ASK THE EXPERT
The do’s and don’ts of converting
a barn into a home
re you planning your dream home? Perhaps you
are looking to convert an existing building such
as an agricultural barn into a dwelling. They do
seem to be the flavour of the month, either new
conversions or renovation and improvement to
previously converted dwellings. The conversion of a
redundant building provides a good way of prolonging
its life expectancy
There are many different types of buildings that
would be suitable for conversion into residential use,
but the most popular are redundant agricultural
buildings. Traditional farm buildings are one of the
most common types of historic buildings in the
countryside but they have fallen into disuse as a result
in changes to modern farming practice. Barns were
built with efficiency and cost effectiveness in mind and
built with local building materials in distinctive
regional styles and variations.
Conversion from one use to another will require
planning permission, and also building regulation
approval, which generally must meet the current
requirements for heat loss and energy conservation.
The principle design consideration when carrying out
a barn conversion is to be true to the building and
retain the original character and form of the building
and not simply turn it into a house. Which means the
Local Planning Authority will demand the building
should look like a barn after its conversion to preserve
the character and visual landscape of the area. The
traditional barns are simple in shape with limited,
functional openings. The existing doors and window
sizes should be retained, which were originally
designed and positioned for animals or tractors or
most probably hay carts and the like, so the doors can
be much wider and taller than you need for a dwelling.
Openings originally used for pitching hay into the loft
space make for quirky floor level windows which can
only be looked through from a sitting position.
Planning officers will generally only give
permission for a barn to be made into a home if the
owner plans something that retains character and is
in keeping with the surroundings, working within the
original fabric or shell of the building rather than
extending outwards or up. This often results with
peculiar internal planning of the space, perhaps with
differing ceiling or floor levels as you move through
the dwelling. Existing timber trusses holding the roof
in place in the centre of the barn may make circulation
on the upper floor very difficult and H