One of the most common questions we receive is about specific barndo sizes and budgets. It can be a confusing landscape when comparing shell kits versus finished homes. We want to use this blog as a realistic guide to what you can build for 100k in 2025.
What Size Barndominium Can You Build for 100k?
Building a barndominium for less than $100,000 definitely takes careful planning—and, honestly, a bit of compromise on size and finishes. Most folks can expect to get somewhere between 600 to 1,000 square feet if the land is already prepped and ready to go.
A $100,000 budget pretty much caps you at around 1,000 square feet. Sometimes less if you want anything fancy. This assumes you’re not dealing with raw, uncleared land—that’s a whole other cost.
Realistic Size & Finish Options For A 100k Budget
| Finish Level | Expected Square Footage | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | 800-1,000 sq ft | Standard fixtures, simple flooring |
| Mid-range | 700-800 sq ft | Some upgrades, better materials |
| Premium | 600-700 sq ft | High-end finishes, custom touches |
How much space you’ll actually get comes down to a handful of choices
Material choices, for one, can swing things quite a bit. If you’re clever, budget-friendly barndominium designs in the 800 to 1,300 square foot range are doable, though you’ll have to make some trade-offs.
Where do we draw the line for budget-conscious shoppers?
We had one recent customer opt for a 30 x 40 layout to get 1,200 square feet. That size is a popular choice, but honestly, that size might stretch the $100k budget a bit thin unless you’re cutting corners elsewhere. She was lucky to have family members in the construction industry help with the kit erection and interior framing. While that unlikely situational success story did come in just over $102,000, we recommend most folks stick with a size under 1,000 sq ft.
Layouts in this range generally fit:
- 1 – 2 bedrooms
- 1 to 1.5 baths
- Open living with Kitchen & Living Roomscombined
- Tiny home style ingenuity for storage help. Not a ton of storage options in sub 1k sq ft, honestly
Location and local codes can really throw a wrench into your plans, too. Rural spots are usually more forgiving, while suburbs tend to be stricter about what you can build and how big it can be.
Barndominium shell kits can be purchased for much less than $100k.
They can offer enough room for an average family, give or take. The kits themselves usually run about $15 per square foot for the basic metal shell, so that’s a starting point.
If you are a DIYer you might be able to reduce the construction costs considerably and come in with a finished home under 100k. For those of your that have to hire a general contractor, at 100k budget will only get your a tiny home style barndo.
Our kits are priced between $15 to $35 per sq ft
Pricing varies depending on size, complexity, location, DIY or Turn-Key construction.
