Bats

[OTheHugeManatee]

Does anyone have experience of working around bats when renovating a building?

We are currently doing a bit of research/planning prior to converting one of our outbuildings to use for gym/fitness equipment. However there are a couple of pipistrelle bats that roost in the beams (it's a smallish Victorian barn). I gather that doing renovation work where bats are present can be a major complication and potentially expensive.

Does anyone have any experience of how to manage this so we don't get hugely ripped off by 'bat consultants' or end up going about it wrong? I like our bats and want them to keep on living with us but we definitely also want to be able to use the barn!

Grateful for any advice

Also before anyone else can...

HERE IS THE BAT IN QUESTION.

But I really do have bats in the barn! Can anyone help?

You unfortunately can't work around them as they are protected, before any works start you need to help them 'rehome' themselves elsewhere.

Local council best place to start, and they will know who can look and advise.

You could try your local Wildlife Trust. They may be able to advise.

Your cant work around them. If bats are in residence you can't do anything to upset them.

We had them in an attic so couldn't do a loft conversion or an extension that required some minor changes to the attic.

You will also be limited as to the time of year in which you allowed to do anything nearby so as to not upset them. One resident bat has cost a family member thousands in surveys, building alternative bat accommodation, and delayed his development by 4 years. But I think their bat was particularly rare.