An H-shaped barndominium is two parallel wings joined in the middle by a connecting section, so from above the house reads as the letter H. The connector usually holds the entry or the main living room. The wings hold everything else, and because the connector sits partway along the wings, you get an outdoor courtyard on both sides of it — one at the front, one at the back.
That double courtyard is what separates a true H from the U-shaped plans it is often confused with. Plenty of plans sold as “H-shaped” are really U’s, with the connector at one end and only one courtyard. Every plan on this page was checked against its floor plan drawing, and all eight have the connector in the middle.
Below are eight H-shaped barndominium plans from 3,000 to 5,800 square feet, with footprint dimensions, bedroom layouts and plan prices, followed by what the shape costs you and how much lot it takes.
What Makes A Barndominium H-Shaped
Three parts, always in the same arrangement:
- Two wings, usually 22 to 25 feet wide and 60 to 80 feet long. Each wing is a simple rectangle with its own gable roof, which is exactly the kind of span a metal or post-frame barndominium builds easily.
- A connecting bar between them, running across the middle. It is typically shallower than the wings — 11 to 20 feet deep — and holds the foyer, the family room, or both.
- Two courtyards, one on each side of the bar. The front one becomes an entry court; the back one becomes a private patio. Most plans line one or both with covered porch.
The practical result is separation. One wing can be the “day” side — kitchen, dining, living — and the other the “night” side with the bedrooms. Or the primary suite gets one wing to itself and the kids, guests or grandparents get the other. The bar is the only way between them, which is what makes an H quieter than any rectangle of the same size.
H vs. U vs. L vs. Breezeway: Which Wing Plan Do You Want?
These four shapes solve the same problem — keeping parts of the house apart — in different ways, and plan sellers use the names loosely.
| Shape | What It Looks Like From Above | Courtyards | Separation | Exterior Wall | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H-shaped | Two parallel wings, connector in the middle | Two (front and back) | Highest under one roof | Most | Split households, big families, entertaining |
| U-shaped | Two parallel wings, connector at one end | One | High | A lot | A single enclosed courtyard or pool court |
| L-shaped | One wing turned 90 degrees | One corner | Moderate | Some | Garage or shop in one leg, lower cost |
| Breezeway | Separate buildings linked by a covered walkway | Varies | Complete (two structures) | Two full envelopes | Keeping a shop entirely out of the house |
| Rectangle | One box | None | Only by floor plan | Least | Lowest cost per square foot |
If you want the separation but not the extra wall, an L-shaped barndominium gets you part of the way for less. If the goal is keeping a shop’s noise and fumes out of the house completely, breezeway house plans do that better than any single-roof shape.
H-Shaped Barndominium Floor Plans
All seven HB plans are single-story. They are listed from the narrowest footprint to the widest, because lot width is the first thing that rules an H in or out. Footprint dimensions are read from each plan’s drawing; square footage ranges are as the designer lists them. Build costs use our standard-finish rate of $80–$120 per square foot for the heated area.
HB-40508: The Narrowest H At 65 Feet Wide
3,000–3,999 sq ft heated · 4 bed / 3 bath · 1 story · 65′ × 60′ · covered front courtyard
$1,349.99 PDF · $1,599.99 five printed sets
HB-40508 is the H to look at if your lot is ordinary rural width. A 21-foot foyer with double doors on both sides forms the bar. The left wing runs living room, dining and an island kitchen with a walk-in pantry, and ends in a guest bedroom with its own full bath, well away from the rest of the family. The right wing holds the 21′ × 15′ primary suite, two more bedrooms, a hall bath and the laundry. A 21′ × 34’6″ porch covers the front courtyard. Building cost comes to about $240,000 to $480,000.
HB-40511: An Owner’s Wing With The Kitchen And Primary Suite Together
3,000–3,999 sq ft heated · 4 bed / 4.5 bath · 1 story · 70′ × 60′ · game and media room
$1,349.99 PDF · $1,599.99 five printed sets
HB-40511 gives the owners a wing of their own. The kitchen, dining room and 23′ × 14′ primary suite, with a 17-foot bath and walk-in closet, share the right wing, so the adults never cross into the kids’ side for anything. The bar is a 22′ × 20′ living room with double doors to the front courtyard and a 22′ × 10′ covered porch behind it. The left wing carries three bedrooms, three full baths, a 14′ × 20′ game and media room and a laundry-mudroom. Building cost comes to about $240,000 to $480,000.
HB-40509: A Porch-Lined Courtyard You Walk Through To The Front Door
3,000–3,999 sq ft heated · 4 bed / 3 bath · 1 story · 72′ × 60′ · two screened porches
$1,349.99 PDF · $1,599.99 five printed sets
HB-40509 is the courtyard plan. Its 28-foot living room forms the bar, set toward the back, so the front court is deep and lined on both sides by covered porch ending in two small screened porches. Glass double doors open from the living room straight onto it. The left wing puts a 21-foot kitchen and dining room at the back and the primary suite at the front. The right wing has three bedrooms, two baths and a 21′ × 16′ game and media room, placed at the front so its noise carries toward the yard. Building cost comes to about $240,000 to $480,000.
HB-40503: The Textbook H With An In-Law Bedroom
3,000–3,999 sq ft heated · 5 bed / 3.5 bath · 1 story · 76′ × 70′ · central family room
$1,349.99 PDF · $1,599.99 five printed sets
HB-40503 is the classic H: two 23-foot wings, each 70 feet long, joined by a 30′ × 18′ family room with a covered porch behind it. The left wing is the social side, with the living room, dining and a 22-foot island kitchen, plus one bedroom and a lounge at the front. The right wing is the quiet side, with four bedrooms, the laundry and the primary suite. That lone bedroom on the kitchen side is far enough from the others to work as a parent’s or in-law’s room without building a separate suite. Building cost comes to about $240,000 to $480,000.
HB-40504: Six Bedrooms On One Level
4,000–4,999 sq ft heated · 6 bed / 3 bath · 1 story · 78′ × 80′ · porch-ringed courtyard
$1,349.99 PDF · $1,599.99 five printed sets
HB-40504 fits six bedrooms on a single floor, which almost no rectangle can do without a very long hallway. A 34-foot entry foyer forms the bar. The right wing is the whole adult side: the primary suite at the back, then pantry, laundry, a 21-foot kitchen, dining and a 21′ × 22’8″ living room with a fireplace. The left wing holds five more bedrooms, two hall baths and a 21′ × 16′ activity room. Covered porch wraps the front courtyard on three sides. Three baths for six bedrooms is lean, so it is a candidate for a modification quote. Building cost comes to about $320,000 to $600,000.
HB-40505: Two Front Doors For Two Households
3,000–3,999 sq ft heated · 5 bed / 3 bath · 1 story · 88′ × 70′ · two entry foyers
$1,349.99 PDF · $1,599.99 five printed sets
HB-40505 is the easiest H to run as two households. Its bar is two separate foyers joined by a short enclosed walkway, and each foyer serves its own wing. The left wing is a complete adult home with living room, dining, a 21-foot kitchen, laundry and the primary suite. The right wing has four bedrooms, two baths and a 21′ × 15′ activity room behind its own entrance. The 44-foot courtyard between them, lined by 36-foot covered porches, is the widest on this page. Building cost comes to about $240,000 to $480,000.
HB-40506: A Bath Beside Nearly Every Bedroom
3,000–3,999 sq ft heated · 5 bed / 4 bath · 1 story · ~111′ × 60′ · bedroom bump-outs on both sides
$1,349.99 PDF · $1,599.99 five printed sets
HB-40506 bolts an extra bedroom block onto the outside of each wing, which makes it the widest plan here by a long way. The bar is a 25-foot entry foyer between front and rear porches. The left wing opens a 24-foot kitchen and dining room onto a 24′ × 22’6″ living room. The right wing has a lounge, a bedroom at the back and the primary suite at the front. Each outboard block adds one more bedroom with a bath right beside it, which suits adult children or long-stay guests. You will need well over 120 feet of buildable frontage. Building cost comes to about $240,000 to $480,000.
Fowler PL-82001: Two Complete Homes Around One Courtyard
5,792 sq ft heated · 6 bed / 4 full + 2 half baths · 2 story · two detached garages
$1,749 PDF · $1,999 five printed sets
The Fowler takes separate wings as far as they go: each wing is a complete two-story home. The two are mirror images, each with its own porch and entry, a family room open to the floor above, an island kitchen, laundry, a powder room and a ground-floor primary suite, plus two bedrooms and a bath upstairs. Covered breezeways run down the inside of both homes to a shared patio and a two-story building with two 24′ × 23′ garages below and a hobby room and game room above. It suits aging parents and an adult child’s family, or two siblings sharing land. Building cost comes to about $463,000 to $695,000.
For more layouts built around two households, see our duplex and multi-family barndominium plans and next-gen home plans.
Which H-Shaped Plan Fits Your Family?
- Narrowest lot: HB-40508, at 65 feet wide.
- Primary suite and kitchen on the same side: HB-40511.
- Best courtyard: HB-40509 for a porch-lined entry court; HB-40505 for sheer size.
- Most bedrooms on one level: HB-40504, with six.
- In-law bedroom without a full suite: HB-40503.
- Two households, one house: HB-40505, with its separate entries.
- Two households, two homes: the Fowler.
- A bath beside nearly every bedroom: HB-40506.
None of the seven HB plans here includes a garage. If you need one attached, the full collection has H plans drawn with garages, or you can pair any of these with a detached shop.
What Does An H-Shaped Barndominium Cost To Build?
Finished barndominiums run $80–$120 per square foot at a standard finish nationally, and $130–$200 at a high-end finish. For the plans on this page:
| Plan Size | Finished (Standard) | Finished (High-End) |
|---|---|---|
| 3,000–3,999 sq ft (five HB plans) | $240,000 – $480,000 | $450,000+ |
| 4,000–4,999 sq ft (HB-40504) | $320,000 – $600,000 | $600,000+ |
| 5,792 sq ft (Fowler) | $463,000 – $695,000 | $869,000+ |
Figures are for the heated living area only. Porches, breezeways and garages price closer to shell rates, because they take no insulation, drywall or HVAC. Land, site work, septic and utilities are separate. Full breakdowns are in our barndominium cost guide.
Plan toward the top of those ranges. The H shape costs more per square foot than a rectangle, and the reason is exterior wall.
Take HB-40508. Its two 22′ × 60′ wings and 21′ × 11′ foyer enclose about 2,870 square feet inside roughly 348 feet of exterior wall. A plain 48′ × 60′ rectangle encloses the same 2,880 square feet with 216 feet. The H has about 60% more wall to frame, sheathe, insulate, side and trim — plus four roof valleys where the bar meets the wings, and a dozen outside and inside corners to flash instead of four.
More wall also means more surface losing heat, so the operating cost stays higher for as long as you own the house. Most H plans are best served by two HVAC zones, one per wing. The trade you get for all of it is light and air on three sides of nearly every room, and real acoustic separation between the two halves of the house.
How Much Lot Does An H-Shaped Barndominium Need?
Width is the constraint, not depth. The HB plans here run 65 to about 111 feet wide before you add side setbacks, which are commonly 10 to 25 feet a side on rural parcels. Plan on:
- About 90 feet of buildable width for HB-40508 or HB-40511.
- About 100–110 feet for HB-40509, HB-40503 or HB-40504.
- About 110 feet or more for HB-40505.
- 130 feet or more for HB-40506.
Check your county’s setbacks before you fall for a plan; they vary widely and some are much larger than these.
Which way should it face? Point the front courtyard toward your approach and the rear courtyard toward your view. In hot climates, avoid a courtyard that opens due west into afternoon sun unless it is covered. In cold climates, a south-facing court is a sun trap you will use in March. Any of these plans can be flipped (mirrored) left to right for a small fee if the wings land on the wrong sides for your site.
A sloped lot is hard on an H: two long wings mean either a lot of fill or two foundation levels. If your land falls away, look at sloped lot plans first.
H-Shaped Barndominium Plans FAQ
What Is An H-Shaped Barndominium?
A barndominium laid out as two parallel wings joined by a connecting section in the middle, forming the letter H from above. The connector usually holds the entry or main living room, and the wings separate the bedrooms from the living areas or from each other.
What Is The Difference Between An H-Shaped And A U-Shaped House Plan?
Where the connector sits. In an H it runs across the middle of the wings, creating a courtyard on both the front and the back. In a U it runs across one end, leaving one courtyard. Many plans marketed as H-shaped are actually U-shaped, so check the floor plan drawing rather than the name.
Are H-Shaped Barndominiums More Expensive To Build?
Yes, per square foot. On HB-40508, the H needs about 60% more exterior wall than a rectangle of the same floor area, plus extra roof valleys and corners. Budget toward the upper end of the $80–$120 per square foot standard-finish range.
How Wide A Lot Do I Need For An H-Shaped House?
The plans on this page range from 65 to about 111 feet wide. Add your side setbacks to both sides. For most of these plans that means 90 to 130 feet of frontage.
Can An H-Shaped Barndominium Be Multigenerational?
It is the best single-roof shape for it, because each wing can function as its own zone. HB-40505 has a separate entry for each wing, HB-40503 puts one bedroom on the far side from the rest, and the Fowler goes further with two complete homes sharing a courtyard and garage.
Are There Single-Story H-Shaped House Plans?
All seven HB plans on this page are single-story, from 3,000 to 4,999 square feet. The Fowler is the two-story option.
Can An H-Shaped Plan Be Built As A Metal Barndominium?
Yes. Each wing and the connector is a simple rectangle spanning about 11 to 25 feet, well within what a steel or post-frame building handles. The work is at the junctions, where roofs meet in valleys. Confirm the framing approach with your kit supplier or engineer before you buy a plan.
Can I Modify One Of These Plans?
Yes. The designer offers modification quotes, typically returned within 72 hours. Common requests are adding a bath, attaching a garage or flipping the plan left to right.
Ready To Build An H-Shaped Barndominium?
Browse all H-shaped barndominium plans →
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Plans here span 4-bedroom, 5-bedroom and 6-bedroom layouts, and all but the Fowler are single-story ranch plans.
Cost figures are national estimates for planning purposes and vary with region, site conditions, material pricing and finish selections. Plan specifications are as published by the plan designer; footprint dimensions are read from the plan drawings. Confirm all dimensions, square footage and included drawings with the designer before purchase. Setbacks and building code requirements are set locally; confirm them with your county building department before finalizing a design.
