barn conversion plan critique

[Somersetcider]

hi all 

 

so i am at the point of finalizing drawings ready to engage my architect to do final drawings for planning. We have already had pre planning with the council and they are happy with the scheme ive come up with with the new build element. The planning will be under paragraph 80 conversion of redundant and disused buildings in the countryside, its quite a rural location the majority of local buildings are built from blue lias stone with a mix of styles of agricultural barns so i have tried to reflect this within the design.

 

The existing main barn is 13x5mtrs built of 150mm dense blockwork the rest of the buildings on the site are planned to be demolished and i have drawn a new single story extension to the main barn in the same style as existing almost as a mirror. there are neighbors both sides of it one of which is a new development overlooks the plot quite badly so i have left the west elevation without windows with the exception of two top light portholes.

 

The one element i am not 100% happy with the form of is the end lean to pieces, the existing barn has a small leanto that I plan to house a plant room/utility room this would have been built at the same time as the main barn and is well tied into the main structure so i am not keen to demolish and replace in a different form, i was planning to mirror this on a new build element it wouldn't be able to go across to meet the existing due to the heights and the valley so I have planned for a lower height external store to infill which would be a very useful space.

 

My dad has suggested to switch to a pitched roof on the lean to elements but i cant quite visualize if this will look correct or will add too much bulk to the form?

 

I plan for the main barn to be insulated internally with a timber frame, the new build element will be timber frame post and beam with exposed trusses all with a focus on airtightness and good insulation values i have already found the spreadsheet on this forum and some other resources to plan this through i was also contemplating to get the phpp even though this wouldn't be a certified project however ive heard this is complex to use so im unsure if this would be wise?

 

Budget is tight, i will be doing the majority of the work so trying to keep everything as simple and easy as possible! i am a welder & fabricator by trade and run a manufacturing business but im also pretty good with timber and finish carpentry and ive got plenty of trade contacts from previous customers etc

 

i just didn't know if anyone else had any other design ideas? or if ive missed/ not thought about something? unfortunately with my trade etc im one of those that has to have everything perfect and planned in minute detail!!

 

Hopefully attached are some pics of the main barn, survey of exisitng buildings and also my drawings they are to scale as best as i could drawn on a4 paper.

 

 

floorplan and elevations with new build element.pdf survey of existing building.pdf

Edited January 29, 2023 by Somersetcider

[Papillon]

I don’t get why you have done so many drawings and a finalised your scheme before engaging an architect? 
 

They would traditionally be the one who gave you some ideas and let you know what you could achieve.

 

 

on the plus side though, that looks like an excellent survey.

[Bozza]

I think you’re meaning that you are unsure how a long building would look with the lean to, if you have the roof line the same all away long.   As in it would be “too long” as it’s a low building.    Your drawings make reference to cladding and stone.

 

with long building it’s easy to break them up by changing the roof height slightly and a change of material.  Like in the picture attached.  Well placed planting can do that too, break up a long building.

 

apologies if I’ve misunderstood your query. 

 

 

[Somersetcider]

21 minutes ago, Papillon said:

I don’t get why you have done so many drawings and a finalised your scheme before engaging an architect? 
 

They would traditionally be the one who gave you some ideas and let you know what you could achieve.

 

 

on the plus side though, that looks like an excellent survey.

This is unfortunately part of me and how I work 🫣. My architect that we have is more of a technical building control drawings rather than a designer as such. We were initially planning for a new build but council has said they would never approve in this location so it’s been back to the drawing board! 
 

thank you it was one of the first things    Our architect suggested we get done and has been very useful. 

[Somersetcider]

11 minutes ago, Bozza said:

I think you’re meaning that you are unsure how a long building would look with the lean to, if you have the roof line the same all away long.   As in it would be “too long” as it’s a low building.    Your drawings make reference to cladding and stone.

 

with long building it’s easy to break them up by changing the roof height slightly and a change of material.  Like in the picture attached.  Well placed planting can do that too, break up a long building.

 

apologies if I’ve misunderstood your query. 

 

 

Thank you that’s perfect! Exactly what I meant. I hadn’t thought about a change of material/switch of cladding direction on the end parts would help to break up better. I was already thinking to have a difference in roof height if I went over to a pitch roof. 
 

The thinking is it would make it look less of an afterthought and modernise the building a bit?

[Bozza]

3 hours ago, Somersetcider said:

The thinking is it would make it look less of an afterthought and modernise the building a bit?

Yeah if you look at my house on my profile page.  The timber clad section with the lower roof on the left.  That was done like that because we felt if it was all one height / same material it would look too long and bland.  Also balances the timber with the prominent elevation to the right.