Category Archives: Pole Barn Apartments

Post Frame Possibilities, Engineer Sealed Plans in Canada, and Horse Barn Apartment

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru tackles reader questions about the possibilities of post frame wall height with columns atop a concrete wall, interpreting client needs into engineer sealed drawings, and the scope of a barn to accommodate horses on the main level and an apartment above. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Could I build tall […]

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Arnold Missouri Bans Pole Building Construction

Posted by polebarnguru on 21/07/02 @ 8:00
Arnold Missouri Bans Pole Building Construction

Arnold Missouri Bans Pole Building Construction! Just a week ago I wrote asking my readers to assist in defeating a proposed restriction on post-frame (pole barn) homes in Madison County, Illinois. Some of you may have scoffed and done nothing, thinking it could never happen where you want to build. Arnold, Missouri is a town […]

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Fire Separation When Living With Large Animals

Posted by polebarnguru on 21/03/03 @ 8:00
Fire Separation When Living With Large Animals

Fire Separation When Living With Large Animals While barndominiums and shop houses have become quite a rage, for years we have been providing fully engineered post frame buildings combining animals (most often horses) with living spaces (usually as a full or partial second floor). Along with this come some perhaps unexpected design considerations. Reader LISA […]

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A Garage Apartment, A Moisture Problem, and Insulating a Ceiling

Today’s Pole Barn Guru answers questions about building a garage apartment aka a “Shouse,” how to address a moisture problem, and the best way to add insulation to a ceiling. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Can I design a garage apartment pole barn? JAY in HINTSVILLE DEAR JAY: You may not have this ability however we […]

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Barndominium: One Story or Two?

Posted by polebarnguru on 20/02/21 @ 8:00
Barndominium: One Story or Two?

Barndominium: One Floor or Two? Welcome to an ongoing debate about whether it is more cost effective to build a one story or two story barndominium. Commonly I read people advising two stories is less expensive than a single story. Reader TODD in HENNING put me to work when he wrote: “I’m curious why “Going […]

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Post Frame Building Wainscot

Posted by polebarnguru on 20/02/07 @ 8:00
Post Frame Building Wainscot

Whether 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, […]

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Floor Trusses for Barndominiums

Posted by polebarnguru on 20/01/28 @ 8:00
Floor Trusses for Barndominiums

In 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 […]

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Barndominium Wood Floors

Posted by polebarnguru on 20/01/24 @ 8:00
Barndominium Wood Floors

Barndominiums, 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 […]

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Don’t Restrict Post Frame Buildings

Posted by polebarnguru on 19/11/14 @ 8:00
Don’t Restrict Post Frame Buildings

Post 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 […]

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A Contractor for Your Barndominium Part III

Posted by polebarnguru on 19/11/08 @ 8:00
A Contractor for Your Barndominium Part III

A 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 […]

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Multi-Story Pole Barns

Posted by polebarnguru on 19/01/01 @ 1:30
Multi-Story Pole Barns

Multi-story Pole Barns Hansen Pole Buildings has developed a reputation for taking potentially challenging post frame (pole barn) building projects and developing them from concept to fruition. This leads many clients, with an interest in multi-story pole barns, to our doors. My own post frame building home, along Lake Traverse South Dakota side, features both […]

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