Attaching Interior Walls to Trusses My long time readers have heard the stories of my framing contractor father and uncles. My dad was the oldest, and I cannot begin to count the number of times he spoke highly of his younger brother Gil’s abilities to walk up nearly anything. Dad would tell stories of Gil […]

Today readers “Ask the Guru” if the “Redford” model can be purchased in other colors, if Hansen would provide interior framing lumber, and whether or not we could delivery to Farmington, MO. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Can you get the Redford Model in other colors? ERIC in PORTAGE DEAR ERIC: All Hansen Pole Buildings are […]

Best Barndominium Steel Roofing and Siding in Coastal Areas If you are one of many looking to install steel roofing and/or siding on your new barndominium, shouse (shop/house) or post frame home, understanding differences between galvanized and galvalume is essential to getting top performance you expect from your new steel roofing or siding.. In most […]

Are barndominiums VA LOAN eligible? A barndominium is a residential structure built in a post-frame shell incorporating living quarters, sometimes alongside a workshop, garage, or open agricultural area. National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) Housing Market Index builder survey published by NAHB’s Eye on Housing found 7% of single-family builders had constructed barndominiums in prior […]

This week readers “ask the Guru” about purlins needed to rebuild a salvaged steel building in Iowa, some guidance on insulation due to potential moisture issues, if doors and windows are include in a Hansen Building Kit. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am putting up a building using salvaged steel pillers and trusts. It originally […]

I Didn’t Plan on How to Ventilate My Pole Barn Attic Reader BRANDON in MILAN writes: “I am looking to install a metal ceiling on my pole barn and insulate. It’s is a 30x40x12 building with metal roofing and siding, with a radiant vapor barrier around the entire building. No soffits or ridge vent. Hindsight […]

Determining Rot in Existing Horse Barn Poles Loyal reader KEVIN in EFLAND writes: “Hello! First, thank you for all the super helpful information about pole barns! Now the context and question…. We’re thinking about making an offer on a house with a 5 stall horse pole barn, probably close to 30 poles, maybe 1,000 square […]

This week readers “ask the Guru” about the type of foundation the “Brantley” model requires, designing siding to match existing house, and whether or not the post frame buildings are “stable enough” to drywall, and add electrical, plumbing and finishes. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: What type of foundation and footings does the Brantley model barndominium […]

Closed Cell Spray Foam and a Really Loud Roof Reader JAMES in BRUSHTON writes: “I have a pole barn with metal roof with 4.5 ” closed cell spray foam on underside of 2×4 strapping but it’s REALLY loud when it rains how can I make it quiet inside without causing a moisture/condensation trap.” You can […]

With steel roofing for barndominiums, shouses and post frame (pole) buildings comes condensation. When atmospheric conditions (in this case temperature and humidity) reach dew point, air’s vapor is able to condense to objects colder than surrounding air temperature. Once vapor condensing occurs, droplets are formed on cool surfaces. This is partly why warming a vehicle’s […]

Today’s Pole Barn Guru answers questions about building a two story pole barn house, condensation in a car storage building, and how to build a post frame house with a concrete basement. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: We are wanting to build a 2 story pole barn house, it will have an upstairs loft. Would the […]

Concrete Slabs on Grade for Cold Climates Reader TERRI in DULUTH writes: “What type of slab for cold climates do you recommend?” Well Terri, thank you for your patience in awaiting a response, your email address was not included with your question, so I was unable to message you back as quickly as I would […]

This question was posed to Justine, who gets everyone’s wonderful materials to their pole building sites for Hansen Buildings: “Justine, pardon me for being confused but: If the tops of glulam posts were manufactured that way to allow cutting, why are they not all that way?  There is no rhyme or reason to them. Some […]

Today’s Pole Barn Guru tackles reader questions about plans to insulate and preparations ahead of insulating, recommendation for framing and footing an apartment to prevent movement, and if the PBG knows whether or not the USDA programs apply to post frame homes. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am currently constructing my Hansen provided pole building, […]

Recommendations for Grading Reader ISAAC in BURLINGTON writes: “Do you have any instructions or recommendations on the grading side of things before i buy a post in ground house kit on how much of a pad to build up and how far away from house to slope it to keep water away and post rot?” […]

Partially Enclosed Buildings (and Why It Matters) I have previously written how a fully enclosed building could be less of an investment than a three sided building – even though a fourth wall has been added: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2014/03/three-sided-building/ For those of you who neglected to click and read my previous article, consider your building as a […]

This Wednesday the Guru answers reader questions about what comes in a residential pole barn kit, floor plans and payment schedule, and whether or not we, “put it together.” DEAR POLE BARN GURU: What all comes in a residential pole barn home kit? JACQULINE in FAYETTEVILLE DEAR JACQULINE: Our residential pole barn home kits (barndominiums) […]

Post Frame Home Construction Financing Most people building their own post frame home (barndominium or shouse included) need some amount of post frame home construction financing.  (shouse=shop+house) Some important things to keep in mind with construction loans: Obtaining one takes more time and financial investment than a conventional loan (loan on or against an existing […]

Building Materials: Inventory and Inspection Like many suppliers of pole buildings kits, whether “standard” or completely “custom” kits, such as ours, I’m sure I am barking up a familiar tree.  What does building materials inventory involve?  Let me tell you about one of my most frustrating stories first. The one which first comes to mind, […]

This week readers “ask the Guru” about “residential kits and how it comes to my site. Is it built or does it need to be assembled,” Designing for Snow Loads in northern Minnesota, and Finding a Builder in Wyoming. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hi. I’m interested in one of your residential kits and how it […]

How to Prep Your Site for a Pole Barn Deciding to add a pole barn to your property can be exciting, and you may already be envisioning how you’ll use this new space. However, before you get too carried away planning your pole barn’s layout and features, you’ll need to choose a building site and […]

Floor Plans vs. Structural Building Plans Floor (architectural) plans and structural building plans are two completely different animals and should not be confused with each other. Architectural plans show what your home will look like, structural plans detail skeletal aspects and structural stability. In jurisdictions requiring structural plan reviews and inspections floor plans only will […]

This week readers “Ask the Guru” about a remedy to eliminate a frost heave issue with post heave, advice for a “house/barn combo,” and shipping a building package to Prince of Wales Alaska. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I have a question. I have a pole and half the posts are heaving up. The old owners […]

Barndominium Electrical Outlets No matter how many electrical outlets I plan for, it feels as if there were never enough where I really need them. There are some basic minimum rules, however when planning your barndominium or shop/house – think about places you might need more than these requirements. It is much easier to have […]

In a previous article, I gave credit to a post frame industry pioneer, Mr. Henry Getz, of Morton Buildings, for being innovative in the introduction of scissor trusses to post frame construction. Now I will tell you, gentle reader, of a scissor truss consideration which you have probably never considered – horizontal deflection. When sealed […]