Creating a new home from a dilapidated old building or on empty land takes a great deal of imagination, time, perseverance and foresight as well as a highly flexible approach to budgeting. At Constructors we are creative and resourceful, so that the result is what you anticipated.

Many disused buildings are in prime locations where new housebuilding would not be possible – former industrial buildings are often in central urban areas, for example, whilst barns tend to be in idyllic rural settings – at the heart of every conversion project is a desire to create a unique home. The fact that you can also reclaim some of the VAT paid on parts of your conversion work also makes converting attractive from a financial perspective.

However, before considering a project, remember that the very essence of converting is to retain the building’s existing characteristics and individual features. This means working with, rather than against, the existing building – and dealing with structural as well as design problems as you uncover them. Old buildings – much more so than building from scratch – are notoriously difficult beasts to master. Where you have land to build on we would need to maximise the space, leaving room for any added extras outside of the main project, such as car parking or an additional smaller home.
You will need detailed planning permission approval before you can commence conversion work.

You will need to consider that many barns, churches and other old buildings are listed, so as well as getting planning permission, you may also need listed buildings consent. If the building is in a Conservation Area, then there will be restrictions placed on what alterations you can make. If you are converting a church, you will also need permission from the church authorities.