single skinned utility room

[paddy1]

I have a utility room that was built on the back of the kitchen at the same time the house was built. The only problem is is that it looks like the builders where lazy or else had a shortage of materials and only used single skin and did not bother to frame the inside and add any insulation. The inside has 1" X 1" frame with plasterboard attached and no insulation.
The result of this is that the utility is like an ice box.
I am thinking about making this room part of the kitchen and was planing on ripping off the old plaster board, reframing the inside with 4" X 2"
timber and then lining with insualtion and then attaching plasterboard.

Is this the way to go or has anyone any better ideas?

Also do i need a damp proof membrane and if so where does it go?
And finally can any one suggest the best type of insulation to use?

Thanks.

 

[Johnboy54]

I'll have a bash at this.

I imagine your first problem, with it being single skin, is rain penetrating through the wall. There are several sealers you can get to do the outside at any builder's merchants.
If any still gets through, you'll have a pool at the bottom of the wall, spreading through to the inner wall you intend to build. I'd line the inside of the outer wall with visqeen, running a bead of sealant along the bottom and screwing it against the wall with a long batten. The wall should be built on a dpc, so nothing would track along the floor.
Any rain still getting through would still pool, so I'd drill out the mortar and put some weep vents in every couple of feet. This will drain any water and also get a bit of air circulating between the sheet and the wall.
You can buy sheets of 4" polystyrene, or use loft insulation and itch for days.
Fasten your plasterboard on - the insulated foil type - and skim.
Failing that, you could get a brickie in and have the inner wall built properly.

 

[paddy1]

The wall appears to be fairly watertight. The outside of it is pebble dashed and probably has 1" of plaster that the pebbles are set in to.
here is also a damp proof course which is bonus.
The inside wall also has a fairly heavy scratch coat on the wall so i would like to think that before this was put on that the bricks were well sealed.

if this is the case and no damp is getting through then i should be good to go ahead and frame and insulate.