Few home construction trends are as popular as barn conversions. Taking a tired, dilapidated barn from barely standing to a sprawling, impressive country home sounds like a dream, but is a barn-to-house conversion worth doing?
In this blog, we are going to discuss the major talking points that surround this extravagant building method. The goal is for you to determine if entertaining the idea of a barn conversion is something you should be doing.
Firstly, What is a Barn Conversion
To make sure we are all on the same page, it makes sense for us to quickly explain what a barn conversion is.
Also commonly referred to as a barn renovation, this building method takes an old, unused farm building – a barn – and turns said building into a habitable property.
This is commonly seen as an investment opportunity alongside being a home construction project. Because you are, in most cases, taking a barn that is not worth much and transforming it into one of the most popular property types in the UK, which holds massive value.
What’s great about barn conversions is that, unlike a self-building project where you are building from scratch, you have a structure to work from. Albeit that barns that are to be converted can often be in quite bad states, the core elements to work with are still there.
The Love For Barn-To-House Conversions
Barn renovations are incredibly popular in the UK, and if you’ve seen a handful of these properties, either in person or online, you’ll understand why.
Their rustic beauty is stunning and bewitching to many, and due to the way barns are built, a proud owner could benefit from interesting architectural styles, interior benefits, and locations where many would love to reside.
You don’t just have to choose a barn-to-house conversion either. You could convert a barn to a countryside office, a B&B for the local area, or a luxurious holiday let.
We’re going to speak more about the benefits that come with renovating a barn, as well as the drawbacks, but for now, we can leave it at this: barn conversions are adored by many and we don’t see that going away any time soon.
The Different Types of Barns
There are three main architectural types of barns, and this may be the first thing you should know about renovating a barn – achieving this goal isn’t a simple copy-and-paste method.
How you convert a barn depends on what type of barn it is. So let’s learn what these are.
- Box Construction Barn – What makes up this type of barn is very simple. It means that the entire structure of the barn is supported by its four walls – the front, back, left and right walls.
- Cruck Framed Barn – A cruck framed barn is slightly more complex than the former box construction barn. They share the similarity that the walls of the barn support the structure. But with this type of barn, the walls are aided in support by internal timber A-frames.
- Post and Truss Barn – The post and truss barn is different from the others. To support the entire weight of the roof, an internal timber frame is used. This timber frame then adjoins with vertically placed posts for added support.
Knowing what type of barn you’re working with is just the beginning. You may have heard that a barn-to-house conversion is no simple task, but the question is are you willing to put in the work or do you have the means, such as an expert construction company, at your disposal?
Do Barn Conversions Need Planning Permission
No, a barn conversion without planning permission is possible. Barn conversions can fall under Class Q of permitted development rights. Plainly, this means that if you and your building meet certain criteria, you can convert a barn into a house or something else without the need for planning permission.
Here are some main points to keep in mind if you want to convert a barn under PDR:
- The barn you are hoping to convert must have been used in agriculture on 20th March 2013 or within 10 years up until you apply to convert.
- The barn must not be a listed building or in a conservation area, national park or area of outstanding natural beauty.
- The barn conversion must reflect the original use of the barn. This means to retain the original character of the building.
- The barn will need to be structurally sound – remember that this is a conversion project and not a new building.
Before entering into the world of barn converting and planning permission and PDR, it’s a good idea to consult a specialist who has experience in all of these areas, like Bespoke Construction Group.
Barn-To-House Conversion: The Pros and Cons
A barn renovation is like anything else – some benefits and drawbacks come with it. The main way of deciding whether this is a project for you is to balance each and decide which outweighs the other.
Pros of Converting a Barn Into a Home
Sustainability and Restoration
Restoring old properties, such as barns, can be an incredible passion project to undertake. Giving a new lease of life to what could be described as a “dying” property is very rewarding, especially if you intend to make this newly revitalised property your forever home.
It’s also a sustainable building practice. Instead of building something entirely new, you are repurposing a building that is already standing, potentially going to waste. And materials can be recycled and reused in construction.
Barn conversions can also be built with energy efficiency in mind. Converting a barn to a house is a great opportunity to prioritise renewable sources of energy and create plans for your barn conversion to produce more energy than it consumes.
A Unique Property
Something nobody can take away from you is that your barn-to-house conversion will be utterly unique. We’ve mentioned it time and time again – barn conversion homes are simply beautiful. Even two barns of the same type can turn out completely different with renovations.
Things like adding extensions to your barn, experimenting with different architectural styles, and the size and shape of a barn are just some elements that make barn conversion properties so original, full of character, and pure spectacles.
Location is Everything
As former farm buildings, barn conversions come with idyllic rural locations that promote a peaceful and quiet way of living out in the countryside. It’s pretty much a package deal – convert a barn to a home and benefit from a highly sought-after location out in the sticks.
Barn conversions in Norfolk are so popular for this reason. The Norfolk countryside is among some of the most naturally beautiful areas in the UK, so the many different types of barns available across Norfolk often fetch a decent amount of interest.
Plenty of Space
Converted barns that have been turned into homes often boast plenty of space. This is thanks to high or vaulted ceilings and large doorways that are important for barns to function as effective agricultural buildings.
People who are fans of open-plan living will surely relish the open house layout a barn conversion can commonly provide. If you still require more space, you could also extend your property with a timber frame extension – the timber could make a great addition to your barn’s rustic aesthetic.
Investment Opportunity
We touched on this earlier; that barn conversions can be a great investment opportunity. Barn renovations are extremely valuable for a few reasons, such as:
- Their rarity – Not many barns are around to convert.
- Their history and story – Each barn has its own story and is often steeped in history.
- Their location – Barns are situated in remote, rural areas.
- Features and layout – They offer plenty of space and interesting details
It’s because of these reasons – and many more – that barn conversions are a nifty investment. Renovating a barn to be a habitable home and then renting it out could see a great return on interest.
Alternatively, a barn converted to a house could be your own business all in itself, like these barn conversion properties in Norfolk.
Cons of a Barn-To-House Conversion
Planning Permission / Permitted Development Rights
As we have discussed, you can take on a barn conversion without planning permission, but that doesn’t make it an easy task. You can only convert a barn under permitted development rights if you meet the criteria, which may counter the bigger picture of your conversion.
And if you need to go down the route of planning permission, barn conversions that need full planning permission are usually more difficult to deal with than normal properties, such as houses and bungalows.
A Costly Project
Converting a barn sounds great, but of course, it’s going to cost you and these types of projects can garner a pretty price. And that’s assuming everything goes to plan. Renovating older properties and agricultural buildings is a challenge, and can sometimes come with hidden surprises and costs that can put your project on hold, costing you money and time.
Our construction experts always provide our customers with a ‘worst case figure’ when estimating expenses. This is a figure that essentially covers your project along with any potential, foreseeable problems taking place.
So when budgeting for your barn conversion, coming up with a figure such as this allows you to pre-empt a project where things go wrong. If this ‘worst case figure’ is still possible for you to pay, you’re setting yourself up for a higher chance of success.
Old Farm Building
Barns are not originally intended to be lived in by humans. Instead, their main functions are to house livestock and store crops. Sometimes, with a barn-to-house conversion, it’s helpful to take a step back and remember this fact.
Most barns are also old buildings, so it’s not completely outrageous to expect creaking floorboards, difficulty in retaining heat, dampness, and gathering dust. However, if you choose a reliable and expert construction company who are backed with a great portfolio of past projects to help with your barn renovation, these cons can be resolved before ever becoming a problem.
Ease of Access
Peace and quiet in the country may be what you most desire but you must also consider whether or not your new home provides ease of access. Remote areas and rural locations can be tricky to find and navigate.
Some of the issues you could potentially face are unsuitable roads for material deliveries and moving vans and bad weather affecting access. So, this could affect the actual conversion project itself and how you would access your property after the project is complete.
Do Barn Conversions Hold Their Value
Like a fine wine, the value of a barn-to-house conversion has the possibility of enriching over time. Yet, this is not a matter of fact. A converted barn property will only hold its value if a few things are guaranteed.
Barn conversions are more likely to hold their value if:
- The works completed to renovate the barn were carried out to a high quality
- The property is well-maintained
- No major changes have been introduced to the surroundings, such as new housing developments
- The property is not difficult to access
If a converted barn can live up to the above, then there is little reason why the property cannot make a wonderful investment.
Barn Conversion or New Build
One big drawer that a barn conversion holds over new builds is their originality. Often referred to as ‘cookie cutter homes’, new builds can be somewhat repetitive, lacking any resemblance of individuality, character and charm. All of which a converted barn likely holds.
However, there are benefits that a new build house has over a converted barn. Such as they are brand spanking new, making them more likely to function better. They also don’t come with a lot of hard graft to achieve, whereas a barn conversion is a big commitment – financially and in the general sense.
Barn Conversion in Norfolk
Our construction company in Norfolk may be a little biased, but we believe there is no better place for a barn conversion than Norfolk. With such a tranquil and peaceful countryside and a handful of barns ready to be renovated, where could be better?
This barn conversion in Norfolk that was carried out by Bespoke Construction Group is a great example.
Featuring an outstanding location and countryside view, high ceilings, and spacious rooms, this derelict barn was lovingly transformed into a rural paradise.
If you’ve been dreaming of converting a barn in Norfolk, our team are waiting to hear from you. Reach out to us with your enquiry today.
