Planning on making a converted church your new home?
Residential church conversions are a hot trend taking the country by storm and it’s easy to see why. After all, who wouldn’t dream of waking up to a beautifully vaulted roof reaching skywards and intricate stained glass windows creating dancing shards of light that bounce around the home? Or perhaps it’s the historic stonework and grounds steeped in history that you’re after.
Either way, while living in a converted church is sure to up the charm factor, it pays to put extra care into your due diligence. Church to house conversions are complex architecturally and can come with some unique challenges.
Before you place your offer
You’ve fallen in love with a residential church conversion. It’s on the market and the price is right.
Now it’s time to find out if it really is a dream home, rather than a renovation nightmare. This is where your pre-purchase property inspection comes in. Ensure that you either have the inspection conducted prior to placing your offer or make your offer subject to a satisfactory inspection.
Remember, as charming as the building may be, neglected maintenance (as may happen if a dwindling congregation had limited funds prior to the sale) can cost you a fortune on a heritage-listed building.
What your inspector will look for
Aside from all the standard items on the inspection checklist, a good inspector will pay particular attention to the following aspects of a church to house conversion:
- Retrofitted loft rooms. While lofts are a fabulous way to make the most of all the vertical space in a church conversion, if they are poorly executed they can become a costly nightmare.
- Roof spaces. Church roofs can be large and steeply pitched. They often haven’t been updated in a long time and can be in poor structural condition or harbour pests and wildlife.
- Modern requirements for residential buildings. Since churches were built a long time ago and were never intended to be used as homes, they often lack things like sufficient insulation, compliant wiring, and the practical and safety aspects of a home.
While you should check whether the building has sufficient storage, garaging and practical kitchen and bathroom spaces, your inspector is best placed to check out the rest.
In addition to the standard house inspection, it is often a good idea to get an electrical inspection.
Ready to have your dream church conversion inspected?
Get Action Inspections on the job right away!