Welcome to barndominium.org
We help connect you with architects, builders and manufacturers of barndominiums. From stock floor plans to quick-ship packages to custom designs, we can deliver building packages nationwide with wholesale prices.
You can choose from a steel shell kit, a SIPs building kit, or a hybrid post-frame structure for your barndo.
What is a barndominiuM?
Simply put, a barndominium is a barn type structure which serves as a home.
In other words, structurally speaking, a barndo is a barn style structure, but it includes the finishing, insulation, doors, windows, and other residential features required to make it a functional living space.
Barndominiums are becoming a big deal nationwide, but you might not be familiar with them their benefits…
key benefits of barndo homes
The main benefit is affordability and build quality
A barndo allows you to have it all: a large home which has space for work and play, but is surprisingly cost-effective.
custom KITS DELIVERED
To ALl 50 STATES
Average savings
years in steel industry
Fast & Economical Construction
With a barndo kit and the help of a skilled contractor, you can rapidly and affordably build a home of your own.
Open Floor Plans
Almost all barndos feature spacious floor plans with few obstructions. Such a layout can be satisfying both from a functional and aesthetic point of view.
Size to Value
You can build a huge house if you choose a barndominium design at a cost which is startlingly low (we will go into details on barn home costs shortly).
Eco-Friendly Materials
A barndo can be constructed out of metal, wood, structural insulated panels or any other materials to suit your preference.
They can also be a combination hybrid of multiple materials.
Aesthetic Options
A completed barndo can look like a traditional rural farmhouse or a sleek modern building. The finished appearance of the structure is entirely up to you.
Residential or Commercial
While barndo homes are a popular, they are not exclusively residential. In fact, they are ideal for a wide range of commercial uses like event venues, churches, retail stores or workshops.
what about potential drawbacks?
With so many benefits, you might be wondering whether barndominiums have any disadvantages.
While there are not a lot of potential disadvantages, there are a couple to consider.
First of all, if you are in an urban area, it may be more challenging to get approval for a barndominium than it would be if you were in a rural community.
This is why you hear a lot about Texas barndominiums and others in wide open spaces.
Most of the other drawbacks of barndominiums are the same as they are for other large buildings.
Obviously, if you need to relocate, you will not be able to easily move your house with you. Additionally, living in a big house means spending more time on cleaning and maintenance.
How Much Does it Cost to Build A Barndominium?
We hope we have made it clear now that one of the key benefits of building a barndominium is saving money.
At the lower end of the price range, it costs around $65-$99 per square foot to have a contractor build a complete barndominium shell.
At the upper end, the cost might be around $160+ per square foot.
That includes the price of the foundation as well as the exterior finishing.
However, if you DIYer and are able to take care of some of the construction work on your property yourself, your cost per square foot for your building kit could come in significantly lower, perhaps around only $45 per square foot.
With other traditional styles of home construction, costs are more likely to range between $110-$185 per square foot.
So, you can see how a barndo is more affordable than the typical home.
That means that you get more bang for your buck, and you can afford a larger structure than you would be able to otherwise.
What are some of the factors which impact the price per square foot?
- Type of foundation: Different types of foundation are more or less expensive. You will need to choose a design which is suitable for your structure and location.
- Cost of materials: Many barndominiums are made of metal, but some are made of other materials. Plus, finishing materials may differ as well.
- Doors, windows and features: Installing doors, windows and additional features can all raise the cost of a structure.
- Insulation: The insulation you choose can impact the cost to build your home. Keep in mind, however, that it may be less expensive in the long run to opt for higher quality insulation now. Doing so may save you money on long-term heating and cooling bills.
- Delivery cost: There can be variations in how much it costs to deliver a barndominium kit depending both on the specifics of what you ordered as well as your location.
- Labor cost: How much you pay contractors to build your barndo may range significantly based on their experience, processes, and more. If you choose DIY for some portion of the work, that is one way you could lower your costs (though it still requires a time investment).
- Cost to purchase the land and outfit it with utilities (water, power, cable, etc.): Do not forget to factor in the cost of your land as well as any steps you need to take to prepare it when calculating the full price of a barndo.
Who Should Consider Living in a Barndo?
Could a barndominium be the right kind of home for you?
Here are some signs that it could be the ideal option for you:
You enjoy spacious, open layouts.
You have the budget to invest in a larger home, but do not want to spend an arm and a leg.
You want to be able to customize a large home to your exact needs.
You have a practical reason to want a large, functional space, for example because you want your home to also include a workshop.
These are just some of the many scenarios where a barndominium could be suitable.
Types of Barndos
This type of barndominium may be known as a “pole barn,” a “post-framed building,” or simply a “pole building.”
This is a more traditional method of construction, though it may include some pre-engineered elements.
The main attraction to wood as a building material versus metal is probably that the cost per square foot for the materials tends to be cheaper.
Nevertheless, the building process tends to be slower and more involved, requiring a higher level of expertise. This can offset those costs savings.
Plus, in the long run, metal offers a number of compelling benefits wood does not (see below).
The most common material used for metal barndominiums is steel.
Constructing your home out of steel offers the following advantages:
Save time and money on construction. With prefabricated metal parts, it is fast and easy to build a metal barndominium. As such, it also is more cost-effective than putting up a wood structure.
Spend less money maintaining your home. Because steel is much more durable than wood, upkeep is minimal, saving you more money as well as time and stress.
Your house can stand up better to harsh weather. Steel is far less likely than wood to buckle under high winds or other intense weather conditions.
You won’t have issues with wood rot. If you live in a climate where humidity and mold are common problems, steel is a much smarter choice than wood as it will not be susceptible to wood rot. Pests don’t chew on steel. Termites and other pests that feed on wood will not harm your steel structure.
Your home is fire-resistant. Although fire can damage metal, it is still more resistant than wood.
Steel offers superior longevity. Few materials can stand the test of time as well as steel. If you build a barndominium today, it should be in excellent condition for the rest of your life. Indeed, you should be able to pass it down to your descendants.
Metal can be an eco-friendly building material for a barndo. You can build a barndominium from recycled steel. Even though your building should stand for a very long time, if it needs to be demolished for whatever reason in the future, you can rest assured that it too will be recyclable.
Barndominiums are typically large, open space, airy homes. Because their square footage tends to be on the high side, you need to ensure that your home is particularly well-insulated. That will help keep the interior comfortable in all seasons, reducing the amount of energy and money you need to spend on heating and cooling.
One effective option for making a barndominium energy-efficient is to construct it out of structural insulated panels.
Let’s start out with the basics, in case you are not familiar with structural insulated panels at all. Often known simply by the abbreviation “SIPs,” structural insulated panels are a building system that is popular for both residential and commercial structures.
You can picture an individual structural insulated panel like a sandwich. It consists of a foam core for insulation, with a structural facing on either side of it. Usually the facings are made out of oriented strand board (OSB), but other materials can also be used.
Build the Custom Barn Home of Your Dreams
Excited to move into a beautiful, spacious, and affordable barn house?
Continue exploring our site resources to learn in-depth about barndos. Be sure and check out our recommended contractors for floor plans and prefab barndominium kits!
Ready to get started building your dream barndo?
The first step is to select your floor plan.
After you have made that selection, request a custom building package quote from us here.
