This sounds great! Good use of the wash water!!!
I don't know if this would help but I use an old camper as my darkroom. I was able to buy it for a very low price because it had some structural issues caused by a roof leak. It isn't perfect but I have done some work to fix the roof and the floor. I wouldn't trust it to drag it very far down the road any longer but as a small external darkroom I have learned to work with it. I fill gallon jugs of water and bring them in and dispose of waste rinse water into my flower garden using a couple of plastic 5 gallon pails. Waste developing fluids are taken to our local waste facility and disposed of at their waste water facility. The fresh water that is stored is kept in the old tub/shower so even if a bottle freezes and splits it isn't a big issue. When it is really cold outdoors I fill a couple of gallon jugs in the sink indoors and bring them out as needed. The camper does have a propane forced air heater and a small electric cooler, both of which can be started at need and run while I am working. It does have an exhaust fan over the cook stove. It is plugged in to the house electric main via a heavy duty extension cord. My son is an electrician and was able to ensure that my electrical service for exterior use is adequate for the darkroom needs. My biggest problem was adequately covering windows and roof vents in the small back portion to set up a dark area for printing. Light is harder to keep out than you think.
I don't know if this would help but I use an old camper as my darkroom. I was able to buy it for a very low price because it had some structural issues caused by a roof leak. It isn't perfect but I have done some work to fix the roof and the floor. I wouldn't trust it to drag it very far down the road any longer but as a small external darkroom I have learned to work with it.
I built my darkroom shed with 2 inches of insulation in the walls, floor and ceiling, plus an inner lining of that silver bubble foil insulation for good measure. I then wrapped the whole thing with semi-permeable roof membrane and battens before wood cladding (so there is also an insulating air gap). I leave an electric oil heater in the darkroom on its lowest "frost" setting, and the door remains shut if not in use.
My darkroom is in a 12" x 13" stone and breeze block shed with a pitched roof at the end of my garden, electrics had already been installed.. As above insulation is the key. the floor was sealed with polythene sheet, then 2" expanded polystyrene sheets, and then flooring grade chipboard. The walls were battened , again lined with polystyrene sheets, then plaster board.
Here in Iowa City (apx. 200 miles west of Chicago), it's just too darn cold in the winter. Make up air for ventilation comes in well below 0°C. I have a beautiful fume removal system in my darkroom but I really need incoming outside air, doesn't even need to be in the darkroom.
But again, when the weather is like this I just don't make a stink, and my darkroom is pretty huge.
My darkroom is my garage, but it is attached. I built a cabinet for the enlarger to keep things clean. Over the years film developing tends to happen more quickly in cool weather when it is easier to heat a tempering bath, although I do use ice on occasion and simply wait until the bath hits the appropriate temperature. Winter printing is very possible with a "pig blanket", but I find my desire to print is often insufficient to overcome my desire to be warm.
Good luck!View attachment 368978
@mshchem wins the thread with the build a new house and covert the old suggestion.
The trailer converted to darkroom idea has some merit. My mental wheels are turning now. Except that like in my basement, I see headroom being a potential problem.
I have a Kaiser darkroom cabinet pamphlet around here someplace.
Could you not build a small brick built room?
Instead of tnt for bed rock, power jack a grid of holes into the 'floor of the bedrock, and during freezing weather take well soaked wood stakes, close to maximum hole dimensions, pound them in with a sledge and pout a floor pool of one - three inches, letting it all freeze hard.
If you've found a good engineering placement grid plan for your type stone, the freezing and un-freezing cycles should break up the floor for relatively easy removal/leveling or concrete flooring.
Cheers
Perhaps i'm being lazy, but I really wouldn't want to spend a lot of time or money trying to build a darkroom unless it could give a comfortable environment to work in for extended period. No point in being uncomfortable for any pastime if it's only a hobby ?
I'm in the UK, which may not be all that relevant, but I agree with others that heavy insulation is the key.
I built my darkroom shed with 2 inches of insulation in the walls, floor and ceiling, plus an inner lining of that silver bubble foil insulation for good measure. I then wrapped the whole thing with semi-permeable roof membrane and battens before wood cladding (so there is also an insulating air gap). I leave an electric oil heater in the darkroom on its lowest "frost" setting, and the door remains shut if not in use.
The shed is now more than 10 years old. Its temperature changes only very slowly, and stays within an acceptable range year-round. I turn the heat up for work sessions during the colder months. In hot summer periods the temperature inside is pleasantly cool. I've not had any issues with chemicals or other materials spoiling.
I was anxious about mould or damp in such a well-sealed shed, so I installed fans for both inward and outward airflow. The outward-blowing fan switches on automatically if internal humidity reaches a certain level. This all seems to do the trick.
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