My Garage Build

[BigBen]

Aluminati said:

You won’t need to ventilate.

Usual course of events when installing membrane is batten as you go, makes life much easier !

You are the second person to tell me that!

I had assumed that approach would slow things down as getting the battens evenly spaced is clearly critical. Ah well I know next time.....

[BigBen]

Aluminati said:

BigBen said:

You are the second person to tell me that!

I had assumed that approach would slow things down as getting the battens evenly spaced is clearly critical. Ah well I know next time.....

You will be able to get tile gauge from manufacturers website. Get your first batten set in and make yourself a guide from a batten offcut as a spacer. Remember to even the gauge out over the pitch so you don’t get an odd size tile at the ridge, there will be some tolerance in gauge. Have you put a tilt fillet on, or a fascia ?

Yes I have the gauge (max and min) from the tile datasheet (datasheets are like electroncs so very much home turf!). I was planning to make a spacer then as long as the first row are level all should be will.

I must confess I had not heard of a tilt fillet until your post, I will get down to the roofing store in the morning and pick some up.

Thank you again for your help with what is for me uncharted teritory.

Ben

[BigBen]

W12GT said:

I also noticed that you are installing a secret gutter. Is there a reason you aren’t using dry soakers and then flashing over the top ? You could then go either stepped or straight flash (max of 1.5m length sections with min 100mm overlap).

Edited by W12GT on Friday 12th May 08:24

What I am referring to as a secret gutter is a continuous soaker

https://www.drainagesuperstore.co.uk/product/gas1-...

so I think we are talking about the same thing

Good spot on movement of the panels, I can certainly move them around so they are either proud or sub flush so can experiment.

Very happy with the company I bought from, great instructions and always on the end of an email / web chat or whatever when I need to ask questions pre-delivery. Also lots of nice details like including a tub of chemicals to clean the oak once it is assembled and including all the fixings for the joists.

[BigBen]

Day 8 started with a trip to the builders merchant then the roofing store to try and buy some pre-cut fillet for under the felt trays. This was mainly a failure. In the end I fabricated some shims and they seem to have done the job.

Next job was to start battening. I was nervious about this as they all need to be parallel. Using a combination of a long spirit level and measuring from the joist ends (difficult because of membrane/ membrane tray) I got the first one about right. It possibly meanders a few cm over its length but suspect that won't be noticable in the finished product, it certainly isn't no the naked eye.

No help today so I have been up and down the ladder more times than I care to think about. I also must have slightly cocked up the maths somewhere and the top two rows of tiles will be about 4cm closer together than the other 9 rows, again won't be noticable and I have repeated this on the other sides so it will all line up in the end. (I suspect it was because I forgot to subtract the width of the batten that I had hooked the tape mesure over)

I was also pleasantly surprised about how secure it felt walking around the roof on the battens, I am a larger gentleman so did have a few concerns



It occured to me that an extra pair of hands would more than half the build time, the number of times having someone on the other end of a timber or a sheet of membrane in the breeze is huge. I am not complaining, if I was that bothered I could have paid for some help, but pointing out to future readers that if you had two or more of you I reckon a 4-5 day build would be possible.

The weekend is interrupted by a trip to Saracens tomorrow for the Rugby premiership semi final which I hope Saints win then a kids football match on Sunday but the family have promised to help inbetween. The back roof is not yet battened and I have not completely figured out how to do it. Simplest is likely to start from the top and work down but that does not feel natural.

[BigBen]

Andy RV said:

Good work, what type of tiles are you using? Your batten spacing appears rather large?

They are quite big clay tiles, called New Cassius.

Progress over the weekend was rather slow due to a trip to North London to watch the Saracens beat the Saints and knock us out of the premiership playoffs. On Sunday there was a similarly important kids football match to attend so another day gone.

What I did manage was battening the rear of the roof using a new set of ladder hooks I bought earlier in the week and also distributed the tiles around the roof as best as I could. I extended the hire of the Genie lift so have been using it to do the initial lifting then handballing the (extremely heavy) bundles of 5 tiles around. I had a friend round to help which was incredibly useful. We also moved the rear panels close to their final position which was a vital step because I am back at work this week so really needed to be able to get my car out.



Not entirely sure about the straightness of the battens on the reverse (unseen) side of the roof but it does not vary more than 2 cm across its length so suspect it will be fine and in any case that side will be unseen.

Expect slower progress this week as back to work, although I am keen to at least have a few tiles in place over the next few evenings.

Ben

[BigBen]

Chumley.mouse said:

You need to cut that tree back, working under that would do my head in ??

Yes, I am going to have another go at it before working on that side

[BigBen]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

BigBen - what's the brick building adjacent? Is that workshop space?

Downstairs is a workshop and upstairs is my office. The footprint is slightly too small for a double garage and it was converted at some cost by the previous owners into an insulated building with air con / heat on both levels.

I may one day add an internal door between the two buildings but suspect that will open up a whole new can of building control worms so may not bother.

[BigBen]

Next question is how do I attach the triangular cut tiles close to the roof hips? Some kind of special clip or additional battens and some drilled holes?

[BigBen]

Aluminati said:

BigBen said:

Next question is how do I attach the triangular cut tiles close to the roof hips? Some kind of special clip or additional battens and some drilled holes?

My lads will either side slice with a grinder or drill a hole (s) depending how the cut falls on the batten.

That was what I was thinking / expecting. Have drilled a few holes in some tiles that were collaterol damage caused by a 12 year old trying to lift a bundle of 5 heavy tiles.

Have not got anything done this week due to being back at work and returning hired equipment etc. Will be back on it at the weekend.

[BigBen]

It is amazing how much work interferes with DIY projects. But today I had a clear day so made some decent progress. I was able to start fixing the tiles to the battens. The approach I have taken is avoid the ends where I will have to make cuts. The logic behind this (I am an engineer there is always logic) is I have a cordless angle grinder that is (was) supposed to arrive today which will make the cutting of angles easier.

Started on the front side because I have the platform set up and it is easier to see what is going on. Once the lowest row was in I got into a rhythm and got a lot done in a fairly short time.



The backside of the roof was next, this was a bit slower mainly because of having to work downwards and because for the first time I had to work around the edge soakers. Next challenge is a fair chunk of the tree is going to have to go but need to wait until next door are out or something (it is all stuff on my side that needs to go but it will leave a bit of a hole.) This would have been an advantage of doing the job in winter as the tree looks really nice in blossom at the moment.

Issuettes today have been:

- The suggested 5cm overhang of bottom tiles into the gutter has not been the most accurate measurement I have ever made. The solution will be to move the gutters further out perhaps by fitting a facia board.
- I am not convinced I will have enought tiles. According to the maths I do but according to my eye I don't. Will crack on with the backside tomorrow and see what happens.
- Finally I can't rule out being sun burned but that is a problem for later

Ben

[BigBen]

Aluminati said:

W12GT said:

BigBen said:

Next question is how do I attach the triangular cut tiles close to the roof hips? Some kind of special clip or additional battens and some drilled holes?

I think you’ve cut your battens too short - they should meet as they go around the roof. I think you are going to have some issues if you leave them as they are.

That said if you don’t want to do the battens then you could use a stiff mortar mix underneath on the corner and pop the nails into that. However, I wouldn’t recommend this way as it causes bridging and any water will get trapped and rot the membrane below.

You don’t think it will be needing a hip and ridge runner then as well as the hip irons? Also the OP could be putting lead and mop stick on …

The battens come up to the runners that are fitted (were not fitted in the last picture). I understand from the dry hip instructions that the correct way is to batten all the way round then fit the hip runner as spacers but I don't see the difference in terms of what wood is where. Where I am short of wood I have used either hip clips or or put in a bit more battening, will show pictures in the near future

[BigBen]

Aluminati said:

One I have some lads currently doing. You can see the double stacked runner straight off the hip. No wobble trying to seat on angled battens were the pitches meet.

That is how mine meets the runner on the hip which seemed a better way to do it than cutting a spacer between each set of battens. It also means the battens sit flush with the roof rather than meeting at a point proud of the hip rafter.

[BigBen]

Realise I have not updated this for a few weeks, essentially life has got in the way a bit. I thought this weekend would be the same with a family visit. Luckily my Brother in Law was keen to help and we got a decent shift in. Also worth noting he is practically minded like me so was a good assistant.

During the week a few neighbours were kind enough to give me a hand lifting tiles onto the roof then on Friday the boy and I set about installing them (we have quite a team going working on one row each, he is getting to be a dab hand.) It was then I spotted that perhaps letting said boy (or possibly my mate from Rugby who the boy swears was responsible) lay out said battons only lightly supervised was perhaps not a wise choice, it was as if he had decided to 'eyeball' one of the rows instead of use spacers which then messed up the top 3 rows.

Anyway a bit of re-battoning later and today we got the back side of the roof done to the hip (but not at the wall end) and the end roof more or less done to the right hand hip runner. Hope to finish the end roof in the evenings this week, although that is a stretch goal as I am a bit bored of cutting tiles! Have become much better at fitting the clips to the corner tiles, almost looks like I know what I am doing in places.

I have not fully thought through how I will install the hip tiles without having to climb over the tiles which I don't fancy but I am sure I will figure it out.

• I know how the tiles are installed, just not how I will get myself into the position to carry out said installation

[BigBen]

A good day today, got the tiling of the hip end finished and got the batons in place for the dry hip installation. The most exciting thing is this means I don't have to do any more diagonal tile cutting which I have grown to hate. (actually not true there are two more on the top rows of the main roof.

The next job is to wash the roof to get all the dust from the cut tiles off as it will impede the adhesive that the dry hip kit uses. I also mitred the end hip tiles today so they are pretty much ready to go. Might get the washing and maybe one of the hips done tomorrow morning but not sure as I am off to the US with work around lunchtime so don't have much of a work window.

Question for the roofers reading what do I do with the hip / ridge tiles where they meet. I understand the tiles need mitring so they fit together but then what? I see that you can buy hip / ridge junction tiles, are these worthwhile?

Question for any medics reading, what is the recommended treatment for sunburn / heat stroke. Asking for a friend who spent the day on a roof on one of the hottest days of the year......

[BigBen]

This might look a bit like the other pictures but there in an important difference. The roof is now completely tiled. What you can't see is some of the tiles are slightly different to the rest, I ran out and could only find riven style replacements locally, I fitted them on the side of the roof no one can see so no problem.

Remaining task is to do the flashing where it meets the wall of the outbuilding. I have fabricated a fibreglass section of gutter to join the two sides of the soaker so it is all ready to be covered up.

Then it will be time to finish guttering and wall panes so building control can come and hopefully sign off.

[BigBen]

JeremyH5 said:

It looks great, Ben, it must be very satisfying. Have you decided if you will drive cars in or reverse them in? Or does the yard layout allow either?

Should be able to go in either way, although it will be mainly taken up with my old R107 which has little chance of emerging under its own steam for a while now.

[BigBen]

Aluminati said:

Made a nice job of that Ben

Where’s the hip irons ?

I used plastic 'hip finishers', they don't look great so are unlikely to be the long term solution.

[BigBen]

Thought I had better update this as it has been a while. Not really been my fault, mainly the fact it has rained for 40 days and 40 nights.

Work since the last update has been fitting the flashing to the edges and installing all the walls. Flashing has been a learning experience but looks OK. Walls were heavy but not too complicated.



The other important milestone that you may notice is I have a car in the garage. It fits. Probably should have checked that before. Even better room for two cars and will have space to open the doors.

Still to do is some edging on the other side of the roof and building a small section of wall. And flooring the atic space. All small jobs but all take time.

Reflections on the flashing work is I used a lead alternative stuff, should have used lead, would have looked a bit better and in all likelyhood would not be much more difficult. Another thing I know next time.

Any thoughts on how to build some doors?

Ben

[BigBen]

McGee_22 said:

Good build thread - how’s it looking now?

A few more details that were missing from the earlier thread.

i) I picked up some floorboards from a guy who was refurbishing his house. I used these to floor the attic space. I think I have enough left to do another one so if anyone wants them let me know. I have subsequently used this space to store garden furniture and car body panels.



ii) Last weekend I cleared the space and began painting the floor (it has to be warm ish for the paint to dry so it has taken a while)



You may also notice I have fitted lights to the inside. Not shown are lights on the outside which are on a motion sensor. Also fitted an outdoor WiFi access point so the garden has good WiFi.

The most interesting development is there are still not doors and I have still not decided what to do about this. I quite like it door free and the angles involved mean it does not get wet inside. I suspect I will leave it as is until I get fed up moving tools to and from the adjacent workshop.....

[BigBen]

A big day for the garage. Finally go the car it was built to house in (the SL not the Volvo)

Still undecided on fitting doors or not as I really like the way it looks and it seems to keep the rain off pretty well.....



About to start a thread on phase two of the garden project.