Would you buy a barn/stable conversion?

[JellyBellies]

We have seen a stable conversion that's meets all our current requirements. My worry is that we can never go any bigger. The bedrooms that are upstairs have quite low ceilings so not sure how wardrobes etc would work.

We have young kids 5 and 7. Would you do it?

No because personally I think they are always dark inside

It depends, i dont like them generally, but i have one because it is very different from the norm.
Salene, a bit of an over generalisation to say they are always dark inside. Mine is very light, and has beautiful features and is a good size.

Obviously, without seeing yours OP i cant comment.

Thanks. Yes, i know it's hard to tell withouy seeing it! But conversions in general, are they different in other ways to regular houses? As in insurance etc?

It's quite big, but I don't get the feeling of space, IYSWIM. DH is in love with it as it has character.

Sorry we viewed loads previously and they were all dark inside and it's just put me off altogether so now I wouldn't even look twice at one on Internet let alone view it

There just not for me.

Same as regular homes, unless they are listed. Then you just have to get further approvals from council etc. Insurance is the same. You can still extend them etc.

My neighbours live in a converted stable. They swear it still smells of horse pee when the wind is coming down the chimney

yes, I was going to say the walls are usually impregnated with urine and it will form crystals on the inside indefinitely, and attract damp. You could insulate and dry line it which might reduce odour penetration. It is pretty sure to have been built with shallow foundations, no dpc and thin walls. Headroom may be quite good though.

Victorian barns on the other hand were often built to very high standards in solidity and materials, though reroofing will be expensive.

Re insurance. Our H/H is timber framed, as are many barns, and although internally it has the usual insulation and plaster etc of any other house, it has Cedar cladding. Some insurance companies will not insure, because of the cladding. Wooden barn conversions might have the same difficulty, but there are a few companies that will insure at a reasonable cost, so don't be put off.

My sister lives in a barn conversion which they are currently selling so they can move closer to elderly parents. It's gorgeous, has room for expansion (between garage and barn) and if I could afford would definitely consider moving there!

Thanks everyone. Can I just insure it as a semidetached house? Or do I need specialist insurance?