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my barn conversion

Keep track of what's happening with my Progress Updates.

If you read only one book before designing your conversion or renovation, then I recommend that you make it this one. I love patterns!

Location, Location, Location! pah, that's old hat we all know that the new mantra of home-building is Insulation, Insulation, Insulation.

Read more about - Lime mortar, VAT on conversions and managing woodland for fuel.

Tiling tips - learn from my mistakes!

Around an ongoing barn conversion project, this website draws together advice, information and references to aid all would-be and current barn and non-residential building converters and renovators.

Our approach takes on board 'healthy house', sustainable, ecological & environmental concepts to as great a degree as timescales and budgets allow.

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Environment for Children

Whitewashing update 2010

Built in bed

Building Progress ~ February 2010

Step 8 = roof

Step 7 = high level design

Stoneworks

Downstairs tiled floor

Coppicing ash trees

Tree Planting - Winter 2010

Latest Comments

On White-washing? by Whitewashing update 2010 | my barn conversion on March 16th, 2010
[...] wall. After finding it was ‘infested’ with stalactites and stalagmites, I considered whitewashing the wall, then eventually it was...

On We have stalactites in our walls! by Whitewashing update 2010 | my barn conversion on March 16th, 2010
[...] do about the leaky, south facing gable end wall. After finding it was ‘infested’ with stalactites and stalagmites, I...

On Boxing Clever? by Built in bed | my barn conversion on March 12th, 2010
[...] of practicality and desire. Practical because part of the construction can be used to solve my tricky carpentry challenge...

On Travertine tiling - pictures by Downstairs tiled floor | my barn conversion on February 18th, 2010
[...] time and money in planning, sourcing and then fitting. It’s been completed for a while now (since August 2009),...

On Gas Pipeline Woes by The four new English “eco-towns” | my barn conversion on February 10th, 2010
[...] my first thought was ‘glad they’re not on my doorstep’ , but then I have a bloody big gas...

On Building Progress ~ August 2009 by Building Progress ~ January 2010 | my barn conversion on February 8th, 2010
[...] foray into the world of tiling can be quicker and more effective than the last one, the thought of...

On Insulation by Logs | my barn conversion on February 5th, 2010
[...] Location, Location! pah, that's old hat we all know that the new mantra of home-building is Insulation, Insulation, Insulation...

On Logs 2 by Future Fuel | my barn conversion on February 5th, 2010
[...] Logs 2 [...]

On The Healthy House by Green Business on February 2nd, 2010
Thank you for this checklist - I might use it in future when building a green house of my own!...

On Air Source Heat Pump by Feed-in tariffs … coming soon to a roof near you!? | my barn conversion on February 2nd, 2010
[...] On Air Source Heat Pump by Pete on January 12th, 2010I'm in a barn conversion with a GSHP supplied...


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    Bees

    Category: Barn Conversion Journal May 28th, 2008 by mbc

    Last year I noticed that there was a colony of bees living in the base of a red wood tree near my garden gate. As wasn’t too bothered about them at the time as the place was more or less a building site.

    a bee
    One of the bees

    Then, a couple of weeks ago my father was stung by one of them as he passed and yesterday as I was pottering around, there was a great hum and swarming of the bees that started around 2:45pm and lasted for 20 minutes or so after which they seemed to have spread-out and became very active around the locality of the hive. I’d guess it was a fair size colony as they made an impressive noise.

    the tree in which the bees live
    Home, sweet (bee) home!

    I haven’t got a problem with them (my father can take a sting or two!) but there are now a number of small children living in the area that could stumble across the hive and who knows what could happen.

    So I’d like to ask if anyone knows what should I do to remove any risk? I could fence around the tree which will stop anyone getting at the hive itself, but then there’s still this afternoon swarming to contend with and a fence is not really going to protect anyone from a determined set of bees.

    bees swarming
    The bees (those small dots) ’swarming’

    I don’t really want to kill them off, but are there any other options….?

    If you enjoyed that post, then read these...

    Building Progress ~ November 2008 on December 3rd, 2008
    So apparently stoves are like hens teeth these days, demand for them has rocketed in line with spiralling fuel bills.

    category: 'Barn Conversion Journal' (1)

    Corner bath? on November 25th, 2008
    The bath I bought doesn't quite fit into the bathroom if it's place along the same wall as the shower.

    category: 'Barn Conversion Journal' (1)

    The case for coal on November 6th, 2008
    Now here's a conundrum... First the facts: The barn lies just outside of the South Wales Coal Field. Our heating system will comprise of solar thermal water heating...

    category: 'Barn Conversion Journal' (1)

    Items 'ordinarily' incorporated in a building on November 11th, 2008
    Having spent much time pawing over VAT documentation in preparation for my VAT reclaim I discovered that the HM Revenue & Customs definition of items...

    category: 'Barn Conversion Journal' (1)

    Attention to detail... October 2008 update on October 21st, 2008
    You can't beat a good list - this is the current position: In Progress Flooring and tiling We've bought slate wall tiles for both bathrooms and will...

    category: 'Barn Conversion Journal' (1)

    Posted in Barn Conversion Journal | 3 Comments »

    My Favourite Things ~ ‘Oak Beam’

    Category: Favourite Things May 26th, 2008 by mbc

    So far in this series of my favourite things at the barn I’ve focussed on original features, this is the first of the new features we’ve introduced during the conversion.

    oak beam

    We chose these oak beams instead of steels to support the first floor for a couple of reasons. From a ‘healthy house’ perspective we minimised the use of metal in the building and aesthetically the oak beams help maintain an attractive link to the buildings history.

    There are two beams in the main room of the barn - each weighing in at around 3/4 of a tonne. It will be nice to see them sanded and finished as they are currently water stained and blackened, but still attractive to the eye.

    If you enjoyed that post, then read these...

    My Favourite Things ~ 'Rounded Corner' on February 24th, 2008
    One corner of the barn has been carefully rounded, it speaks to me of workmanship, care and simple good design (don't worry I'm not literally...

    title (3)

    My Favourite Things ~ 'Stone Wall' on May 1st, 2008
    I have an urge to further extend and heighten these dry stone walls.

    title (3)

    My Favourite Things ~ 'Arrow Slits' on February 3rd, 2008
    With a project like this it is sometimes easy to allow the big picture to overwhelm the little things.

    title (3)

    My Favourite Things ~ 'Cart Door Arches' on February 11th, 2008
    The barn is endowed with a handsome pair of opposing cart doors.

    title (3)

    Oak Beam ~ The Movie on January 14th, 2008
    Inspired by my first outing onto YouTube and dazzled by the 143 people who've so far taken the time to watch the minute long tour...

    title (2)

    Posted in Favourite Things | No Comments »

    Early Interior Video

    Category: Barn Conversion Journal May 20th, 2008 by mbc

    I’m a little late in posting this as it was taken a couple of months ago, but I think it’s worth adding as it gives a feeling of the internal space on the first floor as it starts to take shape.

    If you enjoyed that post, then read these...

    Building Progress ~ November 2008 on December 3rd, 2008
    So apparently stoves are like hens teeth these days, demand for them has rocketed in line with spiralling fuel bills.

    category: 'Barn Conversion Journal' (1)

    Corner bath? on November 25th, 2008
    The bath I bought doesn't quite fit into the bathroom if it's place along the same wall as the shower.

    category: 'Barn Conversion Journal' (1)

    The case for coal on November 6th, 2008
    Now here's a conundrum... First the facts: The barn lies just outside of the South Wales Coal Field. Our heating system will comprise of solar thermal water heating...

    category: 'Barn Conversion Journal' (1)

    Items 'ordinarily' incorporated in a building on November 11th, 2008
    Having spent much time pawing over VAT documentation in preparation for my VAT reclaim I discovered that the HM Revenue & Customs definition of items...

    category: 'Barn Conversion Journal' (1)

    Attention to detail... October 2008 update on October 21st, 2008
    You can't beat a good list - this is the current position: In Progress Flooring and tiling We've bought slate wall tiles for both bathrooms and will...

    category: 'Barn Conversion Journal' (1)

    Posted in Barn Conversion Journal | 2 Comments »

    Code for Sustainable Homes

    Category: Essential information May 16th, 2008 by mbc

    The Code for Sustainable Homes is an essential read for anyone considering a sustainable home building project. In its own words:
    The Code for Sustainable Homes has been introduced to drive a step-change
    in sustainable home building practice. It is a standard for key elements of
    design and construction which affect the sustainability of a new home.
    It is [...]

    Posted in Essential information | 2 Comments »

    BREEAM ~ Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method

    Category: Essential information May 11th, 2008 by mbc

    The term BREEAM is one that I’ve come across in various contexts over the course of this project and thought I’d better find out what it means…
    BREEAM is a widely used environmental assessment method for buildings. The assessments are carried out by qualified practitioners. For many types of development, assessments are a prerequisite.
    Through application of [...]

    Posted in Essential information | No Comments »

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