willow171

Thank you all. So it seems the best course of action is to repair/rebuild as close to original in how it looks. And to keep quiet and hope no one complains. And in the meantime I should gather evidence/aerial photos etc to prove it has been used as storage/workshop in previous years.

Thank you, I will have a look for the LPA policy.

Thank you. We have no intention of converting to a dwelling now or in the future. But I guess never say never.

Thank you for your reply. The workshop use is not commercial, just somewhere for my husband to hide all his junk (sorry-tools). The previous owners were also using it for storage not agricultural. So it was never fully abandoned. So probably best to keep quiet and rebuild. The original barn was concrete half up then wood and a clay roof tile, Do you think we would have to stick with this or could we change the building materials?

Hello We have a small barn (originally a cow milking barn before farm was split up and sold many years ago) approx 14m x 4.5m at the bottom of our field of about half an acre. The field is on a separate title to our house and garden, although we use it as an extension of our garden. It is not classed as agricultural. I think it is classed as countryside. It is not in a national park or AONB. Half of the barn came down in a storm several years ago, according to previous owners. We have made safe the part that still stands and my husband uses it as his workshop. Would we be able to rebuild the part that has collapsed? there is still parts of the wall left, but they would need rebuilding. Or would we have to get planning permission? And would we be able to make it out of different materials, the roof was the heavy clay tiles, we would rather have a lighter, cheaper option. I was going to ask the planning department, but it seems nowadays they wont answer any questions without a fee.

Always lived in hampshire, as do all our close family, and as much as we are tempted to go north, not sure I could. Between the 2 of us we have 5 brothers and their families and my parents and we all live within 10miles of each other ?. Maybe it is time one of us made the first move!

Yes, I could be there daily to be seen. But honestly, if I had to dispute anything with the builder, I would probably cry (menopause has a lot to answer for ?). My husband is fantastic with people and sorting things, I am the one that does all the emailing and researching, but he will be working full time and wont be able to oversee things.

Our absolute total will be around £500k. That will be to include plot, any planning, architect fees, building, connecting to services or solar and batteries, many other things I can't think of right now. I'm good at decorating, and my husband can do tiling and can fit the bathroom and kitchen if need be. We are happy to have budget bathroom and kitchen. The location is more important to us. We are hoping to have between 1-4 acres. And I don't think I know enough to project manage, so think we will have to have someone do that for us.

Thank you. We don't have the plot yet. The one we are hoping for has no services, and to get them there it would have to go over someone elses land and probably about 500m away. I know we will have to try to get mains water there. But hope to go off grid for electric. This is all very new to us, and I know it may not be possible. I think I need to get The home builders bible!

Thanks for the replies. All the finishing we can do ourselves, decorating, tiling, fitting kitchens and bathrooms etc. The actual building we would rather pick a company that would do all the supply and erecting as we have never had a house built before and really don't know what we are doing. We will go to the NSBRC in Swindon, seems like a good place to start.

Hi, first time here, and at the very start of our build journey. Our house sale is going through and we have a couple of plots of land that we are considering, but before we put in any offers we need to have a rough idea about what it will cost to build. I know that there are so many variables to consider, but I wondered if you could give me your opinions as to whether we are on the right track. We hope to have between £150,000 and £200,000. It will be in the south of England. We would like a 3 double bed house/bungalow, 2 bathrooms and probably 2/3 reception rooms. It will possibly be off grid for power, so will have to have solar panels, batteries etc and be as energy efficeint as possible. It will also need its own septic tank. Do you think it is possible to do under £200,000? Are we being silly? or is this enough? Thanks for any opinions.