Barn or Farmhouse

[Vugarh]

Hello, dear forum members!

I’m planning to build my own house and would appreciate any advice, recommendations, or examples from your experience.

Current situation:
    •    Plot: 1500 m² (25 x 60 m), rectangular, with good access.
    •    Location: The land is flat. I’m planning to place the house closer to the front side, with windows facing south/east.
    •    Utilities: Planning to install a well and a septic system. Electricity is already connected.
    •    Preferred house style: Single-story, in barnhouse or modern farmhouse style. I like simple, functional forms, high ceilings, natural materials, and lots of light and air.

House preferences:
    •    Total area: Around 130–150 m²
    •    Bedrooms: 3 (one master bedroom with ensuite bathroom and walk-in closet, two for children/guests)
    •    Spacious kitchen-living room with access to a terrace
    •    Shared bathroom for the two smaller bedrooms
    •    Utility room/laundry
    •    Ideally, a small pantry next to the kitchen
    •    High ceilings (preferably 3–3.2 m), possibly with exposed beams
    •    Terrace with a pergola or canopy facing the backyard
    •    Panoramic windows, but energy-efficient

Additional site plans:
    Parking for 2–3 cars near the entrance
    Septic tank closer to the road, at a safe distance from the house
     Well in the far corner of the plot
     Backyard should include a relaxing area with a terrace, lawn, trees, and possibly a barbecue area
     Considering installing a wood-burning stove or fireplace

I’d especially appreciate advice on the following:
    How to best position windows and functional zones according to sunlight and cardinal directions?
    What materials are most suitable for building in barnhouse/farmhouse style (e.g., timber frame, aerated concrete blocks, SIP panels)?
    What should I consider when designing the terrace and roof?
    Is it worth having high ceilings throughout the house or only in the living area?
    How to properly plan heating and ventilation in a home with large glazed areas?

I would be grateful for any ideas, layout examples, or personal experiences from similar builds. Especially interested in hearing what you would have done differently and what you’d recommend thinking about from the very beginning.

Thank you in advance!

[JohnMo]

Welcome

Heating UFH in main areas, would do fan coils in bedrooms. Design to run for heating and cooling unvented cylinder. ASHP to heat and cool.

 

Ventilation If you go for a good airtightness MVHR (airtightness of 2 or better), otherwise conditions based MEV or dMEV with humidity activated trickle vents.

 

High ceilings - YES. We have vaulted ceilings all room they are great.

16 minutes ago, Vugarh said:

aerated concrete blocks, SIP panels

NO to both. I would either do twin stud timber frame, with either cellulose insulation or rock wool insulation, ICF or block work with big cavity and poly beads insulation.

 

Bungalow have a poor form factor, which means they need way more insulation to have the same heat loss as a good form factor (a cube shaped house), so U values - floor aim for 0.1, walls better than 0.14, roof 0.14 or better. Glazing, triple glazed.

24 minutes ago, Vugarh said:

Considering installing a wood-burning stove or fireplace

Fireplace no, stove with external air for primary and secondary air.

[JohnMo]

29 minutes ago, Vugarh said:

Well in the far corner of the plot

Get a water diviner to tell where to locate well or borehole. You need it where the water is, it's not likely to be where you want

[IanR]

23 minutes ago, Vugarh said:

    •    Utilities: Planning to install a well and a septic system. Electricity is already connected.
    ~~~~~~

    Septic tank closer to the road, at a safe distance from the house

 

Hi and Welcome. Whereabouts in the world is your planned self-build?

 

In England, you can't have a Treatment Plant discharging within 50m of a private water extraction point, for human consumption. Even if your location allows that, it's a good rule to stick to.

 

28 minutes ago, Vugarh said:

    •    High ceilings (preferably 3–3.2 m), possibly with exposed beams
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What materials are most suitable for building in barnhouse/farmhouse style (e.g., timber frame, aerated concrete blocks, SIP panels)?

 

Does this not dictate your construction method to one of timber-frame?

[Vugarh]

Thank you all very much for your helpful responses and suggestions. I truly appreciate your time and input.

 

I forgot to mention earlier that the house will be built in Ukraine, not far from the city of Kyiv. I’m originally from Ukraine, but after spending some time living in the UK—specifically in a barn or farmhouse-style home—I realized that this architectural style really resonates with me. It feels like home.

 

That’s why I’ve decided to build something similar for myself. I have a reliable team who will assist with the foundation work, but I hope to take on much of the remaining construction myself.

[Vugarh]

Please note that the regulations regarding septic systems and water wells are different in Ukraine, so you can disregard that part. I will be following all local laws and building according to our national standards.

 

What I’m mainly looking for is advice on construction methods and technologies. If any of you already have similar projects or plans that you’d be willing to share, I would be truly grateful.

[Vugarh]

13 minutes ago, IanR said:

 

Hi and Welcome. Whereabouts in the world is your planned self-build?

Ukraine 🇺🇦  

[Vugarh]

19 minutes ago, IanR said:

 

Does this not dictate your construction method to one of timber-frame?

At this point, I’m leaning toward building the house with aerated concrete blocks (AAC). Given who our neighbor is (Russia), I believe this option offers better safety and durability under current circumstances.

 

Ideally, I’d build the whole house out of steel so that no drone could penetrate it — just kidding!😉 

That said, I’m still open to considering timber frame options as well, especially if they offer significant advantages in terms of insulation, construction speed, or aesthetics.

[JohnMo]

8 hours ago, Vugarh said:

At this point, I’m leaning toward building the house with aerated concrete blocks (AAC). Given who our neighbor is (Russia), I believe this option offers better safety and durability under current circumstances.

 

Ideally, I’d build the whole house out of steel so that no drone could penetrate it — just kidding!😉 

That said, I’m still open to considering timber frame options as well, especially if they offer significant advantages in terms of insulation, construction speed, or aesthetics.

I would build, pretty similar to what is done locally, the skill sets are readily available, materials are normal to those using them

[Tom]

9 hours ago, JohnMo said:

Get a water diviner to tell where to locate well or borehole. You need it where the water is, it's not likely to be where you want

and perhaps a tarot card reader to advise on the construction method?

[JohnMo]

1 hour ago, Tom said:

and perhaps a tarot card reader to advise on the construction method?

You may be a doubter, but it was a condition of my well being bored. No water diverter, no well. Company has a near 100% success rate. The guy came around within 10 minutes stated exactly where to drill and said when we would hit water at x metres, and that we were to ignore and continue to get to main reservoir. Was spot on within a metre depth.

 

Also friend is developing on old site which had private water, spent a week trying to find well, water diviner had it located in less than half an hour.

 

From my limited experience it works. So why knock it?

[Vugarh]

According to feedback from my neighbors in the area, groundwater is typically found at a depth of 30 to 40 meters, which is considered normal for our region. This is how things are usually done here—fortunately or unfortunately

[Vugarh]

Today, the topographic and geodetic surveys were completed, and I’m currently waiting for the results. Next, I plan to conduct a geological investigation to determine the most appropriate type of foundation for the site. 🤞

[Vugarh]

We need something like this 

 

[Tom]

On 09/05/2025 at 10:21, JohnMo said:

From my limited experience it works. So why knock it?

 

Because dowsing is an absolute load of bollocks! Under properly controlled testing, dowsing has NEVER been shown to work. Especially in a forum that seems to strive to apply logic and rational thought to the building process, we really shouldn't be giving this hokum any airtime.

[JohnMo]

1 minute ago, Tom said:

 

Because dowsing is an absolute load of bollocks! Under properly controlled testing, dowsing has NEVER been shown to work. Especially in a forum that seems to strive to apply logic and rational thought to the building process, we really shouldn't be giving this hokum any airtime.

What venom - your a happy soul!

 

Worked for me, works for the company I used, that's all I can say.

[Tom]

3 minutes ago, JohnMo said:

What venom - your a happy soul!

I know, but my horoscope says I've got a good week coming 

 

4 minutes ago, JohnMo said:

works for the company I used

Definitely does, especially if they charged you for it!

[JohnMo]

1 minute ago, Tom said:

Definitely does, especially if they charged you for it!

They make nothing out of it, I paid the guy direct, the princely fee of £40.

[Onoff]

On 09/05/2025 at 08:44, Tom said:

and perhaps a tarot card reader to advise on the construction method?

 

Funnily enough we had a leak we couldn't find. Got the water board out. East European chap turned up. Couldn't find the leak so pulled out some divining rods saying the water board frowned upon him using them. Pinpointed the leak within 2m over a 50m run. Said he couldn't be sure because of a concrete path. Sure enough the leak was under the path which was full of old chain link fencing and random bits of iron.

 

I'm a believer. 

[Vugarh]

This is my plan
Please criticize and suggest your ideas

 

1 Hallway - 6.61
2 Study - 8.89
3 Bedroom 12.02
4 Bedroom 13.93
5 Wardrobe 3.87

6 W/C 4.41
7 Bathroom 8.40
8 Laundry 3.60
9 Furnace 5.17
10 Pantry 2.29
11 Kitchen 9.90
12 Living room 27.44
13 Corridor 8.23
114.76 m2

Edited 8 hours ago by Vugarh

[LDNRennovation]

I don’t really like the flow of your kitchen, it’s being treated as another utility area and not the star of your house. You spend a lot of money and time there, it should feel more open and less boxy. How about you take some space of your furnace, and open that area up? I also think your dining are is in the way and will always annoy you there - it doesn’t look spacious to me. 
 

Also, it’s nicer to have something at the end of a corridor rather than a blank wall.

[LDNRennovation]

7 hours ago, JohnMo said:

What venom - your a happy soul!

 

Worked for me, works for the company I used, that's all I can say.

I hate this, and I am a skeptic all the way. I have studied physics. 
 

but I have seen dowsing work, by my relative, who’s a farmer who uses it to find drains. He found a drain in France for my family when I was building a villa. I’ve seen a guy working for Anglian water secretly use them to find a culvert, then he got embarassed and pretended he didn’t have them. Is it micro suggestions? The way the ground slopes? No clue at all. 
 

I don’t know how or why, but I’ve seen it.