Insulating a shed - for someone useless at DIY

Junglist said:
That's the bit I'm really scared about!

So I'm starting to change my mind (Me, being fickle? surely not!). Going to email a few electricians and see how much it would cost to get electric out to the shed. If it's not an absurd amount I guess I could just have a little electric heater out there and get some of that silver stuff to reduce condensation - would that work? Can worry about doing all the boarding up at a later date.
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The magic foil if taped up should be reasonably air-tight.

However, it would probably still become the dew point. So any warm, moist air (and warm air can carry far more moisture before it condenses - hence all the trouble a full insulation goes through with the internal vapour barrier; without internal warm air would get past the insulation and condense on the cold side) might get stuck.

Still, if it keeps out the old wind it will make it far more comfortable. Without any/much heating maybe you should consider taking a dehumidifier out there occasionally just to dry it. Assuming the door actually closes tightly.
 
I'd guess there's quite a significant price difference between running an extension from an outdoor socket, and a professionally installed, correctly buried, from the consumer unit armoured connection into the shed.
 
Bug One said:
I'd guess there's quite a significant price difference between running an extension from an outdoor socket, and a professionally installed, correctly buried, from the consumer unit armoured connection into the shed.
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That is what put me off the idea when i first thought about it. It's only a small 2 bed house with a typical new build garden so no more than 10m from the property so I figured just running an extension lead would be the sensible choice. If we were going to be here for 5+ years it would totally be worth to do it properly with all the bells and whistles. It's just because I can no longer use it in my daughters room I need a quick and dirty solution until we move.

I'm hoping the shed will be of decent quality. We've gone to a well known local shed builder and he was far from cheap compared to buying one from B&Q or something. Famous last words?
 
Junglist said:
That is what put me off the idea when i first thought about it. It's only a small 2 bed house with a typical new build garden so no more than 10m from the property so I figured just running an extension lead would be the sensible choice. If we were going to be here for 5+ years it would totally be worth to do it properly with all the bells and whistles. It's just because I can no longer use it in my daughters room I need a quick and dirty solution until we move.

I'm hoping the shed will be of decent quality. We've gone to a well known local shed builder and he was far from cheap compared to buying one from B&Q or something. Famous last words?
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Just for perspective. This is how much just the physical cable (not including the glands, sockets, rcd, grommets etc) costs, to do this to a standard where you could connect up a heater, dehumidifier, TV, lighting etc simultaneously - and be able to sell the house in a few years without having to rip it all out because it's not been properly installed.


Regarding insulation. Might be a good idea to keep a lookout on local Facebook Marketplace. I'm always seeing offcuts of celotex (or other thermal insulation boards) offered for next to nothing.
 
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Having done / had similar with a log cabin my suggestions :

1) Don't bother insulating if its for short term use, just air it after use to get excess moisture out, ie leave door / window open for say 5 mins
2) Just pre heat a bit with a fan heater to take the cold off, everything will be brrrr cold and as metal will feel it.
3) If you don't want to insulate the floor, draft block it. Using a https://www.screwfix.com/p/capital-valley-plastics-ltd-damp-proof-membrane-black-1200ga-3-x-4m/73066 Will keep the drafts down and the moisture that comes up below the level of the floor. ensure your shed is properly ventilated underneath but use this to block it coming in
4) You can get a semi permanent box to use in the shed which means at least splashes etc are protected, is 6m long enough? https://www.screwfix.com/p/ip54-weatherproof-outdoor-box-kit/455hh

If your insulating the roof you ideally want to do that outside, over the existing roof then your waterproof layer over that.
 
Thanks for your help guys, it's really appreciated.

An Electrician who I messaged on gumtree has said about £3-400 to get electric put into the shed. That was cheaper than I was expecting so that may be the route I go. Will have him come out once the shed is installed to price it up. I think with summer coming up I'll just grit through the cold months with a little heater then over summer get my partners father to help do the manual work
 
Junglist said:
That's the bit I'm really scared about!

So I'm starting to change my mind (Me, being fickle? surely not!). Going to email a few electricians and see how much it would cost to get electric out to the shed. If it's not an absurd amount I guess I could just have a little electric heater out there and get some of that silver stuff to reduce condensation - would that work? Can worry about doing all the boarding up at a later date.
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Or stick a dehumidifier in there. A desiccant dehumidifier will add some heat too and since it’s a small space it’ll rarely come on. I’ve got similar in my gym (that has zero insulation) and a really tiny fan heater, but since I’m active in there I rarely need it on other than the really cold week we had in December.

As for spiders, I do get a few. I actually leave most of them, other than the false widows. I think the cold snuffed most of them off though.

Our main sheds have armour cable, rcd protection etc. My gym just uses an extension cable :p
 
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Junglist said:
Brains of OCUK, I need to work something out and I'm sure most of you would have a sensible answer for what I'm trying to do.

We're getting a shed put up next week, it's an 8'x6' pent shed which we will be using for our indoor cycling set up/room. To make it a bit more pleasant and somewhere we wont mind being in, we're going to try and make it look somewhat like a room from inside the house.

Not going to bother insulating the base of the shed I figured if we got some thick underlay and carpets, that would do most of the work of stopping the draught coming in. It's the walls and roof which I am a bit stuck on. I'm looking to do this as cheap as possible as we'll likely be selling and moving from the house in 2-3 years so longevity isn't a concern just as long as it can survive the next few winters, it'll be worth while.

Would this polystyrene insulation do the trick if it was placed along the walls and roof? Realistically we're going to be exercising within the shed so it doesn't have to make it extremely warm just be able to take the edge off in the winter and a bonus if it can keep it a bit cooler in the summer. Planning on having some electrical bits in the shed as well (computer, tv, lights and soundbar) which I presume I would need to really reduce how much condensation would happen within the shed after sweating out.

Can it also just be left as it is and paint over it or would we need to have plasterboard placed over it?

I guess my second question is; how the hell do I install it? Would I need to attempt to build a frame out of wood and place it within the cavities or can I (what I would do without seeking help) just get some adhesive and stick it to the shed walls?

If it's not clear from my ramblings, I have zero idea about what I'm doing and what I need to do! We've just decided this is the best route to go and will work things out along the way
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A free standing infrared patio heater would work?
 
Decide where the swa cable will source the shed's power from, and where it will enter the shed and dig the trench and lay it, (with adequate excess at each end), yourself. Fit the glands and termination boxes yourself if you like, but it's fiddly stuff to terminate the first time you try. That should minimise the electrician's fees.

I'm just about to lay some 16 mm squared swa, shop around for ends of reels if you don't need a big run of it, eBay has offcuts, but they're usually collect only due to the weight.

As for insulation I would use the foil covered expanded foam panels they use / used in cavity walls and to insulate the interior of steel buildings.

I insulated a big steel double garage door with it cut to fit between the internal reinforcements, and it made a huge difference heat retention and noise insulation wise. Have fun!
 
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Mr.Cookie said:
Yes, basically it's
Shed
batons
Foil
Batons
Plasterboard
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Perfect that sounds exactly like what I'm after. It doesn't need to be warm. Just not ice cold once I start going.

@Chris Wilson - Thanks, Chris. I may not be the most handy person (there's a reason I'm never in the manly DIY thread!) but I'm quite sure I's be able to dig a trench at the very least!
 
Junglist said:
Perfect that sounds exactly like what I'm after. It doesn't need to be warm. Just not ice cold once I start going.

@Chris Wilson - Thanks, Chris. I may not be the most handy person (there's a reason I'm never in the manly DIY thread!) but I'm quite sure I's be able to dig a trench at the very least!
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If you had designs on adding any other wiring or even plumbing, or making a more permanent building in the future, put in PVC or whatever ducting of a good diameter in to run "stuff" through, then it's future proofed. Don't ask me how I know that facilitating future additions would save a lot of digging and mess... Think outside water supplies and power points, but I know you said you might be selling a few years.
 
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