Extension & conversion projects

Andrew and Mandy Lanham have added a large but sensitive extension to their 1930s home in order to make it more suitable for family life.

Colin and Heather Morgan have created a stunning contemporary home within the traditional stone shell of their 18th century Oxfordshire barn

Eager to escape hectic London life, Lindsay and Guy Mattinson found a rural haven on the Isle of Wight — two period stone barns, which they have lovingly converted into one high-volume, contemporary family home.

David Snell revisits Plotfinder Challengers Derek and Sue Moore to see the barn they found together, and converted into a new home. Sue and Derek purchased one half of a derelict granite cattle barn in 2002; the other half was purchased by their new neighbours. The couple wanted to retain the original granite façade on the gable end, while new neighbours Mike and Sarah preferred timber cladding. The couples “compromised” — opting for both.

Tony Pithers and Gordon Craig have reinvented a ‘60s classic — transforming it into a home for the 21st century.

Jimmy and Mollie Armstrong took great pains to faithfully convert a redundant stone church, breathing new life into its interior - and then added on a groundbreaking, and downright unfaithful, timber extension.

With the aid of their architect son Andrew, a stunning oak extension has grown from James and Sandra McAvoy’s converted stone barn.

Paul and Monica Moult have been able to introduce significant efficiency improvements into their 1990s home.

Two contemporary extensions – a large single storey rear space and a new roof addition – have transformed Sue and Chris Baldock’s semi and created a whole new space that really bridges the gap between the indoors and the outdoors.

David and Carol Cross saw the potential in a derelict former grist mill and have turned it into a glorious family home. The couple had to do a lot of remedial work on the old barn, including underpinning the granite walls. But great views from the rear make it all worthwhile.

Bill and Connie Pack have artfully converted an unloved Dutch barn into a striking new home that enjoys light and space and yet is true to the building’s original form.

Winner of Best Conversion in the 2009 Homebuilding & Renovating Awards. Irena Murray has extended and remodelled a former barn to create a light, flowing home. The new extension has turned the former smithy's into an L shaped home and additional rooflights and folding sliding doors flood the open plan space with light.

Chris and Michele Jones have dramatically lifted a dull 1960s house by extending upwards to add on a new storey, complete with a wraparound balcony and cedar-clad ‘drum'. The house also includes an integrated garden room and innovative use of brise soleil in the porch.

Max and Linda Nash spent a decade converting a small dilapidated cow barn in an idyllic setting, extending it to more than double its original size, and bringing in water and electricity from over half a mile away, to create a comfortable, baronial-style home.

Sally Onions and Ian Bottomley have painstakingly converted a listed Georgian church into a stunning home including the original stained glass windows.

Kate and Stephen Duncan have transformed a characterless converted 1880s coach house into a home full of rural charm by restoring the original features and using reclaimed materials.

Richard Stott and Heather Moffat have doubled the size of their renovated end-terrace cottage with a dramatic oak and glass extension. From the street the home looks very similar to the rest of the cottages, but the rear is surprisingly contemporary.

Kate and Stephen Duncan have transformed a characterless converted 1880s coach house into a home full of rural charm. Read all about this remarkable project in the November issue of Homebuilding & Renovating. As part of H&R Extra, here are some additional photos of the house.

Catherine and Sam Heppenstall have converted an old barn and attached farmhouse into an open family home.

Architects Andrew Yeats and Lucy Nelson spent over a decade transforming an abandoned village school in the Yorkshire countryside into light and spacious accommodation in which they now both live and work

Geoff Jacobs has converted an 18th century sawmill into a light-filled contemporary home, extending it to triple its size and using reclaimed materials for a seamless finish.

Paul and Nicola Pendall made local news headlines when they turned the country’s first example of an automated bowling alley in York into their dream home.

After two years of incredibly hard work, Lesley and Steve Baker have lovingly turned four run-down 18th century peat cutters’ cottages into one charming property.

Simon and Sally Robinson have sympathetically transformed their 300-year-old cottage – on a DIY basis – into a charming period home that’s also perfect for modern living.

With lots of imagination and flair, architect Gregory Phillips has created a brand new addition to his own home, which gives new meaning to the humble 1930s semi.

John and Anne Oates have converted a massive concrete agricultural building into a stylish and unusual home filled with light, open spaces

Taking a hands-on approach enabled Sharon Li and Jamie Nelmes to convert a listed stone barn into a stunning contemporary home for just £120,000

Lesley and Jonathan Mercer have lovingly restored and remodelled a dilapidated 19th century church, transforming it into a light-filled family home.

Rebecca Lang has transformed a lacklustre 1970s house into a larger, sleeker, and far more contemporary family home

Hallam Funke has extended a pretty cottage using an alternative building system that saved him both time and money.