as fit as a fiddle by the time it was finished.
I did a 2 day brick laying course before I started. If I say it myself, I made a pretty good job of it. Also, you will save a lot of money.

:T:T You sound like my sort of chap, (in the most correct sense of the word):D

It's difficult to give advice to a poster when you really want to say, "get stuck in and do it yourself, it's not difficult":D:D

Well truth is it isn't, but it is hard work and time consuming and some have the hands on approach but some don't;);)

Bit ironic, build your own gymnasium then you won't need one:rotfl::rotfl:

Nick85

I would have no problem attempting it myself. I have a couple of mates who would know what they are doing and could probably help but like you say it is time consuming and we will be tight on money so just after a rough figure really.

I have no proper building experience so if I am talking poo let me know. I would dig around six inch in a 12x12(that could change). Fill in with cement and ballast and level it off. Would I have to put something in for damp protection?

Then how many blocks roughly would I need for a 12x12 then 8 foot high obviously I would leave a space for possibly a sliding door. Then I was thinking for the roof some mdf or something similar then putting felt on it. Maybe having it sloping, undecided on this.

Would I need to render it outside or could I use something else? Any rough idea on the price for the materials?

Nick85

Found this and this is pretty much what I am looking for actually.

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18270342&page=12

cyclonebri1

Nick, work it out, figure a block at 18" x 9" as you seem to be working imperial. About £1 each.

2 ton sand at £30

15 bags cement at a £5r a bag

And there I have to leave you. You can't use mdf for roofing sheets, the roof will cost a grand min.

The concrete slab floor will be £400 in materials.

You really should dig out the footings to at least 2 feet deep and trench the foundations, another £300 in materials and a digger, £150 day, unless,you are energetic or your mates are
A skip, £150 min, may need 2

Doors/ windows£1000, sliding door?? patio doors alone will be £500

electrics, you guess, depends on availability of supply from your home, distance etc

I don't need to go on, this will be expensive, and with all respect, to do this cheaply you need to know what you are doing, Do you have a mate that knows this stuff?, then ask him, without educated help it's going to be difficult.

martinthebandit

3k will get you a double glazed 'log cabin' all you would need to build then would be the base.

http://dunsterhouse.co.uk/log-cabins/4m-x-4m-coronet-400-sunlight

tony6403

Just a few comments having built a garden store to replace a wooden shed following a burglary (ba5tard5 !).
Breeze or clinker blocks are not a good choice for external construction. I used medium density concrete blocks.
Easy to lay and you can almost hide the joints and paint the outside with Sandtex so that it looks like a rendered building.
As a dpc is not going to work at base level and if you install it above the first course you are inviting damp up to that level , I have found that Thompson's water seal applied internally keeps it bone dry.
I worked off a slab laid on hardcore blinded with sand (a fair bit of excavation) and overlaid with visqueen. This enabled a level floor to be established off the shuttering before laying any blocks. Far easier than building off strip footings and then laying the floor inside the blockwork.
The door I made myself - ledged and braced. The window ; I rang UPVC suppliers and asked if they had any mismeasures or stock they couldn't shift and was surprised at just how many glazed windows could be had for very little. I bet that you can find a door this way.
I will not blether on any further. If you would like me to post a pic of the finished job I will do so.

cyclonebri1

tony6403 wrote: »

Just a few comments having built a garden store to replace a wooden shed following a burglary (ba5tard5 !).
Breeze or clinker blocks are not a good choice for external construction. I used medium density concrete blocks.
Easy to lay and you can almost hide the joints and paint the outside with Sandtex so that it looks like a rendered building.
As a dpc is not going to work at base level and if you install it above the first course you are inviting damp up to that level , I have found that Thompson's water seal applied internally keeps it bone dry.
I worked off a slab laid on hardcore blinded with sand (a fair bit of excavation) and overlaid with visqueen. This enabled a level floor to be established off the shuttering before laying any blocks. Far easier than building off strip footings and then laying the floor inside the blockwork.
The door I made myself - ledged and braced. The window ; I rang UPVC suppliers and asked if they had any mismeasures or stock they couldn't shift and was surprised at just how many glazed windows could be had for very little. I bet that you can find a door this way.
I will not blether on any further. If you would like me to post a pic of the finished job I will do so.

Sounds like my situation, my garden shed was raided so I too decided to do something about it.

Concrete base was in place big enough for an 8 x 6 store.
As said med density concrete blocks
2 windows were mismeasure from ebay, built the store to suit the windows.
Door was the same except this had 1 of those 1/2round windows above, all built in to the frame, paid £75 for that and simply cut off the vestibule(?) window.
Best thing was these were all Mahogany upvc to match the house.

Constructed the roof to match the house and garage, all out of 4 x 2 and bolted together, used the same roof tiles .

I didn't paint mine, I had a Tyrolean gun, spatter gun in effect. Didn't render 1st and didn't buy colourmix either, just mixed sand/cement 1:1 and spattered it on, used 1/2 a bag of cement, there's:money: for you.

Looks fine and my garden stuff is now reasonably secure, they had it away with a 9hp petrol shredder:mad::mad: that I'd paid £500 for 2nd hand so you can guess the value

That was about 8 years ago and it hasn't moved yet.