As to the shell (walls ans roof), I have been planning to spray a layer of foam on the entire inside of the structure after all the electric, etc. is roughed in. I may add some supplemental fiberglass batting, especially in the area where plumbing will be and in the area I plan to keep semi-heated (some times cooled).
All along, I have been debating if/how/how much to insulate the concrete slab floor. When I was planning to live in an apartment in there, it was a no-brainer. But, now, it will just be shop space, not living space. Mostly heated with a wood stove. I know it would be a big energy saver, but, I've been thinking that the expense and hassle of placing foam under the slab was just too great. In addition to the cost and complications with perimeter and under slab insulation, termites and ants (including carpenter ants) are quite active in Southern Illinois. They LOVE foam. So the prospect of putting a layer of foam under and around my shop floor is asking for trouble unless painstaking attention to detail is used in flashing and termite barrier installation. I discovered a product that helps with this problem. Some foam manufacturers offer foam with an additive that repels and even kills insects.
It is harmless to people, plants and animals, but toxic to termites and their kin. I believe it is basically Borax. This type of foam is commonly used in ICF's (insulating concrete forms, see: www.icfhomes.com) and SIP's (structural insulated panels, see: sips.org). No building material suppliers, that I could find, could supply me with this kind of foam in sheets. In fact, I don't think they had a clue what I was talking about. I did find a company that makes it and they have a factory in Winchester, VA, just over the Blue Ridge from where we live in Virginia.
http://www.mid-atlanticfoam.com/EPS/termite-resistant.asp
I emailed them to find out where I could buy this stuff and, to my surprise, they asked me what I needed. Small quantity? Custom size? No problem.
OK, now I had to make the big decision, " Do I actually do this? And if I do, how much should I do?" Recommendations are all over the spectrum. Some say as much as 12 inches under and around the slab; totally isolating the mass of the concrete. Another train of thought is to insulate only the perimeter. This utilizes the ground under the slab as well as the concrete as a "heat sink". This has always appealed to me. I decided this was the way to go, if I could afford it. I don't want to devote a lot of effort into this, as I will have a small window of time between when Rick's crew sets the foundation boards (the foam would be placed inside of these) and when Jason's crew will pour the concrete. So the plan is to just put 2 inch thick, 2 foot X 4 foot foam panels inside the foundation boards and wrap the top with rubber flashing. Concrete will be poured inside of that. The only thing is, even though this is the cheapest option, it's a lot of perimeter length. How much will this cost? So when Donna, from Mid-Atlantic Foam quoted me $133.29, I said I'll pick it up Monday.
The next minor problem: Getting the foam 800 miles West. That really shouldn't be a big deal, but our next trip to the property to actually start building will be via Land-o-Lakes, Wisconsin. I'd really rather not drag my trailer all that way. If I figured right (fat chance), the foam will just fill the bed of the Tundra. I don't know what else I will need to take, but if it doesn't fit in the back seat or on top of the foam, it ain't going. I may have to pull a Romney with Jasper!
WHAT????
