Replacement of corrugated barn roof with tile

[Mellow]

I've been Googling for this information but not found anything of much use yet.

The question is this: if a period (let's say 300+ years old) barn was originally built with a thatched roof and is now roofed in corrugated material*, would the roof structure be likely to be strong enough to be suitable for tiling with period-style roof tiles? Is this a common conversion?

* Possibly asbestos...

The normal listed building considerations would apply, no doubt.

 

[LadyArowana]

I've been Googling for this information but not found anything of much use yet.

The question is this: if a period (let's say 300+ years old) barn was originally built with a thatched roof and is now roofed in corrugated material*, would the roof structure be likely to be strong enough to be suitable for tiling with period-style roof tiles? Is this a common conversion?

* Possibly asbestos...

The normal listed building considerations would apply, no doubt.

That's a "how long is a piece of string" type question. If the barn was originally built by a very conscientious artisan under instruction from a wealthy farmer who wanted a very beautiful barn and over the course of the next 300 years it was lovingly cared for by a succession of people employing careful workers then the answer might be "Yes". If 'ole farmer Joe rounded up a few lads and grabbed whatever materials he could lay his hands on and then the descendants of 'ole farmer Joe let it fall into disrepair with only a cheap bodge now and again to stop it falling down, then the answer is probably "No". It's the sort of issue where some pictures might help, we all love pictures.

 

[malcolm]

The internet suggests the weight of thatch is around 35kg/m2. Small plain tiles weigh around 75kg/m2. So if the roof was only built only just strong enough for thatch then small plain tiles would be too heavy. Slate might be another option -that should be around half the weight of plain tiles.

 

[88v8]

Pics can be posted via Photobucket. Copy/paste the IMG code.

Our thatched roof was built in two stages; one with good-size elm beams that I'm sure would take tiles, the other with hazel trunks out of the hedgerow that even when new would have been waaaaay too flimsy for tile and now after ~400 years of worm it's probably more a case of the rafters being supported by the thatch.

It helps that the pitch of a thatch roof is usually very steep, so there is less load on the rafters. As has been said, in your case, it depends......
If you have to start beefing up the roof to tile it, that may or may not improve its external appearance depending whether you use reclaims and ensure the roof is not flattened and levelled, but perhaps at the cost of spoiling the internal appearance due to the addition of strengthening of whatever variety.

There's also the important question of additional thrust on the walls.

What about thatch?

Ivor

A new roof does not have to look new. The dip is not an optical illusion. Garage (still) in progress.

 

[Mellow]

Thank you all for your responses. I don't have any pictures at the moment but will take some when we visit which should be sometime this coming week.

The original listing for the building states that it was thatched, so at least we know what it (probably) started life with.

 

[tobydog]

The original listing for the building states that it was thatched, so at least we know what it (probably) started life with.

If this is what the original listing said then your hands might be tied. It sounds as though a previous owner decided, for whatever reason, not to comply with the listing, or fitted the corrugated roof as a temporary fix but never followed through with the thatch. Chances are that no one other than you has picked up on this so far so, if you were to bring in a local conservation officer to discuss a change, they may insist on what should actually be there now.

It would be very interesting to know how this one goes.

 

[livias]

And equally they might insist that you retain the corrugated roof. I have known this to happen in mid suffolk

 

[88v8]

Barn conversion just popped up online.
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-48946424.html?utm_content=v2-ealertspropertyimage&utm_medium=email&utm_source=emailupdates&utm_campaign=emailupdates3day&utm_term=buying&sc_id=4990530&onetime_FromEmail=true

Unusually, they appear to have made a nice job of the interior, separate rooms, actually looks like a liveable Period house instead of a huge impractical space.
But the outside, yuk. And that roof, arrrrgh
How to remove all character from a roof. Hideous, ugly. Wonder whose fault that was - owner, builder, Building Control?

Ivor

PS intriguing two-legged table in pic 4.

 

[vicky whitworth]

Our neighbour's cottage has corrugated iron over it's thatch because the thatch leaked and someone couldn't afford to re-thatch it. It was listed with the thatched roof. They had a fire in the chimney and the fire service had to rip off some of the crinkly tin to get the burning thatch. The only option on repairing the damage was to either take off the crinkly tin and re-thatch or replace crinkly tin. The tin was dutifully replaced. CO would allow nothing else. Why replace the crinkly tin? It's traditional down here in Devon.

 

[worms]

Barn conversion just popped up online.
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-48946424.html?utm_content=v2-ealertspropertyimage&utm_medium=email&utm_source=emailupdates&utm_campaign=emailupdates3day&utm_term=buying&sc_id=4990530&onetime_FromEmail=true

...that roof, arrrrgh

Ivor

Agreed. Nice house next door, though!