Summerhouse/outbuilding renovation - what to add?

ChilliBob

Hey everyone, 

We're considering upgrading our summerhouse/outbuilding and are keen to get suggestions on what we may have not thought of.

What we have:
* Brick and breezeblock building with tiled roof, rendered on the front - basically looks like a mini bungalow!
* Concrete floor inside, knackered plasterboard flat ceiling
* Painted breezeblock interior
* Dedicated separate power and light
* Roughly 7m wide, 5 deep, internal dimensions 

Just being used as a glorified shed atm.

Our renovation plans so far, basically, I feel a, blank canvas.. 

* Tile the floor with high quality (£60 sqm!) porcelain tiles to match the outside patio from it. 

* Dot and dab insulated plasterboard walls, and ceiling, ideally pitched inside if possible, to increase head room. Pulling power through. 

* Spot lights in ceiling, probably Hue etc. 

* Internet access via extender. 

* Replace single door with sliding doors, probably replace windows to match

* Skim the walls and ceiling

* Skirting

* Use plug in electric Infrared heating which can be controlled by WiFi and moved around easily (I think this exists?) 

I think this takes us to a blank canvas for a room we've not 100% decided how to use, and for which use will evolve as children grow. 

For now we intend to use as a shed, small gym, and play room. Use for short periods at a time really, not wfh, sleeping etc! 


Essentially we have someone coming round to discuss quotes on Monday, so want a decent idea of our plans to share with them. Anything we can do ourselves or add, like say a sound system, mirrors, TV, decoration etc I'm not too fussed sbout now. Basically focused on sfuff we need professionals for - tiller, builder, sparky etc. 

Thoughts much appreciated, thanks for reading this far! I know loads of you have these rooms, so just curious what we may be missing! 

theonlywayisup

Is the floor insulated?  I would want to have insulation in the floor to have any hope of using it through the year.

Ditto the walls - You need to have an external leaf of the building separated from the internal leaf by a cavity (and breathable membrane) and insulation - don't just whack up insulated plasterboard. 

How are you heating it?

Are there any other windows or just a door - does the ventilation suit the use?

What is the roof construction?  

ChilliBob

Will be using outdoor tiles, so, no, no floor insualtion.

I think based on the shape of the walls inside there would be a, cavity between outside wall and plasterboard insulation, not sure what you mean by breathable membrane though?

Heating - electric infra red ad-hoc - based on lots of use not needing heating - e.g gym or shed.

Roof, tiles, like a house.

Windows, yeah two fixed ones, if we did new ones we'd probably allow for them go open. 

ChilliBob

theonlywayisup said:

Is the floor insulated?  I would want to have insulation in the floor to have any hope of using it through the year.

Ditto the walls - You need to have an external leaf of the building separated from the internal leaf by a cavity (and breathable membrane) and insulation - don't just whack up insulated plasterboard. 

How are you heating it?

Are there any other windows or just a door - does the ventilation suit the use?

What is the roof construction?  

Oh and many thanks for taking the time to reply  

theonlywayisup

Rethink the floor.  It matters not the finish, but the floor will need insulation if you want to 'use' the room properly.  Just because you are using external tiles doesn't mean you shouldn't think about floor makeup inside the building. 

My summerhouse wall makeup is (outside to in)  cladding - counter batten - batten - cavity - membrane - OSB - timber frame - membrane (AVCL) - plasterboard.  

Do you know what is going on under your roof tiles?

Caveat - birthday celebrations going on here - am signing out now before I say something I probably have already regretted! 

Doozergirl

How are you powering your wifi and heater? 😉 

You should have a separate board for the room and ensure the electrics are certified! 

Insulate it more than you're thinking of insulating it.    Presuming you have kids, I think they'll use it more and more as they get older. 

Whatever you think you'll
use it for now, account for it being used as a spare room or wfh in future because there's no point doing anything twice.  Ours gets used for everything, including a Covid isolation unit on three separate occasions!  

diystarter7

Hi OP

Consider what the room may used for over the next ten years. Sleep on it and think again. Think about a grwoing family, hosting in the summer and winter and kids/teens oe place and adults and room. Sleep on it.
Google rooms like this and see what people have done

Floor insulation is very important as well as roof insualtion as it keeps it warmer and feeling more welcoming and keeps furniture fresh

Use proper wood floor for nice feel and rugs.  Down lights may be better becuse of lack of headroom

Consider the number of plugs and positions and then add a few more

A french door looks more classy and easier to operate than sliding doors and often avoids trip hazards.

Consider what furniture and where it will go

Consider a bit more wall insulation and cost-effective heating

Consider the alarm and general security of the building.

consider spot lighting approaching the building

Get quotes from builders and electricians

Sleep on it and then go for it.

(do not go for carpet, use rug/s.)

Thnaks

.

ChilliBob

Ironically the tiles are the catylist for all of this!! It's having them left that makes us want to do it. Essentially the whole inside outside vibe lots of people do with their kitchen into garden we want to do with garden room into garden! We love the tiles and think even if we didn't have them left it's probably what we'd choose anyway! 

If we feel we need cosyness in time I think rugs would be the order of the day. For now, shed, gym and some mad aid hockey or foosball games and I think we're good! 

This has the electrics on a separate board already so that's how the WiFi and anything else would be powered. 

Door hasn't been fully considered (besides being new and bigger) , but we do have some restrictions based on freshly done raised beds outside the front of it!

The only way is up - enjoy the celebrations! 

No idea what's going on under those tiles! Was going to get an inspection camera but tbh the plasterboard is only nailed and already bendy may be easier to take a bit down and use a torch. Not sure what to expect but I suspect it'll not be up to much. 

gwynlas

You can still use the tiles but using sufficient insulation underneath. Think of insulation objectively as being able to use the room all year round will definetly be a bonus, you can always roll out a rug for a warmer look in colder weather. If/when you come to sell you will most likely get your iinvestment back if the room appears habitable as extra living space or an office. Even if you wish to use it partially as a shed there is no reason tools etc might not be stored in cupboards.

Apodemus

diystarter7 said:

Sleep on it and think again...

Sleep on it...

Sleep on it and then go for it.
.

Even better - sleep in it, then think again!  

ChilliBob

Apodemus said:

diystarter7 said:

Sleep on it and think again...

Sleep on it...

Sleep on it and then go for it.
.

Even better - sleep in it, then think again!  

With two kids who wake me up all the time, it might be the best sleep I've had in years lol