Currently I'm renting an apartment and will likely be buying my first real house in the next few years, so I'm probably a bit naive in property ownership. Tell me if this idea is completely crazy or not.
I've always wanted to get a property with an old barn, something pre-1900, and fix it up to resemble something of a castle. I grew up on an old farm with barn built in the 1840s, so I know the kind of upkeep that these things need and what to look for in a stable vs. doomed structure I'm not talking about building it from the ground up in 12 months, I'm thinking of this as being a long-term project. Also, the intent is not to be "modern", I prefer the old 1700s wood and stone rustic look and feel. Got my inspiration from Stone barn castle (below) here in NY as well as from the old European forts that you can find here in the Northeast. Old Fort Niagra and the likes.
Ideas include:
-Installing a staircase in the silo and replacing the top with something more like a turret.
-Building rooms and hallways in the open loft areas
-Turning at least a portion into a livable space with beds, fireplace, kitchen, etc. Don't necessarily need electricity and whatnot, this isn't supposed to be a permanent residency.
-Replacing the usual sliding barn doors with big heavy wooden doors like you think of in a castle.
-Workshop with your basic tools in addition to a forge (Blacksmithing has been a hobby of mine for some time)
-Armory for guns and other weapons (always wanted a black powder cannon
)
So what do you all think? Is this a crazy endeavor doomed to failure? Would it require a "small loan of a million dollars"? Should I give up and move into my parents basement? Is even a fraction of this feasible?