What Makes for a Successful Barn Conversion?

Barn conversions are a wonderful way to breathe life into an old or otherwise unused building. Barns are usually located on wonderful plots of land with plenty of space to make a stunning garden. Perhaps you have found the perfect barn for sale but you are unsure how to turn it into the home of your dreams. If so, keep reading and we’ll provide you with the tips you need to complete a successful barn conversion.

Barn conversions are the ideal project for many homeowners and architects alike. It offers an entirely blank canvas for you to put your stamp on and allows you to create the home of your dreams. Barn conversions come in all shapes and sizes and you can shop around to find the one right for you. Consider whether you would like high ceilings, large windows or you’d rather opt for a smaller, cosier option. The opportunities are endless and it’s likely you’ll get a good deal on a barn, as long as you are willing to put in the hard work.

You should be aware that not all barns are suitable for conversions, however. Here are a few things to consider.

Location

While barn conversions offer idyllic settings nestled in nature, this may not always be the best option. Is the barn miles from civilisation or far away from the nearest petrol station, shop or school? Even if you don't mind commuting, rural life isn’t for everyone. You’ll need to find out if the barn is connected to the road via a proper road or just a muddy track and whether or not it is connected to mains sewage, electricity and water, as these can be expensive things to change.

Barns can be in very remote spots and it may not be the right building to turn into a forever home. One of the great perks of rural communities is having a close-knit circle where everyone helps out. If you choose a barn that is miles from its nearest neighbour, you may miss having people around and the community that comes with small towns and villages. On the other hand, it may be exactly what you are looking for, it’s just something to bear in mind when buying a barn to convert.

Professional inspection

While barns are built to withstand a lot of tough weather and day-to-day wear and tear, they are often sat unused for months or even years before they are sold. This can mean that they may be neglected and require repairs or structural work. It’s important to consider getting the building surveyed by a professional surveyor, architect or structural engineer to ensure it is worthy of refurbishment. The last thing you want to do is buy a building and end up having to put thousands of pounds into repairs to make it safe.

If the barn is listed, a standard survey won’t be sufficient and you’ll need to get a detailed assessment from a historic buildings surveyor and you’ll likely need the help of a structural engineer alongside them too. The surveyors will need to check the existing exterior walls, the roof and the foundations. This is because barns were built with agricultural purposes in mind, not for humans to live in. Therefore, they often fall short of modern standards for housing even if the building is structurally sound. Some professional advisors may over-compensate if they don’t have the right experience meaning they bump up the cost unnecessarily.

Planning permission

You can convert a barn into a home under “Class Q” Permitted Development (PD) Rights. You will still have to notify your local planning authority. Some things that may impact your conversion may be issues including highways, noise impacts and contamination risks. If it fails any of the criteria, you won’t be granted planning permission under PD Rights and you will have to submit a planning application. The barn won’t meet the requirements if it is a listed building or in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

You can utilise the services of a planning consultant who will be able to put together a strong case that demonstrates your barn meets all the relevant criteria. This is more costly and involved but will make the process much quicker than having to create a full planning application.

Is the building listed?

If the building is listed, it can make the conversion much harder because there will be a lot of restrictions on how much you can change the building. You probably won’t be able to dig new foundations or install new windows and you may not be allowed any changes to the original fabric at all. However, there have been many successful conversions on grade II listed barns and they have been turned into great family homes.

Barn conversion architectural design

When designing your barn conversion, it is important that you maintain the barn’s identity, and this requires a lot of skill and experience from your architect. That’s why we recommend choosing a skilled architect as opposed to a standard builder. You can discuss your ideas with the architect and they will create a sustainable design that retains as much of the original building as possible and keeps its character, after all, that is the reason you are buying it. You can choose to keep features such as brick and flint walls, beams and other features. This offers plenty of charm and character.

You can talk to your architect about maintaining the building's original character such as timber frames and make the most of the cathedral-like interior space. It enables you to design the perfect open-plan living space that best suits you and your family. Ideally, ask your architect to create a double-height, vaulted ceiling so you can see the exposed roof trusses and avoid partitioning the space. If you need extra small rooms, tuck them into the end of the building or add an extension.

Make use of light

Large spaces aren’t much to rave about unless there’s plenty of light and barns typically aren’t designed with any windows at all. You’ll want to find the balance between preserving the barn’s character and making it inhabitable with plenty of natural light. You can install fixed, double-glazed units into narrow ventilation slits as standard-sized windows are unlikely to be suitable.

Often, the entrance to the barn or where the door of the barn sits is used as a focal point for the conversion. Large windows and glass doors can be used to maximise the light that is let into the barn making it better suited as a living space. Double-height side glazing can add some serious wow factor as can glazing part of a gable elevation. Roof lights also offer a plausible option for increasing the amount of light without changing the dynamic of the building. Architects will likely have plenty of experience working on these kinds of projects so will know exactly how to do this well.

Add an extension

Many people opt to add extensions to their barn conversions, although large additions will be hard to get past council planners. You can usually add small, subordinate extensions such as a lean-to-style or an extension that joins the barn to another outbuilding such as an old dairy. If you plan to make any extra additions, they will need to be sensitive in scale and style, you may find it is easier to gain consent for an extension after the barn is converted.

Finding architecture firms near me

If you’re looking at converting a barn but you need the help of expert architects in Essex, Spatial Design Architects are here to help. We are a multi-award-winning RIBA chartered practice dedicated to creating the best sustainable architecture for our clients. We bridge the gap from conceptualisation to realisation, helping you create the barn conversion of your dreams. Get in touch today to learn more.