A Beginner's Guide to Conversions

ABOVE: Parts of this converted listed oak frame barn date back to the 15th century. Read more about this converted barn...

There are thousands of redundant buildings scattered across the countryside and within towns and cities — some are obvious candidates for converting into a one-off home; others require a bit more vision. What they all have in common is an abundance of intrinsic character – original beams, large open spaces and architectural curios – offering the potential to create a home which is truly unique. On a more practical note, a conversion is often the only realistic way of creating a home in a prime location, such as in open countryside or a central urban area, where a new house would be inconceivable to most planners.

Building a one-off home out of a structure created for an entirely different purpose is exciting and terrifying in equal measures. It’s a difficult art to perfect – the key being to work with the building’s history rather than turn it into something it isn’t – with every property presenting its own set of surprises and design challenges. This is why the very best conversions are not profit driven, but instead conceived out of love.

In general, you will need bags of patience, enthusiasm and perseverance, as well as be a lover of quirky design — and usually with a preference for open plan living.

Barn Conversions

Increasingly stringent planning laws have made building a home in the countryside near impossible. However, despite Britain’s enduring love affair with barn conversions, there is still a surprising number of disused agricultural buildings remaining, many of which have fallen into a dire state of repair. Most local planning authorities would rather see these buildings put to another use than become totally obsolete, but they will place strict constraints on how much you can alter the barn’s exterior.

Wherever possible, original materials should be traditionally repaired. If a replacement is necessary, planning and conservation officers (if it is listed) may require expensive reclaimed or handmade materials. You will struggle to add new openings on main elevations, probably none at all if the building is listed, although existing apertures can be used to stunning effect, such as cart door openings and dramatic open-sided structures, where the glazing will form the central design feature. Characterful slits and long, high openings can look fantastic, but all this bespoke glazing will add significantly to the cost.

You cannot usually change the roof line, making dormers unacceptable, and while rooflights can be used sparingly, they should be out of sight. Glazed ceilings can often be incorporated to introduce more light.

Inside is likely to remain largely an open space, with very high ceilings if adding another floor isn’t possible. Mezzanine levels can often be incorporated, plus temporary partitions to form a sense of cosiness. Where there is a first floor, the staircase should be central to the design.

Due to their open plan nature, barns tend to lend themselves well to contemporary interior design schemes and materials — steel, glass, concrete and chunky timber can all be used to great effect.

Commercial Premises

A shop, factory or warehouse conversion can be a fantastic way to get spacious living accommodation in a central urban location, often at an affordable price. However, opportunities can be difficult to come across in some areas. Try looking on the outskirts and in up-and-coming locations.

Design usually lends itself to a more industrial, contemporary scheme, but do make a feature of any historical features, including original brickwork or beams, which give the property its character. Also, make sure you retain a sense of the building’s origin. For example, external staircases, original doors and windows, machinery, ovens, post boxes, bells and signs — any hint at all of its former function. You may, however, have to be creative in keeping private from the road, particularly in shops, which often have a large front window. Opaque glazing may have to be considered.

Planning isn’t as hard as you might think; but, although the Government is encouraging more houses on brownfield sites and the residential reuse of buildings, councils often prefer to see multiple units in a conversion, as opposed to just one home.

One thing to watch for with some industrial buildings (such as warehouses and petrol stations) is if they’ve been contaminated. Decontamination can be costly and time-consuming.

Places of Worship

Church and chapel conversions are something of an acquired taste, but make for some of the most exciting homes. The Victorians built so many surplus religious structures, that each year a good handful are deemed redundant (i.e. no longer required by the Church) and come onto the market.

Converting a church can be quite a political issue. As well as negotiating the planning department and, if it is listed, the conservation officer, you’ll also have to deal with the Church Commissioners, who will have quite an involvement in the project.

The church itself holds a list of redundant churches, making looking for one relatively easy: visit cofe.anglican.org for more. Any offers must be made to the Uses Committee Secretary who will make a recommendation to the Church Commissioners. They will remain your main link throughout.

In most cases, you will not be able to make major external alterations and even internally you will be restricted, especially if the church is listed, where you need consent to remove existing fixtures and fittings. First floors can sometimes be sensitively added.

A covenant will be placed on the property to protect it from any future unauthorised alterations and to ensure the Church still retains some say in the property, so bear in mind that whatever alterations are agreed, you need to be satisfied with.

If there is an attached graveyard, the human remains will need to be removed and interred elsewhere. However, if your plans won’t disturb any graves, the Home Office can grant an exception. The Bishop will decide what happens to any tombstones and monuments.

Finding 'The One'

Conversion opportunities are as diverse as the number of buildings around. Just some that H&R has featured include: barns and other agricultural buildings; churches and chapels; schools; windmills; water towers; industrial spaces; a bakery; a blacksmith’s; a railway station; a post office; a fire station; and even a TB clinic! Bear in mind that if you choose a badly located property, you won’t get a good return on your investment. Also, not all are suitable for converting into homes, so contact the local planning authority as soon as possible to discuss your proposals. To find a property, try plotfinder.net and property.org.uk.

How to Negotiate Planning Permission

Converting a redundant building into a home can prove a controversial planning issue. Whilst many local authorities are in favour of a more creative reuse, some are prohibitively opposed to the idea.

Bear in mind these common issues:

• The authority may first want proof that it cannot be used for a commercial or community purpose. The property will have to be put up for sale — if there are no takers they will consider your proposal.

• Sometimes the planners may require a live/work use, so that you will have to conduct a business as well as live there.

• Even if the planners don’t require it, you must carry out a full structural survey on the property, to ensure it is sound enough for conversion — and get an idea of costs. If, for example, a barn collapses during conversion, you could lose planning and be left with nothing.

• The planners may require the use of high-quality materials, such as bespoke joinery and cast iron rainwater goods. If the property is listed, the conservation officer can make quite a list of demands, adding massively to your build costs.

• In extreme cases you may not be able to make permanent interior alterations, so changes will have to be reversible.

• Once converted, it’s possible that you may have Permitted Development rights, which you can use to improve the property in future (except churches). Listed buildings and those in the green belt are not likely to get this benefit.

• Ensure that the property has enough of a garden. On barns, for example, you are unlikely to be allowed to redesignate adjoining agricultural land in future.

Conversions and VAT - A Complicated Issue?

Like self-builds, conversions are largely free of VAT, but the details of the scheme are a little more complex. The former Notice 719 has now been withdrawn and replaced with VAT 431C ‘How to claim a VAT refund for converting an existing building into a dwelling’. In order to qualify, the building must have either been never used for residential purposes, or at least not in the last 10 years — so no renovations of recent conversions.

Unlike self-build, where labour is zero-rated for VAT, you will usually be charged a reduced rate of 5% on works to the fabric of the building for conversions, which you can then claim back at the end of the project. If the property is listed, then approved alterations should be carried out at the zero rate of VAT. If you are converting a property as an annexe or extension then it does not have independent status and therefore will not qualify for the scheme.

If you use a VAT-registered builder, they will invoice their work and materials at the reduced rate of 5%, whilst any materials you buy directly will be charged at the standard VAT rate. It is essential that you study the notice (available at hmrc.gov.uk) before starting work as if you have been wrongly charged VAT, you cannot claim it back from HMRC. In such circumstances, you should raise the matter with the tradesman who charged you the VAT. You can only send in one claim and that claim must be submitted no later than three months after the conversion has been completed. If you have any questions, call the VAT helpline on 0845 010 9000.

Getting a Mortgage

Getting finance for a conversion project isn’t quite as easy as a straightforward renovation, especially given the restrictions of late, and the fact that the properties can throw up so many surprises. Self-build mortgage specialists tend to be a good bet, as is the Ecology Building Society (0845 674 5566; ecology.co.uk), which specialises in lending on out-of-the-ordinary projects. A good list of providers is available at homebuilding.co.uk/directory. Lending is usually in stages, as with traditional self-build mortgages, so it is important to undertake a full survey and be well insured, to avert any unseen disasters.

Find out more about barn conversions...

Read case studies of converted properties...

Further reading:

• Everything You Need to Know About Conversions
• A Guide to Reclaiming VAT: Conversions, Renovations and Extensions
• How to Self-build or Renovate in the Countryside