Convert part of large farm shed into office / workshop

[pstunt]

I am looking for the forum's advice on how best to approach converting a section of a large farm shed into an office. My house build is way behind schedule so I need to be on site, as Autumn / Winter approaches but I still need to focus on my main job and need an office to work out of.

 

The farm shed is about 30m x 12m, wooden framed with wood cladding, sitting on a single skin dwarf wall. The roof is metal ( not sure if steel or ali ) with a metal internal second skin with the thinnest sort of material insulation possible between.

 

The first picture is the front with red markings showing the corner I intend to convert. The second picture is just inside the shed door and again has red markings showing the conversion area.  There is a 2m concrete path down the middle of the shed running top to bottom with a concrete floor on the first sections left and right of the main door. 

 

I am thinking of utilising the left hand section with some sort of internal stud work but need to work out the best way to insulate the floor, walls and roof. I dont mind losing space to get good insulation levels, keeping heating costs down but I would look to possible have a small MVHR system and maybe even a window.

 

This may sound like alot for an office but I will be using this daily for 10 months plus before the main build is complete and after that it can be a workshop.

 

 

[PeterW]

Buy a cheap touring caravan. Work in comfort, kettle and toilet on hand. 

[Redbeard]

If it is not for seriously long term, how about turning those studs into Larsen Trusses (spaced studs) and filling with 300 cheapest-you-can-get mineral wool? If you are just wanting it to last a year don't even worry too much about VCLs and so on. You will have to do something to isolate the insulation from the (damp) plinth walls, but I would suggest don't do it with polythene (risk of condensation on the cold side of the 'sandwich'). I would definitely do a floating floor (say T & G OSB on 50 PIR) but then that will be 'dead money' unless you can find a late phase of your build in which you can re-use the materials. Are you going to insulate the ceiling/roof? Maybe that could be spaced studs too.

 

I don't think I would 'do' MVHR in this case  unless I found a really really cheap unit.

[Russell griffiths]

Definitely put a window in, it will be a miserable place to work without one. 

[pstunt]

Thanks all. Don't think the caravan is for me but I can see why it would work for some. I will be using this space for the long term future but not as an office, so doing it well is not an an issue to me.

My biggest challenge is how to do the insulate the walls. As suggested above, I was going to go with board on PIR for the floor on a DPC ( not sure if that is the right way ) but for the walls I am not sure what the correct sequence is for airgaps, insulation, breathable membrane and paster board. I guess the same question for the roof. I have drawn up my intial idea but would love to hear people's views.

 

 

 

 

[pstunt]

Sorry, I should have said that I will have to look into Larsen Trusses, as I am not aware exactly what they are. Will look after work.

[markc]

1 minute ago, pstunt said:

Sorry, I should have said that I will have to look into Larsen Trusses, as I am not aware exactly what they are. Will look after work.

A Larson truss is basically two pieces of timber, spaced apart with rectangles of ply nailed on to form a sort of ladder.

simple, strong, light and very easy to make

[Roger440]

Nothing useful to add, just jealous.........................

 

Looks to be an awesome sized building.