It has only been five years since I first opined about using SIPs for post frame building construction: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2015/02/sips/. Since then, post frame homes (frequently referred to as barndominiums) have become quite the rage. Easily half of Hansen Pole Buildings’ inquiries are now for some combination of living space! I had recently done some further […]

I answer literally hundreds of building related questions every day. These questions come from many different sources – our staff, drafts people, engineers, architects, building officials, clients, builders and social media (just to name a few). This question, posted in a Facebook group, is an exceptional one and I felt it necessary to share: “What […]

Things Roof Truss Manufacturers SHOULD Ask, But Don’t Always I didn’t just fall off of a turnip truck yesterday, even though there are a few who may doubt my claim! Prefabricated metal plate connected wood trusses and I became close friends back in April of 1977. Yes, we had electricity then and no, I did […]

Proper Screw Location for Post Frame Steel Cladding It was a pleasant October evening back in 1985 in Blacksburg, Virginia. My friend Dr. Frank Woeste was then a College of Agricultural and Life Sciences professor at Virginia Tech (officially Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) and he had invited me to teach one of his […]

This Monday the Pole Barn Guru answers questions about the possibility of an open floor plan Monitor style building, what the costs of building s specific floor plan might be, as well advice on adding overhead door operators to a building. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Can you design a truss system for a monitor style […]

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 […]

As post frame construction moves into a world filled with barndominiums, shouses and homes, there are of course those who would prefer (or need due to lot slope) to build upon either a full or partial (daylight) basement. Post frame buildings are ideal for this situation. Reader LOUIE writes: “Hi, I just started the process […]

A 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 […]

This week the Pole Barn Guru answers questions about the footing size for an open car porch and why a person should use a registered design professional, building a “reverse barndominium” where one build a post frame shell around an existing structure, and if one can build a loft bedroom in a footprint of 20’x […]

Please 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 […]

Working With a Building Official for footing designs Long time readers have read me opine on how Building Officials are our friends: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2012/04/i-like-building-officials/ One of our clients recently received this email from his Building Official and shared it with me (red added by me): “The Town of xxxx stopped plan review on your project because […]

Does My Barndominium Need a Turn-Key General Contractor? Often a goal of barndominium (especially post frame) construction is to be able to get your most building, for your dollars invested (think biggest bang per buck). When a turn-key general contractor is hired to provide a constructed building, normally about 25% of what you pay is […]

With 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 […]

Building 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 […]

Actual 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 […]

Today’s Pole Barn Guru answers questions about “proper wall girt spacing,” enclosing and insulating a roof only building, and if a post frame meets code in Dade County Florida. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I just contacted a contractor to build my pole barn and he said 2 x4 wall girts at 36″ I don’t think […]

Where 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 […]

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 […]

This 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 […]

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 […]

Putting Everything Under One Post Frame Roof I have been an advocate of one larger roof, rather than an enclosed building with a roof only side shed for years. This allows for greater headroom in ‘shed’ area without having to deal with pitch breaks (transition from a steeper slope main roof to a flatter shed […]

What 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 […]

What is Wrong With this Picture? Stairs, they seem to confound and befuddle just about everyone. In my early years as Sales Manager at Coeur d’Alene Truss, I used to volunteer to go measure houses up to confirm plan dimensions would match up with what was actually being built. Usually yes, but on occasion – […]

I 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 […]

Remodel or Build New? I am as guilty as most – my initial reaction is always to remodel, rather than build new. Even when it makes no practical or economic sense. Reader JIM in LAWTON is working through one of these situations. He writes:  “I have a 30 x 40 pole barn 32 years old. […]

Today’s Pole Barn Guru discusses reader questions about types of columns used in Hansen Pole Buildings, what type of car for a small 2 story barn, and the best site preparation. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Good morning. I was just running through your website looking at the different materials you guys use for your buildings […]

Jai Alai Court In my now rapidly approaching 40 year career in and around post frame buildings, I have covered lots and lots of very diverse things. These have included train and trolley car refurbishing, Las Vegas zoo’s giraffe barn, a United States Marine Corps rifle range, steer roping, basketball and volleyball courts, baseball batting […]

Most post frame (pole) buildings use prefabricated wood roof trusses to support their roof systems. Luckily (as well) most of these also use a truss on each endwall, rather than having crews (or unsuspecting DIYers) cobbling together rafters onsite. As a former owner of two prefabricated metal connector plated truss companies for 17 years, this […]

Lumberyards – Don’t Burst Customer’s Dreams A week or so ago I was contacted in regards to a 42 wide by 48 foot long 12 foot eave post frame (pole) building kit. This person had actually ‘purchased’ this building from a vendor local to him for just over 12,000 dollars with steel roofing and siding, […]

On Facebook I am a member of a group “Pole Barns and Buildings”. Recently a group member posted this question: “I’m new to the group so thanks for letting me in. I’m having a 30’x48’x16′ pole barn built for a shop that will be insulated with a concrete floor. I am also putting an enclosed […]

Today the Pole Barn Guru answers questions about overlapping horizontal sheets of steel, the best plan for framing to insulate, and best way to install vinyl lap siding on a post frame building. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: When installing horizontal sheeting, does the top sheet always cover the bottom sheet when joined? GARY in EUFAULA […]

On Facebook I am a member of a discussion group for Pole and Post frame building professionals only. Recently one of our group members posed a question, “What are the extras you do to set yourself apart”? It was only then I realized there are some significant differences between a Hansen Pole Building and other […]

Solving 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 […]

Tstud™ for Post Frame Bookshelf Wall Girts I have been somewhat enamored of Tstuds’ potential since one of our clients asked if they would be a viable option last summer. First I had to find out what a Tstud even was, as I had never heard of them before. Once you skip past ads at […]

Building with concrete involves many steps to achieve best results, including grading, forming, placing and finishing. One crucial step is placing reinforcing bars (rebar) correctly. An engineer should do technical design work and provide specific information regarding sizes, configuration and placement of rebar. Slabs-on-grade for post frame buildings do not usually carry building loads, these […]

Pole 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 […]

Roof truss spacing seems to be a topic with no consensus. Most Americans live in traditional stick framed houses, apartments or condominiums, where roof trusses (if they were utilized, rather than using dimensional lumber rafters) are most typically spaced every two feet. Reader CHARLIE writes: “Dear Hansen Pole Buildings, May I ask how far apart […]

This Monday the Pole Barn Guru answers questions about placement of overheads doors to accommodate an exercise pool, the cost differences of building a single story building or adding a 2nd floor, and a post frame wedding venue. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I want a two car garage on a concrete slab adjacent to driveway […]

Reader DARRELL in LUCEVILLE asked this question and included photo below. While this photo is not of a Hansen Pole Building, I can comment upon it. Featured in this building photo are glulaminated columns – they are a great product, high strength to weight ratio, straight, highly resistant to warp and twist. They are strong […]

In an attempt to preserve “pristineness” of neighborhoods, Planning Departments can come up with some interesting requirements. Amongst these are often restrictions upon building heights. Sometimes restrictions for detached accessory buildings (garages or shops) are related to primary dwelling heights, sometimes they appear entirely arbitrary. In the case of our “shouse” (shop/house) in South Dakota, […]

Common 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 […]

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 […]

Recently I had posted an article on closing tops of corner trims (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2018/10/closing-top-of-corner-trims/). Reader MATT in CINCINNATI has opted to go with a light gauge steel framed building, rather than a post frame building, however he had questioned my original article: “Thanks for all of your informative posts, they have been quite useful in my […]

Back 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 […]

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 […]

Today’s guest blogger is Alan Wood.  Alan Wood is the founder of Weekend Gardener. He has a strong passion for plants and gardens. Alan spent his life long to research and test new techniques in this field. With the aid of his son and three other associates who aren’t just fond of but are titled […]

Winch Boxes – Episode V Hey if George Lucas can have his second Star Wars movie be Episode V, why not me? Back on task, with winch boxes. Most of you have Googled them overnight. I can hear you nodding your heads. Thought you could Google anything and get an answer, didn’t you? Me too, […]

Winch Boxes – a Post Frame Miracle Back in my M & W Building Supply days we had provided a pole barn kit package to a client in Woodburn, Oregon. One of Jim Betonte’s Farmland Structures post frame building crews was doing erection in our client’s back yard. Our office received a hostile phone call […]

Let’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 […]

Pondering a Cabin Dilemma With barndominiums, shouses (shed/houses) and post frame homes becoming increasingly popular, there are many who gaze fondly at existing pole barns and consider converting some or all of these spaces into living areas. Reader MATT writes: “Hi, I’ve been following your links and comments on different pages and trust your opinion […]

Like 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 […]

There are many ways to permanently brace walls of pole barn (post frame) buildings. Most of these methods are utilized in buildings not designed by a Registered Professional Engineer (RDP). A RDP who has a great deal of experience with post frame building intricacies would first be looking at a structural design to utilize steel […]

My first article regarding thin-film solar panels was penned seven years ago: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2012/02/solar-panels-2/ Reade SHEREE in MAKANDA writes: “I have an existing metal sided and roofed pole barn that is >30 years old but still in good shape. I have been entertaining the idea of trying to incorporate solar panels onto the roof, but worry […]

Planning 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 […]

Is This Where You Want to Invest Your Hard Earned Dollars? This excerpt is from an online publication called “Insiders” who promotes to provide advice from local experts. It happens to be from a “Do-It-Best” in Northwest Oregon: “And if you’re still thinking of installing a pole barn, come in and see us. We have […]

Hansen Pole Buildings’ Instant Pricing Program™ Back in 1980, when I was first exposed to pole barns, in order to give a potential client a price quote, I had to do a manual breakdown of all of the components necessary to assemble their building. Luckily, most buildings were fairly simple rectangular boxes, but it was […]

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

Reader JIMMY in ROCK HILL writes: “I want to get your opinion on the pole barn building method seen in the linked video. (RR buildings) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVwUl4cm8fQ I am impressed at the built in efficiency of his process. Is there a benefit to his post ground connection, (i am aware that his method will use lots […]

When 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 […]

In reader JEREMY from GOSHEN’s case, he is torn between two methods of post frame construction, rather than one hit wonder Mary MacGregor’s 1976 tune “Torn Between Two Lovers”.  JEREMY wrote, “I’m torn between trusses on 4′ centers and what you do the double trusses every 10 or 12”. Mike the Pole Barn Guru says: […]

Today the PBG answers questions about building near Nashville, engineered plans for a possible client, and the possible clear span of trusses. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Can we have this built near Nashville TN? CRAIG in SAN CLEMENTE   DEAR CRAIG: We can provide a new Hansen Pole Building kit package anywhere in the United […]

Your 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 […]

Yet Another Case for Engineered Buildings (The six photos at https://www.hudsonvalley360.com/article/construction-resumes-following-barn-collapse are essential to this story)   In case you are wondering why I rail so loudly about building permit agricultural exemptions for buildings, these photos (look at bases of columns) should quell any wonderment. https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2011/12/exempt-agricultural-buildings/ From a September 2, 2019 article by Amanda Purcell […]

A Free Post Frame Building Critique I am going to offer a free critique of this post frame building. From a design aspect, I wouldn’t consider investing in a residential (or residential accessory) post frame building without overhangs. Not only do they make buildings look far less industrial, they also afford weather protection above doors […]

Responsibilities where the Legal Requirements Mandate a Registered Design Professional for Buildings (Section 2.3 of ANSI/TPI 1) MPC is Metal-Plate-Connected; RDP is Registered Design Professional (architect or engineer). “In preparation for specifying MPC wood trusses, every section of Chapter 2 and ANSI/TPI 1-2007 (NOTE: ANSI/TPI 1-2014 retains same language) standard should be carefully studied by […]

11 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 […]

Great 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 […]

Room 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 […]

Not until reader DON wrote did I realize this information was missing from our Construction Manual (however not any more): “I’m building a 26×40 pole barn (girts will be nailed to the outside post) and need to finish squaring it up. My square root for the 26×40 is 47.707441767506 and the square root of 25.9×39.9(took3″ […]

I had already begun working on this article when I saw on Facebook a great post frame prefabricated wood roof truss setting video (https://www.facebook.com/ruralrenovators/videos/2443278165738995/) posted by Kyle Stumpenhorst of Rural Renovators, LLC (https://rrbuildings.com/). This is not a paid endorsement for Kyle – however I do believe Kyle really cares about doing a job right. If […]

This is Wrong in So Many Ways There is nothing wrong about trying to get the best deal for one’s investment. How do you think wealthy people got wealthy? Most of them didn’t just fall into money, they worked to get the best deals for their money spent. However, sometimes, it just doesn’t pay. Recently, […]

 I 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 […]

While Alaska is America’s last great frontier, it doesn’t mean when we go North, we throw proper structural design out of a window. Reader CRAIG in WILLOW has more challenges going on than he has dreamed. He writes: “Hello, I’m building a 42Wx50D pole barn. I have 6×6 columns spaced 10’ apart on more than […]

Spray 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 […]

In 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 […]

Continued 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 […]

I 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 […]

Loyal, long time readers have gotten to know a little bit about our eldest daughter and professional horse trainer – Bailey. Her horse showing season reaches an apex with the historic Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration (www.twhnc.com/content/celebration-information/ ) held annually in Shelbyville, TN over 11 days each year, ending on Saturday night before Labor Day. […]

Client and reader SCOTT in BOULDER posed this question recently: “Is there a specific reason why the girts have an over hang to the outside an 1 ½ (inches). Can they be set inside flush with the posts?” Mike the Pole Barn Guru responds: There actually are a plethora of reasons why your (and all […]

Condensation and moisture issues in any building can be problematic. No one purposely designs a building with an idea to have dripping from under roof condensation, or mold and mildew from trapped moisture. Hansen Pole Buildings’ client and loyal reader KURT in SAINT HELENS writes: “Hello, Question about roof insulation. Plan on insulating 2″ double-laminated […]

Today’s Pole Barn Guru discusses floor plans, pressure treated posts, and temperature control in an insulated pole barn. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am retiring from the Navy and moving to Knoxville TN. We are looking at land to purchase and home floor plans for our “dream” house. I have read some about pole barns […]

Reader AARON from CARTHAGE writes: “Curious to see your thoughts on the Pro-footer one pour bracket. Would attaching these brackets to the post compromise the pressure treating leading to a chance of rot? I’ve seen their footer cages and their uplift brackets but these seem to be a better choice provided they don’t compromise the […]

Adding on to post frame building length sounds like it should be such a simple process – unscrew sheets of steel and just build away, right? Nope. Long time reader ROB in ANNAPOLIS writes: “I feel like you have answered this somewhere in the past, but when I search past “Ask the Guru” I get […]

Today’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, […]

Registered 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 […]

Continuing 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 = […]

Back 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 […]

What 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 […]

Maximizing 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. […]

Tornadoes 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 […]

Barndominium: 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 […]

Temporary Client Insanity – Truss Problems?  Long ago someone told me during the course of any construction project there comes a time when every client goes absolutely bat-pooh crazy. Personally, even knowing what I know, I am guilty of freaking out and having had a case of temporary client insanity during our own remodel and […]

This 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 […]

As 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 […]

The 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 […]

New 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: […]

Today’s Pole Barn Guru answers questions regarding Use Categories, water leaks, and matching a house due to HOA rules. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hi! I am trying to turn my existing barn into a wedding venue. Why am I being classified as A-2 instead of A-3? Our special use permit says we cannot exceed 300 […]

Don’t Make Mistakes on Horse Stall Doors Horse owners please join in, this one is for you: Picture, if you will, your dream barn. You know how many stalls, feed rooms, tack rooms, etc., are needed and how much space they will take up. You have the exterior down pat, but you may not have […]

When All Else Fails a Monitor Barn Truss Challenge. Monitor style buildings are a popular post frame building design (for background on monitor barns please read: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/building-styles/monitor-building-designs/). In most cases, design, ordering, delivery and construction of monitor buildings goes off without a hitch. On rare occasions a hitch glitch happens – so when all else […]

Today 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 […]