Second chances
If you’ve always dreamed of living somewhere truly unique, then converting an old building such as a barn, school or church, could be the answer
Converting a non-residential building into a characterful, one-off home takes equal amounts of tenacity and creativity – it is certainly not a challenge for the faint hearted. But successful attempts have resulted in some of the country’s most unique, beautiful homes, in buildings with fascinating heritage and often in prime locations.
A wide range of non-residential buildings could potentially be considered suitable for conversion, most commonly barns and other agricultural properties, schools, churches and chapels, and industrial buildings such as mills. None of these properties were intended to be lived in – they were designed wholly for another purpose – and each presents its own set of challenges, so it takes a strong vision to successfully turn one into a home.
Finding an opportunity
Ready-converted properties are sold through the same routes as any other type of home, and buying one doesn’t hugely differ from a standard house purchase. However, if you are actively seeking a conversion opportunity, you will have to look beyond the obvious methods. Use online housefinding websites, including specialist services such as plotfinder.net and barnsetc.co.uk. Check adverts in local papers, scroll through the social media pages of local villages, view auction listings and enquire with estate agents. Also keep your eyes
open for properties with potential that aren’t currently for sale. If a building looks redundant and the location is right, it’s worth seeking out the owners to discuss the idea of selling.
Getting permission
Planning permission will ultimately dictate whether that redundant old building will remain in its present state, or whether it could become your dream home. Don’t fall into the trap of buying an opportunity that has no hope of gaining consent for a change of use – first make enquiries with the local planning department. If possible, negotiate the purchase subject to gaining permission for a change of use.
In recent years, planning laws have changed to allow some agricultural conversions to be carried out under Class Q of permitted development rights, which are better known for covering improvements homeowners can do without applying for planning permission, such as loft conversions and small extensions. In principle, the policy agrees that all agricultural buildings can be converted into homes, but in practice there are limitations on factors such as the size of the house, location and amount of structural alteration required. There is also a prior approvals process, meaning you have to submit very similar drawings and details as with regular planning applications, which gives the local authority the chance to request further information before you can go ahead. The policy doesn’t apply to listed buildings or those in conservation areas and other designated areas such as national parks. Crucially, the barn must be capable of conversion without the need for structural alterations, with the exception of things like windows and doors. This means that many converters will still need to apply for full planning permission to get what they want, however it provides a great opportunity if your plans meet the requirements.
Before granting permission for any conversion, the planners will want to ensure that it meets the local plan and there isn’t a preferred viable use for the building, as well as looking at issues such as its impact on the landscape and whether it has access. On top of that, there are separate laws related to endangered species, and if any are present, steps will need to be taken before work can start.
Conversions can throw up a whole host of challenges – both anticipated and unseen – but clever design solutions often yield the most appealing features. Important original details that point to the building’s previous purpose, such as mill wheels, bread ovens and ironmongery, are desirable elements that should be retained and made a feature of.
Old barns and other agricultural buildings can have small window openings, making maximising natural light a priority. Planners are often reluctant to allow for the creation of new apertures, so low-profile rooflights are usually used. Large cart door openings present the perfect opportunity for floor-to-ceiling windows, and minimalist glazed extensions can be used to link to an extension or separate smaller building.
While village schools, for instance, may have smaller separate rooms, agricultural, industrial and religious buildings tend to contain large spaces. To divide them up into lots of smaller rooms is to fight against the character of the property, so while you will need to include bedrooms and bathrooms, you should be more accepting of at least a semiopen-plan arrangement in the main living areas.
Adding an upper storey can present a challenge. Dividing tall windows in half is not usually the most elegant solution, so light on both floors needs to be considered. Many converted buildings have vaulted ceilings and double-height areas to make the most of them, with a semi-first floor or mezzanine level providing bedrooms. A view to the upstairs landing with a feature staircase will add to the wow factor.
In almost all cases it is best to hire an architect or designer with relevant experience, to help you come up with ideas and prepare plans. They will be able to identify potential issues and come up with creative solutions for the building’s intricacies.
The architect will work alongside other professionals, such as a structural engineer, to ensure their scheme can be built, consult with the local planning department on your behalf, and can often also act as project manager to oversee the work. This will involve hiring and managing tradespeople and ensuring the
conversion goes as planned, but will add around 10 per cent to the overall cost. Alternatively your contractor might it take on, or you could employ an independent project manager, but don’t take on this role yourself unless you have a lot of time and building experience.
Check whether the property is connected to mains water, drainage, electricity and gas. A remote rural property may be completely off mains, and getting services to site can be costly. You may need to drill a borehole for water and install your own sewage treatment plant, so you would be wise to investigate the situation and get quotes before completing the purchase.
Converting a building provides an ideal opportunity to install renewable technologies, which while expensive up front will make your home more environmentally friendly and cheaper to run in the long term. Solar panels can contribute towards electricity and hot water, ground- and air-source heat pumps can provide heating, and wind and water turbines can provide power.
As every conversion is unique you can’t estimate build costs until a survey has been carried out and you have an idea of the design. Expect to pay anything from £600 to £2,000 per square metre, dependent on the building’s condition, your design and the level of work needed. If the foundations are poor, underpinning will be required, which can cost a huge sum. In general, stone properties tend to be the most expensive to convert.
Getting finance for a conversion isn’t always simple and you’ll likely need a bigger deposit than if buying a house. Your best bet may be to contact self-build mortgage firms who specialise in lending on out-of-the-ordinary projects. This is often in the form of a stage-payment mortgage, where funds are released only after key building stages are reached. Remember you’ll need insurance, too.
The good news is that conversions are largely free of VAT. At the end of the project you can make a claim on eligible materials and labour. The latter should, in the first instance, be reduce rated to five per cent. You cannot claim VAT paid out in error, so study HMRC Notice 431C before starting.