oakbydesign
01423 593 794
The sun was slowly setting and with it, his motivation to do anything. He sighed and grabbed the crumpled newspaper off the edge of the leather chair.
He had already read the whole thing the day before, but what else was there to do on a Sunday afternoon? He carefully unfolded the paper, trying to get it back to its original state, and started skimming through it again, hoping he had missed something the first time.
He always loved the property section, daydreaming about the lives of others, and the pictures of kitchens and bedrooms.
On page 31, he stumbled upon a barn that needed converting. The photo showed an old, abandoned building from the 1800s, and he could not help but think what kind of magic he could work in there.
The description said the building was perfect as a barn conversion, with plenty of room for customization and improvement. He immediately started dreaming of the possibilities: a cosy living room with a wood-burning stove, a kitchen with beautiful oak countertops, and maybe a couple of bedrooms with mezzanine balconies overlooking the main living space.
The possibilities were endless, and he could not help but get excited about the prospect of creating my own little oasis in the countryside. He knew this would be an enormous project, but the thought of breathing new life into an old building was too exciting to ignore.
He wondered how he could convert it, what would it look like and evaluating the question, how hard could it be? The television was full of programs showing magnificent building projects, their challenges, and pitfalls. He stood from a matching leather chair, folded the well-used paper and laid it on the floor. That was nearly five years ago as he typed the first chapter of “The Barn Project.”
That person was me, Richard Penny. My wife, Sarah and I would like to offer our experiences and advice within this guide for you. We will cover the products we used as well as situations that, when looking back, we may have handled differently.
We’re ready to share our experiences, stories and products from our own barn conversion journey. From the initial planning to the final touches, we’ll share all the tips, tricks, and lessons we learned along the way. So, join us and let’s get started!
This guide is created to demonstrate the various possibilities and decisions that come into play when constructing a build. The photos within this guide illustrate the barn conversion we have created and the core products that our business offers.
The picture of the barn was carefully cut from the used newspaper and shortly afterwards, we arranged for a viewing with the agent. Trying to visualise a derelict building as your home required some out of the box thinking. We were use to a modern home and the surroundings it had to offer; the carpets, white painted doors, flat ceilings and painted MDF. The barn conversion would have to be different, we thought, very different.
What would it cost? Would it be worth it? Although very difficult to estimate all costs, so systematically we tried to visualise the entire build sped up over a few hours, writing down everything that popped into our heads, starting at creating the footings and finishing at painting the walls. Homework was needed to establish how many and how much of everything was needed. Although we were able to claim any VAT on most items, and this was a separate area that we needed to look at, we decided not to take this into consideration.
Its worth mentioning that at the time of writing, the barn conversion would be eligible to be free of VAT. Some items are charged at 5%, but this also be recovered.. Basically, if you are converting a ‘”building” into a “dwelling” and the building has been unoccupied for 10 years or more, the VAT rules will be in your favour. To be on the safe side, we also added a further 10% for a contingency fund as you will always forget something.
In our case, the scaffolding, all of it! A cost we could not get around.
Whilst running Oak By Design in Tockwith, it was decided to embark on the project wearing numerous hats including project manager, quantity surveyor, labourer and many more. Naivety about the whole building process was, looking back on the build, a blessing in disguise; if we knew what was coming up, we may never have started it.
The barn was purchased in the March and the initial consensus was to clear the site of rubble, debris and other materials we did not need. We approached the barn conversion with the opinion of, why pay someone, when we can lift, carry, and work for ourselves? Through experience, this is not always the case. Who else would hire a JCB/digger at a high day rate without a qualified driver? It was toys for the boys, sitting in the large yellow machine faced with various levers, switches, dials, and pedals, having no idea of their purpose or function.
Fortunately, we had some land where many practice manoeuvre was made, perfecting the pirouettes, scoops and what seemed to be a 3D robotic-like approach.
The learning process was high, it had to be. With a clear canvas and architect drawings to work from, we were ready to start the build of our lives; the barn conversion!
It all started with a crumpled newspaper and a vision of what could be.
The barn already came with planning permission and a set of drawings showing the footprint and internal layout. Fortunately, there were no real planning restrictions since it was not located in a conservation area. Any materials used had to be like the ones previously used, such as bricks, roof tiles, and windows; these had to be approved by the local council.
We also had to adhere to the local building regulations, especially regarding the insulation of the walls and flooring. This was to ensure that the barn conversion was energy-efficient and comfortable for its inhabitants. We also had to consider the electrical wiring, plumbing, and heating, as well as ventilation and lighting systems. Any necessary fire escape routes had to be considered too. Once all the necessary paperwork was completed and approved, we could finally begin the exciting process of transforming the barn into our dream home.
Unfortunately, we did not have an architect, structural engineer, or surveyor, and, at the time, lacked experience in the building trade, so we had to look for professional help. Fortunately, we found a local architectural technician who was willing to provide us with detailed drawings for building control, such as for installation, footings, and u-values. We also acquired a set of working drawings with dimensions, roof sections, and more detailed work for the trades.
The barn was approximately 20 meters long and 6 meters wide, with an additional ‘wheelhouse’ and small outbuilding. We negotiated with the original owener that we would need to join the outbuilding to the main barn. This would create a 35 metre building provides impressive views from one end to the other.
We decided on the internal layout based on the most used rooms, their distance from each other, and the direction of the sunlight. We had no long-term plans, but we kept the design in mind for any possible buyers in the future.
The barn conversion was to have three double bedrooms upstairs, two with en-suite facilities,. Downstairs a large hallway/dining area, a family kitchen, lounge, conservatory, downstairs toilet, and study. The study could also be used as an annexe/forth bedroom with its own en-suite. We decided to remove another bedroom that was planned in the centre of the barn. Instead we create an entrance containing an oak staircase and galleried landings and expose roof trussses.
The barn conversion would require plenty of oak trusses, an oak staircase and possible oak conservatory. We’ll see!!
The plans gave us an initial layout, but as the build progressed, it was hard to visualize on paper, so the internal walls changed. In the end, we were able to create a unique and enjoyable living space that catered to our needs.
We also took advantage of natural light by adding skylights and larger windows to the design. We were also able to incorporate features like a large inglenook brick fireplace, built-in shelves, and custom oak work to create a cosy atmosphere. All in all, the final design was much different than what we had originally planned, but we hoped our hard work and creative ideas would pay off.
Part two will outline how we starting the massive task of clearing the barn of all the rubbish it had accumliated over the years. We will then the slow but enjoyable starting of the building process.
Telephone: 01423 593 794
Locksley Park
Blind Lane
Tockwith
YORK YO26 7QJ
Opening Times:
Mon to Fri - 9.00am to 5.00pm
Bank Holidays - Closed
Christmas 2024 - TBC
Oak By Design is the trading name of:
Penny Bricks & Timber Ltd.
Reg Number: 04384416
VAT Number: 664 8012 33
Left us a star review
My wife and I recently purchased an oak porch from Oak By Design. We are delighted with the porch and it has been much admired. We did get some help assembling it but everything fitted together perfectly.
Really delighted with the new porch by Oak by Design. It adds a super feature to my converted barn. Thanks to Joanne and the team.
Oak by design were a fantastic company to deal with. They made us some treads for a bespoke stair case from large pieces of air dried oak. They were very thorough in making sure that they understood exactly what we wanted. They made excellent suggestions for small changes to our own design in order to produce a better finished product and to manage the cost. We were very happy with the treads when they were delivered. They look fantastic and fitted perfectly to the steel frame which was made by a third party. I could not recommend them more highly.
Very impressed with Oak By Design. Customer service is fantastic and they were very patient in helping me ensure what I needed was the right size. Photos sent of oak cover before it was sent to me and end product was great. It was also not the most expensive either. Would definitely recommend.
A great company to deal with. Professional from start to finish and always there to assist with any queries. Highly recommended.
From the initial quotation right through to the delivery and after service Joanne has been brilliant and given me an excellent product. I have just ordered another porch for another project from them and I will continue to do so for future projects . Thomas and Bell Building Contractors Ltd
This is the second time that we have used Oak By Design for oak products and once again we weren’t disappointed. We recently ordered some internal oak doors and from the very start they were a pleasure to deal with. Joanne especially was extremely helpful and friendly, nothing was too much trouble. We were kept updated about the progress of our order. Unfortunately we needed to delay acceptance of the doors for a few weeks and Oak By Design happily agreed to store them in their workshop until we were ready for them. The quality of the doors is very high, they are very well made and finished, far better than any oak doors that you will buy “ off the shelf. “ They are all installed now and look fantastic. I would highly recommend Oak By Design and we will certainly use them again in the future if we require any more oak products. A huge thank you to Joanne and the whole team for a great service and a great product.
Firstly, the product quality was superb, a beautiful oak mantle piece for my fire place, gorgeous. The installation was quick, efficient and fitter very friendly. The price was very reasonable, actually very good value. But what makes it all SIX STAR, ( but we I can only give 5!), was the customer service. When walking in the shop I was perfectly attended to, I was given samples to take home and they remembered to call soma days later to see what I thought. Order to install time was very fast for such a bespoke service. My experience was world class, great to deal with a brilliant local/small business, I totally recommend.
Oak by Design have made 2 oak framed rooms for us, sunroom at the front and and "moonroom" (photo) at the back which encompasses a shower room, work area and storage. They have been helpful at every stage and the outcome is simply brilliant. They make the whole house feel roomier and brighter and are beautiful places to be. GE North Yorkshire
Ordered an oak mantle beam from Oak by Design and they quickly called to check the finer details. Unfortunatly, the beam was slightly damaged on arrival by the courier company. Oak by Design immediately arranged to have it picked by DHL, transferred back to Yorkshire from Kent, repaired and sent back within 2 days, with no quibbles. The beam is beautiful, as is the high quality customer service by these people. Fully recommend using this company. Anthony Slater, Tonbridge. Tonbridge.
From the moment we visited the Oak Design showroom, we knew that we were dealing with a top quality local company. Richard the owner, showed us around his design works with real pride of his product and service offering. Jamie as sales executive has discussed and agreed the options & design with costs to us and we have now implemented the first phase of our home improvement, with more work to follow. We are highly delighted with the finished product and would strongly recommend Oak Design to other interested clients. I also suggest that you pay them a personal visit at the Home Building & Renovation exhibition in Harrogate, as well as their wonderful showroom of Oak Solutions in Tockwith to get a personal guided tour.
What can I say, Oak By Design have been the most fantastic company to deal with. Joanne was so helpful, friendly and professional. She really seemed to care about our project, which made such a difference. We had 4 oak RSJ covers made and 2 fireplace mantles. The finish is outstanding. Everyone believes they are solid beams, which was just what we wanted. The care and attention this company will give you is 2nd to none and I would highly recommend them. Pictures will follow when we complete our project, thanks again Oak By Design. x
Amazing customer service from beginning to end . My builder was in awe at the quality of the oak porch components. Call them and ask for Joanne - what she doesn’t know isn’t worth knowing! It’s not every day you invest in a “proper” porch so do it right. You’ll definitely be delighted!
Great service from start to finish, Joanne was great help. Designs were spot on and so happy with the porch. 10/10. Fully recommend.
Excellent quality workmanship and materials. Very easy and friendly to deal with on the phone. Everything done on time and no problems at all. Will definitely use again next time I need an oak porch or any other oak structures.
Fantastic service and quality of product. I couldn’t be happier with my Oak porch, which was designed to my specification with the minimum of fuss. Joanne was so helpful and nothing was too much trouble. Incredibly well engineered and looks fantastic. Thank you so much.
My company has ordered 2 porches with Joanne from oak by design, and have more planned in the future. They've been brilliant from start to finnish. Great communication right through. And the quality of the product is exceptional. Do not hesitate to order.
Fantastic service from start to finish, I would have no hesitation in recommending this company or using them again. Very professional and helpful. Joanne was great in assisting us with choosing both styles and colours of the beams and cladding.
Having lived with our porch for over 2 years I can honestly say it’s the best addition to our house we ever made. Not only does it look fantastic the quality is outstanding. I love that it keeps the mud out of the hall and provides a seating area to remove muddy boots.
Posting on behalf of my Mother in Law, Shirley Abbott "Having planned to shop around, Oak By Design was my first stop. I had no need to look any further. Joanne patiently and professionally guiding me through the confusion of choosing the right flooring. The service and support from the staff was exceptional, efficient and helpful. And - my floor looks amazing!"
Exceptional service and beautiful flooring. Absolutely delighted with every aspect. Went above and beyond great customer service to meet our needs and timescales.
We are ‘over the moon’ with our beautiful oak porch made by Oakbydesign .From our initial enquiry to delivery and installation the service and attention to detail has been outstanding! A very big thank you to Joanne who was so helpful and friendly from start to finish which made the whole process such a pleasure. Highly recommend anyone looking for an oak porch to choose Oakbydesign . Yvonne Grant.
Great company, always on the end of the phone to talk through design, measurements, fitting. The Oak is very high standard, looks amazing.
Oak by Design were extremely helpful at all stages of my project from helping and advising me to choose the most appropriate beam through to advice on fixing the beam. They were extremely patient with changes to my beam dimension requirements finally providing a solution to suit my project. They provided photographs on completion of the beam prior to dispatch to ensure that my requirements had been met. I was extremely impressed by the quality and finish of the beam which has become the focal point for my fireplace project. Oak by Design provided customer care of the highest quality and I would highly recommend their services.
We decided to get an oak porch to make our home more attractive and we are so glad we did as it really is beautiful ! Joanne and the Team have been professional, friendly and just a pleasure to deal with ! Thank you so much !!
We purchased some engineered oak flooring and oak covers from Oak By Design and couldn't be happier with the finish and quality. They are spot on. Joanne was extremely helpful throughout the whole process and provided plenty of advice when necessary. Thank you
From start to finish Oak By Design have been incredible, nothing was too much trouble. Our new Oak doors are beautifully made and have really been the icing on the cake to finish our house renovations off. We have also had a fabulous outdoor oak structure with heating and we are very much looking forward to making the most of it in the months ahead. Thank you to the whole team I would throughly recommend.
Four years ago we took the decision to completely gut an old farmhouse and start again with it, we started looking for a supplier of oak to refit all of the internal doors, door casings, skirting and flooring. Our carpenter recommended Oak By Design. He wasn't wrong! All of the oak has been completely top notch. As the old house has settled into it's new skin it has moved and cracked in various places, the only thing that has been stable and unwavering is the oak. The customer service has been superb, with them continuing to supply exactly the same items, with the same quality over the course of 4 years. They even indulged our designs for furniture for our "boot room", with Shoe pigeon holes and a bench which we could store wellies under (as pictured). The doors supplied by them are reassuringly heavy and sturdy, with a proper "thunk" as you close them, cutting off sound from the rest of the house. There may be other, cheaper suppliers of oak out there, but none with the same level of quality, longevity and customer service as Oak By Design. If you want to do it right (& once!) use these guys.
We were looking to have a bespoke oak and glass atrium for the front of our new house renovation. We wanted to find a company we trusted, who clearly understood our brief and could manufacture and install a high quality product at a competitive price. A big ask, but OakByDesign ticked all our boxes. Jamie and the team from the initial discovery meeting to completion of the installation were fantastic. The design, material quality and installation were first class and I would highly recommend you to include them within your project plans. Thank you all. Ben and Lindsay.
I firstly used oak by design a couple of years ago for an open oak porch. They were extremely helpful and everything was delivered on time to the highest quality. The porch went together with the oak dowels provided and looked great when it was all slated in. They have also supplied me with a oak beam for a fireplace natural random finish and it looks good.
We can thoroughly recommend Oak by Design. Not only did they provide the best of oak floors and oak staircase to suit our new, contemporary home, but they returned to make good a problem which was not their fault. Going the extra mile separates great companies from ordinary firms. Thank you Jamie & Billy. From Mike & Barbara, York.
Great service by a friendly professional team, a pleasure to work with. The end result of our oak glazed leisure spa and outdoor kitchen looks fantastic. Great job
My client was looking for ways in which to make his conversion (of an early seventies house into a period family farmhouse) “stand out from the crowd”. whilst maintaining a commercial eye on his expenditure, as the house was being converted for resale profit. Making the choice to meet with Richard and explore possibilities for incorporating some Real solid Oak features into his plans proved to be the making of the project. By taking lots of advice from Richard on both the size and structure of the components we were able to incorporate three key features. The beautiful and bold roof trusses and purlins for the open plan kitchen are simply a joy to behold. The stunning full height gable window which is directly glazed into the large framework can be appreciated from both the the kerbside and of course from within the cosy snug on the ground floor or the amazing first floor main bedroom where we incorporated some additional exposed roof beams just purely for effect. All in all it is fair to say that these significant choices certainly created the wow factor my client was looking for. Having managed to pre sell the property well before completion it in itself demonstrates the benefits of keeping these sorts of real oak features as part of a modern build. I have no hesitation whatsoever is saying that if anyone is looking to get advice and is serious about investing in quality oak products they should have no need to look further than Oak by Design. Thanks again Richard for all your help , guidance and continued support which is a credit to you and the craftsmen you employ.
Found Oak by Design searching for a new front porch to replace a canopy and knew immediately that this was company for the job and I was not disappointed. I already knew what I wanted and Richard, very patiently, developed my basic requirements, with a number of iterations, into a full detailed design. As I live outside their site working area I decided go for supply only and to install the porch myself. It was delivered as promised and it looked great even on the pallet! It took me a while to fit but it was very satisfying and the result is fantastic. The quality of the aged oak and carpentry of the timbers is excellent. I’m delighted with the porch supplied by Oak by Design - it looks superb.
First class service and product . Our car port and steps look fantastic and blends in with the existing buildings beautifully. Would definitely recommend them.
Oak by design provided our engineered oak flooring. From our initial meeting and supply of samples to the final delivery we have been provided with excellent service. Carl has been in touch throughout the process and provided updates about the lead time and expected delivery dates. We are delighted with the flooring. Very happy to recommend Oak by design.
We worked with Jamie from Oak By Design on a super project near Wetherby. There was plenty of oak in this design for the team to really show their worth - and they did. The attention to detail was excellent. If anything was not quite how the client wanted it, they were straight back to attend to this. The customer care was superb. We look forward to working with Oak By Design on another project soon.
On behalf of John Docherty: Oak By Design were a great company to deal with; helpful, knowledgeable, professional. The quality of the oak supplied to us for our bespoke porch was first class. Nothing was too much trouble for this company, and we will definitely be using this wonderful company again in 2022.
Amazing craftsmanship from this company. The customer service from Joanne was superb. My questions and indecisiveness were never an issue and she was always on hand to offer advice and find the answers to my questions. Our oak porch has transformed the house and we are over thd moon with it. Would highly recommend Oak By Design. Joanne is an asset to the sales and promotion of this company and is very knowledgeable. Would give 10 stars if I could!
We ordered two bespoke doors and two bespoke porches for our house build from Joanne at OByD. We were specifically delighted with Joanne's attention to detail (and patience! lol) making the overall customer experience excellent. The product was equally fantastic, the product quality was truly beyond our expectations. Joanne is super helpful and knowledgeable, and kept my spirits up throughout our project. We would 100% recommend OByD, and specifically Joanne, for all your standard and bespoke oak requirements. H&D
I first used Oak by Design in 2021 for a oak porch, I used them again 2023 for an oak pergola. Both times my clients have been Delighted with the finished product. Both times the product was delivered when stated, everything i needed was on the delivery. Oak by design listened to what I required for both jobs. The quality of the oak is excellent, all joints fit correctly & if I had a problem I only had to ring and speak to them. R Brown Carpentry always recommends Oak by Design when asked about oak structures.
We are delighted with our porch, from Oak by Design. Not only is the porch of excellent quality and finish but their customer service could not have been better. They bent over backwards to make sure that we were happy with the porch and I would happily recommend them to anyone.
Fantastic staff with fantastic craftsmanship. Great communication and always on the ball. I would highly recommend oak by design, I don’t think you could get a better quality oak porch anywhere. Extremely pleased with ours , always getting compliments from fellow villagers
On behalf of Shears PHG Our customer was looking at having an oak porch built for their property in the West Midlands we got in contact with Joanne at Oak by Design and she was really helpful, always friendly on the phone and polite nothing was too much trouble. Joanne kept us up to date through every stage and our customer is really pleased with the results of the Porch it looks great and we wouldn’t hesitate to use them again in the future
