# shed coversion !



## carpetboy123 (Mar 14, 2009)

I posted a thread in the lizard section about converting a shed into a large cage. can some of you guys give me some photos of yours and maybe even a how to lol ?


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## carpetboy123 (Mar 14, 2009)

Anyone ?


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## iajo (Sep 16, 2008)

Havent done one myself but did look into it. 

First consider the structure of the shed, if its an old one do any structural work first as once its full of reps it would be a real hassle. Ensure it is fully waterproofed as water running onto electrics is seriously bad. 

The biggest problem with using a shed is temperature control. Most garden sheds lack ventilation, they get very warm in the summer and very cold in winter. Standard viv heating is designed to run indoors and wont cope with minus temperatures. Likewise in the summer ambient temperatures can be high enough to kill your animals even when their heating switches off. Building a second skin inside the shed will allow you to better insulate helping maintain winter temps. Adjustable ventilation would allow you to lower temperatures in the summer. 

You may need additional heating or air conditioning sources if you cant manage the temperature any other ways. 

Security has to be a concern as expensive things kept in sheds have a habit of being carried off in the middle of the night. Might need stronger doors security lights etc...

A stable and ample electrical supply. Large numbers of heat equipment can use a large amount of power, running enough sockets preferably on their own ring would be necessary.

I'll try and find the thread that someone made showing their shed, may give you some ideas.

It was paul rimmer, if you search his profile you can find some pictures though he built a brick room, its too nice to be called a shed.


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## carpetboy123 (Mar 14, 2009)

thanks for the info
i couldnt see any photos of the shed in his albums lol?


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## iajo (Sep 16, 2008)

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/dwa-species/377646-hot-room-finished-last.html

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/dwa-species/459846-couple-updated-hot-room-pics.html

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/snakes/238424-garage-conversion-into-snake-room-5.html

The third thread is pretty useful and has good pics on page 3 and 4. 

The other two threads have pics of an amazing room, like i said it would be an insult to call it a shed.


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## carpetboy123 (Mar 14, 2009)

They all look fantastic lol the the guy converting his garage on the third thread said it has only cost him 350 !


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## carpetboy123 (Mar 14, 2009)

I have just been told unless i get the shed its own power supply i cannot do it as i was planning of running it of the garage power (as there about 25 cm away from each other lol), however that all needs to be re done for it to be safe to do so. which apparently will cost £1000 ? would it be possible to use a heavyduty all weather extension lead to power it at im only planning to use it as a giant viv.


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## minidaz123 (May 12, 2010)

I'm currently in the middle of converting a shed, but am lucky in that it is attached to the garage and already has power and light.
It has 2 doors, one from the garage and one from outside, but this one will be closed off for safety and to reduce the chance of escape.



















I covered the walls with insulation and then put plasterboard over the top. 
As can be seen in the pics, the roof still needs doing.










To aid the issue of overheating in the summer, there will be a window that'll open into an outdoor enclosure.
Over winter, if it drops too low, then something along the lines of an oil filled rad will probably be used.

I've still got lots to do, but i'll put up the odd pic when i get to the next stage, and hopefully it'll all go well.


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## carpetboy123 (Mar 14, 2009)

wow i think that will turn out fanatsic, how much has the insulation cost so far ??
thanks !


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## rob2278 (Feb 20, 2008)

carpetboy123 said:


> I have just been told unless i get the shed its own power supply i cannot do it as i was planning of running it of the garage power (as there about 25 cm away from each other lol), however that all needs to be re done for it to be safe to do so. which apparently will cost £1000 ? would it be possible to use a heavyduty all weather extension lead to power it at im only planning to use it as a giant viv.


£1000 for what exactly?? To have the garage rewired??


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## minidaz123 (May 12, 2010)

I used a large roll of insulation from B&Q. The type usually used for insulating lofts. Think it was about £13 for the roll and gives enough for 8m2.

It's easy to work with, but you do need gloves, and ideally ventalation.

Due to transport and storing issues, i used a combination of 1220mm x 600mm and 1220mm x 900mm plasterboard, which were roughly £2.50 - £4.00 per sheet, again from B&Q.


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## carpetboy123 (Mar 14, 2009)

yes for the garage to be rewired !


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## rob2278 (Feb 20, 2008)

carpetboy123 said:


> yes for the garage to be rewired !


I suggest you get another quote. A full 3 bedroom house rewire is around the £2000 mark all in.


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## carpetboy123 (Mar 14, 2009)

i will akse my dad to lol, wouldnt be cheaper to just get electricity in the shed otherwise :L


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## carpetboy123 (Mar 14, 2009)

? do you think it would just be cheaper to give the shed its own power ?


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## rob2278 (Feb 20, 2008)

carpetboy123 said:


> ? do you think it would just be cheaper to give the shed its own power ?


What do you need in the shed in terms of power??


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## carpetboy123 (Mar 14, 2009)

well if i convert into one large cage than only the stuff needed to heat it and maybe a extractor and cooler (only low wattage).


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## Graham (Jan 27, 2007)

Have you considered what it's going to cost to heat it in winter?

I built my own workshop 8 years ago at the bottom of the garden, I had a fair bit put aside to spend on it so it's fully insulated, floor, walls, and roof, double glazed and an insulated door too, it has an electricity supply running from the house.

But to heat it 24/7 in the winter to the temp that reptiles would require would cost a small fortune, even having a small heater in there which only kicks in when there's a frost costs enough, to keep it at a reasonable room temperature all the time would be far too expensive.

A friend recently gave up on his garage/reptile room project for this reason, his winter electricity bill went through the roof, despite the garage being attached to the house and well insulated.

If you're living at home and your parents pay the bills you might want to run this by them before you start getting any big ideas, unless of course you're going to pay for the electricity yourself?


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## carpetboy123 (Mar 14, 2009)

how do you power your workshop, through extensoin lead ? would i not be able to use just higher wattage heating? (hooked up to stats obviously )


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## Graham (Jan 27, 2007)

I don't use an extension lead, I laid a proper armoured cable under the ground that comes off the main household consumer unit (fusebox), an extension lead can only supply a limited amount of power because you're just plugging it into a socket.

Of course you can use higher wattage heating, and more watts cost more money, there's no getting around that unfortunately, heating costs, and the more heat the more it costs!

If I were you I would consult an electrician first, tell him what you want to do and he'll advise you on how much heating you'll require and what it's likely to cost. Or you can work it out yourself, but from the sound of it you don't really understand much about electricity so I'd ask someone who does.


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## carpetboy123 (Mar 14, 2009)

Steel Reinforced Armoured Cable, 6943X And 6944X
like this ?, one of are family friends is a electrician and rewired the household a few months back ill talk to him and see what he can do.


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## Graham (Jan 27, 2007)

That's the stuff, I bought a huge end of reel on eBay for next to nothing!

The alternative would be to use normal flex and run it through a suitable protective conduit, then you could run it along a fence or wall, I was laying a path at the time though so I'd already dug a trench for hardcore, so I just laid the cable and paved over it.

When you speak to your electrician make it clear that you will be putting quite a load on the supply, so it needs to come off the consumer unit with it's own circuit breaker, not just a spur off the ring main. Ideally you then want it connected at the shed end to a smaller consumer unit with two or three circuit breakers, one for lighting, one for a small ring main etc..., then if something blows it doesn't take out all of the power to the shed.


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