I've had another builder up this week and he has suggested exactly the same as what 'Woody' originally suggested about insulating internally and just fitting a new roof.
With the previous builders all for demolishing a perfectly sound structure, this builder seemed to speak some sense. He looked at the walls and even though they are only single skin for 50% of the room, they would be strong enough to support a new cut pitched roof. A timber stud wall internal of all walls would also add strength and celotex or kingspan could be fixed to these. I would assume that the estimate for this work would be drastically less than the £20,000+ quoted by the other builders and more in line with my budget
I did some digging last night just to check the foundations and noticed that it goes down three bricks below ground level and there is a concrete foundation below that, so seems solid enough.
The only problem that might crop up is that the internal floor is at the same level as the ground level outside. I don't know if there is a dpm fitted to the floor slab, but there has been no indication of damp ( so i would be reluctant to dig this up) As all the walls will most likely be insulated, it would be a pity to leave the floor out and this would be an ideal opportunity to sort it. At present the floor is at the same level as the kitchen next to it, so if insulation was added to this floor, there would be a step into the kitchen, which we could live with.
So if I added 50mm of insulation on top of a dpm with either a screed or t & g plywood above it, would this be suitable (it will be used as a playroom initially and at a later date the kitchen will be moved in there)? I would also have to take into account the lower levels of the external doors with how much room I would have to play with. Presently the door lintels are 83 inches (2110mm) above the level of the floor.
With the previous builders all for demolishing a perfectly sound structure, this builder seemed to speak some sense. He looked at the walls and even though they are only single skin for 50% of the room, they would be strong enough to support a new cut pitched roof. A timber stud wall internal of all walls would also add strength and celotex or kingspan could be fixed to these. I would assume that the estimate for this work would be drastically less than the £20,000+ quoted by the other builders and more in line with my budget
I did some digging last night just to check the foundations and noticed that it goes down three bricks below ground level and there is a concrete foundation below that, so seems solid enough.
The only problem that might crop up is that the internal floor is at the same level as the ground level outside. I don't know if there is a dpm fitted to the floor slab, but there has been no indication of damp ( so i would be reluctant to dig this up) As all the walls will most likely be insulated, it would be a pity to leave the floor out and this would be an ideal opportunity to sort it. At present the floor is at the same level as the kitchen next to it, so if insulation was added to this floor, there would be a step into the kitchen, which we could live with.
So if I added 50mm of insulation on top of a dpm with either a screed or t & g plywood above it, would this be suitable (it will be used as a playroom initially and at a later date the kitchen will be moved in there)? I would also have to take into account the lower levels of the external doors with how much room I would have to play with. Presently the door lintels are 83 inches (2110mm) above the level of the floor.
