Bedfordshire Church - Floor Platform

[Ferdinand]

Following up on this thread, I paid a visit and lunch. I want to start a few threads to engage the hive mind. I will do further threads about the roof etc.

 

The challenge on this is that it is a very special building.

 

We were trying to find ways to do a conversion which would provide a suitable lifestyle for 2020, but allowing the building - and especially all the parts of the building mentioned in the listing - to be preserved intact and undamaged. The concept being thrown around is a conversion which could be entirely removed in the future, leaving no or minimal traces. Almost as if the owner can "camp" in the church building for 10 or 50 years.

 

Minimising archaeology is important, as that can get horribly expensive.

 

The "interior" part of the Listing says:

 

Quote

Interior: Plain 12-sided font, Cl5, reworked C19. C15 nave roof has moulded beams and braces, carved bosses, and angels holding shields and musical instruments, some parts of roof retaining traces of painted decoration. Other fittings C19.

 

The floor is not especially special - Chancel is stone and (Minton or Minton-style) tiled floor; nave is parquet floor.

 

The Conservation officer wishes to retain the whole main interior as an undivided open space. Personally I am not sure if this is entirely necessary as in a private space it delivers little amenity to the public, and if the whole thing can be reversed to restore the single interior (ie the entire conversion is basically 'furniture') I am not sure that it is a relevant Planning concern - that could be controlled via a condition anyway, and I think that is aimed at permanent new divisions. One for a different thread.

 

All comments, including off the wall, are welcome.

 

Ferdinand

 

 

[Ferdinand]

My suggestion for a removable floor system is to use adjustable support pads of some sort to raise it high enough for all services, including drainage, to go underneath without a problem.

 

A cassette system as described by @PeterW here could be put directly on such pads, or a beam system as used under timber decks could be used. These can include insulation, soundproofing etc. I might be inclined to superinsulate to take a bit of pressure of other insulating elements such as walls and the 15C roof (insulating that is a far trickier problem).

 

Then whatever is needed can be done with the levels.

 

There area adjustable support pads available (eg Eterno) which allow height adjustment from above afterwards, which would allow compensation for anything which moves in the existing floor. Any maintenance can be done by lifting the cassettes.

 

There are other items to be resolved - service access, airtightness, support for any walls etc.

 

Ferdinand

 

 

Edited August 29, 2020 by Ferdinand