#WarrenYard #RealisingaDream Realising a Dream - 7 - Where This plays a major part in what you can achieve so I will go through the options I considered at this taxing stage, ranging from bedroom, then loft, garage, shed, dedicated building, barn and garden. In part 8 - I follow up with a brief look at utilities, insulation & ventilation, security, windows, roof type and insurance. In part 9 - I conclude with what I chose as the appropriate, cost effective option for me, you will have your own choice, but remember you want some cash left over to build the railway! Bedroom None big enough and the master has more enjoyable uses! Loft I ruled out the loft because extremes of -5C winter and +40C high summer did not appeal and using a loft ladder when I approach 70+ will somewhat reduce the appeal further. Modern houses can have prefabricated roof frames which create impossible to use lofts, my house being nearly 90 years old is relatively uncluttered structurally, but very draughty with plenty of low heavy timber on which to rearrange my skull contents. Loft conversion maybe, but no, too expensive, with an inevitable flat roof (which I hate, they soon leak) and although it could be connected to the central heating it would still be expensive to heat in winter and difficult to cool in the summer. Garage or shed Well, garage was too small and the sheds, hmmm, decomposing would be the best description. Maybe a new shed or garage? Dedicated building That's a whole new ball game, dare I go that route, it would certainly stop the house being overrun and promote domestic harmony. Brick built requires planning permission where I live as they are classed as permanent structures. Wood and pre-fabricated concrete are classed as temporary and only need planning permission above a certain height. However they require building regulation approval if the floor area exceeds a certain size. I'm not going to give specific details here as these can vary with geographical area and current regulations, you must check these out before contemplating anything significant otherwise flouting the rules can resort in a compulsory demolition order! Barn or Garden I don't have a barn, the garden I prefer to keep as a garden, although I did muse on OO in the garden or even O. Personally I think I'd have gone for O outside but no way could I have built anything for intensive operation in the garden. So indoors for me. So which type of building? The most expensive option is a dedicated brick built building but the price tag is ouch. So that leaves a compromise based on a customised shed or garage configured to be a dedicated building. My preference was to go for the customised pre-fabricated garage configured to be a dedicated building, in my book engineering is the art of compromise as no one material can do everything and solutions must be affordable. Next, when using a separate dedicated building for your railway a number of additional factors should be considered. Continued in part 8, Jim. Image, my Victorian rework of a European sand drying house.

Posted by Jim Franklin at 2021-05-07 09:54:59 UTC