Category Archives: Barndominium
Barndominium Egress Windows
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/02/19 @ 8:00Barndominiums, shouses (shop/houses) and post frame homes have become a popular alternative to ‘conventional’ stick frame construction. This creates a radical mind shift for those of us who have been focused on non-residential structures for years or even decades. An important consideration is including adequate windows for egress. Dedicated readers will remember my oldest step-son, […]
Read moreGetting the Best Deal on Your New Post Frame Building
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/02/18 @ 8:00A price quote is merely a number without a complete understanding of exactly what is or is not included in said quote. You have requested quotes for your new post frame building from a dozen or more providers and actually gotten four back, even after having to hound all of them for pricing! Frustrating when […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn Design, Pole Building Comparisons, Post Frame Home, Building Department, Barndominium, Pole Barn Planning, Shouse, Trusses, Budget
- Tags: Engineer Sealed Building Plans, Warranty, Wind Exposure, Building Code Standards, Complete Building Code Information, Ground Snow Load, Flat Roof Snowload, Design Wind Speed, Engineer Of Record
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A Barndominium Can Be a Carbon Storage Warehouse
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/02/14 @ 8:00Designed right, your new barndominium can help prevent global warming. By utilization of a wooden post frame structure, rather than steel or concrete, carbon can be stored (like a warehouse), rather than being released into our planet’s atmosphere. The carbon cycle demonstrates various phases of carbon through living things, soil, water and atmosphere. If carbon […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn Homes, Post Frame Home, Barndominium, Shouse, Lumber, Pole Barn Planning, Pole Buildings History, Pole Barn Structure, Trusses
- Tags: Global Warming, Carbon Storage, Energy Consumption, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Chadwick Dearing Oliver, Calcination, Carbon Dioxide Emissions
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Are YOU a Potential Hansen Buildings’ Client?
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/02/13 @ 8:00Please note, I use “client” rather than “customer”. A customer is someone who buys a commodity from a shop. A client is a person or company receiving a service from a professional person or organization in return for payment. Unfortunately, too many future barndominium, shouse and post frame building owners are either unable or unwilling to […]
Read morePrice Per Square Foot, Proper Post Treatment, and XPS
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/02/10 @ 8:00This week the Pole Barn Guru answers questions about the price per square foot for a hangar, the proper post treatment for in ground use, and use of XPS insulation between steel and wall posts. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: What is the approximate price per square foot for a 62 x 130 t hangar? KENNETH […]
Read more- Categories: Barndominium, Insulation, Pole Barn Questions, Ventilation, Columns
- Tags: UC-4B, Post Rot, Post Treatment, Building Costs, XPS Boards, Insulation, Price Per Square Foot
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Post Frame Building Wainscot
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/02/07 @ 8:00Whether your post frame building will be a garage, shop, commercial building or barndominium wainscot an extremely popular option is wainscot. Roughly 25 years ago I had an 80’ x 150’ x 20’ post frame building erected for my prefabricated wood truss manufacturing business. Whilst a great deal of thought went into this building’s design, […]
Read more- Categories: Vinyl Siding, Pole Barn Homes, Workshop Buildings, Pole Barn Apartments, Post Frame Home, About The Pole Barn Guru, Barndominium, Pole Barn Planning, Pole Building Siding
- Tags: Motarless Masonry, Barndominium, Bollard, T1-11, Shouse, Vinyl Siding, Wood Paneling, Cement Based Sidings
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Quonset Hut Homes
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/02/06 @ 8:00With the proliferation of barndominiums, shouses and post frame homes there is always someone looking for a cheaper answer. I have found cheaper generally gets me exactly what I paid for – cheap. Well for some, cheap may be living in a Quonset hut. Considering a Quonset building for your new home? Consider resale value […]
Read moreBuilding Codes Apply to Shouses
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/02/05 @ 8:00Building Codes Apply to Shouses Recently I shared with you, my faithful readers, a Park Rapids Enterprise article penned by Lorie R. Skarpness as Nevis, Minnesota attempts to deal with a shouse. https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2019/12/a-shouse-in-the-news/ Below is Lorie’s update from January 18, 2020: “The discussion of a proposed shouse (a word that means a shop with living […]
Read more- Categories: Barndominium, Pole Barn Design, Building Department, Pole Barn Planning, Pole Barn Homes, Workshop Buildings, Post Frame Home
- Tags: Shouse, Residential Performance Standards, Shouse Structural Components, Building Aesthetic Requirements, Building Code, Barndominium, Post Frame Home
- 2 comments
Barndominium Brick Wainscot
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/02/04 @ 8:00Actual Brick Considerations for Barndominium Wainscot With post frame buildings becoming a ‘rage’ for use as homes, barndominiums and shouse (shop/houses) alternatives to dress them up are quickly arising. Amongst these options are clients looking to have actual brick wainscot, as opposed to using a different color of steel siding, thin brick, or other cultured […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn Structure, Pole Barn Homes, Post Frame Home, Barndominium, Pole Barn Design, Building Department, Pole Building How To Guides, Pole Barn Planning
- Tags: Brick Veneer Structural Support, Brick Ledge, Barndominium, Foundation Wall, Weather Resistant Barrier, Shouse, Brick Wainscot, Brick Veneer
- 2 comments
Top of Barndominium Slab
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/01/31 @ 8:00Where Should the Top of Barndominium Slab Be? Loyal reader DANIEL in OWENSVILLE writes: “Mike, First I want to say thanks for all that I have learned from your Blog. I am confused on a couple of points you made concerning floor height… “Occasionally we have clients who ask why they can’t run the concrete […]
Read moreYour Barndominium’s Planning Department
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/01/29 @ 8:00In most parts of our country (and probably most other developed countries), it will be a necessity to acquire a building permit in order to construct a new barndominium, shouse (shop/house) or post frame home. Easiest way to find out is to contact your local authorities to find out if indeed this is your case. […]
Read moreFloor Trusses for Barndominiums
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/01/28 @ 8:00In my last article I discussed limiting deflection for barndominium floors. Today I will take this one step further with a floor truss design solution. Most of us don’t think too much about floors we walk upon – unless they are not level, squeak when we walk on them, or are too bouncy. Traditionally wood […]
Read morePlans Only? Moisture Barriers? and Two Story Houses?
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/01/27 @ 8:00This week the Pole Barn Guru answers questions about “plans only” purchases, proper use of moisture barriers when adding insulation to an existing building, as well as the possibility or building a two story post frame house. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Do you offer just the plans? I own a sawmill and would like to […]
Read moreBarndominium Wood Floors
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/01/24 @ 8:00Barndominiums, shouses (shop/houses) and post frame homes have become a true ‘thing’. As they have developed from bootlegged boxes to serious planning being given to them, there has been a rise in people wanting them over full or partial basements, crawl spaces and multiple floors. In nearly every case, these floors are made of wood […]
Read more- Categories: About The Pole Barn Guru, Pole Barn Planning, Pole Barn Structure, Building Interior, Pole Barn Homes, Pole Barn Apartments, Post Frame Home, Barndominium, Pole Barn Design
- Tags: Barndoominium, Canadian Building Code, Floor Vibration, Floor Sheathing, Live Load Deflection, Floor Joist Spans, Deflection, Shouse
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Avoiding Oil Canning With Standing Seam Steel for Barndominiums
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/01/23 @ 8:00Avoiding Oil Canning With Standing Seam Steel for Barndominiums and Post Frame Buildings As post frame construction grows by leaps and bounds into post frame homes (barndominiums and shouses), more clients look to them for upgraded features. Standing seam roofing may appeal to some who appreciate the aesthetics of no visible screw fasteners. Standing seam […]
Read moreBarndominium Warrantees
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/01/22 @ 8:00Barndominium Warrantees Regular readers of my articles are aware I have joined and regularly read and contribute to every Facebook and Linkedin group about barndominiums and post frame buildings I possibly can find. My goal always is for people to get their best possible value for their investment, even should they somehow decide Hansen Pole […]
Read more- Categories: Lumber, Pole Barn Questions, Post Frame Home, Pole Barn Planning, Barndominium, Steel Roofing & Siding, Building Contractor, Pole Building Siding, Trusses, Concrete, Columns, Pole Barn Homes
- Tags: Steel Warranty, Lifetime Paint Warranty, Barndominium Warranty, Timber Warranty, Wood Columns Warranty, Workmanship Warranty
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Ganged Wood Trusses & Closed Cell Spray Foam Post Frame Condensation Control
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/01/21 @ 8:05Ganged Wood Trusses and Closed Cell Spray Foam Post Frame Condensation Control Ganged wood trusses are most usually two individually fabricated metal connector plated roof trusses, fastened together with either nails or even better Simpson Drive Screws (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2017/03/simpson-drive-screws/), so they work together as a conjoined pair. True doubled trusses (not two single trusses spaced apart […]
Read more- Categories: Insulation, Post Frame Home, Roofing Materials, Pole Barn Planning, Pole Barn Structure, Barndominium, Ventilation, Building Interior, Pole Barn Homes
- Tags: Ganged Wood Trusses, Closed Cell Spray Foam, Closed Cell Spray Foam Insulation, Reflective Insulation, Plywood, Condensation, Roofing Felt, Reflective Radiant Barrier
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Flash and Batt Insulating Barndominium Walls
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/01/17 @ 8:00Flash-and-Batt Insulating Barndominium Walls We’re in a seemingly never ending cycle of racing towards net zero post frame homes, shouses (shop/houses) and barndominiums (read more on net zero post frame here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2019/01/net-zero-post-frame-homes/). One possible design solution involves what is known as “flash-and-batt” where two inches of closed cell spray foam insulation is applied to steel […]
Read moreHow Not to Sheetrock Your Barndominium
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/01/16 @ 8:00How Not To Sheetrock Your Barndominium Gypsum wallboard (aka Sheetrock or drywall) is used as wall and ceiling covering of choice for nearly every barndominium, shouse (shop/house) or post frame home. It affords a plethora of advantages over other interior finishes – for many, it is about cost savings. For others it is fire protection […]
Read moreWhat to Consider in a Post Frame Garage Door
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/01/14 @ 8:00What to Consider in a Post Frame Garage Door Today’s guest contributor is Irene Trentham, Content Marketing Strategist of Arizona’s Best Garage Door and Repair Company, a locally-owned enterprise specializing in installing new garage doors and repairing defective ones for Phoenix Arizona area residents. She loves to do camping, hiking and yoga and to spend […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Building Doors, Pole Barn Homes, Overhead Doors, Post Frame Home, Barndominium
- Tags: Commercial Garage Doors, Residential Garage Doors, Flat Panel Garage Doors, Irene Trentham, Arizona's Best Garage Door And Repair Company, Garage Door Safety Sensors, Rolling Code Technology
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More Information, Pricing for a Kit, and Site Work and Grade Changes
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/01/13 @ 8:00Today’s Pole Barn Guru answers questions about “more information” on Hansen Pole Building’s product, pricing for a kit, as well as site work and grade changes. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hey, I was wanting to see if I could get some more information on a steel house. My wife and I have 5 acres in […]
Read moreWhat Is Keeping Posts Above Ground Worth?
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/01/10 @ 8:00What is Something Worth? I can be overly anal. Sometimes I have to really work hard to get around it – I purposefully have conundrums on my desk and for some perverse reason I feel comfortable in them. I inherited my maternal grandmother’s counting gene. Even into her nineties, if I called her up and […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Building Comparisons, Post Frame Home, About The Pole Barn Guru, Barndominium, Pole Barn Planning, Pole Barn Structure, Footings, Columns, Lumber, Pole Barn Homes, Pole Barn Design
- Tags: Glu-laminated Posts, Pressure Preservative Treated Columns, UC4B Treated Columns, Permacolumns
- 1 comments
Free Home Milled Lumber
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/01/08 @ 8:00Every few years it seems there arises a need for young (remember I am only 62 years young) men to head into forests and become loggers. I have been there personally – there is just something manly about hacking down some snags with a chain saw! Myself, there is a sudden rush when a tree […]
Read moreBarndominium Airplane Hangars and More
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/01/07 @ 8:00I really suppose it is unfair of me to limit this article to just airplane hangars, as I have had instances to design hangars for helicopters as well. As an elementary school student, my pre-teen friends and I were all very impressed when a girl down our street’s father landed his helicopter in a field […]
Read moreExciting Times for Post Frame Construction
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/01/03 @ 8:00Exciting Times for Post Frame Construction Welcome to 2020! My fifth decade of post frame buildings and I could not be more excited. 40 years ago today if you would have told me I was going to embark in an exciting career in post frame buildings I would have looked at you quizzically – and […]
Read moreBuilding a Barndominium on an Existing Concrete Slab
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/12/26 @ 8:00Building a Barndominium on an Existing Concrete Slab Whether a simple pole barn or an elaborate barndominium, shouse or post frame home, there are some challenges when it comes to constructing on an existing concrete slab on grade. Reader NATHAN from PITTSFORD began this article when he wrote: “I have a 28x 80 foot pad. […]
Read moreA Shouse in the News
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/12/25 @ 8:00A Shouse in the News! Casual readers might not understand what a shouse even is. My lovely bride and I happen to reside in an 8000 square foot shouse (combination shop and house) in Northeast South Dakota. (The shouse in this article is not our house.) Whether shouse, barndominium or merely post frame (pole barn) […]
Read moreSpray Foam for Barndominiums
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/12/20 @ 8:00Spray Foam for Barndominiums – Is a Thermal or Ignition Barrier Required? Although it’s certainly not used in every green building project, spray foam insulation has become a popular way to build an air-tight (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2019/11/airtight-post-frame-homes-and-barndominiums/) barndominium, shouse (shop/house) or even just a well-insulated post frame building. Early on building codes hadn’t caught up with how […]
Read more- Categories: Building Department, Pole Barn Planning, Pole Barn Structure, Building Interior, Pole Barn Homes, Post Frame Home, Barndominium, Pole Building Comparisons
- Tags: E84 Class A Certified, Code Council Evaluation Service, Acceptance Criteria 377, Thermal Barrier, Ignition Barrier, FIRESHELL, NFPA 286 Class Certified
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Barndominium Flooring Over Radiant Heat
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/12/13 @ 8:01Our shouse (shop/house) has radiant in floor heat on its lower level and we love it! (read about it here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2012/08/radiant-floor-heating/) I encourage anyone who is building a barndominium, shouse, post frame home or even a garage or shop to at least have Pex-Al-Pex tubing placed in any slab-on-grade concrete floors (research Pex-Al-Pex here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2019/05/pex-al-pex-tubing-for-post-frame-concrete-slabs/). […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn Heating, Post Frame Home, Barndominium, About The Pole Barn Guru, Pole Barn Planning, Concrete, Pole Barn Homes
- Tags: PEX-AL-PEX, Pex-Al-Pex Tubing, Laminate Flooring, Engineered Wood Flooring, Bamboo Flooring, Natural Stone Flooring, Barndominium, Travertine Flooring
- 4 comments
Post Frame Condensation and Insulation Challenge
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/12/04 @ 8:00Solving Yet Another Post Frame Condensation and Insulation Challenge Long time loyal readers will sigh as yet another post frame building has been erected without thoughts to how to properly insulate and control condensation. Had our new friend invested in a Hansen Pole Building, chances are good we would not be having this question and […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Building How To Guides, Pole Barn Homes, Pole Barn Planning, Pole Barn Structure, Barndominium, Insulation, Ventilation, Pole Barn Questions, Building Interior, Pole Barn Design
- Tags: Bookshelf Wall Girts, Vented Ridge, Insulation, Vapor Barrier, Barndominium Condensation, Condensation, BIBS Insulation, Batt Insulation, Gable Vents
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Post Frame Building Insulation
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/11/27 @ 8:00Pole Barn Guru’s Ultimate Guide to Post Frame Building Insulation When it comes to insulating any building (not just post frame ones – like barndominiums) there is a certain point of diminishing returns – one can spend so much they will never, in their lifetimes, recoup their investment. Here my ultimate guide to post frame […]
Read more- Categories: Ventilation, Insulation, Post Frame Home, Pole Barn Design, Barndominium, About The Pole Barn Guru, Roofing Materials, Pole Building How To Guides, Pole Barn Planning
- Tags: Condensation, Integral Condensation Control, Reflective Radiant Barrier, Ice And Water Shield, Commercial Bookshelf Wall Girts, Insulation
- 8 comments
Performance Bonds
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/11/21 @ 8:00Performance Bonds for Post Frame Buildings and Barndominiums Don’t get me wrong, most post frame and barndominium building contractors are honest folks who just love to make their clients happy. I, for one, get tired of reading horror stories of folks who have been ripped off by those who are not so scrupulous. And every […]
Read moreMy Barndominium Windows Are Leaking
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/11/19 @ 8:00Common questions we hear from barndominium, shouse (shop/house) and post frame home owners are, “Why are my new windows leaking?” or “Why do I have condensation inside of my windows?” In fact, many new barndominium owners think their windows are defective and need to be replaced in an effort to cure this problem. To answer […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn Design, Pole Building How To Guides, Pole Barn Planning, Pole Barn Structure, Windows, Pole Barn Homes, Post Frame Home, Pole Barn Questions, Barndominium
- Tags: Barndominium Condensation, Barndominium Ventilation, Dehumidifier, Condensation, Ventilation, Attic Vents
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Why You Cannot Find a Builder
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/11/15 @ 8:00I read and hear more and more tales of woe from people unable to find qualified building contractors. I am currently one of them – while I live in Northeast South Dakota, I also still own a lakefront home on Newman Lake, in Washington. My step-daughter Lindsay is living there currently and it needs a […]
Read moreDon’t Restrict Post Frame Buildings
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/11/14 @ 8:00Post frame (pole) buildings are a Code conforming building system. In my humble opinion, jurisdictions can legally restrict a building’s aesthetics, however restrictions upon a proven structural system appear to be a restriction of fair trade. It would be fair for a jurisdiction to prohibit a certain type(s) or even color of building skin (roofing […]
Read moreAirtight Post Frame Homes and Barndominiums
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/11/12 @ 8:00Back in my 1990’s post frame building contractor days, we constructed a shop for a client near Moscow, Idaho. We probably didn’t ask enough questions up front and our client didn’t provide enough information to adequately prevent what was initially quite a challenge. After we had completed construction of this building’s shell, our client poured […]
Read more- Categories: Barndominium, Pole Barn Design, About The Pole Barn Guru, Pole Barn Planning, Ventilation, Windows, Pole Barn Homes, Post Frame Home
- Tags: Shouse, Airtight Post Frame Homes, Carbon Footprint, Post Frame Building Envelope, Mechanical Ventilation Systems, Passivhaus Standards, Window U-factor, Barndominium
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A Contractor for Your Barndominium Part III
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/11/08 @ 8:00A Contractor for Your Barndominium (Part III) Miscellaneous Topics: Do Not Change Your Plan Once your plans have been permitted, do not make changes. This allows openings for expensive “Change Orders,” and will have an allowable timeline effect. In cases, this will require you to resubmit to your local jurisdiction and could involve months of […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn Planning, Building Contractor, Professional Engineer, Pole Barn Homes, Pole Barn Apartments, Pole Barn Design, Post Frame Home, About The Pole Barn Guru, Barndominium, Pole Building How To Guides
- Tags: Workers Compensation Liability Insurance, Engineered Structural Plans, Building Contractor, Kynar Paint, Liability Insurance, Building Contractor License
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A Contractor for Your Barndominium Part II
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/11/07 @ 8:00A Contractor for Your Barndominium (Part II) Liquidated Damages For most people, you are financing your barndominium and have logistical issues prior to being able to occupy. Negotiate a hard date for project completion, using a start date based upon Building Permit approval. After this completion date, you will assess builder a monetary penalty for […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn Homes, Post Frame Home, About The Pole Barn Guru, Barndominium, Building Styles and Designs, Building Department, Constructing a Pole Building, Building Contractor, Professional Engineer
- Tags: Performance Bond, Approved Building Drawings, Building Site Conditions, Registered Architect, Finish Work, General Contractor, Building Permit
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A Contractor for Your New Barndominium
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/11/06 @ 8:00A Contractor for Your Barndominium (Part I) I have done my best to be a member of any barndominium, shouse (shop/house) or post frame house discussion group on Facebook with any sort of activity. If I had a quarter for every post from people looking for a building contractor, I could head to a casino […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Building Comparisons, Building Department, Pole Barn Planning, Building Contractor, Professional Engineer, Pole Barn Homes, Barndominium
- Tags: Building Contract, Construction Tolerance Standards For Post Frame Buildings, Building Contractor, ASAE, American National Standards Institute
- 2 comments
Tear Down and Move, Stitching Roof Steel, Foundation Size
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/11/04 @ 8:00Today’s Pole Barn Guru answers questions about the chance Hansen Buildings will “tear down pole barns and move them for people, too?…”, stitching the overlap on steel roofing, and what happens to foundations when adding a second floor to a “Barndo.” DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Do you tear down pole barns and move them for […]
Read morePlacing Purlins Overhanging Lowered End Truss
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/10/29 @ 8:00Properly Placing Post Frame Building Purlins Overhanging Lowered End Truss Even professional post frame building erectors have challenges with concepts like properly placing purlins when they overhang a lowered end truss. What could be so difficult, one might ask, you just space them the same as all other purlins, right? Well, sort of. End trusses, […]
Read moreWhat DP Ratings Mean for Post Frame Windows and Doors
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/10/25 @ 8:00Let’s start with a definition of Design Pressure. According to AAMA (American Architectural Manufacturers Association), WDMA (Window and Door Manufacturers Association), and NAFS (North American Fenestration Standard), Design Pressure (DP) is a rating identifying loads induced by wind and/or static snow a product is rated to withstand in its end-use application. So basically, DP is […]
Read moreShow me Your Barndominium Plans Please
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/10/23 @ 8:00Like a bunch of little kids exploring differences in body parts – “You show me yours, I will show you mine.” Barndominium, shouse (shop/house), post frame home want to be owners are not far removed from here when it comes to floor plans. In numerous Facebook groups I see this request over and over! Each […]
Read morePlanning for a South Carolina Post Frame Home
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/10/15 @ 8:00Planning for a South Carolina Post Frame Home A barndominium, shouse (shop/house) and post frame home wave is sweeping across America. There are numerous articles available on Hansen Pole Buildings’ website – just click on SEARCH (upper right of any page) and type in BARNDOMINIUM and hit ENTER and relevant articles will appear for your […]
Read morePartially Enclosed Buildings
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/10/09 @ 8:00Partially 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 […]
Read more- Categories: Sliding Doors, Post Frame Home, Barndominium, Pole Barn Design, Building Department, Pole Barn Planning, Pole Building Doors
- Tags: Entry Doors, Shouse, Partially Enclosed Building, Positive External Pressure, Storm Shutters, Wind Rated Windows, Wind-rated Doors, Sliding Barn Doors, Barndominium
- 2 comments
Volatile Organic Compound Ratios
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/10/08 @ 8:00Volatile Organic Compound Ratios Today’s guest blogger is Cheryl Barneski. Cheryl’s background is as an Owner Operator Long Haul Division of the Class 8 Industry. CDL END X or HazMat and Tanks. She is a Certified Hole Watch, Lock Out, Tag Out Safety Watch in Chemical Plants and is also Certified Entry Level I.S.O Meter […]
Read morePlanning for a Post Frame Home
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/09/27 @ 8:00When it comes to planning for a new post frame home, shouse (shop/house) or barndominium, there are a myriad of questions and concerns to be answered and pondered. Or, at least I hope you are – rather than just stumbling in blindly! Reader NICK in NORTH CAROLINA writes: “Hi, I’m looking into options for building […]
Read more- Categories: Building Contractor, Barndominium, Footings, Building Interior, Professional Engineer, Pole Barn Questions, Pole Barn Design, Pole Barn Homes, Constructing a Pole Building, Pole Barn Planning, Post Frame Home
- Tags: Splash Plank, Shouse, Bracket Set Columns, Electrical/plumbing/mechanical, Barndominium, Frost Protected Shallow Foundations, Dripstop, Reflective Radiant Barrier
- No comments
Pre-construction Termite Treatment
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/09/26 @ 8:00Why would anyone building a pole barn, barndominium, shouse or post frame home need to be concerned about treating for termites? Isn’t pressure preservative treated wood going to solve any potential long range problems from pesky termites? Regardless of whether you build a post frame (pole) building, stick frame, steel frame or even concrete building […]
Read moreThe First Tool to Construct Your Own Barndominium
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/09/20 @ 8:00Your First Tool to Construct Your Own Barndominium Whether you are contemplating constructing (or having constructed) a barndominium, shouse (shop/house) or just a post frame home – there is one essential tool you should invest in long before you consider breaking ground. Even if you have hired this world’s greatest General Contractor who will do […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn Design, Pole Building How To Guides, Pole Barn Planning, Building Interior, Pole Barn Homes, Post Frame Home, Barndominium
- Tags: General Tools 50 Foot Compact Laser Measure, #LDM1 Compact Laser, Parade Of Homes, National Association Of Home Builders, Barndominium, Shouse
- 2 comments
11 Reasons Post Frame Commercial Girted Walls Are Best for Drywall
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/09/13 @ 8:0111 Ways Post Frame Commercial Girted Walls are Best for Drywall Call it what you want, drywall, gypsum wallboard even Sheetrock® (registered brand of www.usg.com) and most English speaking adults know what you are talking about. In post frame (pole) building construction, wall girts (horizontal version of studs) are placed in bookshelf fashion, resisting wind […]
Read moreRoom in a Barndominium Part 2
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/09/12 @ 8:00Great Room (487/481/680) We like the open feeling of a great room, especially with 16 foot high ceilings and a huge bank of windows across our South facing wall. Ours is well over 1000 square feet. For our lifestyle this was far more practical than separate Dining (148/196/281), Living (256/319/393), Family (311/355/503), Rec (216/384/540) and/or […]
Read moreRoom in a Barndominium
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/09/11 @ 8:00Room In A Barndominium I read plenty of chatter in Facebook barndominium groups where people want to see other’s floor plans. In my humble opinion – this is a mistake. Building your own barndominium, shouse (shop/house) or post frame home from scratch gives you probably a once in a lifetime opportunity to craft a home […]
Read morePost Frame Indoor Swimming Pool Considerations
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/08/27 @ 8:00In my past life I lived with my family in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Hot summer days filled with sunshine were about as rare as access to nearby lakes – close to zero. Having grown up spending summers at my maternal grandparents’ lake cabin, swimming has always been part of my life. A frequently told fable […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Building How To Guides, Pole Barn Planning, Ventilation, Building Interior, Post Frame Home, Pole Barn Questions, Barndominium, About The Pole Barn Guru
- Tags: Dehumidification, Swimming Pool Water Chemistry, Vapor Barrier, Ventilation, Post Frame Buildings HVAC, Closed Cell Rigid Insulation, Swimming Pool Ventilation
- No comments
Avoiding Mechanic’s Liens
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/08/22 @ 8:00Avoiding Mechanic’s Liens From Post Frame Subcontractors and Suppliers When I owned my first post frame building kit package supply company – M & W Building Supply, I made an error early on and extended credit to post frame building contractors. It didn’t take me long of getting burned to realize it was essential for […]
Read moreWhat Home Builders Use for Insulation
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/08/21 @ 8:00With barndominiums, shouses (shop/houses) and post frame home building on a brisk upswing, a considering factor is how to insulate new homes. Becoming as close to (or reaching) net zero (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2019/01/net-zero-post-frame-homes/) as possible should be a goal of any efficient post frame home design. Rather than me just blathering about what my opinions are, I […]
Read moreHow Much Room Will Stairs Take?
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/08/16 @ 8:00I am an advocate of avoiding stairs in post frame buildings. They both take up space and reduce accessibility to upper level(s) of your building. It is less expensive to construct a post frame building on one level, rather than multi-levels. I happen to live in a barndominium (actually more technically speaking a shouse […]
Read moreFire Rated Spray Foam Insulation
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/08/14 @ 8:00Spray foam insulation has become increasing popular for achieving high R value building shells. One downside of spray foams has been they are not being fire resistant. I was pretty excited to read this on a post frame building contractor’s website: “Installing foam insulation can either be sprayed or foamed-in-place. Foam has the ability to create an […]
Read moreDoes an IRC Design Work for Most Residences?
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/08/13 @ 8:00In my humble opinion (and in one word) – no. I have opined in past articles as to what Code is applicable to post frame (pole) building construction: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2018/10/what-building-code-applies-to-post-frame-construction/. Recently Louisiana engineer Steve M. Sylvest (www.sylvestengineering.com ) sent an email to Structural Building Components Association addressing challenges with non-engineered structures, particularly residences. Again, I stand […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn Structure, Building Contractor, Professional Engineer, Pole Barn Homes, Post Frame Home, Pole Barn Questions, Barndominium, Pole Barn Design, Building Department, Pole Barn Planning
- Tags: IRC Building Code, Gravity Loading, Structural Engineers, Architects, Steve M. Syvest, Building Designer, Engineered Wood Products
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Multi-Story Pole Barns, Rubber Coatings on Posts, and Heavy Snow Loads
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/08/12 @ 8:00Today’s Pole Barn Guru answers questions about multi-story pole barns, rubber coatings on posts, and building for heavy snow loads. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am looking into a multi-story pole barn with the top story being a home. I would need outside assess to the top story also. Do you build the pole barn […]
Read moreWhat an Engineer of Record Does for a Post Frame Building Part II
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/08/09 @ 8:00Continued from yesterday’s blog, an article by Jesse Lohse in SBC Magazine: System Design Understand Load Path Gravity Lateral Uplift MEP conflicts Initial Designs Roof System Walls Floor System(s) Foundation Broad Analysis for construction documents System Design Once an initial conceptual design is complete, an engineer will turn their attention to system design in […]
Read more- Categories: Barndominium, Pole Barn Design, Pole Barn Planning, Pole Barn Structure, Professional Engineer, Pole Barn Homes, Post Frame Home
- Tags: Live Loads, Load Path; Building Roof System, Gravity, Lateral Force Resisting Systems, Building Floor System, Dead Loads, Seismic Loads, Wind Loads
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Ever Wonder What a Post Frame Engineer Does? Part I
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/08/08 @ 8:00I have been pooh-poohed on occasion for my insistence every post frame building (or barndominium) should have an engineer involved. Very few potential building owners understand what it is an engineer does or how they are adding value to a particular project. To follow, in its entirety, is an article by Jess Lohse, originally published […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn Planning, Pole Barn Structure, Professional Engineer, Pole Barn Homes, Barndominium, Pole Barn Design, Building Department
- Tags: Soil Report, Bearing Walls Stacking, Engineer Of Record, SBC Magazine, Jess Lohse, Post Frame Conceptual Design, Post Frame System Design, Architectural Drawings
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See Your New Barndominium Here
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/08/02 @ 8:00In our last episode, we were escaping odors produced by mushroom people – now let us move forward to getting a clearer vision and a view from your new post frame barndominium’s windows! Once you have narrowed your choices down to a handful, ideally you can watch each site over a year’s time – as […]
Read morePost Frame Home Construction Financing
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/07/31 @ 8:00Most people building their own post frame 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). Lenders require […]
Read moreBorrowing for a D-I-Y Barndominium
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/07/26 @ 8:00Barndominiums, shouses and post frame homes all fit into a similar category to me. This category heading would be titled, “Living in a Post Frame Building”, although other construction types may be used, post frame is going to give most bang for your investment. What if you want to D-I-Y construct your own post frame […]
Read moreHiring an Engineer is Terrible Advice?
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/07/12 @ 8:00Registered Design Professionals and Building Officials please weigh in on this one. Is hiring an engineer terrible advice? In a Facebook ‘Barndominium Living’ discussion group this was posted: “Curious as to how many of you consulted an engineer before building (for concrete and steel framing) or simply went with your welder’s design?” First response, from […]
Read moreBarndominium Costs Part II
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/07/10 @ 8:00Continuing my discussion of Barndominium costs from yesterday’s blog… For sake of discussion, we will use 2400 sft (40×60) of finished living space (includes any bonus rooms) plus 1600 sft of garage/shop. To have a GC (General Contractor) turn-key this for you expect an average of: 2400 X $165.67 = $397,608 1600 X $83.50 = […]
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 moreBarndominium is Popping Up Everywhere
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/07/05 @ 8:00Back in 1981 Barbara Mandrell recorded and released a hit song written by Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan, “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool”. Well Barbara certainly has it over me in the looks department and I doubt I will ever have a Top Ten hit with, “I Had a Barndominium When Barndominiums Weren’t […]
Read moreHow to Assemble a Cupola Kit
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/07/04 @ 8:00Cupolas are often an afterthought when it comes to a new post frame (pole barn) building or barndominium. In a previous article, I discussed how to determine proper size, spacing and quantity of cupolas (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2015/09/cupola/). Cupolas as a kit can be easily assembled – without a requirement for specialized skills. My lovely bride put one […]
Read moreGambrel Barndominium Done Differently
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/07/03 @ 8:00What I Would Have Done Differently With Our Gambrel Barndominium When we built our gambrel roof style barndominium 15 years ago we were in a position financially where we could have done most anything we wanted to. Our property was over two acres in size, so available space was not a determining factor. After having […]
Read moreMaximizing Post Frame Gambrel Space
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/07/02 @ 8:00Maximizing Post Frame Gambrel Usable Space With Trusses Hansen Pole Buildings’ Designer Rachel and I recently had some discussions in regards to maximizing post frame gambrel truss useable space. Most often gambrel roofs are supported by one piece clearspan gambrel trusses. Largest downside to this type of truss system is lack of bonus room width. […]
Read moreBarndominium: Building Kit or Building Shell?
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/06/27 @ 8:00Barndominium: Building Kit or Building Shell? This was a recent post from a Barndominium discussion group I am a member of: “Kit vs shell; I’m defining a kits as coming with everything like insulation and metal studs (the next step would be mechanical trades) whereas shell would be dried in with nothing. Kit companies would […]
Read more- Categories: Lofts, Pole Barn Questions, Pole Barn Homes, Pole Barn Design, About The Pole Barn Guru, Post Frame Home, Pole Barn Planning, Barndominium, Professional Engineer
- Tags: Barndominium, Weather Resistant Barriers, Reflective Insulation, Building Shell, Building Kit, Pole Barn Building Kit Packages, Post Frame Building Kit Packages, Pole Building Barndominium
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A 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 moreHansen in Washington, Alternate Siding and Roofing, and Post Frame Homes
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/06/24 @ 8:00This Monday, the Pole Barn Guru responds to questions about Hansen’s service area, alternate siding and roofing, and post frame homes. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Do you service this area? MARELYN in TENINO, WA DEAR MARELYN: Thank you for your interest in a new Hansen Pole Building. Not only do we service Tenino and its […]
Read moreAn Oops from a Competitor’s Architect Part Two- Lateral Load
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/06/21 @ 8:00As the Architect Turns In our previous episode, we left Dan tied to railroad tracks in front of a speeding train…. Well close, we left Dan with a post frame building designed by an architect, with some serious structural connection problems. Now I am a guy who watches Science Channel’s “Engineering Catastrophes”. I would just […]
Read moreAn Oops from a Competitor’s Architect
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/06/20 @ 8:00The Pole Bar Guru reviews an oops from an architect in today’s blog. Back in 2017 Hansen Pole Buildings was contacted by a gentleman I shall call “Dan” who had an interest in a post-frame home or ‘barndominium’. For those not familiar with this term: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2014/02/barndominium/. I have to admit, Dan spoke with a Hansen […]
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 moreJob Site Storage of Polycarbonate Panels
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/06/18 @ 8:00Polycarbonate panels to be used for eave and/or gable end triangle “lighting” or ridge caps should not be used within living areas of post frame homes and barndominiums. They do often afford a cost effective method of getting natural lighting into accessory areas such as unheated shops and garages, barns and equipment storage buildings. Recommended […]
Read moreStorage of Steel Roofing and Siding Panels
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/06/14 @ 8:00Storage of Steel Roofing and Siding at the Job site All steel roofing and siding panel bundles are inspected and approved by manufacturer’s quality control inspectors before shipment. Inspect panels for any moisture content or shipping damage upon delivery and advise the materials carrier immediately. Bare (non-painted) Galvalume sheet, like galvanized, is subject to wet […]
Read moreProper Storage of Trusses at the Job Site
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/06/13 @ 8:00Proper storage of trusses at the job site. Long time readers (or those with time on their hands to have read my previous nearly 1700 articles) will recall in a past life I worked in or owned prefabricated light gauge steel connector plated wood truss manufacturing facilities. In my first long-term position as Sales Manager […]
Read moreStoring Lumber for a New Pole Building
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/06/12 @ 8:00Storing Lumber for Your New Post Frame Building Ideally, use lumber promptly. Otherwise store in a cool, dry location, avoiding direct sunlight and preferably indoors where humidity variations will be minimal. Dry lumber Unlike green lumber, keep kiln or air-dried lumber away from moisture, otherwise product may lose value added by careful seasoning. Dry lumber […]
Read moreGeneral Material Storage for Barndominiums
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/06/11 @ 8:00General Material Storage I have recently signed up to join several barndominium groups on Facebook. If you are unfamiliar with this term, here is a detailed explanation: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2016/04/the-rise-of-the-barndominium/. Overnight I have had an ‘ah-ha’ moment where a light bulb turned on and I decided to take a plunge. I am going to write at least […]
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