For those of you that have or are building, what company did you go with? It appears the options and prices are endless online.

Summerotwn metals did mine. Shop in the middle with living quarters on one side, lean to on the other.

Red Iron looks like the way to go if you’ve got the budget for it.
No posts to rot subgrade

Knowing what you know now, would you use them again?

We drew ours out on paper, the builder went at it.

I dont know much about them, but was wondering if they really save money over a stick framed house? If you frame one like a house between posts I dont see how it could. I also do not want a slab house. I have never seen a slab that didnt crack. We had issues with our slab house in Madison, with a plumbing leak. Luckily it was right where the pipe came through the slab, and only had to remove a little bit of the slab. I have seen a few build with a crawlspace. Now I do like some of the looks of them when finished but dont see the savings, etc. Maybe I need to do more in the education side, to figure out the savings.

The major advantages of barndominiums can be ease of exterior upkeep, could go metal interior studs and have a totally termite proof house, no internal load bearing walls depending on how you configure layout, ability to DIY interior once shell is up/insulated.

Central states manufacturers inc

Could you not do the same with a stick build house, and a truss roof for the most part? I get the attraction of metal studs, but most people have enough issues with all wood, I cannot imagine throwing metal in the mix. You could do an all metal exterior or other materials on a stick framed house and have a no exterior upkeep. The ones that I have seen people build, they add exterior sheathing and then house wrap, then metal. I was told they did this so that spray foam insulation could be used and still be able to replace the metal if needed. I guess it really comes down to what you like.

A close friend of mine is having one built by Summertown right now. He seems to be pleased so far. I do know from hearing him talk, his “crew” is staying in a hotel nearby and the foreman is traveling back and forth between different ongoing projects. I know he had one issue where the crew’s generator died, the foreman was in another state, so my pal had to loan them his generator. No one on the crew was authorized to go buy one. That seemed a little inefficient to me.

I had my pole barn built about 10-12 years ago.

We decided to turn it into a house this year and me and my boys started the work in June.

I drew my own plans.

Right now it’s a 40’ x 60’ “house” with a 1.5 car garage.

22’ x 12’ bonus room above the mud room and garage.

3 bedroom

2.5 bath

Large kitchen

Large living room

Vaulted ceilings in master BR, Living Room and Kitchen.

Will have an 8’ x 40’ covered front porch and a 40’ x 40’ covered parking area/entertainment area added on the end where the garage is.

Barns are a nightmare for hvac guys

That’s how mine is. The only wood is the 2100sf “living quarters” on the inside of a 9000sf metal building. The only part that’s climate controlled is the living quarters.

100% yes

Why do you say that?

We don’t do any new construction. Period. But have done quite a few multi zone mini splits on barndominium houses with good success.

I did look at one recently for mini splits where another company was recommending a ducted system and ducted just didn’t look like it would work well to me with the ceiling layout and room layout

This is the 3rd house that I’ve built that was a “nightmare for hvac guys”. I always end up with tall walls and really high ceilings and lofts.

In my “barndominium” I’ll have a heat pump and 2 mini splits.

I did 2- 2 zone mini splits in my barndo. 1,400 sq ft. It will FREEZE you out. I have always kept my A/C at 67. Here, my living room is on 71 and a lot of times if im not moving doing something I will have to turn it up or get a blanket.