Barn conversion - questions about foundations
 

Hi all
I posted a couple of weeks ago about suitability of my existing boiler
to power extra rads in a barn I am converting.
Wonder if anyone could help with my next question....
I am told my a neighbour that the guy who owned the house before me
tried to get planning permission to convert the barn into a 'care
home' - but there was a problem with the foundations? I cannot verify
this by speaking with the old owner but can anyone point me in the
right direction. I don't want to waste time planning the conversion
only to find there IS a problem with the foundations...
Thanks in advance (again)...!



Regards, Simon
http://www.thehawthornes.org

Barn conversion - questions about foundations
 

On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 21:06:46 +0000, Simon Hawthorne
wrote:


I am told my a neighbour that the guy who owned the house before me
tried to get planning permission to convert the barn into a 'care
home' - but there was a problem with the foundations?

The usual problem with barn foundations is simply that in many cases
there are none. They were simply agricultural outbuildings thrown up
on flatish) bits of ground. It was a barn after all and not built to
last for decades.


--
Peter Parry.
http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/

Barn conversion - questions about foundations
 

Peter Parry wrote:

On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 21:06:46 +0000, Simon Hawthorne
wrote:



I am told my a neighbour that the guy who owned the house before me
tried to get planning permission to convert the barn into a 'care
home' - but there was a problem with the foundations?


The usual problem with barn foundations is simply that in many cases
there are none. They were simply agricultural outbuildings thrown up
on flatish) bits of ground. It was a barn after all and not built to
last for decades.




That mens you need to ujnderpin, or demolish, put in good, and re-rerect.

Neither is impossible, neither is cheap...

Barn conversion - questions about foundations
 

Peter Parry wrote

On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 21:06:46 +0000, Simon Hawthorne wrote:

I am told my a neighbour that the guy who owned the house before me
tried to get planning permission to convert the barn into a 'care
home' - but there was a problem with the foundations?

The usual problem with barn foundations is simply that in many cases
there are none. They were simply agricultural outbuildings thrown up
on flatish) bits of ground. It was a barn after all and not built to
last for decades.

Yes, but this wouldn't in itself cause a problem in obtaining Planning
Permission. The only reason I can think of why the foundations (or lack of)
might be a factor regarding Planning Permission is if it's an archeologically
sensitive site. Otherwise, possibly the OP means Building Regulations approval,
not Planning Permission.

Either way, a trip to the local Planning Office to ask them all about it is
probably the best advice.

Peter

Barn conversion - questions about foundations
 

Peter Taylor wrote:

Peter Parry wrote


On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 21:06:46 +0000, Simon Hawthorne wrote:


I am told my a neighbour that the guy who owned the house before me
tried to get planning permission to convert the barn into a 'care
home' - but there was a problem with the foundations?

The usual problem with barn foundations is simply that in many cases
there are none. They were simply agricultural outbuildings thrown up
on flatish) bits of ground. It was a barn after all and not built to
last for decades.


Yes, but this wouldn't in itself cause a problem in obtaining Planning
Permission. The only reason I can think of why the foundations (or lack of)
might be a factor regarding Planning Permission is if it's an archeologically
sensitive site. Otherwise, possibly the OP means Building Regulations approval,
not Planning Permission.


Quite right. This is a building control issue.

However the original builder may have decide to apply for 'demoilish and
re-erect om the bronds that it was too expensive to underpin, and been
rejected.

Under these circumstances a long chat with the planners and BCO's is
well worth while.

Although they like you to go the route of you propose. we reject' with a
bit of outrght brown-nosing they can be persuaded into 'well what
*would* you allow then?'



Either way, a trip to the local Planning Office to ask them all about it is
probably the best advice.



Seconded outright. They LIKE to be apprecaietd and grovelled to, and
judging by the excresence up the road, bribed...


Peter

Barn conversion - questions about foundations
 

"Simon Hawthorne" wrote in message
...

I am told my a neighbour that the guy who owned the house before me
tried to get planning permission to convert the barn into a 'care
home' - but there was a problem with the foundations? I cannot verify
this by speaking with the old owner but can anyone point me in the
right direction.

Local council. If plan were really submitted, they
will let you have a look (and I'd have expected it
to be mentioned when you were buying the house).
Although PP may not be bothered about foundations

I don't want to waste time planning the conversion
only to find there IS a problem with the foundations...

Or, dig down a foot or two and see what you find.

http://www.thehawthornes.org

Looks at new pictures of single-skin brick two-storey
barn with weak walls, tie-bars etc. I don't think anyone
would bother just underpinning those walls - although
the gable end above the 'workshop' looked OK.

Barn conversion - questions about foundations
 

On Mon, 12 Jan 2004 11:15:36 -0000, "Nick Finnigan"
wrote:

Local council. If plan were really submitted, they
will let you have a look (and I'd have expected it
to be mentioned when you were buying the house).

Ok, thanks again guys. I have asked a structural engineer to come
round and have a look at it - he gave the house & barn the once over
before I bought it. He is also checking out with the local planning
office tomorrow so should get some answers....




Regards, Simon
http://www.thehawthornes.org

Barn conversion - questions about foundations
 

Simon Hawthorne wrote:

On Mon, 12 Jan 2004 11:15:36 -0000, "Nick Finnigan"
wrote:


Local council. If plan were really submitted, they
will let you have a look (and I'd have expected it
to be mentioned when you were buying the house).


Ok, thanks again guys. I have asked a structural engineer to come
round and have a look at it - he gave the house & barn the once over
before I bought it. He is also checking out with the local planning
office tomorrow so should get some answers....




Excellent. keep us posted. I am intensely interested...




Regards, Simon
http://www.thehawthornes.org

Barn conversion - questions about foundations
 

My old house has no foundations, they simply scraped off the loos soil and started building. The house has been there 200 years, so it must work.

However the attached barn has no roof, so along comes building regs takes one look at the foundations and tells me the walls won't hold up a feather not alone a roof.

Options
Underpin
plant in steel pillars to hold roof
rebuild

I am choosing rebuild, in block clad with orignal stone. This also resolves issues with insulation values, and water from the soil that in places is 6 foot up the
walls.

I spent AGES finding an architect that had many similar projects under his belt, and was not an arty-farty spend 4 times more money than I had type. Once I found this
guy he made the whole problem seem much simpler .........

Rick


On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 21:06:46 +0000, Simon Hawthorne wrote:
Hi all
I posted a couple of weeks ago about suitability of my existing boiler
to power extra rads in a barn I am converting.
Wonder if anyone could help with my next question....
I am told my a neighbour that the guy who owned the house before me
tried to get planning permission to convert the barn into a 'care
home' - but there was a problem with the foundations? I cannot verify
this by speaking with the old owner but can anyone point me in the
right direction. I don't want to waste time planning the conversion
only to find there IS a problem with the foundations...
Thanks in advance (again)...!



Regards, Simon
http://www.thehawthornes.org