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my barn conversion

Answer the burning question... how much does a barn conversion cost? (Pt 1: the building, Pt 2: architects & plans and Pt 3: the 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.

Read more about - Lime mortar, Insulation, Insulation, Insulation, 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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The Low Carbon Transition Plan

Category: News July 17th, 2009 by mbc

I like some of the headlines coming out of the Low Carbon Transition plan. The two that catch my eye especially are:

  • Financial incentives for home generation.
  • Paying for the creation of woodland.

I’d love to be able to commission a wind turbine (so long as it was quiet) or get some photo-voltaics up and running and at least generate a portion of my own electricity - selling an excess back to the grid would be the cherry on the cake.

Getting paid for transforming a few acres into woodland is something I’d love to do and that would make a lot of sense for the barn. It may also be the solution to my problematic overgrown fields - can’t even give the grass away at the moment!

I hope the headlines match up to reality some time soon.

One to watch…

The UK Low Carbon Transition Plan

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

Wales' Zero Carbon Dream on December 31st, 2008
Zero Carbon is a term that 'haunts' me a lot (I need to get out more).

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MBC Photos now on Flickr on November 2nd, 2008
With the somewhat baffling success of our YouTube videos now playing on Channel MBC.

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Zero Carbon to be redefined on January 26th, 2009
My concerns over the ability of Wales to achieve its zero carbon dream by 2012 appear to be shared by the political community.

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Building Progress ~ June 2009

Category: Barn Conversion Journal July 14th, 2009 by mbc

So, June…

Tiling two bathrooms, both floor and shower enclosures has taken far longer than I predicted but on the whole I’ve enjoyed the work and the end product should be okay.

The main progress this month has been in getting the solar panels and heating system up and running. It all went pretty smoothly with the panels kicking in when powered up and getting the water in the accumulator up to around 40 degrees Celsius after a few hours. So far, even on a dull day the water is kept at a constant 40+ degrees, raising to 60+ on a sunny day - pretty satisfying. The simplicity but efficiency of the technology is very attractive - when the water in the accumulator is cooler than the panel then the pump kicks in and circulates the water, thus heating it. Once equilibrium is reached the pump switches off until either the water cools or the panel heats up… simple.

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

Building Progress ~ September 2009 on October 2nd, 2009
Straight in this month, no excuses and no delay.

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

Building Progress ~ October 2009 on November 9th, 2009
Ah, October - seems like a long time ago now.

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

Building Progress ~ November 2009 on December 23rd, 2009
Finishing treating the untreated oak stairs and banisters is proving a real pain - the banisters along the landing have all been whitened & waxed,...

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

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