Converting an antique barn to residential living space is a unique project and presents many challenges. There are aspects of the project that even a seasoned residential contractor may not have experience with. On many of our barn conversion projects we manage all aspects of construction from soup to nuts. On some barn conversion projects, we work side by side with other general contractors to fill in the gaps in their experience.

We have converted antique barns for many new uses including:
• Residences•
• Home and commercial office space•
• Music studio•
• Antique shop•
• Function halls•
• Wine cellar•
• Art studios•
• Prep school chapel•
• Children's playrooms•
• Home theaters•
• Fitness rooms•
• Workshops•
• Basketball court•
• Poker room•
• Entertainment places for guests including:
   • Poker room•
   • Pool table room•
   • Bar•
   • Caterer's kitchen•
• Veterinary office•
• Great rooms•

When you convert an antique barn to residential space you change the building code 'use group classification' for the structure from a storage or agricultural building to a residential or commercial building. When you change use group classifications you have to bring the building up to code for the new use. This typically involves replacing all the flooring and some or all of the foundation of the barn. We have lots of experience in rigging barns for the replacement of their substructure.

A normal house has 2'x4' or 2'x6' framing members or 'studs' that are evenly spaced; usually 16' apart. It is very easy to install fiberglass insulation between these studs. A barn, however, typically has large dimension structural members that are around 12 feet apart. This presents challenges for insulating a barn. We have experience with several options for insulating a barn, many of which are superior to fiberglass insulation. With superior insulation, owners can have big, open spaces and cathedral ceilings without being faced with large heating and cooling costs.

We have lot of clients that live in antique homes that would like more space to entertain. They don't want to put an addition on the antique house because it would ruin its original character. However, they have a large barn in the back yard that barely gets used. By converting it to useable space they not only add living space to their property but also put the barn to good use. Winters are long in New England and it is great to have a place to go to relax, exercise, or entertain that is out of the house but not off the property.