Your Guide to Living the Barndominium Life

It’s no secret that these days, white picket fences aren’t everyone’s idea of a dream home. As more people yearn to live closer with nature, van homes, yurts, and even barn houses have been on the rise. A barndominium might be the key to creating a picture-perfect home on a realistic budget. Keep reading to find out what they are, why they’re great, how to start your own barndominium life.

Barndominiums: Defined and Explained

What are barn houses called?

Perhaps you’re totally confused right now and are thinking, “what the heck is a barndominium?”. It’s just a fun term for a rustic barn house. Depending on where you live, some people refer to them as “barndos” as well. Barn houses are, as the term suggests, barns converted into functional homes.

What are barn houses made of?

While it all depends on what type of barndominium you’ve set out to build, most of them will have metal siding. Some also have wood, stone, or cement panels which can work with additional modifications. Cladding on most barn homes is made up of vertical planks, most often shiplap or board-on-batten. Horizontal siding is not favorable for building barndominiums.

Is a barndominium home a good idea?

No one can decide what’s good for you as well as you can, but barndominiums are pretty epic. They require less of an investment than traditional houses, allowing you to save money on a new home, or make more if you rent the space out. The investment will be most worth it if you plan on using the barn home for many years. This style of home is especially ideal for house-flippers or those looking for an affordable dream home makeover. You can’t get much better than modern farmhouse vibes in an actual barn.

Are barndominiums safe for storms?

Sure, they’re cool and trendy, but let’s discuss the durability of barn homes. You may be surprised to learn that they’re incredibly safe structures. In some ways, they can even be safer than typical homes during harsh weather conditions. The steel and metal components that make up a barndominium will offer great protection against severe weather like tornadoes and lightning strikes.

Are barndominiums good in cold weather?

If you’re creating a barndominium Michigan style, the biggest concern might be snowstorms over some thunder and lightning. What’s the point of building a stunning home if it’ll leave you with chattering teeth during winter? Luckily, the weather- resistant materials in barn homes don’t discriminate between storms. Just like they can combat harsh wind, they can endure temperature fluctuations and moist climate. If you never want to worry about a home’s durability again, consider building a barndominium.

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Are barndominiums energy efficient?

On top of saving money and connecting with nature, most people looking for alternative housing options want to protect the planet, too. Barndominiums can be very energy efficient when constructed carefully. For example, many barn houses are sprayed using foam insulation. Plus, all those weather-resistant qualities mean less astonishing prices after an extra-cold winter.

Will a barndominium last as long as a house?

So, you know they’ll survive some storms and snow, but are barndominiums as safe as your traditional home? When you build carefully and keep up with occasional rood and siding maintenance, they can last up to 100 years or more. That’s about as long as your average home or in some cases, longer. Building materials like metal and steel support the durability and long-lasting life of your barn home.

How much do barndominiums cost?

Before you get too excited about the prospect of a new home, let’s play barndominium cost calculator. The cost of your barndominium depends on a whole laundry list of things including your budget, location, style, and more. However, they’ll usually be cheaper than typical homes regardless of your building preferences. This is because most people can get a barndominium shell for as little as $10,000 depending on the size. If you’ve been on Zillow lately, you’ll know that’s a steal! Construction will eat up most of your budget, costing up to $80,000. Expect to carve out around $100,000 in total for this building project. That’s certainly not cheap but is much more affordable than building traditional homes.

Why is a barndominium cheaper to build?

Of course, finding an affordable slab is a huge relief when it comes to barndominium building. However, most of your money will be saved by the short build time. Paying people to build your home is one of the most expensive parts of creating it, so when you can cut build time in half, the cost gets cut, too. You may also be able to find building materials for barn homes at a cheaper rate than most normal homes.

What is the downside to barndominiums?

Now that we’ve covered all their incredible features, it’s important to know some of their downsides before committing, too. First, just because they’re less expensive than other homes, doesn’t mean they’re affordable for everyone. Building a house is a costly and time-consuming process that you might need more preparation for. You’ll also need to check that your city allows barndominiums. It would be unfortunate to prep for barndominium Colorado life, just to realize you’re not allowed. Another downside is that the majority of barndominiums are single-story. While this is great for older folks and small families, bigger ones might struggle to fit in a barn home. Lastly, barn homes aren’t immune to corrosion, so you must be mindful of it.

Creating Your Own Barndominium Life

Where should you build a barn house?

The key to building the barndominium of your dreams, is picking a primal location. Choose somewhere with lots of land that you won’t mind settling in for a long time. Some great recommendations are barndominiums Arizona style, barndominiums California made, or barndominiums Florida residents love. Flat land, like bardominiums Ohio style, is ideal since it provides lots of room to expand. Just be sure to check your city’s building regulations before committing to such a big project.

How to build a barndominium?

Ready to play real-life Bob the Builder? DIY’ers can create their own barndominiums! Start by drawing a blueprint of your dream space. Then, locate some rural land in your preferred state. There are specific builders for barndominiums, or you can purchase a DIY kit. After clearing the homesite, it’s time to pour the foundation. Then, erect the shell, build the interior, and voila! Your barn home is ready for move-in; all that’s left to worry about is the barndominium interior.

Can you put a basement under a barndominium?

Although most barn homes are a single story, you can build them over a basement foundation. There are several options for setting before building the frame of the barndominium. Slabs or crawl spaces are acceptable as well. You can also create a barndominium garage attached to the home.

How should you decorate your barn house?

Just like the exterior, filling the inside of your home will depend on the colors, styles, and trends you love. If you want to counter the barn’s rustic vibes, go with a modern interior barndominium ideas. To play into the antique energy, go for weathered-looking furniture and décor with woodsy tones. Neutral tones are great for creating that modern farmhouse look. Want a luxury looking home without paying the cost? Get on Pinterest to look at barndominium pictures and DIY some of your favorite decorations.

How much does it cost to furnish the inside of a barndominium?

It can be difficult to define the cost of furnishing a home, since everyone has such different styles! Are you going for a small barn house, or a five-bedroom barndominium? What’s for sure, though, is furniture will add a hefty cost to your budget. Make sure you pencil in some extra money so that once the house is built, you can enjoy the barndominium inside. You can always bring furniture from past homes or head to thrift stores to save some cash.

How do I make my house look like a barn?

Maybe you’re not ready to build a new home, but how could you not be inspired with all this barndominium knowledge? There are lots of ways to play into the rustic barn house vibe without picking up and moving. For a modern barndominium interior, try replacing builder-grade doors with paneled ones. An uber-easy fix is switching out the light fixtures for something more aesthetically pleasing. Switch out contemporary hardware for things like woods and reclaimed metals. Will all these modern barn house ideas, you can feel connected to nature in any kind of home!

Types of Barn Houses

What is the difference between a pole barn and a barndominium?

Pole barns are another common type of barn home, although they differ a bit from typical barndominiums. A key difference is that pole barns are supported by large wood poles, while barndominiums usually have a stall frame. Although they’re not exactly thesame, pole barns can be converted to function as a barndominium.

Are pole barn homes worth it?

Just like barndominiums, pole barns are a cost-effective building project that can provide all the durability and functionality you need in your new home design. Since the poles support the barn’s roof, as opposed to load-bearing walls that support typical wood construction, they function as an open space. Pole barns are definitely worth it for those in search of an inside barn house with an open concept.

What is the life expectancy of a pole barn?

Most commonly, you can expect pole barns to last anywhere from 40 to 60 years. However, similarly to other barn homes, they can last more than 100 years with proper upkeep. The best way to keep a pole barn thriving for many years is to prevent rotting.

How do you protect a pole barn from rotting?

One of the downsides to owning a pole barn is the potential for rotting, especially somewhere humid like barndominium Georgia. The combination of oxygen and moisture can take a toll on the wood. Since you can’t eliminate oxygen from your home, it’s essential to remove the moisture. Pressure treated wood is one way to deter fungi, since the chemicals help fight rotting. So, how do you know if your barn house is rotting? Inspect the barn and posts on a regular basis. A good indication of rotting is termites and carpenter ants attaching themselves to the softened wood.

What is cheaper, pole barn or stick built?

When deciding between a pole barn or stick built home, note that pole bars will typically cost less. A pole barn uses post buried in the ground so in most cases, a concrete foundation is unnecessary. This is important to consider, since adding foundation can eat up a large sum of money during construction. Overall, pole barns use less building materials than stick built, meaning less money spent at the end of the project.

What is a monitor style barn?

You may come across some monitor style barns during your hunts for barndominium inspiration. This style is also known as a “raised roof barn”. You can expect a barn with the center portion of the roof raised from the main roof, which is then supported by knee walls. Most commonly, monitor barns are used for horses. Unfortunately, these aren’t really ideal for a convert barn to house project because they’re built to have spaces for horse stalls.

Is it cheaper to build a shed house?

Shed homes share the same concept as barndominiums, they’re just a bit different in terms of materials. Shed homes are the cheapest DIY home options, as they can cost as little as $10,000. They’re trendy, take up a small amount of space, and will reduce your carbon footprint. Shed homes can even be made mobile! They might be the ideal option for you if a barndominium Oklahoma style just isn’t in the budget. Now that you’re familiar with barndominium life, exploring unique and affordable housing has never been easier! Hopefully these FAQs helped decipher whether a modern barn house is the right choice for you. If you still need more help, head to Crow Survival for more info on all things outdoor living. Sending you all the good vibes on your new home-building adventure!