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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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Latest Posts

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...


    follow me on Twitter


    MBC goes Twitter

    Category: Site Announcements March 30th, 2009 by mbc

    Seems everyone is doing it so why not MyBarnConversion…?

    I’ve created a Twitter account for mbc - barnconversion

    I’ll use it to post the latest thoughts, progress and decisions made regarding the development of the barn. As well as a chronological view of what’s happening and when, I hope it’ll act as a to-do list for me - let’s see how it goes.

    A list of most recent twits can be found toward the bottom of the right-hand sidebar ( that’s over there >>>>> )

    Keep twitting…

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

    "Starter for 10" series on MBC on August 20th, 2009
    Having dabbled in all sorts of areas of building and do-it-yourself that I really have should left alone, I thought I'd record (should I ever...

    title (1)

    Online - recommended #2 on May 4th, 2009
    A couple more useful sites that I've used recently and can recommend.

    category: 'Site Announcements' (1)

    New bed on September 24th, 2009
    Somewhat in anticipation of being able to take up residence we've bought a great new bed for the barn.

    category: 'Site Announcements' (1)

    A Place of My Own on January 20th, 2010
    For anyone with an interest in building, conversion or renovation, or in just getting your hands dirty, Michael Pollans 'A Place of My Own' is...

    category: 'Site Announcements' (1)

    Stoneworks on February 22nd, 2010
    One thing I realised from my recent post on the downstairs travertine floor was that I haven't recommended Stoneworks who are the company I bought...

    category: 'Site Announcements' (1)

    Posted in Site Announcements | No Comments »

    Woodland Garden

    Category: Barn Conversion Journal March 29th, 2009 by mbc

    Way back in 2007 I put a small raised bed into a clearing in our patch of woodland. We had some old sleepers that needed moving away from the barn and this seemed like a sensible thing to do with them. The bed has a weed control liner and 10 to 12 inches of mixed soil and compost.

    I garnered opinion as to what I should plant on the SelfSufficientish forum and eventually put in some carrot and beetroot seed. Then I must admit I left the whole thing alone and failed to provide adequate care, supervision and green fingers. The end result was the few stunted, mouldy carrots that I dug out whilst planting my latest attempt at being a gardener - two blackcurrant and ten raspberries canes.

    I’m not sure I’ve given then enough soil, I may need to allow them to get through the weed control barrier and perhaps fill the raised bed with some more compost and soil. I’ll also keep an eye on the amount of light they get throughout the day - the chainsaw may need to come out and a few more branches be sacrificed, but then the wood’s always handy…

    I promise I’ll look after these better than those unfortunate carrots…

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

    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)

    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)

    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)

    VAT Reclaim - Preparation on October 31st, 2008
    I know that many UK readers of this blog are interested in Value Added Tax (VAT) in relation to conversion projects.

    category: 'Barn Conversion Journal' (1)

    Building Progress ~ to middle of October 2008 on October 20th, 2008
    The South facing gable end of the barn has been one of the biggest issues we've faced.

    category: 'Barn Conversion Journal' (1)

    Posted in Barn Conversion Journal | No Comments »

    Building Progress ~ February 2009

    Category: Barn Conversion Journal March 23rd, 2009 by mbc

    As it’s already embarrassingly late I’ll make the February update a whistle-stop tour of what progress has been made.

    My clay-paint painting is going well (if slowly) although I think in places, where I’ve not been so careful in getting the grain of the application of paint quite right - by that I mean where I’ve applied paint in a direction out of kilter with the surrounding area - I may need to rub down with sandpaper before applying the final coat. So maybe more work than first expected.

    The stove is now nicely settled into place waiting for the flue to be attached and routed up through the first floor, along the internal wall of the second bedroom and out though the roof. We eventually decided to opt for an internal flue as that is what we have permission for and a) we don’t fancy another visit to planning and b) I prefer a solution that will keep as much heat as possible in the building.

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

    Building Progress ~ January 2009 on February 8th, 2009
    As well as bitingly cold weather the New Year has seen some slow progress on the barn.

    title category: 'Barn Conversion Journal' tag: 'Progress' (5)

    Building Progress ~ March 2009 on April 16th, 2009
    (Oh no I've done it again; my March progress report is late just like February's was - sorry) The two main developments this month are the...

    tag: 'Progress' category: 'Barn Conversion Journal' title (5)

    Building Progress ~ May 2009 on June 16th, 2009
    May has been about two things - painting and tiling.

    tag: 'Progress' category: 'Barn Conversion Journal' title (5)

    Building Progress ~ February 2008, week 1 on February 14th, 2008
    The true proportions and dimensions of the final building are now beginning to appear.

    category: 'Barn Conversion Journal' title tag: 'Progress' (5)

    Building Progress ~ February 2008, week 2 on February 19th, 2008
    Whilst the insulation continues to be installed into the roof of the barn, I have a admission to make.

    tag: 'Progress' category: 'Barn Conversion Journal' title (5)

    Posted in Barn Conversion Journal | No Comments »

    VAT for barn convertors - Update March 2009

    Category: Essential information March 8th, 2009 by mbc

    It’s been a while since a VAT update so I thought I’d review the current position, especially in view of the pre-Christmas credit-crunch fuelled reduction in the standard rate of VAT from 17.5% to 15%.
    My own VAT reclaim will be due soon - by early Summer at the latest, so I thought I’d review [...]

    Posted in Essential information | No Comments »