Pole Buildings: Colorize it!

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/10/2011
Pole Buildings: Colorize it!

If we are going out for an evening on the town, my wife won’t let me pick the clothes I am going to wear.  While I am sure it has something to do with my inability to match colors, even I sometimes wonder about colors people choose for their pole buildings. Several years ago we […]

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ACH – What is It?

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/09/2011
ACH – What is It?

Ten years ago when we first started our internet based business, we set up an ACH option for customers to make payments on their pole building kits.  I can still remember the first gal we offered payment by ACH to.  From memory in talking to her son, the elderly lady who was actually paying for […]

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Pole Building Insurance

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/08/2011
Pole Building Insurance

Today‘s guest blog is written by a fellow Rotarian of mine, Rich Wilson, who is an Insurance and Financial Services Agent for Farmers Insurance out of Coeur d ‘Alene, ID. So you want to build a pole building structure behind your home.  So how does pole building insurance work? It’s always best to check with your […]

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Building Codes: Wind Exposure C

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/07/2011
Building Codes: Wind Exposure C

We all know what Assume Means… Bob is a builder in Northern California. He made a request for a quote on a building recently, via the Hansen Pole Buildings website. The building he had in mind was to be 30’ wide x 80’ long. Bob told me the roof snow load was 100 pounds per […]

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Pole Building Plans 101: Details, Details, Details!

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/04/2011
Pole Building Plans 101: Details, Details, Details!

To close out the past two weeks’ blogs of discussing the different views of pole building plans and what to expect from your building department, there is one more subject we should discuss…those little details which make all the difference. Plans are most often drawn in ¼” = 1 foot scale.  Details are drawn in […]

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Pole Building Plan Details

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on
Pole Building Plan Details

Details! Details! Details! To close out the past two weeks’ blogs of discussing the different views of pole building plans and what to expect from your building department, there is one more subject we should discuss…those little details which make all the difference. Plans are most often drawn in ¼” = 1 foot scale.  Details […]

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Pole Buildings Plans 101: Elevation Drawings

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/03/2011
Pole Buildings Plans 101: Elevation Drawings

Who needs elevation drawings and what are they?  This is one question to be sure to ask your building department prior to having your plans drafted.  I’ve been talking about plans since beginning of last week, and I did refer to endwall and sidewall framing plans as “elevations”.  However, these were the framing plans for […]

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Building Plans 101: Loft Storage or Bonus Room

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/02/2011
Building Plans 101: Loft Storage or Bonus Room

Last week and up through today I have been talking about building plans, how to tell if they are “good ones” or not, before you buy your building.  Whoever you buy a pole building kit from should be able to show you a set of sample plans prior to you plunking down a huge chunk […]

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Pole Building Plans 101: Siding Cutting Layout

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/01/2011
Pole Building Plans 101: Siding Cutting Layout

If you have not yet read the previous 6 or 7 blogs – it would be helpful at this point to back up a bit and read them in order, or at least enough so you get a good idea of what is included on a good set of building plans. We deal with all […]

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Pole Building Plans 101: Sidewall Elevations

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/31/2011
Pole Building Plans 101: Sidewall Elevations

This is day number five in talking about building plans, so if you have not read the blogs, you may find them well worth your time. Today I am looking at sidewall elevations.  Right off the bat I’m going to have you click here to take a look at a sample: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/sample-plans.htm Be sure to […]

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Pole Building Plans 101: Endwall Elevations

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/28/2011
Pole Building Plans 101: Endwall Elevations

Blog #97 Building Plans – Endwall Elevations This is day 4 in discussion of building plans, which pages show what features and how to “read” them. Endwall elevations are most often where sliding doors, overheads and entry doors are placed.  Not always, as some folks use the sidewall as the “front” of their building.  It […]

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Pole Building Plans 101: Interior Section Elevation

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/27/2011
Pole Building Plans 101: Interior Section Elevation

This is Day 3 in my discussion of building plans (i.e. blueprints) with today’s focus on the Interior “section” elevation.  When you cut open an apple, what do you see?  Just a flat one dimensional view of what is inside of the apple. This is exactly what we do with the Interior Section on your […]

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Pole Buildings Plans 101: Roof Framing Plan

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/26/2011
Pole Buildings Plans 101: Roof Framing Plan

This is day 2 talking about the specific pages of building plans – what they should include, and how to “read” them. I divert to my lovely bride for this next analogy, because she is the “farm gal”.  She tells our clients when they look at the Roof Framing Plan to pretend they are up […]

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Pole Building Plans 101: Pole Layout

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/25/2011
Pole Building Plans 101: Pole Layout

As important as carefully investigating the style, quality and features of the building you are going to buy, is taking the time to look over a sample set of plans and directions of how it all goes together…before you buy the building.  I’ve purchased what looked to be the simplest projects in the past (how […]

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Pole Building Plans 101

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/24/2011
Pole Building Plans 101

Pole building plans are included with every one of our kits, and I can’t help but scratch my head in wonderment (and often frustration) when someone calls for more materials, a verbal directive on what is outlined nicely on their plans, and still manages to make major mistakes in putting their building together.  Most upsetting […]

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Extra Building Pieces: Which ones?

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/21/2011
Extra Building Pieces: Which ones?

One thing I’d really like to discuss is… over the years, every now and then we get folks who ask, “Why don’t you send extra?”  They mean extra lumber? Steel?  Extra posts?  How about trusses?!  Which parts of what may be over a hundred different pieces do you want me to send “extra”?  How many […]

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Why Sign Up for Pole Building Newsletters?

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/20/2011
Why Sign Up for Pole Building Newsletters?

“So you have pole building newsletters, why should I read an online ad to BUY BUY BUY from you?”  asked a client recently when I suggested he sign up. “You are exactly right, and I wouldn’t either”, I replied. “Really?” he dubiously answered. I went on to explain our newsletters are purposely designed to NOT […]

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Barn Conversion: Million Dollar Homes

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/19/2011
Barn Conversion: Million Dollar Homes

When I read this CNBC.com article, written by Colleen Kane, I immediately thought – why is it these folks aren’t just doing it the easy way? Here is a brief overview of one of the homes – a barn located in Dallas, Texas: This structure existed for its first 150 years or so as a […]

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Pole Building Construction: Why Not Stick Frame?

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/18/2011
Pole Building Construction: Why Not Stick Frame?

If you didn’t read my blog from yesterday- it’s well worth reading, and short, so I’ll wait while you go back and pick it up. Got it?  That’s right, stick framed construction, while being more of the “norm” than pole building construction, is habitually wasteful of materials and manpower.  I’m not saying there are “places […]

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Buildings: Why Not Stick Frame Construction?

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/17/2011
Buildings: Why Not Stick Frame Construction?

When my younger (and only) brother was earning his first university degree (in Planning), he had to do a thesis. Mark’s topic was comparing the materials costs of a stick built (stud wall) Habitat for Humanity home, versus the same building as a post frame (or pole) building. The results were a savings in the […]

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Preventing Frost Heaves in Pole Building Construction

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/14/2011
Preventing Frost Heaves in Pole Building Construction

Hopefully you’ve been riding along with me here on my frost heave “horse” over the past two days, with background information provided by Harris Hyman, P.E.  If not, you can quickly click on the past two day’s blogs, and catch up.  Or…. skip ahead here if you want the “down and dirty” on what to […]

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Beat Frost the Easy Way…Post Construction Drainage

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/13/2011
Beat Frost the Easy Way…Post Construction Drainage

As I referenced yesterday, the information on frost heaving, it’s theory and possible solutions to the problem, are brought to you by Harris Hyman, P.E., as written in the July 1994 issue of Practical Engineering.  In finding solutions to a problem, it is often necessary to dig into why the problems occur in the first […]

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Pole Building Structures: What Causes Frost Heaves?

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/12/2011
Pole Building Structures: What Causes Frost Heaves?

I always give credit “where credit is due” and my next subject is supported by the online writings of a Professional Engineer, Mr. Harris Hyman.  He wrote about frost as far back as July 1994 in Practical Engineering,  Like Mr. Hyman, I too like to dig down deep into why some problem is caused, before […]

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Metal Connector Plates Have Teeth

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/11/2011
Metal Connector Plates Have Teeth

Metal connector plates are used to connect wood truss members and are considered the most important invention in the light frame wood construction industry. This is due to their versatility, cost effectiveness and ease of installation. Typically composed of galvanized steel they are mainly manufactured using one of three metal thicknesses: 20, 18 and 16 […]

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Wind Rated Garage Doors

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/10/2011
Wind Rated Garage Doors

But can it Pass a Missile Test? Many hurricane prone regions are following the state of Florida’s lead and are requiring all buildings and their components withstand a certain amount of wind pressure. Wind loaded overhead doors generally are design to withstand from 90 mph to 150 mph wind speeds. These design wind speeds are […]

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