Single skin outhouse toilet revamp

[MrTesco]

Good evening everybody,

This is my first post and I hope this is on the right section, if not I do apologise in advance.

I currently live in a housing association house built around the 1950s. Now I have a downstairs toilet in a single skin outhouse with one air brick and a non opening window and also a corrugated asbestos roof , now I would like to make this warm and more appealing to use, so I'm looking for some advice on how best to achieve this regarding insulation, flooring false ceiling etc without speading a fortune.

I hoping to replace the toilet with a new one incorporating a sink to save space and save on extra plumbing. the room is also very small at 2.9ft x 5.2ft so hoping not to use lots of space.

Many thanks for any help in advance

 

[mattylad]

Do you actually have an inside loo at all?

 

[MrTesco]

Do you actually have an inside loo at all?

Yes we have an upstairs one. However we have a few disabled members of family that visit and they struggle with stairs.

 

[Mr Chibs]

Not sure you are going to be able to do this without spending a bit... things like insulation is not cheap now.

Perhaps you could put insulated plasterboard on the walls.

Make some studwork for the ceiling and fill with insulation and cover in plasterboard, might need some ventilation though.

What about fitting a little radiator? even a towel warmer one (is electric nearby?)

Floor will still be cold, if you can loose and inch or so, you might be able to cobble something together to make it better.

 

[MrTesco]

Not sure you are going to be able to do this without spending a bit... things like insulation is not cheap now.

Perhaps you could put insulated plasterboard on the walls.

Make some studwork for the ceiling and fill with insulation and cover in plasterboard, might need some ventilation though.

What about fitting a little radiator? even a towel warmer one (is electric nearby?)

Floor will still be cold, if you can loose and inch or so, you might be able to cobble something together to make it better.

Thank you for your reply,
I don' mind spending a few pennies just not thousands, can I just screw the plasterboard strait to the brick work or do I need to make a frame up for that too? Also you say about a vent there is a air brick towards the top of the wall would this be ok or do I need one about the false ceiling? And as for electric there is a double plug in the room next door so could I just sper of that? Sorry for all the qeastions I'm a a complete novice at all this lark

 

[Mr Chibs]

You could screw straight on (not something I've ever done), or use board adhesive and dot 'n' dab.

Your current air vent won't really have any bearing on the roof... the thought is, if you make the roof better insulated, you may increase the chance of condensation on the underside of the roof, this can then drop down and wet any woodwork/walls etc. Is it currently drafty around the roof area? this may indicate ventilation already.

Yes, your sparky could take a spur.

 

[MrTesco]

You could screw straight on (not something I've ever done), or use board adhesive and dot 'n' dab.

Your current air vent won't really have any bearing on the roof... the thought is, if you make the roof better insulated, you may increase the chance of condensation on the underside of the roof, this can then drop down and wet any woodwork/walls etc. Is it currently drafty around the roof area? this may indicate ventilation already.

Yes, your sparky could take a spur.

No other form of ventilation other than the one air brick, so I'll add that to the list. There is a good 6 inches from the floor to the bottom of the door so would say some form if insulation on the floor then board over it, and if I do that then I would need to raise the toilet.

 

[Mr Chibs]

If you are going to replace the toilet, you could lay some insulation board (perhaps) polystyrene, then screed on top (weak sand/cement) then plonk your new toilet in, you'll need to raise the soil stack pipe though... it's already becoming a larger job

 

[MrTesco]

If you are going to replace the toilet, you could lay some insulation board (perhaps) polystyrene, then screed on top (weak sand/cement) then plonk your new toilet in, you'll need to raise the soil stack pipe though... it's already becoming a larger job

Story of my life, cheers for your help

 

[shagster]

If you are going to replace the toilet, you could lay some insulation board (perhaps) polystyrene, then screed on top

This is exactly what I was going to say. This would be the place to start. Dig down 250mm into floor, lay 50mm weak mortar base, DPM, 100mm Celotex, another DPM, then 100mm screed. It will transform the room if there is any damp at the moment. Very cheap if you do it yourself bearing in mind the area. I'd be somewhat careful around the toilet, maybe skipping that area to avoid damage to pipes. It does depend how easy the floor comes up though. If it was fairly easy to break I'd do it, if not probably give up since I'm a lazy sod.

About the roof, I'd never recommend sprayed foam, but that cement sheet looks like there's no timber support from below and it's just resting on the walls, so that is probably the only time it's safe to spray something on without causing rotting at a later point. It might not look so great, but then (no offence) it doesn't look that great now and will make a big difference to the warmth. Another picture of the rest of the ceiling could be useful.

The 25mm Celotex insulation sheet that Wickes do might work on the walls. I'd avoid plasterboard there. Dot and dab will give you a nice cold bridge across from the single skin wall, and I'd suggest the air gap alone will not make much difference to the warmth. If you can afford to lose the room volume (I suspect only sitting on the toilet and having a think about it will tell you), then go for that. What I'd do is 25mm Celotex covered with 8mm WBP ply, and I'd screw it directly to the wall with 5mm screws and 6mm plugs drilling through both ply and Celotex to fix it. The cold bridging from the screws will be negligible. If you countersink you can then fill the screws holes, and paint the whole thing with gloss. The ply will give you a join half way up the wall which you could hide with a dado rail, or possibly tiles if you choose a good flexible adhesive.

Hope that's given you some ideas, but it does very much depend on how much you want to spend.

 

[mattylad]

Does "housing association" mean that you need to ask them first? Or are you able to make alterations without asking their permission?