Topic Change: Barndominiums?

[kry226]

Looking for anyone with experience living in a metal home/shop like the type offered, just as an example, and found here: http://www.wdmb.com/Texas_Barndominiums.aspx

Right now, for the wife and I, we're really interested in these as they can typically be done on the cheap (about $50-70 sq/ft) without sacrificing quality.

Wanting to know anything and everything we can from those with experience. What are the not-so-obvious differences from a traditional stick-built house? How energy efficient? Drafty in winter? Hard to cool in summer? Maintenance? Quality erectors available? Common problems? A good investment? Durability? Etc., etc.

For situational awareness, we'll be building in the southern part of the Texas Panhandle and desire a one story with a lower profile roof.

Again, we want to hear the good, bad, or ugly, pretty, etc., so please chime in with your thoughts, and feel free to PM if necessary as well.

Thanks in advance for helping us figure some things out!

[montanadave]

While I do not have experience with this particular company, I am working on my own project which is quite similar. My wife and I purchased a couple of hundred acres last year and have plans to build a vacation cabin/home sometime in the next five years or so. However, I decided we needed a "operational base" in the interim to provide a decent place to stay, store equipment and supplies, etc.

So last summer we put up a 32' x 48' pole barn with 12' sidewalls. I had a 32' x 24' concrete slab poured with the intention of framing in a bunkhouse on one end of the barn. I framed in a partition wall enclosing a 16' x 32' area on the slab, had several windows installed and ran stringers across which allowed me to drop the ceiling for the bunkhouse to about 9 feet.

I had an insulating company spray 2" of closed-cell polyurethane on the walls (which yields around an R-10 or R-12) and allowed for 4" batts of insulation to be added in the 6" walls. In a steel building, foam is the way to go. It seals the building up tight, provides a vapor barrier, stiffens the walls up, and makes the building much quieter. The "false ceiling" also enabled me to blow in almost 2 feet of loose insulation above which gives the bunkhouse area an R-60 lid. Even in Montana, we get triple-digit summer temps and with the insulation and concrete slab floor, the bunkhouse area stays quite comfortable. And in the winter, I have a small propane wall heater for back-up heat and a little wood-buring stove that is more than up to the task of keeping such a small, tight area toasty.

One advantage to building a living area inside a pole/steel barn is that none of your interior walls are load-bearing so you can design your interior layout any way you want. Because the exterior walls are girt-framed, I decided to use vertical T&G pine to finish the interior walls. I chose blue-stain pine with a natural finish so, while it's a steel sided pole barn from the outside, it feels a lot like a cabin on the inside. And I just painted the concrete slab with a beige garage-floor epoxy coating. When finished, I plan to install a suspended acoustical tile ceiling which allows a do-it-yourselfer to run wiring, plumbing supply lines and vents, etc. without having to worry about running everything through the interior walls while still staying inside the "thermal envelope" of the living area. I installed plumbing drainlines in the slab so I will have a small kitchenette, bath, shower, etc. As we are in the boonies, I opted for an "off-grid" electrical system with PV panels, battery bank, inverter, etc.

I also had a 12' x 24' lean-to roof installed on the bunkhouse end of the barn which I built a wood deck under. This provides additional space for setting a grill, picnic table, firewood storage, etc.

As for the exterior aesthetics, well, it's a pole barn. But in a rural country environment, it looks more natural than a McMansion. And the steel companies have all kinds of color combinations available to break-up the lines on a building and, with a little landscaping, they can look pretty decent. In our situation, we chose a location which was sheltered with a natural berm and chose colors that blended in with the natural vegetation as we wanted the building to blend in with the landscape.

Apologize for rambling on, but there ya go. I think our little bunkhouse will serve our needs well and provide a very comfortable living quarters while we ponder out next step. And, should we get the cabin built one of these days, the bunkhouse will make a damn nice "guest house." And even though our bunkhouse/barn is intended as a transitional accommodation, I think with same concept could translate into a very economical and comfortable primary dwelling.

[tb-av]

These people have an excellent reputation for buildings.

Most people love their metal buildings.

http://mortonbuildings.com/Default.aspx

I've seen a basic three car garage to indoor riding and barn for Olympic training. Never heard any complaints. They also do everything. All needed site prep to handing you keys.

I'm sure they could answer a lot of questions.

[Moltke]

Neat idea. I've always wanted to live in an old Firehouse.

[brickboy240]

My family has ranch property out in Fayette County and my parents are retired out there. Many of their friends and our neighbors have these buildings.

Since they're metal, no need to worry about termites or other things that plague wooden structures. If they are insulated well...yes...they are not a problem to cool in the summer. That will also depend on how big of an a/c unit you install.

Overall, I like the idea of this kind of structure. If I did not already have a house on our ranch that is 100 years old and has character...I'd be looking at building something like that when we retire out there. My old ranch house already has a metal barn built right behind it, so I don't need another barn.

My parents built a traditional 2400 sq ft home out here on the ranch but I know they wish they went the barndominium route. Some of the ones out here are very attractive and have nice porches and landscaping and are very attractive.

Don't know about the company you are looking at but yes...those I know with barndominuims love them and they are VERY popular out here.

I'd say go for it.

-brickboy240

[kry226]

Great comments, guys! Thanks to montanadave as well for his detailed comments. Tremendously appreciated.

I posted the link just as an example. I am not really interested in that company as they don't build in my area of Texas.

The wife and I are really getting the bug for this type of project. We have a couple hundred acres out in the boondocks and this will be our retirement home...definitely not transitional.

As for aesthetics, I very quickly got over myself and my perception of what a home "should" look like when I saw how much money you can save on the exterior, and then dump that back into the interior. I love the utility and available creature comforts. But I understand that the build-outs can really drive costs up if one goes too crazy with the amenities.

Thanks again and please keep the comments coming.

[brickboy240]

Also...if you are in a part of Texas where hail is a problem...the metal buildings take the hail MUCH better than those with wood siding and tons of glass windows.

Aesthetics are largely on you. Paint it an interesting color, add lots of plants and landscaping. Maybe some metal yard art and nice fencing and other decorations and suddenly the square metal building is really neat and attractive.

One retired couple out in our parts painted their barn with a huge Texas flag on one side. Another placed those metal building stars all over the outside of their building and painted them all different colors.

Whimsical and creative....that will make your ordinary plain jane building something unique and attractive.

Have fun with it and make it YOURS...that is what we did with our country home. If you ask me...that is half the fun of it.

-brickboy240

[kry226]

Also...if you are in a part of Texas where hail is a problem...the metal buildings take the hail MUCH better than those with wood siding and tons of glass windows.

Aesthetics are largely on you. Paint it an interesting color, add lots of plants and landscaping. Maybe some metal yard art and nice fencing and other decorations and suddenly the square metal building is really neat and attractive.

One retired couple out in our parts painted their barn with a huge Texas flag on one side. Another placed those metal building stars all over the outside of their building and painted them all different colors.

Whimsical and creative....that will make your ordinary plain jane building something unique and attractive.

Have fun with it and make it YOURS...that is what we did with our country home. If you ask me...that is half the fun of it.

-brickboy240

Agreed. Man, that's how I got the wife to buy into this. She's wanted her dream home all her life and it definitely didn't look like a metal shop. But once I showed her the possibilities, the miser in her came to life. I've created a monster.

Both hail and high winds are definitely forces we need to reckon with.

Great idea with the Texas flag. We've got an 80 year old wooden hay loft barn on the property already, and while certainly corny, we're planning to hang painted replica shoulder patches from all of the units I've served with in the Army. I think it'll turn out cool while not being a permanent fixture on the barn.