Pole Barn House?

willy1947 · May 3, 2004

Anyone every built a pole barn and used it as a house? Thinking of constructing something around a 40x60 with a small 1 bedroom apartment in it. Something I can do inexpensively and then use when I build a home later.

I'm not married and not dating anyone. I've thought about living in a pole barn for awhile and then building the home the future wife wants beside it.

What I can't decide on is Pole Barn or Steel Building? I'm not real comfortable doing it myself either. I won't have much help, BUT I can do most all of the interior myself. Things like wiring, HVAC, and I don't mind subcontracting out the drywall and plumbing.

Just wondering what people have done and how they dealt with banks. My first look into this, proved that they REALLY want to have a licensed general contractor do it /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I think I could save myself some money, if I did it myself.

Thoughts?

Dave

PS. My future tractor will help with this /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Boone · May 3, 2004

One consideration is the amount of noise rain will make upon the roofing material you decide on.

JazzDad · May 3, 2004

Re: "I'm not married and not dating anyone."

And I bet it will stay that way if you live in a pole barn.
(But, of course, being a guy I don't see anything wrong with it.) /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

SPIKER · May 3, 2004

it is pretty popular out this way, in fact that is my plans too. down stairs for tractor and work shop and upstairs for living in untill I can afford a log home... anyhow I'm putting in heated floors in slab and an inside hot water wood fired heat box I'll build myslef when I get some Stainless Steel ... as for materials, WOOD WOOD WOOD.

trying to do it in steel is lots harder, steel sweats and is much noiser when it rains or for any banging around too. and if you're GF make a lot of noise durring well then the steel will amplify that noise so maybe you SHOULD go to steel! lol.

anyhow retrofiting OLD barns has been popular for a while for similar things and store fronts, I have a gambrel roof with 2nd story and it is 50x40 and has 10 ' covered porch down the 50 lenght. upstairs has rough in framing done and I have some wiring started but left it like that almost 8 months now as $ ran out. have lots of time though! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Mark M

B964 · May 3, 2004

I like the idea, BUT.. I think would be very hard to find a lender if building it youself. In my area getting a certificate of occupancy would require bribing the code inspector. Inexpensive? I would think to make it even livable would take alot of $.
The house I have now is post and beam from 1850's and I suspect may have been built as a barn then converted.
I would get the wife part done first, then you will have her to help.

texbaylea · May 3, 2004

There is a book on the market on building pole buildings. As I remember there were a few houses in the book. You will get your best price from E. R. Hamilton, Bookseller and he does have a web site.

Slamfire · May 4, 2004

With a gambrel roof there would certainly be enough room, how the authorities will look upon it may be a different story.
Another option is park a small camping trailer inside the barn, and live in that. Design the barn with an office so you have an excuse for plumbing. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

dummy · May 5, 2004

Sounds like you're not in a big hurry either way. Why not pay as you go. Every "payday" use whatever money is comfortable for you and go purchase that amount of materials on your list. Storage can become an issue, but this way it's "paid in full" before you start.

SPIKER · May 5, 2004

my area has 0 codes, only ones are fed mandated water & septic, there is also already a small cabin there which was built by the previous owners and is built on piers, (old phone poles sunk about 4' down and the house/cabin was lived in by him and his wife for 10+ years... very small though it does have all the amenities of a home, well septic, electric heat and all... wwe use it for a party center for summer fun. I just ran out of usable BACK and part of the reason money ran out bad back makes it hard to do a lot of stuff when the air and weather goes down hill... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Mark

JeffRey30747 · May 6, 2004

This isn't really a pole barn since it is standard stick framing on top of 2' cinder block walls. Center garage area on bottom is 30'x30' and one bedroom living apartment on top is 24'x30'. The side sheds add an additional 12'x30' feet of storage to each side. We did all of it ourselves except for the concrete slab and the drywall upstairs. What little we borrowed used the property for collateral so there were no mortgage hassles. I plan on starting the main house within the next year. That shouldn't be too bad since we will already be living in the backyard.

Jeff