HC Project kick-off - help required - Garage conversion

[cadders10]

Hi All,

New to here and I am at the first stages of planning a new cinema room and look to all you experts for some help!!

I have a detached single garage which is empty and not used so what better use than putting a home cinema! It has been the intention to do something with it since last year when we had a conservatory fitted on the house we also had some french doors fitted on the side of the garage (see attached photo). To gain entrance to these doors it is only 8ft away from the doors on the end of the conservatory so not too chilly a journey in the winter!

The room will also serve as a general music/summer room hence the large french doors but I will be making some total black-out blinds to fit. The end of the room will also house a treadmill behind the sofa.

A few points to mention are that I do not want to particularly spend a lot; maybe up to £1K not including the AV kit (already owned). I will spend a little more but only if I really have to. I will be doing all the work myself; consider myself pretty good on diy.

Also, I am not particularly concerned about Building regs if I don't have to. I want to make as good as job as possible and maybe to meet the requirements but don't want to fork out too much. The way I see it is that I intend to leave the garage door on, not spend too much so it wouldn't matter if it is just ripped out whenever required i.e. if we sold (not likely) or if we needed the garage at a later date. The french doors do come with FENSA cert though.
I believe planning consent isn't required. Had planning for the conservatory and already had the doors fitted on the garage when the inspector came round; nothing was mentioned about it.
Welcome your views on this.

I have already a 32A supply installed and new consumer unit ready to install along with final circuits; I am qualified electrician (well 16th edition trained; not my profession for past 8 years but I can arrange tests etc afterwards to get part p sign-off). I have also already got a cable back to the house to the main security alarm. I may also fit another cheap seperate alarm even though the kit isn't really worth much more than £1K. Heating will be electric too.

As the garage is single skin my initial thoughts are to install a combination of thermalite blocks and studding/celotex install. The thermolite will be at the two end of the garage i.e. in front of the garage door and then at the opposite end as it is quite long (20'), I can afford to loose this space. The studding/celotex (say 50mm?)will be on the side walls as the garage is only 8.5' wide.
I would then finish with Plasterboard; maybe just fill in the joins and do something like finish with cheap plain wallpaper to avoid plastering?? Questions I have are:
- is the concrete floor OK for supporting the block wall?
- Is it OK to just build a Block wall next to the Garage Door; will condensation be an issue?
- Would I build the block wall right up to the outer walls on either side?

My thoughts about the floor were to just lay down a thin layer of insulation such as that used for electric underfloor heating. Have seen some 6mm stuff on ebay for £58 that will cover the area. Any other suggestions?

With the ceiling, as it is a pitched roof, I thought about more Celotex (say 50mm again) between the joists and finished with Plasterboard again?? It would be good if I could fit a hatch and still use the loft space so would it be OK with loft boards on top of the joists??

I think I will also knock out a couple of bricks either side and put in air bricks for some ventilation maybe?? Will this really be required?

I am putting together some layout plans of how I may like it to end up; will get them posted asap.


So, please give me some feedback/constructive criticism that I can take on board at this early stage.

Thanks very much in advance

Andy

(Sorry for the long posting)


Kit owned:

Optoma HD70
Harmon Kardon AR235
Eltax Liberty5 Speakers with Active sub
Sony BDPS300 Blu ray
Sky HD (to be from HDMI distribution in house via 15m lead)

[dazza32]

This might help a little mate

[cadders10]

Originally Posted by dazza32

This might help a little mate

Thanks Dazza,

Must say your setup looks great; exactly what I am aiming for.

This was an integral garage right? Presume you had double skin walls already?

Thanks,

Andy

[dazza32]

Originally Posted by cadders10

Thanks Dazza,

Must say your setup looks great; exactly what I am aiming for.

This was an integral garage right? Presume you had double skin walls already?

Thanks,

Andy

A linked semi-detached so the 2 side walls are double skin. The rear door leads into an extension, which in turn leads to a doorway into the kitchen. The garage door end is just a stud/partition wall.

Would recommend building a floor on top of the existing concrete floor so you could put down some decent insulation to help with heat-loss.

Darren

[cadders10]

Thanks again Darren,

As I mentioned in my first posting here is some detail now of what I might be aiming for. The garage door is at the end of room where the treadmill is. The other end is obviously the screen (maybe something like 84"? - depends on final width of room after insulation etc)

I think I will take your advice Darren and build a floor with insulation on top of the slab. Could also take away some of the slope by doing this.

I am still questioning how I build/insulate in front of the garage door and at the opposite end of the room. The 2 side walls I think will be Studding/Celotex but dont know how thick to buy, 50mm 70mm. Cant go too thick due to it taking too much off the internal width.

Any more help very much appreciated

Regards,

Andy

[albriscoe]

Hi Andy

looks like it could be really good this conversion

As Darren has said you should really put in a false floor and insulate well, also I would use at least 100mm kingspan/cellotex in the roof space as thats where all your precious heat will go mate.

The stud walls should have at least 50mm in them as well.


Point to remember is this, the more you put in now will more than recoupe the outlay/saving on your heating bills.

Get as big a screen as you can as well, infact to save costs at this point think about an home made one mate

cheers Al

[dazza32]

I used 50mm Rockwool RWA45 slabs to insulate all the walls and floor and used 100mm loft insulation in the ceiling. The floor was made using 2"x2" timber and then 18mm chipboard on top, remember to put down a Damp proof sheet first. The walls were then doubled tacked and plastered.

This may not affect you Andy as you have a detached garage, but for sound insulation(and good for future cable runs)I built the stud walls floor to ceiling but left a 10mm gap between the walls and the false floor. Basically, don't have the false floor touching the walls.

All the best with the project mate

Darren

[dazza32]

Originally Posted by albriscoe

Get as big a screen as you can as well, infact to save costs at this point think about an home made one mate

Make sure it's a fixed screen also Andy to give it that cinema feel

[cadders10]

Thanks very much Al

Yes, I will be putting in false floor with insulation now; only will try to take away slope too.

100mm is pretty thick; Would I install between the joists? I have some loft boards installed at the moment on top and wish to use the loft space as storage after conversion; therefore, I will have to put access hatch in too.

50mm for the walls will be fine I think although may just take it to 70mm.

Any comment on the end walls as I have been considering thermal block wall built in front of the garage door and also doing same to create proper cavity wall at the other end.

Yes, maybe make my own screen; I'll get round to detail of this later on when I have sorted how I am doing the main building stuff. Yes, as big as poss although

Thanks again

Andy

Originally Posted by albriscoe

Hi Andy

looks like it could be really good this conversion

As Darren has said you should really put in a false floor and insulate well, also I would use at least 100mm kingspan/cellotex in the roof space as thats where all your precious heat will go mate.

The stud walls should have at least 50mm in them as well.


Point to remember is this, the more you put in now will more than recoupe the outlay/saving on your heating bills.

Get as big a screen as you can as well, infact to save costs at this point think about an home made one mate

cheers Al