Has anyone ever lived in a church conversion?
Discussion
I'm currently looking at a flat that used to be an old church.
On the plus side, it's got loads of period features, it's airy, roomy and my missus is scared of staying there.
On the negative side, it seems to have no gas (electric cooker and electric heating) and the walls are solid and possibly not well insulated . Current EPC is a F (32), they have said the walls are solid whinstone or granite, and no insulation is assumed.
Does anyone know if there is anything specific I should look out for in these sorts of properties? It doesn't seem to be the most sympathetic conversion to be honest - it's stunning from the outside, but it seems a lot of the internal features have been removed. Not sure why.
On the plus side, it's got loads of period features, it's airy, roomy and my missus is scared of staying there.
On the negative side, it seems to have no gas (electric cooker and electric heating) and the walls are solid and possibly not well insulated . Current EPC is a F (32), they have said the walls are solid whinstone or granite, and no insulation is assumed.
Does anyone know if there is anything specific I should look out for in these sorts of properties? It doesn't seem to be the most sympathetic conversion to be honest - it's stunning from the outside, but it seems a lot of the internal features have been removed. Not sure why.
Not lived in one myself, but I do remember this. See picture 5 
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
MitchT said:
Not lived in one myself, but I do remember this. See picture 5
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
Until that point I was about to say how nice that was. Brilliant!
MitchT said:
Not lived in one myself, but I do remember this. See picture 5
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
I've stayed in this Church! It's a private holiday let.http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
We've just had an offer accepted on one!
Fortunately, no cock-shaped windows:
https://issuu.com/fineandcountrypl/docs/50055293_t...
We are expecting higher heating bills... it has wet UFH on the ground floor, and electric UFH for the upper - plus a multifuel stove in the 'lounge' area.
We will probably also put a 2nd burner up in the ante-room on the top floor (same side of the building as the one in the lounge).
The wet UFH runs from an air source heat pump, but I'm expecting a substantial bill.
Fortunately, no cock-shaped windows:
https://issuu.com/fineandcountrypl/docs/50055293_t...
We are expecting higher heating bills... it has wet UFH on the ground floor, and electric UFH for the upper - plus a multifuel stove in the 'lounge' area.
We will probably also put a 2nd burner up in the ante-room on the top floor (same side of the building as the one in the lounge).
The wet UFH runs from an air source heat pump, but I'm expecting a substantial bill.
Edited by timetex on Tuesday 21st February 13:18
timetex said:
We've just had an offer accepted on one!
Fortunately, no cock-shaped windows:
https://issuu.com/fineandcountrypl/docs/50055293_t...
We are expecting higher heating bills... it has wet UFH on the ground floor, and electric UFH for the upper - plus a multifuel stove in the 'lounge' area.
We will probably also put a 2nd burner up in the ante-room on the top floor (same side of the building as the one in the lounge).
The wet UFH runs from an air source heat pump, but I'm expecting a substantial bill.
Definitely one of the best I have seen by MILES.Fortunately, no cock-shaped windows:
https://issuu.com/fineandcountrypl/docs/50055293_t...
We are expecting higher heating bills... it has wet UFH on the ground floor, and electric UFH for the upper - plus a multifuel stove in the 'lounge' area.
We will probably also put a 2nd burner up in the ante-room on the top floor (same side of the building as the one in the lounge).
The wet UFH runs from an air source heat pump, but I'm expecting a substantial bill.
Edited by timetex on Tuesday 21st February 13:18
Usually they are fairly terrible after being converted.
timetex said:
We've just had an offer accepted on one!
Fortunately, no cock-shaped windows:
https://issuu.com/fineandcountrypl/docs/50055293_t...
We are expecting higher heating bills... it has wet UFH on the ground floor, and electric UFH for the upper - plus a multifuel stove in the 'lounge' area.
We will probably also put a 2nd burner up in the ante-room on the top floor (same side of the building as the one in the lounge).
The wet UFH runs from an air source heat pump, but I'm expecting a substantial bill.
That is absolutely stunning! If I may, how much are you paying for it?Fortunately, no cock-shaped windows:
https://issuu.com/fineandcountrypl/docs/50055293_t...
We are expecting higher heating bills... it has wet UFH on the ground floor, and electric UFH for the upper - plus a multifuel stove in the 'lounge' area.
We will probably also put a 2nd burner up in the ante-room on the top floor (same side of the building as the one in the lounge).
The wet UFH runs from an air source heat pump, but I'm expecting a substantial bill.
Edited by timetex on Tuesday 21st February 13:18
timetex said:
We've just had an offer accepted on one!
Fortunately, no cock-shaped windows:
https://issuu.com/fineandcountrypl/docs/50055293_t...
We are expecting higher heating bills... it has wet UFH on the ground floor, and electric UFH for the upper - plus a multifuel stove in the 'lounge' area.
We will probably also put a 2nd burner up in the ante-room on the top floor (same side of the building as the one in the lounge).
The wet UFH runs from an air source heat pump, but I'm expecting a substantial bill.
That looks amazing, well done!!Fortunately, no cock-shaped windows:
https://issuu.com/fineandcountrypl/docs/50055293_t...
We are expecting higher heating bills... it has wet UFH on the ground floor, and electric UFH for the upper - plus a multifuel stove in the 'lounge' area.
We will probably also put a 2nd burner up in the ante-room on the top floor (same side of the building as the one in the lounge).
The wet UFH runs from an air source heat pump, but I'm expecting a substantial bill.
Edited by timetex on Tuesday 21st February 13:18
leemanning said:
timetex said:
We've just had an offer accepted on one!
Fortunately, no cock-shaped windows:
https://issuu.com/fineandcountrypl/docs/50055293_t...
We are expecting higher heating bills... it has wet UFH on the ground floor, and electric UFH for the upper - plus a multifuel stove in the 'lounge' area.
We will probably also put a 2nd burner up in the ante-room on the top floor (same side of the building as the one in the lounge).
The wet UFH runs from an air source heat pump, but I'm expecting a substantial bill.
That is absolutely stunning! If I may, how much are you paying for it?Fortunately, no cock-shaped windows:
https://issuu.com/fineandcountrypl/docs/50055293_t...
We are expecting higher heating bills... it has wet UFH on the ground floor, and electric UFH for the upper - plus a multifuel stove in the 'lounge' area.
We will probably also put a 2nd burner up in the ante-room on the top floor (same side of the building as the one in the lounge).
The wet UFH runs from an air source heat pump, but I'm expecting a substantial bill.
Edited by timetex on Tuesday 21st February 13:18
Yeah, asking price is fairly easy to find - £1.25m
Considering the vendors purchased the church 'shell' for about £165k, I think...
But it has had substantial work done, including the cutting through of a few new windows and the french doors, the total replacement of all the leaded windows, the roof has been off, it has been wired up with Rako stuff, an air source heat pump, all Siemens stuff in the kitchen, and a flush-mounted iPad mini.
They're even leaving us the Sonos kit (which sounds absolutely fabulous, the sound bar, sub and two play 1s mounted quite high up as rears) and the TV, it is fully wired for ethernet and we can't see much we want to change about it, other than a garden room outside instead of their summerhouse, as a studio / office.
At £1.25m it was overpriced, so we offered below that obviously, but they weren't prepared to let it go overly cheaply even though they've caught the bug for this kind of thing and want to start on a new project!
We looked at the uplift costs from our 10-year old 'new build' on the edge of a development in North Herts, and aside from eye-watering levels of stamp duty, its only about 10% more than our current place (which is lovely, but has no character or charm) so we feel we're getting a bargain.
So, in short, Church conversions can be done properly. The stained glass was redone by the Courtauld family in 1911 and looks a picture, and the building is just grand enough to give a 'wow' factor without being overly cavernous or ridiculous that it doesn't feel like home.
Hope to be moving in 10-12 weeks!
Considering the vendors purchased the church 'shell' for about £165k, I think...
But it has had substantial work done, including the cutting through of a few new windows and the french doors, the total replacement of all the leaded windows, the roof has been off, it has been wired up with Rako stuff, an air source heat pump, all Siemens stuff in the kitchen, and a flush-mounted iPad mini.
They're even leaving us the Sonos kit (which sounds absolutely fabulous, the sound bar, sub and two play 1s mounted quite high up as rears) and the TV, it is fully wired for ethernet and we can't see much we want to change about it, other than a garden room outside instead of their summerhouse, as a studio / office.
At £1.25m it was overpriced, so we offered below that obviously, but they weren't prepared to let it go overly cheaply even though they've caught the bug for this kind of thing and want to start on a new project!
We looked at the uplift costs from our 10-year old 'new build' on the edge of a development in North Herts, and aside from eye-watering levels of stamp duty, its only about 10% more than our current place (which is lovely, but has no character or charm) so we feel we're getting a bargain.
So, in short, Church conversions can be done properly. The stained glass was redone by the Courtauld family in 1911 and looks a picture, and the building is just grand enough to give a 'wow' factor without being overly cavernous or ridiculous that it doesn't feel like home.
Hope to be moving in 10-12 weeks!
timetex said:
Yeah, asking price is fairly easy to find - £1.25m
Considering the vendors purchased the church 'shell' for about £165k, I think...
But it has had substantial work done, including the cutting through of a few new windows and the french doors, the total replacement of all the leaded windows, the roof has been off, it has been wired up with Rako stuff, an air source heat pump, all Siemens stuff in the kitchen, and a flush-mounted iPad mini.
They're even leaving us the Sonos kit (which sounds absolutely fabulous, the sound bar, sub and two play 1s mounted quite high up as rears) and the TV, it is fully wired for ethernet and we can't see much we want to change about it, other than a garden room outside instead of their summerhouse, as a studio / office.
At £1.25m it was overpriced, so we offered below that obviously, but they weren't prepared to let it go overly cheaply even though they've caught the bug for this kind of thing and want to start on a new project!
We looked at the uplift costs from our 10-year old 'new build' on the edge of a development in North Herts, and aside from eye-watering levels of stamp duty, its only about 10% more than our current place (which is lovely, but has no character or charm) so we feel we're getting a bargain.
So, in short, Church conversions can be done properly. The stained glass was redone by the Courtauld family in 1911 and looks a picture, and the building is just grand enough to give a 'wow' factor without being overly cavernous or ridiculous that it doesn't feel like home.
Hope to be moving in 10-12 weeks!
Looks amazing Considering the vendors purchased the church 'shell' for about £165k, I think...
But it has had substantial work done, including the cutting through of a few new windows and the french doors, the total replacement of all the leaded windows, the roof has been off, it has been wired up with Rako stuff, an air source heat pump, all Siemens stuff in the kitchen, and a flush-mounted iPad mini.
They're even leaving us the Sonos kit (which sounds absolutely fabulous, the sound bar, sub and two play 1s mounted quite high up as rears) and the TV, it is fully wired for ethernet and we can't see much we want to change about it, other than a garden room outside instead of their summerhouse, as a studio / office.
At £1.25m it was overpriced, so we offered below that obviously, but they weren't prepared to let it go overly cheaply even though they've caught the bug for this kind of thing and want to start on a new project!
We looked at the uplift costs from our 10-year old 'new build' on the edge of a development in North Herts, and aside from eye-watering levels of stamp duty, its only about 10% more than our current place (which is lovely, but has no character or charm) so we feel we're getting a bargain.
So, in short, Church conversions can be done properly. The stained glass was redone by the Courtauld family in 1911 and looks a picture, and the building is just grand enough to give a 'wow' factor without being overly cavernous or ridiculous that it doesn't feel like home.
Hope to be moving in 10-12 weeks!
Your existing home in North Herts, would that be on the Fairfield estate, by any chance? some of those are selling for £700k+
timetex said:
Yeah, asking price is fairly easy to find - £1.25m
Considering the vendors purchased the church 'shell' for about £165k, I think...
But it has had substantial work done, including the cutting through of a few new windows and the french doors, the total replacement of all the leaded windows, the roof has been off, it has been wired up with Rako stuff, an air source heat pump, all Siemens stuff in the kitchen, and a flush-mounted iPad mini.
They're even leaving us the Sonos kit (which sounds absolutely fabulous, the sound bar, sub and two play 1s mounted quite high up as rears) and the TV, it is fully wired for ethernet and we can't see much we want to change about it, other than a garden room outside instead of their summerhouse, as a studio / office.
At £1.25m it was overpriced, so we offered below that obviously, but they weren't prepared to let it go overly cheaply even though they've caught the bug for this kind of thing and want to start on a new project!
We looked at the uplift costs from our 10-year old 'new build' on the edge of a development in North Herts, and aside from eye-watering levels of stamp duty, its only about 10% more than our current place (which is lovely, but has no character or charm) so we feel we're getting a bargain.
So, in short, Church conversions can be done properly. The stained glass was redone by the Courtauld family in 1911 and looks a picture, and the building is just grand enough to give a 'wow' factor without being overly cavernous or ridiculous that it doesn't feel like home.
Hope to be moving in 10-12 weeks!
Bloody hell! Gorgeous, and less than the price of a semi-detached house where I live! In fact less than our damned house has cost us post renovation and stamp duty!Considering the vendors purchased the church 'shell' for about £165k, I think...
But it has had substantial work done, including the cutting through of a few new windows and the french doors, the total replacement of all the leaded windows, the roof has been off, it has been wired up with Rako stuff, an air source heat pump, all Siemens stuff in the kitchen, and a flush-mounted iPad mini.
They're even leaving us the Sonos kit (which sounds absolutely fabulous, the sound bar, sub and two play 1s mounted quite high up as rears) and the TV, it is fully wired for ethernet and we can't see much we want to change about it, other than a garden room outside instead of their summerhouse, as a studio / office.
At £1.25m it was overpriced, so we offered below that obviously, but they weren't prepared to let it go overly cheaply even though they've caught the bug for this kind of thing and want to start on a new project!
We looked at the uplift costs from our 10-year old 'new build' on the edge of a development in North Herts, and aside from eye-watering levels of stamp duty, its only about 10% more than our current place (which is lovely, but has no character or charm) so we feel we're getting a bargain.
So, in short, Church conversions can be done properly. The stained glass was redone by the Courtauld family in 1911 and looks a picture, and the building is just grand enough to give a 'wow' factor without being overly cavernous or ridiculous that it doesn't feel like home.
Hope to be moving in 10-12 weeks!
Lady F did not allow me to move out of London to Essex. I shall show her your new place and then shout at her when I get home.
VEX said:
Stunning Timetex!
But that is you off my Christmas card list! As it comes with all the toys already fitted!
V.
Ha ha, not all of them! He's left some cabling above the kitchen for some ceiling speakers, though I'm not sure what cables yet. He mentioned ethernet but I'm sure it isn't.But that is you off my Christmas card list! As it comes with all the toys already fitted!
V.
Also I'm trying to find out what drives the heating controls as I think they are connected to the router as well, so there's possibly some more integrations to do.
Then wanting to expand / add to the Rako stuff...
Grandad Gaz said:
Looks amazing
Your existing home in North Herts, would that be on the Fairfield estate, by any chance? some of those are selling for £700k+
Umm. Yep. Your existing home in North Herts, would that be on the Fairfield estate, by any chance? some of those are selling for £700k+
We bought the 'right' house on here when it was built (the quiet perimeter) and there's a huge variation between a similar house to ours a street away, or even on the same road but opposite side. Ours is not overlooked, backs onto the bridlepath, and we've spent some time and love on making it as nice as a 'new box' can be.
Result? The most expensive house sold on Fairfield Park, I believe.
timetex said:
We've just had an offer accepted on one!
Fortunately, no cock-shaped windows:
https://issuu.com/fineandcountrypl/docs/50055293_t...
snip
Lovely, seriously lovely. I am intrigued by the mezzanine level and stair case on page 13.Fortunately, no cock-shaped windows:
https://issuu.com/fineandcountrypl/docs/50055293_t...
snip
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