Tips for buying a barn for conversion
Barns are beautiful to live in, but the road from unloved, unused agricultural building to fantastic home can be a tricky one.
But with our expertise, we help clients to realise what they’re in for if they are looking at barns for conversions.
We can give them design ideas, let them know what ideas of theirs might work – and be accepted by the local planning authority, or might need a tweak to realise the most potential.
We’ve been known to re-arrange entire layouts to better suit how families live – and they were pleased we did once they were living there.
Here are some frequently asked questions…
Some barns will have restrictions due to location (AONB / Green Belt / conservation areas, for example), while others might have been refused previous planning for various reasons.
Usually, with revised designs and discussions with the local planning authority, challenges can be overcome and a barn can be converted to meet planning, client design and budget.
What’s lurking beneath? Rotting timber, poor foundations, cracks, drainage issues, leaking roof – all can be a nasty, expensive surprise if the early stage of research is missed.
We specialise in heritage, restoration, preservation and conservation, so can predict most challenges and budget for them.
Sometimes, they pose a threat to the design, but we are very creative – and always find a way around any problems to keep our clients happy with their new home.
Many barns were built without the intention to live in them, so naturally, do not come with great access, water, electricity, gas or sometimes, a legal right of way to them.
What’s the access like – is there a decent road?
Whose land do you have to cross to get you gas pipe or water pipe to the barn?
Conservation and preservation go hand in hand – clients usually want to keep as much of the barn’s history, as do we, and local authorities will also have requirements for this too.
Sometimes, we can’t keep everything, but where we can, we will – timber beams, steel frames, brick, stonework, doors and windows.
What can be saved, is saved, and incorporated into the designs too.
A south-facing garden is highly sought after – and we do our best to accommodate this preference whenever clients request it.
We’ve previously revised plans to give better kitchen sink vistas, or views to wake up to in the morning – because if you can have a good view, why not?
Barns are usually in lovely rural settings, so making the best of the views feels essential! We even look at how the sun moves across a house to make sure natural light is taken advantage of.
But a lovely view could be spoilt with what’s around the barn you hope to convert – is it near a working farm with busy, noisy, smelly, machinery and production?
Is it too rural – how close are shops, schools, the doctor’s surgery or bus stop?
Before you buy a barn, you need to fully understand the legal side – which only a solicitor can advise you on, through surveys and searches.
Never buy a barn and think you can convert it without checking for boundaries, restrictive covenants, public rights of way or other restrictions.
It might even be worth a visit to see the neighbours – they might know something useful, and if you’re going to buy to convert, you might want to keep them on-side and informed of what will happen and when.
Our advice is to check as much as you can before you even consider buying. Check the legals, but check for what you can do too – to make sure that both your dreams and budget can be realised.
Ask us for early plans, costings and timeframes – to make sure your dream home doesn’t become a nightmare!
Find out more about our planning application services and take a look at some of the planning challenges we’ve helped clients to overcome here.
For an informal conversation about your project please call us on 01233 861177 or email us using the form. Your data is not used for marketing – only to contact you.
If you have documents - previous designs, plans or photos, please send them to us via email: enquiries@vernacularhomes.com
