Converting garage into extraction room.

[Foxylad]

Currently, like many, I am extracting honey in the kitchen. But hefting the extractor from the garage and trying to keep the kitchen form becoming a sticky mess. As well the odd bee flying around, with young children in the house. Is beginning to test my better half.

Has anyone any experience with converting an out building into a honey house. I've started a project on converting the garage, its about 30ft by 15ft. Clean with water and drainage. I am planning on getting the floor concrete skimmed, as part of it is brick. I will fit a double sink and add a water heater. Will I need to add a ceiling and tile the walls? I already have a hygiene cert, as part of my job I process game.

I've been to a packing house a while back and a commercial beeks extraction room. Both were tiled with concrete floors. Both smelled pretty bad and I didn't feel we're all too clean.

I am currently processing around 1000lb a year, depending. Haven't a market for producing more. I hope with this room I can start selling at local farmers markets.

Any photos would be much appreciated.

 

[Finman]

.
In extracting it is important that room is warm, about 25C. If air is under 20C, prosessing of honey is almost impossible. Extracting, sieving, drippling cappings..

 

[Stiffy]

We have thought of converting an out building and consulted environmental health who were very helpful. They suggested tiled walls and a floor that can be cleaned easily. Honey, apparently is a low risk food item but still requires hygeine standards to be high. I would suggest talking to environmental health, we found them very helpful and want you to get things right from the start.
S

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[enrico]

I would add a shower tray and a hand held shower, makes cleaning large equipment so much easier!!!
E
( not that I have large equipment you understand! )

 

[drstitson]

Ever watch Dexter?

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Ever watch Dexter?

Haha! Mentioned in my household too...

 

[VEG]

I have done what you are looking to do(but not used as much room as you). I have tiled floors and the walls and ceiling are covered in white pvc cladding. Cant take any pics at the moment as the room is full of jars.

 

[Foxylad]

Thanks Veg, the cost of the conversion. Was it off set by the increase in sales? Did environmental health advise on the cladding. Could it just be painted?

 

[charlievictorbravo]

If I were you, I'd think seriously about whether you need hot water in your extraction room. The danger is that if the hot water is too convenient to use, you end up with melted wax going down the drains and eventually, you get a drainage blockage, usually in a difficult-to-get-to location.

CVB

 

[Foxylad]

If I were you, I'd think seriously about whether you need hot water in your extraction room. The danger is that if the hot water is too convenient to use, you end up with melted wax going down the drains and eventually, you get a drainage blockage, usually in a difficult-to-get-to location.

CVB

I think a separate sink with hot water for hand washing is a legal requirement.

 

[charlievictorbravo]

I think a separate sink with hot water for hand washing is a legal requirement.

If that is the case, I'd have the smallest hand-washing sink on the market so that there'd be no temptation for anybody to wash "gear" in it.

CVB

 

[Ely]

Would be much cheaper just to put your woman in her place.

 

[VEG]

Thanks Veg, the cost of the conversion. Was it off set by the increase in sales? Did environmental health advise on the cladding. Could it just be painted?

To be honest I didnt keep tabs on the cost I did all the work myself so no labour charge. Its the one thing I am so glad I have done, as if I get fed up extracting I can close the door and leave it till the next day, try doing that in the kitchen lol.
You dont have to have a separate sink to wash hands I got away with a washing up bowl with a kettle for hot water, though this may depend on the enviro officer you get in your area. The tap that I have in the sink is a shower type tap that I can pull out to wash the extractor with. Think your extracting process through and then design the room around the process.

 

[Heather]

The ceiling is a thought....is it 'garage state' or ceiling tiles. I worry about 'foreign bodies' dropping down if not v clean.
I have just white painted my bee room and sealed the floor with red tough paint (not sure what its called).Little ensuite loo with wash basin.
My electric extractor can be taken out through the patio door to wash down with hosepipe after use.

 

[VEG]

If you have a toilet near it will have to have a door on the loo and a door into the extracting room.

I lined the walls and the ceiling in pvc cladding.

 

[Jeff Buzz]

I think a separate sink with hot water for hand washing is a legal requirement.

I have been given 5 stars from environment folks and do not have a handwashing sink in the room. I do have a kitchen and toilet in my house nearby that I can wash my hands in.

 

[Heather]

If you have a toilet near it will have to have a door on the loo and a door into the extracting room.

I lined the walls and the ceiling in pvc cladding.

I have the doors and the hygiene certifs too. All sorted. Him indoors just repainting the floor for me as all supers out on the hives now.


Just off to get colony from plastic compost bin ( interesting as on quick peep, colony hanging from plastic roof, but loads of layers of comb horizontal about 1ft below, wondering if they fell off.. have rubber bands will travel!)