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It looks like hopefully in the new year I will be getting one of these as a bike store/turbo training room/man cave/junk store.
Are they awful places to be ie damp and cold, or can they be ok?
Is it worth going down the insulation route?
Ta
We've got one, about 20 years old and was there when we moved in. Someone smashed their way in through the fibre-(asbestos?)-cement roof to do some stealing so I'd say get a steel roof as I think they're stronger.
Otherwise it's fine in as much as it keeps the weather off the bikes, lawnmower etc but it's not really a nice space to be in for anything other than working on bikes etc. Don't know what difference a new roof and insulation would make though.
I have one which I use as a workshop. Theres no insulation but I use rubber mats where I stand in front of the bench, keeps the feet warm.
Obviously in the winter its pretty cold in there, so I use a small electric fan heater and that's good enough.
Also I have a dehumidifier on a low setting and have no damp issues.
If you're getting a concrete base laid, be sure to run plastic pipes for cabling etc through the concrete and you could also get them to sink ground anchors in whilst they are pouring it.
Dave - Good point about ground anchor, whats the benefit of running pipes for cabling though other than it being neater?
i have a reasonably modern one laid on a propper slab with a modern corrugated fibre roof - all circa 10 years old.
its not damp in the slightest.
my only complaint is its a very low roof.
Easier to install.
Also be aware that a lot of the prefab concrete sheets contain aggregate which means they are nigh on impossible to drill in to for putting fixings in for shelves etc. I devised a way of fixing shelves by utilising the bolts that hold the sheets together or you just hope for the best with gripfill or other adhesives.
Wish I'd thought about the cable ducting before we had ours put in, just to have the option for some electrics in there would be good.
Agree with the comment about being difficult to attach to, though some of the manufacturers sell brackets which use the existing bolts to support wall hangings etc.
Ours is very dry and effective, but like all outbuildings they are only as secure as the doors / windows / roofs, though (touch wood) we've not had any issues.
This might be my imagination, but I'm sure the concrete atmosphere does "something" to some soft metals (e.g. zips on things like tennis racket covers etc etc) to corrode them. Is that just me?
My concrete corrugated roof got smashed through by thieves too. Got timber bolstered stereo joists, thick OSB sheet and steel roofing sheets now.
It is cold but not damp as there is good ventilation aka drafty!
larkim - MemberÂ
This might be my imagination, but I'm sure the concrete atmosphere does "something" to some soft metals (e.g. zips on things like tennis racket covers etc etc) to corrode them. Is that just me?
Err, isn't that called damp? AFAIK its not caused by a 'concrete atmosphere'
We had one years ago, it had extra height panels which made it a lot better. Had a portable calor gas heater in it for when we were working on the bikes. Corrugated roof was also easily smashed through. Ours was by the window cleaner who fell of his ladder.
@almightydutch - no, I don't think it is "damp" as the items that have exhibited it were kept in the old (damp) garage for many years without trouble. However, it equally may well be just my imagination!!
(I wondered if the slab drying out at first created something of an alkali athmosphere or something of that sort, perhaps. I assume I am just wrong!!!)
We have an old Marley / asbestos roof that was very damp / dripped condensate after frost. Was going to knock it down but decided to re-roof with pitched roof clad with cedar shingles and new timber doors - doesn't look like a manky old garage anymore and is well ventilated / drip-free. I made a series of trusses, bolted 4x2" along the top of the concrete panels and fixed the trusses with angle brackets and fixed sterling board over the top. Still cost a few grand, but a lot less hassle than knocking it all down and starting again - nailing 1200 shingles was quite therapeutic!
I built one a few years ago at my old house and it was fine,it was brick effect so didn't look too bad ( and you only saw the front door from the front of the house) I insulated the inside roof with kingspan so no damp, I also did the base myself so put ground anchors in.