Timber Framed Utility Room

[nimdy]

I've just moved house. The property has lots of potential for extending but money is tight at the moment. I'd like to be able to build something on the back of the house, fixed to the back door and kitchen window. This temporary building (up to five years until we have the money to do a two storey extension) will then house the main utilities - washer, dryer and fridge freezer and maybe some cupboards for storage and will allow us to fit a cheap kitchen in the tiny space we have now. Moving the utilities to another room will give us some much needed storage space in this small and oddly shaped kitchen.

I looked into second hand conservatories which work out cheap but research on Google is telling me foundations and dwarf walls are going to cost me nearly £2k.

I was hoping a timber framed building would work out cheaper. My father is a carpenter and would be more than willing to help, we just need to know what the rules are for building the structure and ideas for its construction. Thanks.

 

[foxhole]

Your local council office are usually very helpful and can tell you if it will come under permitted development [ no planning permission], informal chat over the phone is all it takes.

 

[endecotp]

You probably don't want any of those appliances to freeze. Where are you? How cold does it get outside?
Personally I'd want the fridge in the kitchen.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

I just wonder how cheap you think a timber structure will be? You'll still need some form of foundation to carry the structure, even if it's just a big shed. You'll need a lot of insulation to keep it warm enough inside to use in winter. So how's about posting what size you need and what your budget might be so somebody could scope the job

 

[nimdy]

Thanks for your replies. We'd be doing the majority of the work ourselves so material cost will be the only cost. I've had a fridge freezer in a garden building with an oil filled radiator at my old house, so I know it can survive the cider temperatures. I was hoping for a 4m x 3m structure with a sloping roof, either felted or using the conservatory plastic roof panels. I would then get cellotex/kingspan from a seconds website for floor and walls and second hand windows / French doors from eBay to keep costs down. I was hoping I would spend no more than £2k for the full build. Is that out of the question?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

So why not cost it out yourself? I'll give you a starter for ten

4 x 3 metres - so circa 28 linear metres of 4 x 2 CLS for sole plates and headers, plus 40 lengths at 2.4 metrs 4 x 2 CLS for the studs on 400mm centres, plus allow another 15 metres or so for noggins. Adds up to about 140 linear metres @ circa £1.80 per linear metrs (incl. VAT) = £252. Add to that 12 sheets of exterior grade plywood, 18mm at £25/sheet (£300) and that makes circa £500. You'll need to wrap the framework with a membrane (Tyvek) before cladding it - say £45 to £50. To that you'll need to add roofing joists on 600mm centres (say 8 no. 3.5 metre 6 x 2s, so 28 metres at £2.10/metre = £60) and 18mm ply to cover that and make your fascias (another 7 sheets of 18mm ply, so £175). We're now at £785 - and as yet there are no footings, there's no floor, no insulation, no roofing felt, no DPM, no plasterboard inside, no exterior weather protection, no door or frame, I've not taken into account fastenings like screws and nails, and there's nothing there for wiring.

Having started you off I'll leave you to figure out the rest