newbie question--workshop size?

hi all,

i have a garden shed that is 7'x5' and i would like to get rid of this and build a workshop slightly larger, i reckon my wife would let me get away with 10'x8'.

question is?, do i need planning permission for what is basically a big shed, and what sort of equipment will i be able to fit in something of this size?

i've never done any sort of engineering like this before, i know what i'm doing with a spanner and a soldering iron but i have this urge to start making things, if you know what i mean?, i would like eventually to be able to make my own air rifle and possibly small engines for r/c cars, more for the sake of it than any other reason.

so i would like to have a lathe and a milling machine, what sort of size would i be able to get in a shop of this size?

are there any books people would recommend for complete newbie?

hope there aren't too many questions here :-)

TIA

james

Reply to
John Doe
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If you want chapter & verse on this kind of stuff you need to speak to your local planning dept. But garden sheds usually aren't a planning issue.

Regards, Tony

Reply to
Tony Jeffree

Obviously the only people who can give a definitive answer are your local planners, but if it is less than 50% of the garden area, less than 3m tall if flat roof and 4m if pitched roof, and is more than (I think) 5 metres from the house and no closer than 20m from any highway, and if within a metre of a boundry is constructed mainly of non-inflamable materials then planning permission isn't needed unless you are in a conservation area, an area of outstanding natural beauty, or within the green belt.

AWEM

Reply to
Andrew Mawson

In message , John Doe writes

[snip]

A couple of points...

1) The floor as provided for a typical garden shed is unlikely to have sufficient rigidity to take machine tools without rocking. My preferred option would be concrete laid on a damp proof membrane and (Jabfloor?) polystyrene slabs.

2) Assume that condensation due to fluctuations in weather (humidity and temperature) may be a problem and plan to either heat, insulate or both.

We are in the process fitting out a 14' x 8' garden "studio" for SWMBO. After a couple of enquiries we found local supplier who was happy to provide a bespoke job (double glazed and with additional materials to insulate and line the roof and walls).

Reply to
Mike H

i was planning on laying a concrete floor and making the walls out of plywood or something similar with sheets of polystyrene for insulation.

i'm unsure of what to use on the inside of the polystyrene (if that's practical anyway)?, or if i should leave that as the internal facing.

james

Reply to
John Doe

Unfortunately those requirements, which are a fair summary, mean that the vast majority of large garden sheds do technically need permission since most will be flammable, close to a boundary and too near to the house!. If you do, as you are supposed to, contact the local planning department they will almost certainly say you need permission, and of course they now know your intentions so if they have too many enforcement officers might have a nosey, fortunately most councils have far too few to be able to.

On the other hand, if you go ahead and build your dream shed without telling anyone, and don't piss off the neighbours of do it in front of the house so it stands out like a sore thumb from the road, who's going to grass you up?.

3 years after erection it'll usually have permission automatically.

On the other hand, a shed with a weak wooden floor is not a good workshop for fixed machinery...

Greg

Reply to
Greg

Andrew you forgot one.... within the curtilege of a Listed Building

Cheers Tim

Dutton Dry-Dock Traditional & Modern canal craft repairs Vintage diesel engine service

Reply to
Tim Leech

unless

beauty,

Sore point Tim as that's the one that has ruled out many potential houses for us after our move fell through ! Anything not built by Wimpy round here is Grade 11 it seems !!!

AWEM

Reply to
Andrew Mawson

In message , John Doe writes

We specified a vapour barrier to go between the outer cladding and the structural members. The supplier also provided a more than adequate quantity of match-boarding for inner lining. With a cheap "chop-saw" from B&Q and an electric nail gun the match-boarding went into place surprisingly quickly and easily. However the supplied glass fibre (roof insulation) mat was such a pain to put into a vertical wall cavity that we gave up, sold it and bought 50mm polystyrene (Jabfloor) from the local builders' merchant.

Reply to
Mike H

In article , John Doe writes

James,

Don't have anything to add to the helpful replies you have received.

However, if you plan to make an air rifle, you should take great care to ensure its muzzle energy can not exceed 12 ft lbs for any shot with any ammunition. If it does, it will class as a section 1 firearm and require a firearm certificate. Offences under the Firearms Acts are absolute offences, which is to say that being unaware of the fact that your weapon is illegal is no defence.

Also, I assume you would use a commercial barrel - making rifled barrels is not something to contemplate unless you are very, very skilled in the engineering involved.

David

Reply to
David Littlewood

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