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michigammemom Here is another discussion thread that should be right up your alley. http://www.houzz.com/discussions/174954/Barn-renovation-in-Ohio

crowinghen My neighbors down the road are converting a huge barn into a home- they are putting some very large dormers in it... I will try and get a picture- this would make a huge house!

furrytoes My husband's company (in California, so I'm not advertising) works on soils investigations for foundations. He works "hand in glove" with structural engineers -- they work together to build a safe, sound building. Please consult a structural engineer -- or at least talk to your local city or county building department. Good luck!

SPACES By Megan Lyn Furry toes is right. The foundation is the most important part of a structure. You defiantly need to have it inspected. Any existing problem will just create future troubles that will cost you a fortune to fix later on down the road. I love the idea of the renovation just be sure you get a professional to take a look. It is going to be beautiful once it's done!

olldbobbi furrytoes, I'm in California, too, and every time I think about soil foundations I think of the Marina district and the horrible time they had with the Loma Prieta earthquake. I think being in Ohio it's not a problem; but I would worry about the paint on the barn, i.e. how old is it and does it contain lead?

psmudz Thank you very much for all of your comments and insight. I appreciate it.

kschwarz518 Can you take more pictures of the inside?? That's looks like so much fun!

psmudz Here are a couple of photos on the interior. Thanks for comments.

kschwarz518 That's awesome, My dream one day is to have a project exactly like this! Best of luck to you both.. I hope eventually to see some pictures of the finish product!!

Sarah Mullin See if you can find archives of This Old House - they did a barn renovation to a home 10 years ago and it was a-mazing.

Linda We are in the final stages of our 6 year barn renovation and 3 of us did the majority of the work as well as friends, no architect or contractors used. Alot of decisions to be made....glad we're almost there! The best thing we did in our renovation was to use spray foam insulation, ceilings and walls. We installed radiant in-floor heat and poured a light weight concrete on top of that. The foam made the structure very sound plus filled every little crack and crevice. GOOD LUCK from the dairy state!

carolannr This is something I have always wanted to do too. Just an added advice to check with structural engineers before you put alot into it. I don't know when this barn was built but the underfittings will be put under alot of stress with making it into a livable home for a family. Installation of new mechanical systems, flooring and windows will be the equivalent of adding a second story on a one story house and sometimes, its just not feasible. Good luck!

ccwatters SO exciting! I know how your husband feels from the aspect of wanting to keep things the way he has designed them and not wanting to budge. Been there! I am certain, however, that an architect and/or structural engineer could be hired to work 'with' him on that design, while making sure everyhting is stable and safe. That is a lot of blood sweat and tears you will be putting in, would be a shame to have to work backwards at any point in the process / or have something unforeseen go terribly wrong that could have been prevented. Just an "err on the side of caution" approach to something so imortant.
Very very cool! Good luck with everything!

decoenthusiaste Some of these can be historic structures and eligible for restoration grant money. Do you have the "provenance" on the barn? Can you prove historicity?

psmudz Thank you for all of your advice and comments. I will try to post photos as we make progress, but it's very slow going. Thank you for your photos (Linda Miller). Six years! Wow! If possible, could you send more photos? Maybe of the exterior, too? :) Thanks! To answer the last question: No, we don't have any information on the date of the barn. That would be a bonus!

collettec I agree with others about having a structural engineer look at the barn. As someone who has had a cracked foundation on a house we were purchasing, we ended up having to shore up the foundation after it was found in a home inspection. Just as it's recommended that you not purchase a home without a home inspection, it's no less true for structures that you are planning to use as the base for your home. What I did hear from the structural engineer and the person who repaired it were horror stories about DIYer's who hadn't gotten it done and had major problems with the structure later after lots of time, money and work.

FINNE Architects Hi,
I think this is a terrific project. Here are two issues to consider: natural light and insulation. The original barn has very little natural light and no insulation. Introducing large window areas, dormers or skylights and preserving the feel of the barn will be tricky, especially with regard to the roof. Adding insulation means new interior finishes. I recommend hiring an architect!
Good luck with this wonderful project.
--Nils Finne, AIA