Category Archives: Building Department
Considering the Differences Between Closed and Open Cell Spray foam
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/07/24 @ 8:00Originally published by: Fine Homebuilding — May 21, 2016 by Mr. Rob Yagid, a former editor at Fine Homebuilding. Excerpted from Mr. Rob Yagid’s article with contributions from ABTG Staff. The following article was produced and published by the source linked to above, who is solely responsible for its content. The Pole Barn Guru™ is publishing this story to raise awareness […]
Read moreHow Tall? Monitor Style Barns, and Planning a Building
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/07/15 @ 8:00Today’s PBG discusses “how tall a pole barn” can be, opening on a monitor style building, and planning a buildings for and shop and car storage. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: How tall can pole barn be in Cape May County? BUD in CAPE MAY DEAR BUD: This will depend upon how your property is zoned, […]
Read moreHow Much Will My Barndominium Cost?
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/07/09 @ 8:00How Much Will My Post Frame Barndominium Cost? This may be the most asked question in Barndominium discussion groups I am a member of. Or at least a close second to wanting to see floor plans. And why not? If one does not have a semblance of financial realty, they could end up finding themselves […]
Read moreTornadoes Reek Havoc
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/06/28 @ 8:00Tornadoes Reek Havoc, Don’t Let Them Wreck You Excerpts in italics below are from an article first appearing in SBC Magazine June 3, 2019: “In the past few weeks, weather systems throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Indiana and Ohio have had a significant impact on the built environment. As is well known, tornadoes cause severe stress […]
Read moreA Shouse in Andover?
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/06/26 @ 8:00Shouse (from www.urbandictionary.com): “A portmanteau of “shed” and “house”; A structure that outwardly resembles a shed (typically having a roll-formed steel-sheet exterior) that is primarily used as a dwelling / house. Though not required to fulfill the definition, a shouse generally has garage(s) incorporated into the structure.” I did not even realize I was shousing before it became […]
Read moreNew Pole Buildings Cost Money
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/06/19 @ 8:00New Buildings Cost Money As I recently mentioned, I have joined several Barndominium Facebook groups. It has proven to be enlightening and has given me a great deal of information towards authoring a book or books on Post Frame Barndominiums. In asking for input on chapters for my endeavor, I had one person respond with: […]
Read moreA Post Frame Addition, California Muster, and Ventilation
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/06/03 @ 8:00Today the Pole Barn Guru answers questions regarding a post frame addition, passing the “muster” of California’s building codes, and ventilation of attic space with spray foam. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hi. We are wanting to attach a monitor style barn to an existing stick build for additional residential use. Is this tie-in possible? Thank […]
Read moreFeedback Needed From RDP’s and Building Officials
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/05/31 @ 8:00I am asking for feedback from RDP’s and Building Officials because: There is a method to my madness. Seriously. I want to make sure we are doing things 100% correctly. In my humble opinion there are currently numerous post frame buildings being constructed where wall girts do not meet Code or acceptable engineering practice. I […]
Read morePost Frame Building Siding Choices
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/05/21 @ 8:00Your Planning Department May Dictate Your Post-Frame Siding Choices Although most of us general population members are unawares, your local Planning Department has a great deal of power over what you can or cannot do with your own property. This goes right down to decisions on siding choices for your new post-frame building! (Read more […]
Read moreSelf-Designed Pole Buildings
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/05/17 @ 8:00Spring, When a Young Man’s Heart Turns to Self-Designing Pole Buildings For some obscure reason a plethora of otherwise intelligent people have an idea. This idea being they can structurally design a building to be adequate to resist applied climactic loads, without any actually engineering background. Given an under designed building can lead to failure, […]
Read moreCan a Building Official Deny Approval of a Professional Engineer’s Work?
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/05/14 @ 8:00Does a Building Official have the capacity to deny the work of a Professional Engineer? Excerpted from SBC Magazine April 2, 2019 The short answer is no, not according to the law. Why? Simply put, building officials are not granted legal authority over professional engineers. Rather, they only have authority with respect to enforcing specific provisions of the […]
Read moreIBC Requirements for Building Wrap
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/04/30 @ 8:00IBC Requirements for Building Wrap When using a building wrap as a weather-resistant barrier (WRB), it must meet 2018 International Building Codes (IBC 1402.2) requirements of a WRB for water-resistance and vapor permeability. A superior building wrap is air- and moisture-resistant, permeable, and has a high UV-resistance and tear strength. It should also be simple […]
Read more- Categories: Insulation, Pole Barn Design, Building Department, Pole Barn Planning, Pole Barn Structure, Pole Building Siding, Alternate Siding
- Tags: Weather Resistant Barrier, Weather Resistant Wall Envelope, Exterior Insulation And Finish Systems, Water Resistive Barrier, Barricade Building Wrap
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Post Frame Building Frame Flood Vents
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/04/26 @ 8:00Where post frame buildings are constructed in a flood plane, two choices exist to deal with flood conditions. Personally I would opt for bringing in fill to raise building above flood level. For those willing to deal with consequences of flood waters going through their building, an option is to provide flood vents. National Flood […]
Read moreA Problem Good Structural Engineering Could Solve Part III
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/04/09 @ 8:00Part III, the conclusion by Dr. David Bohnhoff, Phd., P.E., Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Perhaps only people that engineer buildings understand and appreciate the true dangers and hence insanity of erecting (and then occupying) a structure of absolutely unknown strength. To structural engineers involved in agricultural building design, NOT following the structural […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn Design, Building Department, Constructing a Pole Building, Pole Barn Planning, Pole Barn Structure, Building Contractor, Rebuilding Structures, Professional Engineer
- Tags: Heavy Roof Snow, Heavy Snow Loads, Non-engineered Buildings, Agricultural Buildings, Agriculturally Exempt Buildings
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A Problem Good Structural Engineering Could Solve Part II
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/04/05 @ 8:00Day 2 of a three part series by guest blogger Dr. David Bohnhoff, Phd. P.E., Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. If you understand the information from yesterday’s blog, then you know that when someone tries to sell a farmer a building “designed to withstand a BALANCED snowload of XXX psf” that farmer should […]
Read moreA Problem Good Structural Engineering Could Solve Part I
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/04/04 @ 8:00This is copied, by permission, from a blog post by Aaron Halberg, P.E. Aaron is a member of the NFBA (National Frame Building Association) Technical and Research committee. (In one of the many discussions following the rash of building collapses experienced throughout the Midwest this winter, I received a copy of the email below from […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn Structure, Professional Engineer, Pole Barn Design, Building Department, Pole Barn Planning
- Tags: International Building Code, Prescriptive Building Requirements, Aaron Halberg, Dr. David Bohnhoff, Prescriptive Building Code, Asymmetric Roofs, W, WI Commercial Building Code
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Is an Ice Barrier Required Under Post Frame Roofing?
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/03/19 @ 8:00Like a good novelist, I am going to torture you by forcing you to read this story prior to revealing a super- secret answer. One of our clients will be constructing a Hansen Pole Building in Colorado soon. This particular building is very typical post frame construction as it has steel roofing over open purlins. […]
Read moreRoof Collapses Due to Heavy Snow are Largely Avoidable
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/03/14 @ 8:00Roof Collapses Due To Heavy Snow Are Largely Avoidable. Portions of this article are thanks to a February 25, 2019 article by Bill Steffan at www.woodtv.com “Above pic. is the Negaunee Schools bus garage in Marquette Co., Michigan. The roof collapsed under the weight of heavy snow over the […]
Read moreFight Knee Braces
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/03/08 @ 8:00Long time readers (as well as most people with a lick of common sense) know knee braces are not a good thing. Besides taking up valuable interior space, they do more harm than good. Reader TY from QUINTON has run into a dilemma regarding knee braces. He writes: “I pulled a permit to self build […]
Read moreI’d Rather Order My New Pole Building Myself
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/03/05 @ 8:00We humans want to do things ourselves. We love GPS because it keeps us from having to ask strangers for help or admitting we are lost. I admit to, at one time in my life, being an extremist at “doing it myself”. Then I learned….. by listening to experts I could learn so much faster. […]
Read moreA Case for Minimum Post Frame Truss Loads
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/02/07 @ 8:00A Case for Minimum Post Frame Truss Loads Portions of this article were written specifically for Component Advertiser, a monthly truss industry publication. However I feel strongly enough about this subject to use my column to pitch it to both my employers and other post frame building kit suppliers and contractors. In my career I […]
Read moreDear Building Officials
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/02/01 @ 8:00Dear Building Officials I have met (either in person, via phone or technology) more than just a few Building Officials, Inspectors and Plans Examiners over my nearly four decades of post frame buildings. I have even been privileged to be a guest speaker for several groups of these fine folks, regarding Code conforming post frame […]
Read moreBuilding Department Checklist 2019 Part II
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/01/31 @ 8:00BUILDING DEPARTMENT CHECKLIST 2019 PART II Yesterday I covered seven of what I feel are 14 most important questions to ask your local building department. This not only will smooth your way through permitting processes, but also ensures a solid and safe building structure. Let’s talk about these last seven…. #8 What is accepted Allowable […]
Read moreBuilding Department Checklist 2019 Part 1
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/01/30 @ 8:00BUILDING DEPARTMENT CHECKLIST 2019 PART I I Can Build, I Can Build! (First published six years ago, it was more than past time to update to reflect current code requirements!) Whoa there Nellie…..before getting all carried away, there are 14 essential questions to have on your Building Department Checklist, in order to ensure structural portions […]
Read moreNorth Carolina Students Learn Post Frame Construction
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/01/22 @ 8:00North Carolina College Students Learn Post Frame Construction The following article by Dan Grubb appeared first in the December 5, 2018 Sampson Independent “Sometimes the building blocks to success look more like beams than blocks. Students at Sampson Community College’s Building and Construction program know this first hand as work continues on a facility the […]
Read moreAvoiding Pulling a Building Permit?
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/12/13 @ 8:00Avoiding Pulling a Building Permit? You have a densely treed rural location or have no neighbors, so you have made a decision to avoid pulling a building permit for your new post frame building. Think again – YOU. WILL. BE. CAUGHT. All too often we hear from clients who invested in Hansen Pole Building kits […]
Read moreWho is Responsible for Design of Permanent Truss Bracing?
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/11/23 @ 8:00Who is Responsible for Design of Permanent Truss Bracing? This article was triggered by an email questioning truss bracing from Hansen Pole Buildings’ client JASON in WELLINGTON who writes: “My inspector is telling me that the truss documents take precedence over the building plans. I told them the building plan has the x bracing and […]
Read more500 Year Storm and Wind Exposure
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/11/01 @ 8:00500 Year Storm and wind exposure. Allstate® Insurance has a TV commercial featuring actor Dennis Haysbert. Haysbert sits in an open field and questions why there have been 26 “once in 500 years storms” in last decade, when term alone implies they should only happen every 500 years. View Allstate® commercial here: https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=crmas&p=Allstate+once+in+500+years+storm+commercial#id=1&vid=b134fa05aba0ff046debaea22891c23d&action=click IBC (International […]
Read moreWhat is a Building Official?
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/10/30 @ 8:00What is a Building Official, and what is their Scope of Work? The average potential new post frame owner (as well as most building contractors) has little or no idea of what a Building Official’s scope of work truly is. Sean Shields and Kirk Grundahl, P.E. (Professional Engineer) recently published an article in SBC Magazine […]
Read moreWhat Size Truss Carriers?
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/10/10 @ 8:00What Size Truss Carriers? It seems every day I am asked to do structural design of post frame buildings – for free. Today’s request comes from BOB in ARKDALE who writes: “Yesterday I asked a question about a double header and single trusses being spaced every 4 feet with 8 foot spacing on posts. I […]
Read moreOklahoma, Is it OK?
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/10/09 @ 8:00Oklahoma, Is It OK? Last weekend my lovely bride and I attended an event hosted by her first husband’s sister and her husband. Event purpose was to celebrate this couple’s upcoming 40th wedding anniversary. Adding to this fun, at least for me, was a new Hansen Pole Building being erected onsite (D.I.Y. husband doing some […]
Read morePlanning Your Equestrian Riding Arena
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/09/25 @ 8:00Planning Your Equestrian Facility Those of you loyal readers who actually read links in this article are going to see our daughter Bailey Momb’s name frequently. 2018 Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration made for me being a proud dad with Bailey riding to a World Grand Championship (link has results): https://twhnc.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/RESULTS-TUESDAY-EVENING-8-28-18.pdf. Moving forward, reader […]
Read moreBuilding Within Height Restrictions
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/09/12 @ 8:00Building Within Height Restrictions From small towns to large metropolitan areas, most have restrictions upon heights of buildings. Most restrictive of all are typically those placed upon residential accessory buildings (think garages and shops). In urban planning there are a lot of cases where cities are for and against height restrictions. Mostly because some communities […]
Read moreMinimum Design Loads and Risk
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/08/22 @ 8:00Minimum Design Loads and Risk Model Building Codes, such as IBC (International Building Code), offer minimum design loads for climactic forces such as snow and wind. As building permit issuing agencies adopt codes, within their scope they can establish minimum values for their particular jurisdiction. Key word here “minimum” – least values a building may […]
Read moreGetting Easement Permission in Writing
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/08/16 @ 8:00When All Things Apparently Go Wrong Hansen Pole Buildings’ Designer Rachel was contacted by one of her clients, who has had his building delivered and has begun erecting it. Client inquired about adding sheetrock to his building. As with many things, there existed a Paul Harvey (younger readers can Google Paul Harvey). You can read […]
Read moreA Tornado and a Pole Barn
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/08/03 @ 8:00Pole Barns and Tornados (Excerpts from a July 21, 2018 Jeffersonville, Indiana News and Tribune article by Jenna Esarey are incorporated in this article) “NEW MIDDLETOWN — With Bobcats, ATVs and chainsaws, many residents of New Middletown spent their Saturday cleaning up after an EF-1 tornado cut a swath through homes, barns and cornfields Friday […]
Read moreRebuilding, Post Spacing, as well as a Frost Wall
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/07/23 @ 8:00I this weeks blog, the Pole Barn Guru talks about, rebuilding a pole barn, ideal post spacing and a frost wall. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hello, I recently disassembled a 36 x 100 pole barn and am rebuilding it at my house. It was covered with 2″ reinforced paper faced roll pole barn insulation with […]
Read more- Categories: Footings, Insulation, Building Department, Constructing a Pole Building
- Tags: Frost Walls, Foundations, Rebuilding, Post Spacing
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Post Frame Homes Proliferate
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/07/03 @ 8:00Post Frame Homes Proliferate Post frame homes have been a well-kept secret for decades. Well, not only is the bag the cat was in open, but the cat has also leaped out and is running rampantly! Here at Hansen Pole Buildings, we have noticed a significant surge in requests for quotes, as well as general […]
Read moreWhen Subdivision Covenants Meet Your New Pole Building
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/06/20 @ 8:00Tread Softly When Subdivision Covenants Meet Your New Pole Building I’m on the Libertarian side with my beliefs people should have the right to do with their own property as they best see fit. However in the situation below, the new pole building owner invested in a piece of property fully aware of the restrictions […]
Read moreEngineering Your Pole Building for Free
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/06/08 @ 8:00Please Let Me Engineer Your Post Frame Building For Free Because I am not a Registered Design Professional, I can’t engineer your new post frame building for you. And, if I was, I most certainly would not be doing it for free. Typically an engineer should be compensated somewhere in the area of 8 to […]
Read moreHalloween Store Not a Pole Barn?
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/04/11 @ 8:00Narrowmindedness drives me literally crazy. Post frame (pole barn) buildings can look like absolutely any other building. The only differences being the structural system – post frame and saving a fair amount of hard earned money. From the Marion, Indiana Chronicle Tribune February 21, 2018: “The Marion City Council will review a rezoning request for […]
Read more18 Foot Span Roof Purlins?
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/04/04 @ 8:00The Possibility of 18 Foot Span Roof Purlins? Reader CHRIS writes: “I have a building I want to build but I am not able to add the height I need on the side walls. My plans are 24 deep by 30 wide with 8 foot walls. Roof trusses would be 24 ft. My problem comes […]
Read moreUse and Occupancy Part IV : Egress
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/03/30 @ 8:00This is Part IV in a four part series on Use and Occupancy. If you have just joined us now, it would behoove you to go back to Tuesday’s blog and get caught up by reading the first three parts before rejoining us for Egress. “1006.2.1 Egress based on occupant load and common path of […]
Read moreUse and Occupancy Part III: Monitor Style
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/03/29 @ 8:00Go back two days to get up to speed for an example of determining the Use and Occupancy of a monitor barn example. Part III “SECTION 506 BUILDING AREA 506.1 General. The floor area of a building shall be determined based upon the type of construction, occupancy, whether there is an automatic sprinkler system installed […]
Read moreUse and Occupancy Challenge Part II
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/03/28 @ 8:00See yesterday’s blog for Part I. To continue the discussion on Use and Occupancy: Momentarily skipping a few chapters and going to Chapter 6 (because it would be too simple if the IBC was in order) the code book outlines different types of construction. Post frame buildings can fall under the following construction types: The […]
Read moreThe Use and Occupancy Use Challenge
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/03/27 @ 8:00The Use and Occupancy Classification Challenge Part I Every building, regardless of how it is constructed has a Use and Occupancy Classification (sometimes more than one). In order to best enjoy this, you can play along at home by opening this free access link to the International Building Code (ICC): https://codes.iccsafe.org/public/document/IBC2015 Who Should Read This? […]
Read morePublic Works Pole Barns, and Labor Costs
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/03/21 @ 8:00Public Works Pole Barns, and Labor Costs Many town/city jurisdictions in the United States have a Department of Public Works, which depending upon the individual municipality it may be responsible for a wide variety of activities including maintenance of streets and roads, maintenance and operation of drainage facilities, sewer collection lines, maintenance and operation of […]
Read moreBoth Ends Open, Pole Barn Wind Load Challenge
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/03/13 @ 8:01The Both Ends Open, Pole Barn Wind Load Challenge There are plenty of people who just do not understand the basic concepts of how wind loads are transferred through a pole barn (post frame building) to the ground. Included amongst these would be those who desire buildings which are enclosed on both long sidewalls and […]
Read moreMoratorium on Pole Barns?
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/03/08 @ 8:00Moratorium on Pole Barns? The Port St. Joe, Florida commissioners will be holding a workshop to discuss accessory buildings, in particular pole barns. Commissioner Rex Buzzett brought the issue up at the previous meeting and moved to implement a moratorium on additional permits for accessory buildings until commissioners discussed the topic in greater detail. Mayor […]
Read moreRaised Floors in Post Frame Homes
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/03/02 @ 8:00Raised Floors Are an Opportunity for Post Frame Homes Three months after Hurricane Harvey churned through Texas, dumping 51 inches of rain and damaging an estimated 150,000 homes, the state’s most populous county took a bureaucratic step which has huge implications for how it will deal with the risk of future flooding. On December 5, […]
Read moreWhy Property Owners Should Obtain Their Own Building Permit
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/03/01 @ 8:00Why Property Owners Should Obtain Their Own Permit Back in the day, when I was a post frame building contractor, we always required our clients to obtain their own buildings permit. It wasn’t due to us being lazy, it was because if the building needed to be relocated on the site, or the permit office […]
Read moreDemographics of a Typical Building Code Official
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/02/28 @ 8:00In most cases one never considers the background of the people who will be doing plan reviews and field inspections for their new post frame buildings. For those with inquiring minds, I stumbled across this data, which I will share. In August 2014, the International Code Council (ICC) published “The Future of Code Officials: Results […]
Read moreIndiana Class 1 Building Must Have Posts on 4′ Centers?
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/02/22 @ 8:00Indiana Class 1 Building Must Have Posts on 4’ Centers? Reader GARY in CONNERSVILLE writes: “I am going to build a 60 x 160 , 18′ ceiling height for a sawing operation at our plant. I am told being a class 1 building, employee occupied, that the side posts need to be on 4′ centers, […]
Read moreWhen Jurisdictions Push the Fine Line
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/02/20 @ 8:00From a February 1, 2018 article by Lois Swoboda at www.apalachtimes.com: “At the Jan. 9 county planning and zoning advisory board meeting, and the Jan. 16 county commission, County Attorney Michael Shuler performed the first public readings of a proposed ordinance governing the use of metal structures and pole barns as single family residences.. The […]
Read moreBuilders Who Make No Upgrades in Twenty-Five Years
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/01/25 @ 8:00Builders Who Make No Upgrades in Twenty-Five Years. Why? We’ve Been Building This Way for 25 Years In the event you happen to hear this from a pole builder – run away from them as quickly as possible. Why? Because every three years there is a new version of the Building Codes and often those […]
Read moreMy Response: Why We Need Building Codes
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/12/14 @ 8:00My Response: Why We Need Building Codes As promised, here is my response to the Coeur d’Alene Press article of December 5, 2017 (exactly as I wrote in the comments portion following the newspaper article regarding adoption of building codes): I will first qualify myself – I attended the University of Idaho in architecture. I […]
Read moreRare Desicion to Not Adopt New Building Code Causes Stir
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/12/13 @ 8:00Rare Decision to Not Adopt New Building Code Causes Stir The following article by Brian Walker (in its entirety, without edits, appeared December 5, 2017 in the Coeur d’Alene Press). Tune in tomorrow for my commentary. COEUR d’ALENE — Kootenai County commissioners’ decision to not accept the most recent version of the International Building Code […]
Read moreDeep Fascia Overhangs
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/12/08 @ 8:00The definition of Fascia from the sum of all human knowledge (Wikipedia): “Fascia (/ˈfeɪʃə/) is an architectural term for a vertical frieze or band under a roof edge, or which forms the outer surface of a cornice, visible to an observer. Typically consisting of a wooden board, uPVC or non-corrosive sheet metal, many of the non-domestic fascias made […]
Read more- Categories: Building Department, Pole Barn Design, Building Overhangs
- Tags: Fascia Board, Rafters, Deep Fascia Overhangs, Signage
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Structural Engineering
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/12/07 @ 8:00I’ll take Structural Engineering for $XXX Alex Proper Engineering in post frame construction can not be overlooked. Alex Trebek has hosted Jeopardy!, the iconic daily syndicated game show, since 1984. With over 7,000 episodes aired, Jeopardy! has won a record 33 Daytime Emmy Awards. Some of you may even have tuned in for an episode […]
Read more- Categories: Professional Engineer, Pole Barn Questions, Pole Barn Design, Building Department, Pole Barn Planning, Pole Barn Structure, Pole Building Doors, Trusses
- Tags: Ground Snow Load, Engineer Of Record, Structural Engineering, Jeopardy, Truss Header, Snow Exposure Factor, Thermal Factor
- 6 comments
Put the Architect in Charge?
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/12/06 @ 8:00Put the Architect in Charge? I spent several years paying off my college student loans from Architecture school, so I do have a profound respect for architects who have been able to make a living practicing their trade. This, however, does not mean I feel the intervention of an architect is appropriate in all situations […]
Read moreThe Dust Bowl and Post Frame Buildings
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/12/05 @ 8:00The Dust Bowl and Post Frame Buildings My lovely bride speaks of her mother telling stories of the “Dirty Thirties” in Minnesota and the Dakotas. The Dust Bowl, also known as the Dirty Thirties, was a period of severe dust storms which greatly damaged the ecology and agriculture of the American and Canadian prairies during the 1930s; […]
Read moreMy Building Inspector Made Me
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/11/28 @ 8:00My Building Inspector Made Me….. An all to familiar tale from those who go by the premise, “penny wise and pound foolish”…. in the misguided attempt to shave a few dollars off the investment in a new building, the price of the engineer sealed plans has been deducted from the budget. Very rarely is this […]
Read moreTruss Repairs, Never Field Alter a Truss
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/11/09 @ 8:00International Residential Code and Tension Ties
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/10/20 @ 8:00International Residential Code and Tension Ties Reader DENNIS in TRAVERSE CITY writes: “ICC R602.10 is written to work with continuous foundations and vertical studs, not posts in holes and horizontal girts. How does a person translate bracing into post-frame language? An answer addressing tension ties would be helpful.” From the 2015 International Residential Code (IRC): […]
Read moreBuilding a Pole Building Style Home
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/10/18 @ 8:00Building a Pole Barn Style Home Reader DAVID from NINE MILE FALLS writes: “I am building a pole barn style home. I am having a difficult time in finding what the requirements would be for post setting and post distance spacing in regards to a pole barn used for living spaces. I plan on using […]
Read moreCan I Build a Pole Barn on my Concrete Slab?
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/10/03 @ 8:00Can I Build a Pole Barn on My Concrete Slab? I dove off from the turnip truck a long time ago, so I have seen a lot of strange things constructed over my nearly 60 year lifetime. Sometimes strange is good, usually not so good. What is remarkable are the structures which are constructed directly […]
Read moreAre My Columns Too Short?
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/09/26 @ 8:00Are My Columns Too Small or Too Short? We receive and answer lots of questions. Even with a Construction Guide which extends over 500 pages, covering a plethora of topics and how to’s, there is always an unanswered question (sometimes two). One of our good clients recently sent a query to the Hansen Pole Buildings’ […]
Read moreSpokane? Roof Steel Starts? and Winging It!
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/08/28 @ 8:00DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Your from Spokane area? Can one construct a custom pole building as home Spokane county? Would you have any references of builders in my area to consider? TERRY in MEAD DEAR TERRY: Yes, I was born and raised in Spokane – still have a plethora of family members there (as well […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn Design, Building Department, Steel Roofing & Siding, Building Contractor
- Tags: Contractors, Engineered Plans, Roof Steel, Code, Map, Spokane
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Treated Lumber for In Ground Use
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/08/25 @ 8:00Treated Lumber – Justine Schools a Major Lumberyard Chain When it comes to pressure preservative treated lumber, ignorance from the supply side seems to be bliss and there are way too many folks out there happily selling under treated product. For your entertainment pleasure I bring you a discourse between Hansen Pole Buildings Lumber Wizard […]
Read moreNeed a 13′ Tall Door With a 12′ Mean Height Restriction
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/08/23 @ 8:00Need a 13’ Tall Door With a 12’ Mean Height Restriction Planning Departments can be the bane of a property owner’s existence. They are the folks who are delegated enforcement of what some might feel are unrealistic expectations as to building heights and footprints. Many times there are solutions, and chances are if a solution […]
Read moreNon-commercial Plot Plans
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/08/17 @ 8:00Non-commercial Plot Plans Considering adding onto an existing non-commercial building, or constructing a new one? If you live in an area governed by Planning and Building requirements, then you are most likely going to need to have a plot plan – and soon! When Will You Need It? Before you ever think about the structural […]
Read moreWhat Classification is a Horse Riding Arena?
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/08/09 @ 1:20True horse riding arenas are big buildings. Even a relatively small one at 60 foot wide by 120 feet long is a big building – 7200 square feet. Add on a decent width (12 foot as a minimum) aisleway and (10) 12 foot square spaces for stalls, wash racks, tack and/or feed rooms and we […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn Questions, Building Department, Horse Riding Arena
- Tags: Code, Horse, Arena, Riding Arena, Building Classification
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Maximizing Sliding Door Heights
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/08/08 @ 8:00While post frame construction (in my humble opinion) gives the most value for construction dollars invested, there are just some cases where clients just are not aware. This reader wants to maximize the height of a sliding door opening on a stick frame building. HOWARD in COEUR d’ALENE writes: “Greetings, I am stick-building my own […]
Read morePole Barn Footings
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/08/04 @ 8:00Some things in life amaze me – magicians are one of them. I have no idea how the do what they do, but I am totally fascinated by them (you can read about my college experience with a magician here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2014/08/lumber-bending/). One of the other things which amaze me are how clients will invest tens […]
Read moreBookshelf Girts for Insulation
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/08/02 @ 8:00In the land where I first became acquainted with pole barn (post frame) building construction, was used a term known as commercial girts. These are actually what is more appropriately named “bookshelf girts” designed so as to create an insulation cavity which would extend 1-1/2 inches outside of the columns. The commercial girt is sized […]
Read moreRoof Trusses? Contractor Reviews, and Insulation Installation!
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/07/08 @ 8:00DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I would like to rip off my current roof of trusses that are made of 2x4s 2 feet on center with new one of mono-pitched trusses that are every 4-ft or less on center. The roofing material on top of the new trusses would be a SIP panel of some sort. […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn Structure, Trusses, Professional Engineer, Insulation, Pole Barn Design, Building Department
- Tags: Trusses, Staples, Insulation, A1V, Contractors, Nails, Plans, Code, Reviews
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Overhead Door Columns in Pole Barn Enclosure
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/07/06 @ 10:02No Columns for Overhead Doors There are a few clients out there who leave parts of one or more walls open, with the idea of enclosing them at a later date. Most often this is done with the idea of being able to save money, however it is not always much of a money saver, […]
Read moreSometimes There Are Just Not Words: Hansen Building Disaster
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/06/27 @ 8:00Sometimes There Are Just Not Words to Express… Building Disaster How horrifically a build can be botched. In a scene from 2013’s box office flop The Lone Ranger – Tonto (played by Johnny Depp) and the Lone Ranger (played by Armie Hammer) the heroes get themselves buried in the sand up to their necks. […]
Read moreHangar to House?
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/06/21 @ 8:00This article was triggered by an article I read recently by Karen L. Chandler at www.readingeagle.com in regards to a post frame building in Perry County, PA., excerpted below: “In other business, attorney Zachary A. Morey of Hoffert & Konis PC of Reading asked the supervisors to consider allowing an addition to Peter Lombardi’s pole […]
Read moreEngineer Wanted for Pole Building Garage
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/06/02 @ 8:00Wanted an Engineer for Pole Barn Garage In deference to the attorneys at Menards, who seem very interested in the articles I write, this ad appeared on Craigslist recently, so it is a direct quote and has not been changed from the original posting: “I am looking for a Colorado registered engineer for a pole […]
Read morePole Building Plans for Sale
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/06/01 @ 8:00Pole Building Plans for Sale Ah, Spring time, when a young man’s heart turns to how to “get a deal” on a new pole barn. Oftentimes it starts rather like this, “Can I just buy the building plans from you guys stamped and all? I need a 40×60 40 wide 60 deep 16′ tall so […]
Read moreThe Correct Vapor Barrier, Home Prices, as well as Why I Need an Engineer!
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/05/22 @ 8:00DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Framed a 12x30x8′ room in pole barn. Insulated ceiling & 1-30′ wall w/fiberglass, the outside wall will be spray foam. Do I need the vapor barrier the ceiling and the 1 wall. I will be using plywood on the ceiling and all the walls for a finish. Thank You for your […]
Read more- Categories: Professional Engineer, Pole Barn Homes, Insulation, Building Department
- Tags: Engineered Plans, Pole Building Vapor Barrier, Financing, Cost, Home
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Building Homes, Valley Rooflines, and Size Does Matter!
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/04/24 @ 8:00DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Just wondering if you build homes? I’m interested in building an open floor plan home with this style of architecture. NICK in SICKLERVILLE DEAR NICK: We do not happen to build anything, as we are not contractors. We do, however, design and provide the materials for post frame homes. Post frame […]
Read moreAirplane Hangar Exposure C
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/04/12 @ 8:00Why Your Airplane Hangar is Probably Exposure C I had the joy of growing up “hanging out” (pun intended) at airplane hangars and doing a lot of flying including having my hands on the controls of a Cessna 182 for many hours before I became a teen. One thing for certain about airplane hangars – […]
Read moreProhibition of Pole Barn Construction
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/03/23 @ 8:00The Construction of Pole Barns is Prohibited Seriously? This is directly from the White Bear Lake Township (Minnesota) ordinances related to Building Codes, buried deep in their Ordinance No. 8: 5-34. POLE BUILDINGS. The construction of pole barns/buildings is prohibited in the Town. I found this as a result of an article in the White […]
Read moreBuilding Site Preparation
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/02/08 @ 8:00I’m a Bit Confused… No, not me – one of our clients who is about ready to invest in his new Hansen Pole Buildings’ Post Frame Building kit. Just like me, when I have something new on the way, Phil is chomping at the bit to be doing something! Anything! DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I’m trying […]
Read moreAnd the Survey Says
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/02/03 @ 8:00July 12, 1976 had Richard Dawson (Corporal Peter Newkirk of Hogan’s Heroes fame) uttering these words, “and the survey says” on the very first Family Feud television game show. Sadly Mr. Dawson has met his demise, however the show goes on with Steve Harvey as the current host. Well, when it comes to placing your […]
Read moreNot All Pole Barns Are Designed to Code
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/01/25 @ 8:00Not All Pole Barns Are Designed to Code Mandated Wind Loads Photo by Lewis Geyer, Longmont Times-Call Debris are all which remains of a pole barn formerly belonging to Tom Bennett of Berthoud, Colorado. According to Berthoud Fire Chief, Rob Stumpf, their office received a call about 9:15 on Monday morning, January 9, 2017 to […]
Read morePole Barn Comparisons
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/01/17 @ 8:00Differentiation- Pole Barn Comparisons In today’s world savvy shoppers can go on the internet and fairly quickly track down the best buy on virtually any commodity item. Sometimes even pole barn comparisons. According to the sum of all knowledge, Wikipedia: “The term commodity is specifically used for an economic good or service when the demand for it […]
Read moreSnow Sliding off a Roof
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/01/13 @ 8:00Snow Slides Off Roof – Kills Child I’ve recently been searching the pages of the IBC (International Building Code) for a section which I was just certain I had viewed in an earlier Code edition – preventing accumulated snow sliding off roofs, in particular at door openings. I even went so far as to post […]
Read moreBuilder Shaming
Posted by polebarnguru on 16/12/30 @ 8:00The Builder Knows More Than We do…. After Hansen 18k Plus Buildings Very few things in life frighten me. Among them are heights (growing up in a family of framing contractors and having vertigo issues were not a good mix) and builders who tell me, “I can build anything”. This last one usually sets off […]
Read moreHOA Requirements
Posted by polebarnguru on 16/12/29 @ 8:00Some Temporary Holiday Cheer Back in May of this year I wrote about how the neighbors of a new post frame barndominium had ganged up under the auspices of their HOA Requirements to try to force the demolition of the building under construction. (You can read about it here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2016/05/not-mess-hoas/). Well, the building owners have […]
Read moreASCE Changes in 2017
Posted by polebarnguru on 16/12/27 @ 8:00ASCE/SEI 7 Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures The times, they keep a changing, and as they do Building Codes and Building Design becomes increasingly more complex. My long time readers have read my preaching about why all buildings should be designed by Registered Design Professionals (RDP – architects or engineers) to insure […]
Read moreDesign Wind Speed Changes
Posted by polebarnguru on 16/12/23 @ 8:00Design Wind Speed Changes with Building Code Editions Every three years a new version of the International Building Code (IBC) is printed, which brings with it the latest and greatest information for building design as approved by Code Officials. State and local permit issuing jurisdictions then can either adopt or amend the Code as they […]
Read moreBuying a Used Pole Building
Posted by polebarnguru on 16/12/20 @ 8:0040’ x 60’ Used Pole Building – $14000 (Silverton) SERIOUSLY? The following ad appeared in the Salem, Oregon Craigslist December 6, 2016 in for sale > farm & garden – by owner: “I have a nice fully enclosed 14 foot tall pole building. It is fully disassembled and ready for transport. All the metal is […]
Read more- Categories: Professional Engineer, Pole Barn Design, Pole Building Comparisons, Building Department, Constructing a Pole Building, Pole Barn Planning, Pole Barn Structure
- Tags: Building Code, Galvanized Steel, Lateral Truss Bracing, Oregon Agricultural Exemption, Truss Plywood Gussets, Flat Wind Girts
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When Buildings Fall Down
Posted by polebarnguru on 16/12/16 @ 8:00When Buildings Fall Down, People Can Die It was a busy Friday morning in downtown Sioux Falls, South Dakota on December 2nd of this year. About 10:30 a.m. near the corner of East 10th Street and South Phillips Avenue, Boyd McPeek was inside the Coffea coffee shop, when the 1916 building across the street collapsed. […]
Read moreRetrofit for Wind Uplift Protection
Posted by polebarnguru on 16/12/13 @ 8:00Another great question from a reader! DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hello, I bought my house from you a few years ago and know that you all have a very good engineering group. I was wanting to see if they could come up with a plan to retrofit an existing pole barn for wind uplift. The […]
Read moreScary Pole Barn Design
Posted by polebarnguru on 16/12/02 @ 8:00Scary Design A one-time potential Hansen Pole Buildings’ client, who is a friend of mine on Facebook, didn’t invest in one of our engineered post frame buildings. Most likely it was due to price – people so easily believe they have gotten a great deal, when instead they set themselves up for nothing but potential […]
Read moreCordwood Masonry Appears to be a Contradiction in Terms
Posted by polebarnguru on 16/11/30 @ 8:00This article by Randy Edison about cordwood masonry first appeared at www.gfwadvertiser.ca November 24, 2006 and has not been edited “When Paul Johnson first heard of the construction method from a friend it became a curiosity. He was curious enough, in fact, to turn it into a handyman project that, despite the challenges, brought a […]
Read moreGymnasiums Perfect for Post Frame Truss Construction
Posted by polebarnguru on 16/11/18 @ 8:00This article’s content was published in Construction Magazine, October 28, 2016 Post-frame construction is ideal for non-code-exempt buildings of many shapes and sizes. One category of such structures that is often overlooked by post-frame builders is gymnasiums and multipurpose recreational buildings. Gymnasiums and multipurpose recreational buildings are a perfect fit for post-frame construction for several […]
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