Hello. Timber frame within stone building learner.

[quickerbybike]

Hi,

 

I want to refurbish an old stone building by constructing an insulated timber house inside.

 

The build will need to be very efficient, very practical and pretty unromantic or it will not happen.

 

I am a chartered structural engineer (so perhaps of some help as a forum member) but very out of my depth with respect to architectural detailing on this (possible) project.

 

My idea feels simple enough but I know the details will catch me out.  How do I deal with the tapered window reveals in the old 660mm thick walls?  Do I need to close the 20mm gap between the old stone and the new timber walls?  Must I give up the existing impressive fire-places?  (I have already decided to ditch the existing stone dormer windows).  How do the new timber walls interact with the new roof, which is supported on the original wall  (by necessity as the roof must go on soon to avoid further deterioration but the funds for the rest of the build will follow later (if ever).  Has anybody had any experience with modular pod bathrooms?  Are they cheap?   Has anybody got experience of powering a building with solar plus wind turbine?  Is this prohibitively expensive?  I have seen that @Hastings has experience of some of these issues.  I was hoping to introduce myself and come and see your project but I have since worked out it is not in Hastings (convenient) but in Argyle (not convenient).

 

I'm in Kingston, Surrey.  The house is in Normandy.

 

Anyway, I am glad you are all here and I'm pleased to sort of meet you.

 

Martin

 

 

 

 

[ProDave]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

 

That looks like a "challenge"  There is an old saying "If I wanted to get to there, I would not start from here"

 

Don't let that put you off.  I would say the first thing is repair that roof. then you will have a dry building to work with.

 

Nothing wrong with creating a free standing well insulated "box" within the building if you can afford to lose some space.  windows will be a challenge and where your insulated box will be compromised.

[scottishjohn]

this thing is will the french allow you to take out  any or all the original features 

certainly in this country you would not be allowed to remove those nice stone features-- not a chance 

Is it a listed building ?--suprised if its not

 i would suggest you ask lots of questions of the planning /building control there before touching anything

 If you have not bought it yet --then do that first 

there maybe good reasons why its still a ruin 

 i can say now it would probably be simpler to flatten and rebuild and stone clad it after -rather than working round all the problems there will be 

 

 

Edited August 5, 2020 by scottishjohn

[scottishjohn]

1 hour ago, quickerbybike said:

Do I need to close the 20mm gap between the old stone and the new timber walls?  Must I give up the existing impressive fire-places?  (I have already decided to ditch the existing stone dormer

you will need to leave a gap so any water ingress through the old wall can evaporate out up wards --so yes you will need a nice draft between old walls and new 

[quickerbybike]

6 hours ago, ProDave said:

Hi and welcome to the forum.

 

That looks like a "challenge"  There is an old saying "If I wanted to get to there, I would not start from here"

 

Don't let that put you off.  I would say the first thing is repair that roof. then you will have a dry building to work with.

 

Nothing wrong with creating a free standing well insulated "box" within the building if you can afford to lose some space.  windows will be a challenge and where your insulated box will be compromised.

Thanks Dave.

 

I guess the windows could be part of the inner house and open inwards.

 

Roof is definitely the priority. Urgent in fact. The photo is of the decent side.

[quickerbybike]

6 hours ago, scottishjohn said:

this thing is will the french allow you to take out  any or all the original features 

certainly in this country you would not be allowed to remove those nice stone features-- not a chance 

Is it a listed building ?--suprised if its not

 i would suggest you ask lots of questions of the planning /building control there before touching anything

 If you have not bought it yet --then do that first 

there maybe good reasons why its still a ruin 

 i can say now it would probably be simpler to flatten and rebuild and stone clad it after -rather than working round all the problems there will be 

 

 

Hi John.

 

Thanks.  It's not listed actually. These buildings are ten a penny round there.

 

I'm pretty sure the stone dormers were added since construction to be fashionable. Other buildings round the square (a working farm) have simple roofs, which is what I want.

 

The building is cheap.

[scottishjohn]

3 hours ago, quickerbybike said:

Hi John.

 

Thanks.  It's not listed actually. These buildings are ten a penny round there.

 

I'm pretty sure the stone dormers were added since construction to be fashionable. Other buildings round the square (a working farm) have simple roofs, which is what I want.

 

The building is cheap.

I hear you --but i would still get definitive advice from planning before buying --maybe thats why its cheap .

and also check with regarding sewage etc