Anyone Have a pole barn house?

[brad dryden]

I was wondering how many people have Pole barn houses and what the pros and cons they have noticed. Also was wondering what one would cost roughly.

[HuntingPA]

We looked at one here a few years ago on 25 acres...It was real nice inside, they sort of split the house down the middle long ways, one side had a second floor with bedrooms, the other half was wide open to down below with a open hallway/balcony running the length under the peak. It was really nicely done in wood inside, with a open kitchen. Had a hunting lodge feel to it...I of course liked alot.

The real down side was the #1 rule in RE, location, in that is was at the very back of the 25 acres, and the road in was shared with oil and gas guys and an absolute mess...when we called the realtor to look at it he asked if we had a good 4WD, he didn't , so we met him at the end of the road and he drove back with us. It was cool that day, but would of got old fast when you had to do that raod as part of you daily routine (likely why it was for sale)....nothing to do with any cons on the functionality of that house. I thought it was the perfect choice for the backwoods location.

Anyways, the house looked great, maintenance free outside even in that damp wooded setting, nestled in some hemlocks and had a buck rub about 25 yards from the front deck, setup so it could easily be heated by one wood stove (or other heat source) in a central location....it made an impression on me. We bought our 54 acres elsewhere the next week, no house on it yet, but the design of that one influenced our plans that is for sure.

Edited December 29, 2010 by HuntingPA

[Jeramie]

There is a very real difference if you build one out of a pre-engineered metal building or a web truss building (think chicken house). The third, Wood framed buildings arent much different than a stick framed home with a metal roof and metal siding.

I worked/ work in the commercial building industry and still doing both residential and commercial drawings. I sold and designed metal buildings for many, many years.

I wouldn't hesitate to build a PEMB (pre-engineered metal building) house. Those buildings are pre-loaded for collateral loads, snow loads, wind loads, etc. You also typically get a discount from your insurance for UL90 certificates (stating the wind wont blow the roof off up to 90mph). You can typically also get a discount for using metal studs to frame as the house will not have risk for termites.

There are several major factors that I really like about a PEMB. First is that the walls in the house are not part of the structure so design is easy. The building is self supporting and will not utilize the interior walls for structural support. Another major factor is very, very low maintenance. Most panel (if you use 26 gauge) has a Siliconized Polyester finish and is guaranteed for 30 years against paint fade and deterioration.

Insulation is not that expensive or that big of a factor in these buildings. Typically the building itself has a 3" VRV (vinyl-reinforced-vinyl) that has an insulation factor of R-11. You add 6" Of Batt to the roof and you have a very sound insulation structure. If someone insulates the building correctly it will literally create pressure in the building that closes a door by opening another. Its not that expensive to do. I use to sale 30x40 packaged insulation for about $1,600.00.

One of the major benefits is that if you're doing the work yourself you can put up the shell (dry in the building), add a heat source, and work all winter in complete comfort. A lot of people buy them for that reason. I sold many buildings where people would buy say a 50x100x16 and then build a house in the end using the rest for a shop, RV storage, etc. Its actually very common these days.

The only major downfall is that you live in a cracker box. It really doesn't seem to bother that many people but some scoff at the idea. I have seen people get very creative too. You can buy a roof system only, frame the exterior walls, and then add the wall covering of your choice. In that case it just looks like a square'ish house with a metal roof. You can really dress those up.

A few things you should know:

* Exterior walls will be about 11.5" finished so expect deep window seals.

* You will almost certainly have to have a concrete pad. These buildings can be built on a stem wall but isn't nearly as practical due to the way the frames load out.

* Insulation in the building itself is a must as it works as a vapor barrier too. If you don't insulate it the heat from the inside and the cool from the outside will cause the panel to sweat and you're going to have some serious moisture issues.

I have TONS of experience in this stuff. I'm currently working on a school/ church for Mennonites in NE Oklahoma. Its not that far from what you're inquiring about. If you have any questions let me know. Ill happily fill in any blanks you have.