Barn types / cost /recommendations

[ejb]

Anyone have any good information on options when building a barn? Basically I am trying to find out what the various options are, and how they affect cost. My preference would be to build a traditional piost and beam barn, just because I think it would be a fun project and I really like the way they look, but am wondering what other types of construction are there? Can a barn be built with regular frame construction? I have never seen one, but I am guessing you could. (and the advantage being the lumber would be readily available as opposed to p&b where you often need to special order).

Have heard of the "pole barn" but not sure what the advantages/disadvantages are?

How about cost estimates? Anyone care to share information on what type of barn they built, the approximate size, and the ultimate cost?

Personally, I am thinking about something in the 32(or 40) by 60 feet long. If I did traditional post and beam I would probably end up with 5 12 foot bays and use a couple for tractors / tractor equipment, use 1 bay for a heated workshop and the other two initially for storage but then for animals in a couple years (possibly a couple of horses, sheep etc).

I like the idea of a full second story for additional storage and the way it makes the barn look from the outside, but not sure if I need all that extra cost!

Any good links?

 

[cowboydoc]

ejb,
There are alot of posts already about this. Just do a search for barns. Alot of guys already posted some great links for this. Basically with pole barn construction you save time and money. Much faster and cheaper than building regular construction. You will cut your time in half and your materials roughly about 30%. A second story will add alot to your time and building costs. With a traditional pole barn you can have the middle wide open to with what you want. With a second story you are going to need poles going all the way down the middle to support the second story. Also you won't be able to 12' bays. The widest you can safely, to my knowledge and without special construction, is 9'. You can do 12' if you decide to build a steel building though.

As far as costs just for the barn I paid $8000 for a 45x63 that I put up two years ago. Then on top of that you need to figure your concrete, internal building, plumbing, electrical, etc. I just put up an 86x120 but you don't even want to know what I have in that barn.

Do a search though and you will find tons of good info.

 

[MarkV]

Ejb,

As normal, CowboyDoc has given you a great starter lesson in barn basics. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif As you look into it more, I think you will find that a pole built, metal topped and sided barns will be the least expensive to build. When you start looking at conventional frame construction you have to pour footings and the price goes up. With Post and Beam construction the materials and skills are expensive and you can not get the free spans (no interior posts) you can with trusses. I would love to have an old Post and Beam barn, but they just cost to much today for my budget.

MarkV