Jules coughed up some electrons that declared:

It's a lot of fun :-)




How big is this thing going to be?

About 15m2 +/- (we won't be too pedantic about planning - as long as it
looks about right to the neighbours...)

If it's a sizeable workshop I'd be very
tempted to go for a concrete floor and lower walls (i.e. up a couple of
feet from ground level) - point noted about ladder storage, however. I
just like solid floors in workshops, not something that might be prone to
vibration or moisture issues.

(I reckon I would need a few 6x2's for the floor beams, 4x2" or 3x3 for
roof and walls and something to clad the outside).

Typical on this side of the Pond is pretty much that - something
substantial for the floor (2x6 or 2x8 with 1/2" or 3/4" board atop, or
solid concrete) then 2x4 for the framing / roof with 3/8" or 1/2" particle
board on top of that. Cover with some sort of moisture barrier and then
some sort of wood / vinyl / aluminium cladding over the top. You can
insulate from the inside between the framework and then clad that in
whatever you fancy, too.

Untreated 2x4's in 8' lengths are less than $2 here at the local DIY shed
- which is what, about £1.20? (be intersting to know how that does
compare to UK price at the Sheds, actually)

Planed definately costs more in 2x4 (having bought that recently). Don;t see
so much rough sawn in my local places, unless it's really crap gardening
grade stuff.

5'x8' 3/8" board works out at less than £5 - I don't recall how much more
the thicker stuff is.

Insulation's dirt cheap for a big roll. It's the moisture barrier
material, cladding on top of that, and whatever you cover the roof with
which pushes the cost up.

I was considering celotex, but it's probably cheaper to use bigger wood to
compensate for glass wool being a poorer insulator. Or use polystyrene.

Personally I can't wait to tear our old double garage down and rebuild
it, and also get stuck into fixing our barn (one of those classic old US
arched-roof affairs). I've got a floor to raise in our back porch and a
deck to build first, though ;-)

Cool - enjoy