What Impacts Barndominium Building Costs the most?
Barndominiums have soared in popularity thanks to their charming farmhouse-inspired aesthetic blending spacious metal barn exteriors with cozy, customizable living quarters inside. But in embracing the barndo lifestyle, what building cost factors should you anticipate? Key influences on your total investment include materials chosen, overall size, slope of land, custom finishes, location, and much more.
Metal vs Wood Construction
The major structural decision involves metal kits vs wood framing from scratch. Pre-fabricated steel barns like those that BuildMax provides, offer extreme affordability, durability, and easier assembly. Complete metal kits start around just $35,000. But custom designed barndo floor plans allow endless layouts and high-end details at the trade-off of higher costs nearing $100,000+.
Bigger Equals More Expensive
As with any home build, overall square footage greatly sways costs in materials, labor, site prep, and future heating/cooling bills. Typical barndos span 2,000-5,000 square feet. But some soar towards 10,000+ for million dollar price tags! Even just opting for extra height with cathedral ceilings spikes spend. Know your budget and size needs before drafting plans.
Property Topography Truly Matters
The more complex the grading and slope on your rural land plot, the pricier preparing the site equates if your one of those customers who just has to build on the side of a cliff face for dramatic effect just know that a crew has to get heavy equipment onto the site so the property accessibility truly matters a great deal. Significant excavating, backfilling, clearing trees or boulders, extensive drainage considerations, long driveways to back sites, and utility hookups for septic and electricity pile on if the property proves challenging and can hinder the build’s progress slowing the whole operation down and costing more money.
Everything’s Bigger in Texas
Where you build geographically also sways pricing. Construction rates, real estate values, and permitting/zoning processes vary regionally. Building in Texas hill country is generally more affordable thanks to available land and tradespeople. Coastal locales or highly developed areas often present higher costs overall.
Luxury Finishes will Add Up
Inside your barndo, simple drywall and basic floors keeps spend lower. Start opting for granite countertops, intricate tile backsplashes, reclaimed wood accent walls, high-end fixtures and you could add $50k+ easily to your total costs. Know when to splurge vs save on finishes based on longterm goals.
In drafting your rural oasis, carefully weigh all these cost factors from land to lumber to layouts. Partnering with a quality supplier like BuildMax helps provide realistic budget guidance as you plan!
