Move on over tiny homes! There’s a new house on the Block …and they are being designed and built at a truly unbelievable pace, what is it? It is called a barndominium, and possibly a better option in today’s market. Why should you consider making a barndominium your family’s next home? Maybe it’s the economics that have drawn you to barndos or it’s the unlimited open floor plan designs. Either way, let’s talk more about the barnominium craze.
When I first heard the term barndominium, I was a little perplexed but highly intrigued. And as it turns out it is exactly what it sounds like, a barn that has been converted into a living space around the size of a condo in many cases. These beautiful custom homes are slowly popping up all over the country, at the same time the tiny home craze is sweeping the nation. A small group, in search of a little more space than a tiny home, started the barndominium movement. As the trend slowly caught on, I began to seriously understand why someone would choose to build a barndominium over a tiny home or even over a smaller stick-built home.
The main advantage to me and what drew me in for a closer look, was the flexibility of the whole thing. The open floor plan allows for as much customization as you would like. Let’s think for just a minute about the space you give up in a tiny home. Everything must be calculated and in its place. In a barndominium, you don’t have that problem. You still have a very efficient home without having to give up much needed space. Another amazingly flexible aspect of building a barndominium is that you can build it 3 different ways.
When building the frame you could go with a steel building or steel beams and reinforcements. If that doesn’t suit you, maybe a pole barn style, where the 6”x6” posts are anchored to the foundation. That could be more cost effective. Or you could even do a traditional stick framed barndominium with roof trusses. Now that is flexibility! You have three starting points with three separate price points depending on what is available in your area. Everything about the barndominium is can be high efficiency just like a traditional house build. You can upgrade the insulation to Spray Foam, add Low-e glass windows and install a tankless water heater to save on electricity. You can do all of this on a budget keeping efficiency in mind without having to compromise quality.
Most people building a metal building barndominium home, are building them because of the price, and the astronomical savings you can achieve by simply building smart. You can build the custom home you’ve been dreaming of at an affordable savings. On the market there are pole barn kits and steel building kits with all the materials including foundation, all wrapped up into a convenient little package, delivered and erected for one price. This is going to allow you to save a tremendous amount of money right out of the gate. Not only will that save money but many of the companies offering package deals and barndo kits also offer financing in the form of payment plans with money down. Allowing you to put more money in areas of the home that would have otherwise gotten neglected. For instance, a screened in porch or a wraparound porch would be a nice focus, potentially a nice rock fire pit area or go all out with a heated in-ground pool to enjoy family time outside all year long.
Another aspect that really drew my attention to the whole Barndo concept was the shear simplicity. It’s not a very complex design or idea to start with and the steel buildings & pole barns are typically erected in 1 week allowing for the walls to go up very quickly compared to a stick-built framed up shell. Along the same lines as the barndo, shop houses are another genre or style of home that are really hot this year. The sizes range from 40’X80’ and we recently designed one for a family that was 50’X100’ with 5 bedrooms and 3 ½ baths. You can customize them to the moon and back with garage doors that open into separate living spaces. Or possibly a garage with vehicle lifts that can lift your vehicles up into the air and out of the way allowing for more space below to be utilized for much more needed space.
The sky really is the limit when it comes to these barndominium plans and shop homes. If you can think it up, then more than likely it can be accomplished. The outer shell of these homes can be as simplistic as a modern barn or as elaborate as you could possibly imagine. But when the door is opened, is when you get blown away by how luxurious this type of home can truly become. It can give a small family plenty space to grow and space enough to add on later in the future.
As the trend took off across the country, more creative thinkers climbed on-board and became interested in these homes, they have begun building homes of their own, with stunningly beautiful architecture inside and out. Proud owners began uploading videos and pictures of their shop homes and barndominiums for the whole world to see! That’s when people really stood at attention and began to appreciate the flexibility, simplicity & overall efficiency that these homes truly bring. More and more Barndo Plans and Designs are being created daily. By the time you decide to put your barndominium on the ground, think of all the new designs and floor plans that will be available at your fingertips. Pinterest is a great place to start. So! lets get your barndo on.
Blessings Sweet Friends
