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[kingsburygirl]

Ok I'm not sure how mad I am or if the money I would save would even be worth it, but I'm currently in the market for a yoga studio to be built with proper foundations and double-skin brick walls in the back garden. It would measure 6.5 meters by 7 metres with the maximum height of 2.5m, and I will approach the council before I build. I have no building experience... I'm a) a girl and b) now a mature medical student, but I figure if you can work your way through a cadaver, then a building is surely the next step.

I guess my questions are:

1) Which bits to get contracted and which bits to do myself?
2) What kinds of cost am I looking at?
3) Am I insane?
4) Is it better to just get the building built for me? If so, how much would I be looking at? Would it be significantly more than a self-build?
5) Does anyone have any advice.

[HenryMartin]

It may not sound it but a building of that size, requires a huge amount of brick. You will also need really good foundations as the weight can cause subsidence which would make the building uninhabitable. If you really want to have a go I would find someone who can come out and at least give you some instruction. Also, if access is tight to the back yard you may want to reconsider or you will be hauling armloads of brick for months.

[kingsburygirl]

It may not sound it but a building of that size, requires a huge amount of brick. You will also need really good foundations as the weight can cause subsidence which would make the building uninhabitable. If you really want to have a go I would find someone who can come out and at least give you some instruction. Also, if access is tight to the back yard you may want to reconsider or you will be hauling armloads of brick for months.

Thats really helpful Henry, thank you.

I was thinking of getting the foundations done for me as I want them to be so deep that it could take another storey should building regulations change in the future!

There is a gate to the garden which is why this is a priority project. I can't landscape the rest of the garden or rebuild and extend the garage till diggers no longer need to go through!

I might do a brick laying course and see how I get on. Thanks again!

[michaelscad]

you go from single storey2.4 metre building
to maybe adding another storey which is a new ball game and
involves planning and they will probably refuse it being over 2.4 metres and likely to be habitable. i'd stick with your original idea put a concrete raft down and
build a timber frame out of 100x50mm studding cladded the outside with whatever takes your fancy
internally with plasterboard and fill the void with insulation wrap the entire frame with 'tyvec'breather membrane

[michaelscad]

i designed a dojo to be built in their back garden
for somebody in brick in the end i convinced them
imber fame on a concrete would be cheaper and easier
for the self builder