The appeal of barn conversions: renovation, restoration, character and craftmanship
With an abundance of unused barns and agricultural buildings in our region, we spoke to Andy Mexome of Mexhomes, who specialise in converting and preserving these unique properties in Suffolk and Essex.
Not too far back in the mists of time, a farmer (who else could it be?) must have walked into one of his unused barns and thought, ‘this could become a home’. Whether that scenario is fanciful or not, barn conversions gained popularity as a way of repurposing obsolete, disused or derelict agricultural buildings. They could become residential or commercial properties and – leaping upon a profitable bandwagon – estate agents found they could sell plenty of them in the 1970s and 80s.
Not surprisingly, both Suffolk and Essex offer plenty of barns which are ripe for development, with farming the dominant industry in the region. It helped that many barns were left vacant, making them available for conversion at a relatively low cost. In addition, homebuyers were looking for properties with space for open-plan living – a kitchen that led into a dining area and then seamlessly became a sitting room and entertainment area. High ceilings and large windows allowed light to flood in – so even if these buildings also featured heavy wooden beams, they didn’t have to be gloomy.
As a former estate agent, Andy Mexome always had an interest in property and as well as exploring houses, he dreamt of living in a converted barn. Eventually the opportunity arose for him to buy one and work on it. “But it wasn’t easy as they are expensive beasts and I just about broke even,” he says. “I was hooked though and 95 conversions later, I’m still doing them through my Suffolk-based business, Mexhomes. I really love historic buildings and rural architecture, and my work is my way of preserving heritage while giving buildings a new lease of life.”
He clearly likes a challenge, as that expertise saw Andy incorporate two original grain silos into substantial 5-bedoom residential property in the Suffolk countryside.
Traditionally barns can be draughty, so is it challenging to meet the demands of today’s buyers who are seeking environmentally friendly, energy-efficient properties? Andy says “They can be made eco-friendly, though current legislation is slightly less demanding than for new builds, as the barns are classed as conversions. Having said that, all those I have converted have had underfloor heating systems and now we use air source heat pumps. Handmade flush windows can be used with triple glazing, and PV panels can also be used; however, I tend to be cautious regarding putting these on sensitive elevations. I think it’s about maintaining a balance and merging traditional building styles with sustainable building approaches.”
Planning regulations can keep developers like Andy on their toes. “It’s not generally that planners cause issues, it’s the guidelines they are having to adhere to. The ability to take a view on something seems to have completely gone. The project I am currently working on had an original planning approval, so you would have thought things would be reasonably easy, but no – it took 13 months! Ecology and biodiversity remain challenging aspects of the planning process, and whilst they are currently high-profile issues, I hope navigating them will become easier over time.”
Mexhomes are specialists in high-specification barn conversions and luxury barn inspired properties. We asked Andy if his properties have a typical purchaser. “We see a variety of buyers and of all the barns I’ve converted, I can only remember seeing five of them re-sell. I think this shows that anyone who buys one is buying a lifestyle and more often than not, a forever home.”