beam and block - or solid concrete floors

[scottishjohn]

trying to get a design and basic construction that we like and planning will accept 

take house down to one level -repair all walls  replace oak lintels with concrete ones etc

parge coat it with waterproof cement 

then build TF inside +use closed cell foam to finish off the water proofing and air tight seal and insulation and stick TF to granite walls

 the calculation i have been sent by the foam manufacturer  is  100mm closed cell -in two separate layers allowing first to skin

then hit with another 50mm + 22mm insulated PB + service void will give walls at 0.25value 

and with only a small reduction in room size 150mm per wall--maybe 50m of closed cell and then other insulation - but keeping secondary wall to 150mm

 

 ok the  floor --torn between block and beam -to get easy services and solid concrete 

Is there much difference in costings ?

yes it will be UFH 

 

 same goes for new roof -which will be a flat one to sit a Tf/sips house on  partially second storey  and give large balcony areas all round 

 thinking maybe of 6m x10mm  and lower level will be 26m by 8m

 comments and suggestions  please

 

need to find a builder to quote for removal of top layer and putting a lid on it 

 my health has gone backwards  somewhat --so have to accept i canot do as much as I would like with stone work -- too heavy for me 

 I have thought about flatten and build in ISOTEX -but then I,m sure planning would require it  to be cladded  in granite and same old  type of small windows  in bottom layer 

I do not think i will get away with a total  modern build on this site 

 and I can find no one that would want the old granite -so no money back from that --Ihad hoped to find someone who would flatten + remove for all the stone work 

ballpark from architect to rebuild from scratch in TF what is already there  is not on  -£850 is his first guess --so that will not it  in real world I have to think 

and I do not need over 400sqm+

then there is still the stable block to do later --maybe 

 

[the_r_sole]

what is the warrant here for, is it classed as a conversion? You just need to be careful on the U-Values depending on how it's going to go through the warrant process. Do you intend to have a SAP calc done or are you relying on the backstop U-Values and heating system guidance in the technical handbooks?

 

in terms of beam and block vs solid, normally it depends on what height you have for a solum and how you are going to support the floor - the other thing you've got to think about inside existing structures is how practical either route is? infilling a large footprint inside existing walls might take a huge amount of labour as it'd probably be barrowed in etc

[Dave Jones]

conc slab will work out slightly cheaper BUT is a lot more work. Block and beam is rapid and you get a perfect flat floor. You have to be concious of sleeper walls if anything internal is to be load bearing.

[saveasteading]

Hi, I am new so excuse if this is too late for you. btw I have already learnt a lot from your and other helpful messages about farm conversion.

I know about new construction in England, not renovation in Scotland.

 

In situ or beam and block floor? I would say in situ is more controllable, cheaper and more adaptable to change and penetrations.

Beam and block is useful if on a big slope as the sleeper walls bring you cheaply and reliably to level. also handy for tricky locations where you can carry all the parts, but couldn't get a lorry.

also depends on the dimensions as to how long the spans are and the number of sleeper walls.

 

From looking at some other projects online, I have been shocked at some people breaking out concrete slabs then laying stone instead. If there is a slab or stone at the right level, then this will be another plus for in-situ.

 

Insulation. I tend to go for default air pressure figure, simply to save the cost of the test.  Correct me if I am wrong , but for a conversion are we not obliged only to do the best we can? 'Reasonably practicable' having regard to circumstances including cost. Obviously we want to save energy, and  do what we can with insulation, but trading the elements is also allowed. 

[scottishjohn]

still no further forward at this time --so nothing been done 

from small excavations of the floors which have up to 2ft of old roof and floors and plaster on them 

It would appear that half of the house has solid and half had suspended floors