Insulation Help

[ChargerMan426]

Getting ready to select a contractor for my 40'x85'x14' garage build in the next few weeks. The one contractor I'm leaning towards only does R-38 blown insulation for the ceiling with metal panels finishing with R-19 batted on the walls (that can be left without finishing).

For the blown insulation (with finished ceiling) and batted walls (unfinished walls) I'm looking at a $21k price increase. This isn't going to be a shop but like most I plan on being out there quite often restoring and wrenching on my car. Planning on using a evaporative cooler and a kerosene and/or propane spot heater, not a full HVAC system.

If I didn't have them doing the insulation I was planning on installing foam panels on the side with either more foam panels on the walls and/or batting as well.

My question is, what level of insulation is worth it for my use case? Not afraid of doing the install but if the blown insulation is really worth it I'll see if I could bite the bullet and get it installed.

 

[shaggyant]

Where are you located? It makes a huge difference.

 

[Toomanytools?]

Your location would be helpful, R38 in batts would cost you about $3500 at Home Depot for blown in R38 $1500 plus rent a machine. R19 for the walls $3000, this is doing calculations for square footage and looking up price on HD website.
So maybe $7000 for material, Insulation is a pain but your $21,000 seems high that must include the metal panels for ceiling. Blown in for attic is great if your doing blown in for walls that is good also it packs better than batts. Anyway something to think about.

 

[ChargerMan426]

Located in Maryland. The ceiling would be finished with metal panels if I opted for blown insulation.

 

[dcg9381]

It may be location / code / competition dependent.
You're talking about a $21k swing, so not sure what the total price is.
Have you looked at or talked to foam contractors? The labor is less than installing bat. Cost of materials substantially more, but this may work out in your favor where you are.

I assume finished ceiling and means that you're putting insulation on the floor of the attic, to R-38 spec. You might be much happier with an "semi-cooled" attic - especially if that's where all your ductwork is. Or if you don't have ductwork, you don't have to finish the ceiling...



Course, I could be off and everything up there cost 300% more.

 

[850xpeps]

21k seems like a big price swing but that’s a big shop so lots of the price is probably labor for the tin install including strapping. Tin should be around $1 sq ft.

R50 is minimum what I would do but I’m in Canada an not sure what your weather is like.

I would do r60 in my shop just like my house. It’s cheap. $3k in material on my house. Machine rental is free when you buy insulation.

I would say just get them to tin the ceiling and do the blowin with a friend. 2 days and your done.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Your location would be helpful, R38 in batts would cost you about $3500 at Home Depot for blown in R38 $1500 plus rent a machine. R19 for the walls $3000, this is doing calculations for square footage and looking up price on HD website.
So maybe $7000 for material, Insulation is a pain but your $21,000 seems high that must include the metal panels for ceiling. Blown in for attic is great if your doing blown in for walls that is good also it packs better than batts. Anyway something to think about.

Using your insulation prices plus $1/sqft for the metal ceiling plus screws would be about $4k.

That comes to about $11,000 for a ceiling plus insulation. A ten grand savings goes along ways towards finishing the interior or paying for the concrete for the floor.