I have been doing the same thing with my pole barn. The shell (36’ x 50’ x 12’ with (2) 25’ x 10’ porches) went up in 2018. There were (2) 36’ x 46’ x 16’ post and beam barns on the site, that my great great grandfather put up in 1883. They had considerable foundation damage and the roofs were failing, such that it would have cost many times more to repair them as it did to put up the new pole barn.
I hated to tear those old barns down but couldn’t afford the necessary repairs. I had to get one down to make room for the pole barn. I sold a couple tractors and other stuff, consolidated all my remaining stuff into one of the old barns, and dismantled the other.
After the pole barn shell was up, I repurposed much of the old posts and beams, siding and granary wood from the old barn to make a 30’ x 12’ loft, with 20’ x 12’ wood-shop, and 10’ x 12’ metal-shop below.
The loft is floored with 1” thick American chestnut roofing boards from the old barn, topped with 7/16 OSB (it was $ 5.99 a sheet in 2018). The shops are “board and batten sided with American chestnut granery wood from the old barn.
Most of the barn is gravel floored, which I prefer for storage, but the shops and one porch have concrete floors.
I just finished up the wiring today. I had buried a 2” PVC conduit out to the barn when I did the site work, and I just fished a 30 amp, 10-3 UFB wire thru that. The wood shop has (2) 4 ‘ LED lights and the metal shop has (1). Each porch has a light bulb fixture, there are (3) more out in the main storage area, and (1) up in the loft.
There are a total of (20) 120 volt outlets on (2) 20 amp breakers and the lights are on (2) 15 amp breakers. I also put in a 30 amp breaker and a 240 volt outlet for a welder.
When I finish taking down the last “barely standing” old barn, I am going to enclose the back porch, and build another porch off that for firewood storage. I need more posts and beams and the rafters from that old barn for that project.
I am thankful to not need to buy any more lumber at today’s inflated prices, but the wire and other electrical supplies hurt a bit.