Office within garage - Insulation in regards to home insurance

[sam james]

I am building an office as a mid term temporary space to work in my garage my work is being heavily affected by AI so I have no money and have to credit card it until better days, I am making a box by making panels which will be thin sheets MDF with 50mm baton internal frame and join them together, same with roof and 25mm ply floor offset off the floor with 50mm wood beams. I bought 2, 50mm thick 2.4m x 1.2m sheets of jabite to block off the garage door (its a 2.2m square up and over door) I am already told the jabite would invalidate my home insurance so I have lost £40 already I am just going to have to block off the door with plasterboard. For my wall panels whats the best cheapest insulation to put inside the panels that wont be fire risk and invalidate my insurance?

Many Thanks if anyone can help

Sam

 

[Wayners]

You probably need building control and convert to building regs although probably don't need planning.
From what I've seen people do what they have to and get the garage converted to office and use it.
Not very warm in winter though as one guy I know has cardboard over main garage door as it's so cold.

Depends what you want to do.
Bodge something temporary and use or do it properly.

 

[mrrusty]

I am already told the jabite would invalidate my home insurance

By who? jablite is just expanded polystyrene and is found on many products used in housebuilding including some insulated plasterboard and structural insulated panels. I presume this is an attached garage? If it is, yes building regs are most likely applicable. If it's a detached garage, then no, it's just permitted development (unless you're going to sleep in it!)

 

[noseall]

I am building an office as a mid term temporary space to work in my garage my work is being heavily affected by AI so I have no money and have to credit card it until better days, I am making a box by making panels which will be thin sheets MDF with 50mm baton internal frame and join them together, same with roof and 25mm ply floor offset off the floor with 50mm wood beams. I bought 2, 50mm thick 2.4m x 1.2m sheets of jabite to block off the garage door (its a 2.2m square up and over door) I am already told the jabite would invalidate my home insurance so I have lost £40 already I am just going to have to block off the door with plasterboard. For my wall panels whats the best cheapest insulation to put inside the panels that wont be fire risk and invalidate my insurance?

Many Thanks if anyone can help

Sam

If the budget will stretch to PIR rather than jablite, you will feel the benefits in a couple of months time.

 

[sam james]

At the moment I am going ahead and making the panels as I am in a hurry, then as it gets colder in a month look at what insulation will go inside them. So am I ok with house insurance to build my "Box", it will be freestanding in the garage not attached to wall of the garage but the garage is off the main house wall classic late 50s house, garage off the side. Thanks all

 

[sam james]

You probably need building control and convert to building regs although probably don't need planning.
From what I've seen people do what they have to and get the garage converted to office and use it.
Not very warm in winter though as one guy I know has cardboard over main garage door as it's so cold.

Depends what you want to do.
Bodge something temporary and use or do it properly.

Yes want to bodge something, need to be in there asap and no money !... what do you mean by "need building control and convert to building regs" ?

 

[noseall]

what do you mean by "need building control and convert to building regs" ?

What you are doing is 'controlled work' and should be inspected and signed off by Building Control.

 

[Wayners]

Planing for drawing and getting passed.
Building control ( person) comes around and tells what to do for regs plus signs off that work is correct.
You don't need planning consent but you should have building control.

I wouldn't bother.
Just get on with it. Just do It so it can all be removed back to garage easily

 

[stevie888]

As a general rule Building Control won't design things for you, merely tell you what you're proposing is not acceptable.

It is much better to submit a drawing and sort details before you start. Normally a bit cheaper too.

In this instance I tend to agree with Wayners though about just doing it.

 

[sam james]

Can I use standard MDF not fire rated and my home insurance is still OK?

 

[jj4091]

Can I use standard MDF not fire rated and my home insurance is still OK?

Probably another reason why you should have building regs approval. I would think they could reasonably refuse to pay out if you burn the house down

 

[noseall]

Can I use standard MDF not fire rated and my home insurance is still OK?

If you are worried about compliance and your home insurance, get it designed and signed off.

 

[cdbe]

Not sure you need building regs for a "garden shed" in your garage.

I think the cheapest way to insulate would be using mineral loft insulation, while it's not technically designed to be used vertically it could be literally rolled round the outside of the shed and held in place by an outer skin of thin plywood on a 1" batten frame. To minimise cold bridging you could connect the inner and outer walls using a small number of horizontal 1" battens. The insulation rolls are around 1.1m wide so you'd need 2 stacked. You could use some of your jablite to make a door (a plywood box with jablite inside, a few inches larger than the opening so it can just shut onto the outer face of the shed), the remainder can go in the floor (and moisture resistant flooring grade t&g chipboard will be much cheaper than 25mm plywood). You'll need a vapour barrier on the inside and probably some provision for ventilation. I'm assuming the garage isn't damp or you'll probably make yourself ill.
If the garage door is draughty just draft proof it.

Personally I'm not a fan of the obsession with living/working in a glorified shed/garage - that where I keep my lawnmower and other DIY stuff (I'm a bit ashamed to say that I have 4 garages, and a shed!).

Can't you just do something with your bedroom, maybe one of those beds that fold into the wall or something?

 

[^woody^]

Jablite - do you mean the white polystyrene (EPS)

Who said you can't use it? What is wrong with it?

 

[sam james]

"Can't you just do something with your bedroom, maybe one of those beds that fold into the wall or something?"... my daughter wants the room I am in she is arguing with her shared room with her sister... sounds like I cant build anything at the moment without spending a fortune or invalidating my home insurance !