My Pole Barn Project

   / My Pole Barn Project #1  

dooleysm

Platinum Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Messages
926
Location
Southern Indiana
I've read with great interest the pole barn threads on here. We started on ours 2 nights ago, staking it off and flagging each pole. I don't have easy access to a digital camera, so I don't have all the nice pictures like other guys. Plus my father in law is helping us after work and he tends to work fast, with no breaks for camera time.

Last night he brought out the bobcat with 12" auger attachment. We set out drilling our holes and on the fourth one we were reminded of where exactly we trenched in the water to the house. That was about an hour delay to fix that leak. On the last hole we found the phone line.

I take full responsibility for the water line. We all knew it was there and even talked about it when we were staking out the barn. Yes, we knew we were builing on top of it and if it ever sprung a leak we'd have to trench a new line in around the barn. Not a huge deal, as it should never leak.

The phone line is another story. I never called to have them mark it before we started because we just built last summer and I knew exactly where it was. WRONG. When I called to get service installed they told me they run the phone right next to the electrical. When they brought the service out they had the line laid out on the other side of the driveway from the electrical. The electric was very clearly marked. Several days later the line was buried and I assumed they knifed it in right where it laid or moved it over next to the electric. Instead they moved it about 30 feet on the other side of the electric and right through my pole barn. Now I have no idea where that phone line runs. I could fix it my self, but I'm certain I'll break it again when I put the driveway into the barn or when I dig my pond.

So, I'm about to get on the phone with the phone company and get this sorted out. I'm fully expecting my day to take a turn for the worse. Surely we can't have any worse problems building a simple pole barn, right /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
   / My Pole Barn Project #2  
I contemplating building a pole barn...I'd like to know what size it is and what your approximate cost will be to build it.

Mine would be used to store hay/grain...equipment during the winter.

Thanks in advance, Chuck
 
   / My Pole Barn Project #3  
I live in Centeral Michigan and had a 30x40x10 foot pole barn built and the basic barn would have cost a little over $6000 with metal siding, two double pane windows, OSB under composition shingle roof with 10x10 sliding door and dirt floor. This was three years ago. My final cost was $16,000 because I had $800 worth of sand delivered to raise the building approximately 14 inches, about $2000 worth of cement work over 2 inches of rigid foam board, 1 inch foil coated foam board insulation under the metal siding, insulated roll up door, OSB ceiling, and 14 inches of blown in insulation in the attic.
Not included in the $16,000 was a 180 foot underground natural gas line plumbed to a 70,000 BTU Hot Dawg heater. With all of the insulation I keep the barn heated to 50 degrees even in the coldest weather for approximately $20 per month.
I did all of the electric work myself so I am not sure what it cost.
 
   / My Pole Barn Project #4  
Thanks for the info, Farwell. This by far is the most complete information I've found so far.
 
   / My Pole Barn Project #5  
Dooleysm,

Sorry to hear about your discovered water and phone lines. I had major problems with my phone line so I sympathize with you and your dealing with the "phone co." We have the big V here and they are anything but helpful or timely. I am posting our phone line saga in another thread so as not to sidetrack this thread.

I have found out that you need to keep on them and not let up until you get the supervisor(s) involved and do not agree to pay for fixing the line. They will fix the line but it may take some talking (politely of course) to avoid being charged. I have been told that in ground splices will cause problems over time especially if you want to use DSL internet service. They should install a new line in the proper location and at least 18” deep.

…Derek
 
 
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