There is Always Someone Who Will Do It for Less! Over the past few days, one of the Building Designers for Hansen Buildings has been negotiating with a client on the design and materials for a building 80’ x 250’ x 20’ interior clear. This is a project with a price tag approaching $150,000 – […]

I once overheard my lovely bride responding to this question with – if you make the building large enough, short enough, take off the walls, doors, and roof insulation – it is almost free! While it doesn’t quite work this simply, she does have a point. Pole buildings come with an inherent economy of scale. […]

Green building is one of the most dynamic market forces in construction today. Pole buildings are considered sustainable, but until very recently little documentation existed on the energy efficiency and the reduced impact on the environment created by pole barns. “Green building” is based on producing more sustainable buildings and is the basis for green […]

Next thing you know…. One of our Building Designers, Bob, and I were sharing stories about our client’s favorite objections. You know, why they are procrastinating moving forward with their new building projects. Keep in mind, our clients usually contact us because they have a problem. Something like, “My wife/husband wants to be able to […]

Back in the day….over a decade ago, I had a good friend who had created a website and was making a good living selling one single aftermarket engine part for Dodge pickups. Now this was back when most people did not have internet service, and those who did, got it at the crawling speed of […]

I don’t think so…. Back in 2002, this was just a fledgling business. Sure, I had over 20 years of experience, but this new business meant starting over from nowhere.  I had never before sold buildings primarily through the internet. Our building plans – two pages (granted they were full blueprint size at 24” x […]

Private wood lots and portable sawmills exist in nearly every state in the United States. Over the years I have had more than one of the owners of these ask me about using rough sawn ungraded lumber in their pole barns. My recommendation, every time is…NO! If you are a private wood lot owner, I […]

How do Contractors Blow Budgets and Still Get Paid? Bid jobs are a miracle all in themselves. Usually they begin from an interested party at an organization realizing, “Hey, we need a new building”. Eventually they will get enough of their cohorts involved to reach a critical mass. One of them will then go forth […]

My mother used to have a saying, (watching my brother and I bandy about with many a sharp object), “it’s all fun until someone gets their eye poked out”.  In her stern voice, she was simply trying to make things safe for my bro’ and me. You might have a totally sweet concept for your […]

Considering using vinyl siding on your new pole building? Whether doing the work yourself, or hiring it done here are three helpful tips to keep in mind. Tip #1 Each piece of siding has nailing slots along the top edge. Every fastener needs to be placed in the center of a slot. Nailing on either […]

Bookshelf Girts aka Commercial  Girts: What are they? I do a lot of blogging, not because I enjoy it ( I do) but because I am always “listening” and learning.  And if there is anyone out there who I can help, my fun increases exponentially.  I recently came across this posting on a Farm Forum: […]

One of our Building Designers, Alan, is a former general contractor who, prior to becoming a Building Designer, had constructed about 200 Hansen Buildings in several Pacific Northwest states. This morning, he sent me an Instant Message as a client had asked if they, “could have eave lights in the roof of their building”? Traditional […]

Look like the Old West In the past week, we had two clients specifically request “rusted” steel roofing. If you have ever been to a theme park which had an “Old West” section (think Knott’s Berry Farm or portions of Disneyland), you’ve seen buildings and facades which have rusted steel roofs. Well – they did […]

There are few things which define American home ownership better than having a good backyard accessory pole building. Whether at your primary residence, or at the mountain or lake cabin, having the ideal space for your needs is what takes your home from “pretty good”…to ideal. While the weather is warm, having a barbeque under […]

Spending two weeks in TN in August gave me plenty of time on my daily morning run to see all kinds of damage from hail (in April) described by my son and daughter-in-law who live there, as “the biggest we’ve ever seen”.  I couldn’t help noticing the beat up siding, holes the size of baseballs […]

A couple weeks ago I posted about vinyl siding damage due to hail storms in the Knoxville, Tennessee area. Vinyl siding was not the only thing damaged – on my four mile running loop are numerous yard signs from roofers. The roofers are replacing shingles which were damaged by the same storm. When I first […]

On LinkedIn, I am a member of a builder discussion group. Recently this question was posed: “Do you use inferior products to get your bid down low or use the right product knowing you will lose the job on price?” Anthony LoCoco, owner of Traditions Home Improvement Service, LLC in Illinois responded with this answer, […]

‘I want to see people build past minimum (code) standards’: Mike Holmes In a June 29, 2011 copyrighted article in Postmedia News, Mike Holmes says, “Anyone who knows me knows I talk an awful lot about building code. The code is a minimum acceptable standard for the construction of a building. It’s also a living, […]

After what has seemed like eons of planning, changes and more changes, interviewing prospective suppliers, dealing with planning and building departments…..it is done. You’ve ordered your new pole building. Time to kick back and relax until it is time to build. Think again…. Your RV, fifth-wheel, a logging truck or a manufactured home could easily […]

Need a piece of lumber? In most of the United States, you get one from your local lumber yard or “big box” store and do not have a choice as to whether the lumber is “green” (moisture content of over 19%) or dry. For the most part, what is available at the retail level is […]

Construction specifications are generally produced by architects or engineers, for governmental or NGO construction projects which are to be let out for competitive bids. Our experience shows us many of these project specifiers write in requirements for products which are either commercially not readily available, or are not practical for the intended use of the […]

There is a strong case to be made that wood is the greenest building material. But for it to really earn that title, we have to rethink how we build with it. In North America, wood construction has dominated single-family and low-rise housing; steel and concrete have dominated commercial and mid-rise residential construction. This usage […]

I Really Love What I Do How many of you can say you have been blessed to be in a career you truly love? One where you wake up every morning, excited to get to do it again? Call it luck, call it being blessed, call it anything you want….I love what I do. And […]

What the Hail? I’ve been visiting my son and his wife in Maryville, TN. I used to be a competitive long-distance runner, and while I absolutely hate running, I enjoy eating whatever I want even more, so I run to eat. My lovely daughter-in-law set me up on a four mile loop to run. Those […]

You want me to Tell You What? Several years ago, we wanted to make a direct payment to one of our vendors by ACH (Automated Clearing House) direct deposit to their checking account. We explained the process to them, as well as letting them know we needed to have their bank routing information and account […]

A New Pole Building: Why We Won’t Sell You Anything…. Have you ever purchased something, and then after the purchase wondered how it is you ended up owning it? We are not talking here about the package of Chiclets from an adorable child on a sunny beach – those types of small dollar purchases are […]

Let’s Buy Pole Barn Plans… As I browse about the ‘net, checking out what is available in our industry, I find lots of folks who are selling plans for barns and pole buildings. Some of these are remarkably inexpensive. Now, why might buying a set of pole barn plans off the internet not be a […]

Blazing Building Prices…Honestly You’ve been talking with someone about a new pole barn. You like the salesperson, and feel like you have built a good relationship with them. You feel they offer a good design solution, can deliver within your time frame….just one question remains. Is their price right? Here is the secret to honestly […]

Mega Clearspan Buildings…Just Put a Post in It In my first managerial position in the roof truss industry, we worked out of an 80 foot wide by 120 foot long concrete tilt up building. This building had a row of interior columns down the middle, 30 feet on center. These three columns posed no challenge […]

Stick ‘em Up Kim Fahey was recently convicted of a dozen misdemeanor building code infractions last month, in Los Angeles County. He faces several years in prison unless he tears down his “Phonehenge West”. Fahey said his constitutional right to do what he wants on his property is being trampled, calling that the real issue […]

No SCUBA gear; Sit Tight and Raise a New Pole Barn Garage The headline was, “Why We’re Pumped About Our Underwater Home”. It had nothing to do with physically watching the waves roll over their home – but the headline did catch my attention. Writer Laura Cone purchased her new home in 2005 for $180,000 […]

As they say in journalism, “If it bleeds, it leads”.  It is important to remember the media’s goal is to capture eyeballs and all too often we are unable to turn our heads away from a train wreck. Patti Domm, CNBC Executive News Editor, recently wrote: “June’s miserable jobs report has put the fear of […]

We as a public don’t like “being told what to do” and often balk at agencies which regulate important parts of our lives, such as how we want to design a building.  However, there is a good reason they get involved.  The building code is to protect public health, safety and general welfare as relating […]

When Less is More – Economical Buildings The beauty of pole building construction includes being very affordable and being relatively easy to build. In the affordability area – a common misconception is to construct the building as “just a roof”, with the idea of walls being installed at a later date. And this will result […]

A Perfect Throw is Useless without a Successful Catch How important is having a Team mentality? Maybe you are on a winning team now – whether it be sports, business or a personal relationship. When you are on a Winning Team, you can pretty well attribute the success to Effective Teamwork. Individual achievement is critical […]

Pole Barn Plans – Goin’ For A Plans Check You did your homework….you have been through the hoops of your local planning department, and they have told you the dream pole building you want can indeed be constructed on your property, where you want it. After their blessing, you have stopped in at the building […]

Why you can’t afford to not make a quality building investment. I am a member of a builder forum on LinkedIn. This morning, a new topic post was, “Do you use inferior products to get your bid down low or use the right product knowing you will lose the work on price?” As a professional […]

Did I happen to mention verify? So, you have a problem, or are trying to reach a goal – with the solution being a new building. Now, with the solution in mind, what to do first? Call around or shop online to get a price? Wrong answer. The correct answer is to visit your planning […]

There are lots of folks just like you who are out there chasing the steel covered building dream. You have a problem or are trying to reach a goal, which involves a new pole or steel building. Am I right?   Now there are also a lot of people out there telling you it’s easy. […]

You may have heard them advertised on television, radio, online and in the back of Popular Mechanics. I came across a query from a gentleman from Wake Forest, NC which included, “I have found some really good deals on the local craigslist from private individuals who have bought them and never put them up for […]

Those of you who know me well are very aware I am willing to change my mind, when sufficient evidence is provided to prove a case. Recently a fair amount of brouhaha has been generated around legislation to require fire suppression sprinkler systems in new residential construction. The International Code Council (an organization of building […]

Back in the middle of March, Darlene T. made an inquiry to us about investing in a new pole barn. Now Darlene and her husband are newlyweds, having been married for just a year. Initially, she had considered a gambrel roof style, with a loft so the kids would have a place to stay when […]

One of the things I make myself available for is weekly individual coaching sessions with our Building Designers. In these sessions, the Building Designers can ask for advice on pole building design or features, discuss particular ongoing projects or share ideas on how to best serve our pole barn clients. Every once in a while, […]

As a voracious reader, and someone who always wants to make sure they have their finger on the “pulse” of the pole building industry, I am always scouring for information and misinformation on the ‘net. I recently read the post below. I’d like to have you read through it, and then I will give you […]

Shhhh….somebody might hear you. We want to know what your budget is for your new pole building. You know, how much do you have set aside for the building (or are planning to borrow to pay for it)? This dollar amount should be cash on hand (which you are willing to invest into your new […]

I’m a voracious reader. A large portion of my daily reading is devoted to learning as much as I can about my industry and expanding my knowledge base. On LinkedIn, I am a member of the “Truss, Panel & Building Components” discussion group. One of the members, Gene Marcoux, from Florida, had postulated, “If we […]

“I’ve got a GREAT deal on a pole building for you. All you have to do is take it down, move it and reassemble”. Even if the price is FREE, is it a bargain or not? Let’s take a look at why this might not be such a great deal. Better check out the building […]

You can save some money or save some effort…… Assuming you order a building with steel roofing and/or steel siding, these materials will most usually be delivered to your building site by the steel company. The truck which will be making the delivery is what is known as a “route” truck. A route truck is […]

The night of July 26, 1988 will always stick in my mind. My cousin Amy called my home, to tell me my Dad had been killed in a construction accident. Dead at 57, my contractor father and his brothers had spent their entire lives working on buildings. In this case, my Dad was working with […]

Come on now, be honest, we all have our fears and phobias. One of the most interesting ones I have found over the years with clients is “postsetaphobia”, or fear of setting posts. This particular phobia is defined as, “the fear of being able to properly set posts for a pole building”. Fear is False […]

Lumber is considered to be dry when it reaches a moisture content of 19% or less. When below this threshold, it becomes relatively dimensionally stable.  More importantly, it is naturally resistant to mold and other fungi which will attack wood. When lumber is rained upon, or allowed to sit in mud or puddles, it can […]

Steel outbuildings or barns are often a gathering point of family and friends during times of celebration. Whether your pole building is used as a place to party or for the usual toy storage, take time to enjoy your 4th this year and be safe.

Obama Administration says “Wood is Good” The Obama Adminstration has officially endorsed wood as a green building material. The U.S.  House and Senate passed resolutions in 2009 and 2010 acknowledging the American wood industry sustainably manages an environmentally preferable natural resource, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilscak recently announced a strategy to promote […]

Pole buildings can be easily designed to withstand hurricane and tornado wind loads. The article below is from www.technewsdaily.com May 26,2011 and speaks to housing design under high winds.       Redesigned Roofs Withstand High Wind Events The tornado that stormed through Joplin, Mo., on May 22 shredded an estimated 8,000 buildings and stranded […]

Yesterday afternoon, one of our senior building designers sent me this instant message: “So what do you do with a customer who is being sold a bill of goods by his contractor? Starting from, client was told he needed to pour footings and build with 2×6 studs because pole buildings ‘move too much’. All the […]

Thanks to www.ocala.com May 24, 2011 for their article, “Florida Building Codes Limit Tornado Damage” While surveying tornado damage in Tuscaloosa, Ala., University of Florida researcher David O. Prevatt said he was struck by the city’s large number of old homes susceptible to storm damage. “We have to expect this sort of damage unless we […]

What do you mean they are not 2 feet apart? Back in the day (early 1990’s) I was on the National Frame Builders Association (NFBA) Board of Directors. One of my fellow board members from the Midwest wanted to take a peek at how pole barns were constructed in the West, so I invited him […]

When life has been turned upside down by disaster, the building to turn to is a pole building. By the time the wreckage is cleared, your new building has been delivered. Pole buildings offer the ultimate resource when you need a building fast. With simple design meant to speed along construction pole buildings may best suite your needs in a time of emergency.