Month: October 2008

  • VAT Reclaim – Preparation

    I know that many UK readers of this blog are interested in Value Added Tax (VAT) in relation to conversion projects. As we’ll be nearing the end of our own project over the next couple of months (fingers crossed), I thought a refresher on what the current policy is and what you need to do…

  • Insulation ~ Wood Fibreboard

    Made from pulped wood, wood fibreboard is potentially a local material for all. As such the challenges and costs (both financial and environmental) of transportation can be more easily managed than some alternatives. Description The pulped wood is held together to form boards, the adhesive used will influence the sustainability and environmental impact of the…

  • My Barn Conversion Is Changing…

    We’ll be making a few changes to My Barn Conversion over the coming weeks. Hopefully they won’t cause any problems but if you notice anything strange around here don’t worry it’s not the Halloween effect, it’s just progress…

  • Insulation ~ Strawboard

    Made from straw, a practically global resource strawboard is potentially a local material for all. Best viewed as an insulating ecological alternative to chipboard rather than purely as an insulator. Description Strawboard is made from straw waste that is pressed and then exposed to heat. Heated straw sweats out resins which create a natural binder.…

  • Attention to detail… October 2008 update

    You can’t beat a good list – this is the current position: In Progress Flooring and tiling We’ve bought slate wall tiles for both bathrooms and will buy slate flooring shortly. We’ve selected oak flooring for the first floor and a nice champagne coloured sandstone for the ground floor – orders for both will be…

  • Building Progress ~ to middle of October 2008

    The South facing gable end of the barn has been one of the biggest issues we’ve faced. It always looked very sound and had been repointed recently. Once work started it become apparent that the pointing wasn’t as sound as it looked – in fact the higher up the wall you went the worse it…

  • Parasitic architecture

    Whilst bringing to mind images of ticks and leeches, parasitic architecture is an umbrella term, used to refer to self-contained new buildings that are attached to an existing structure. Parasitic because of the use made of existing infrastructure. Personally, after the time and energy that have gone into my barn conversion project the prospect of…

  • Building Progress ~ September 2008

    As Autumn (and an end to lime pointing) approaches things have come on at the barn. Plastered! We’ve been plastered. Plastering has been completed except for right at the ‘top’ of the barn, where the ceilings have yet to be completed. Cabling and pipes for the solar panels and other services are carried through a…

  • Heat pumps

    Many people visiting this site are looking for information about heat pumps, being one who believes in giving the people what they want I thought an up-to-date summary was in order… Heat pumps take heat from a donor heat transfer medium (earth / air / water) and condense it for the purpose of heating water…

  • Management and Control

    I’ve given my opinion and explained the pragmatic approach to project management (some might call it a lack of management) that I employ. I’ve also described some of the tools that I use … Google documents & Basecamp … and some of the questions to answer when deciding ‘how to manage your project‘. Progressing with…