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 […]

Barndominiums, 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, […]

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 […]

Designed 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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Today the Pole Barn Guru answers questions about contact information to build a structure, whether or not to use a moisture barrier in a non-conditioned attic, and guidance to insulate a post frame building. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hello, I have a quick question, do you have any regional contact information for people to build […]

When it comes to planning for a new post frame home, shouse 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 a […]

With 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 […]

There is nothing much more frustrating than a leaking brand new steel roof. In my humble opinion, most (if not all) steel roof leaks caused by errant screws could be avoided by simply following instructions and pre-drilling roof panels. Loyal reader MONTE in FRANKTOWN writes: “I’m asking for your opinion on the need for a […]

In my past life as a post frame building contractor one of our biggest challenges was we could not use our x-ray vision to determine what below ground surface conditions existed. Reader ALAN in DANDRIDGE writes: “Mike I think we might have a high water table, if we have water in the bottom what is […]

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 […]

Thoughts regarding nailing in screws. It was late 1990. I had inherited my grandparents’ lake cabin in Northeast Washington and decided to remodel it into a year-around residence. As part of this process, installing a new steel roof was of utmost importance. Of course, by the time we got around to reroofing, it was starting […]

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 […]

For daily readers of my blog, you will remember Hansen Buildings’ Senior Building Designer,  Rick Carr was a guest blogger March 21 and 22nd. He led us through his thought process in planning for his new pole barn cabin. Here is Part III in Rick’s pole barn cabin plans: I have made some design changes […]

This is the third year the Pole Barn Guru blog has been in competition for the Best Construction Blog. Last year this blog was second in the world, tying for first in quality, however losing the popular vote. Part of this process is a review of each blog by Mark Buckshon of Construction Marketing Ideas […]

All-in-One Door Seal Kit The following article was originally produced and published at www.Builderonline.com, who is solely responsible for its content. This story is being republished to raise awareness of information publicly available online and the accuracy of author’s claims has not been verified. As such, we cannot vouch for the validity of any facts, […]

Blowing Attic Insulation, Without Vapor Barrier, Below Roof Steel A very common problem I see involves people not preparing their post frame (pole barn) buildings to adequately be insulated. Reader NED in THURMOND writes: “Thank you for your help. I’m in process of completing a pole barn project. It’s divided into three sections…living area, workshop, […]

The PBG answers questions about insulation, snow loads, and best choice for condensation. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am wanting to finish the interior of my pole barn and have an cathedral like ceiling. If I were to follow the trusses up to the peak with foam board Insulation and use 2x4s spanning between the […]

The loyal readers of my articles are seeing there is a definitive push towards energy efficiency in post frame construction. Indeed it appears to be the current popular buzz word. Most of the post frame industry did not come from the land of residential construction, therefore the application of the Energy Code can be daunting […]

Agricultural land has increasingly become overrun with a proliferation of event centers, wedding venues and bed-and-breakfast inns. This is due to a rise in the “farm-to-fork” movement which has seen a growing popularity of agritourism as more landowners open up their ranches to those who wish to experience the bucolic countryside views. I’ve written in […]

The Use and Occupancy Classification Challenge Part I Every building, regardless of how it is constructed has a Use and Occupancy Classification (sometimes more than one). In order to best enjoy this, you can play along at home by opening this free access link to the International Building Code (ICC): https://codes.iccsafe.org/public/document/IBC2015 Who Should Read This? […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: What is the widest clear span I can get with a 20 # live load and a 25# ground snow load. THOMAS in LACEY DEAR THOMAS: Quite comfortably and affordably 80 foot. I’ve done up to 100 foot clearspans in this loading combination however many truss plants do not have the […]

Finishing a 15 Year Old Pole Barn Reader BOB in WASHOUGAL writes: “I have a 30’x60′ pole building. It was constructed in 2003. I would like to finish the inside with a concrete floor, Insulation, and sheet rock. My question is…How long do the posts last before they rot off at ground level? (I have […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hello, I am going to tear down a 30x40x10 pole building to rebuild on my property. I noticed that the trusses are spaced 10 feet apart and are set on the 6×6 pole that has been notched. With no header board. This is an all metal building. Was wondering if this […]

Last April I was contacted by Mark Robins, Senior Editor at Modern Trade Communications. They produce a magazine titled Metal Construction News. At the time, Mark was preparing an article on “Wind Performance Updates for Metal Roofs and Metal Building Systems” for their June 2017 edition. Mark had read my article https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2016/12/asce-changes-2017/ and as a […]

Vista View Events at Open Heart Ranch Wedding Barn, Just outside of Rifle, Colorado (https://vistaviewevents.com/) Photo: Vista View Events Rather than being my usual verbose self today, for your viewing pleasure please join in this short video from the Vista View Event page and the Open Heart Wedding Barn: https://vimeo.com/245834338 And yes, the Open Heart […]

Our gracious thank you to Lisa Richards for this guest blog post. Vapor Barriers for Slabs on Grade Pouring a slab on grade is a common way to lay a sturdy floor or foundation where a basement or crawlspace is unnecessary. However, concrete slabs are vulnerable to moisture from the ground. That’s why, in most […]

Hansen Pole Buildings Made the List of 2017’s Top 500 Inclusive American Businesses   OMNIKAL, the nation’s largest, inclusive business organization, built to empower all entrepreneurs, has recently acknowledged Hansen Pole Buildings, LLC as one of America’s “Top Businesses” for 2017.  This exclusive ranking is a reflection of Hansen Pole Buildings’ overall vision, leadership and […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hello, I am from Webster SD and I built a pole barn and insulated it.  I then put turf above gravel floor and use it for a indoor baseball practice facility.  It can be heated as we have heaters in there.  We have a huge problem and was wondering if you […]

Today’s Lesson: Wind Speed and Air Density There are sometimes I get reminded I really do not know very much. This question from a client reinforced this reminder: “I have an engineering question. The wind speed is 159mph but what do you use for density? At almost 8000ft. altitude the air density is very low […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I bought a home that has a newer pole barn (40×56, laminated 6″x6″ posts 8′ o.c…. 12′ walls) and the entire barn is wrapped with bubble wrap between the metal and perlins / girts. Would it be acceptable to frame 2×4 walls, and place bat insulation in the stud spaces? I […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Do you build houses from the ground up? ERIC DEAR ERIC: We are not contractors, so we do not build anything for anyone anywhere. Our post frame building homes are designed for the average person who can and will read instructions to successfully construct their own home – even without the […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Do you have to use the same size posts on the end walls even if it is non load bearing? so if I use 6×6 posts that hold the trusses can I use smaller lumber on the non load bearing ends? Thank you. CAMERON in BOISE DEAR CAMERON: This is why […]

  Replacing siding, roof steel, and Sliding door install. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Greetings! We are planning on replacing a large portion of the siding on the south side of our home with Corten steel (7/8″ corrugated) as part of an exterior remodel. Up here at 8,500 ft elevation we get very strong sun.  Should […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: If I put double bubble under metal on roof for condensation control, then insulate bottom chord of trusses with white vinyl faced insulation , will this create a problem if I ventilate attic space ? Thanks. SCOTT in DUNLAP DEAR SCOTT: You actually have several things going on here. First, single […]

My now 23 year old daughter Allison sent me this meme once. I found it quite appropriate for self use when I mentioned a product in yesterday’s article which I had never written about. From Homework Design, the makers of Plasti-Sleeve® Post Protectors is another innovation towards post frame building longevity – the Plasti-Skirt. Plasti-Skirt […]

When it comes to post frame building construction, I know a little bit about a lot of things. I get asked a lot of questions about how to solve post frame building challenges and do a pretty fair job of answering them. When I do not know an answer I feel confident in, I have […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am looking for a bottom guide for a sliding barn door. I was hoping to get a guide with a roller vs. just a roller. I noticed some guides trap the roller in a channel on the bottom of the door. I would like to know if you have that […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I have an existing pole barn with a rough opening and I want to retro-fit a sliding door over it to block wind and rain. If I can supply you with the rough opening dimensions, can you quote the parts kit to assemble a metal frame and hangers that I can clad […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I’m considering a pole barn for my residence but had a question about the girt placement between posts. I read in the FAQ section that they are placed like shelves between posts. Would it be possible to mount drywall directly to these for interior walls without additional bracing or building of […]

Maximizing the Metal: Why Not all Metal is Created Part II This article, by my friend Sharon Thatcher, was originally published in the September 2016 issue of Rural Builder magazine and appears unedited. To continue from last Friday: THE IMPORTANCE OF PAINT While paint doesn’t provide any structural value, it certainly does add value to the end […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Where can I find barn doors, sliding steel style? They have no internet presence, or else there is a secret name for them. Thank you! BONNY in FRANKFORT DEAR BONNY: If you are in search of a steel covered, metal framed sliding door (which is what the huge majority of sliding […]

This article, by my friend Sharon Thatcher, was originally published in the  September 2016 issue of Rural Builder magazine and appears unedited. I’ve opined upon many of these areas in previous articles, however here Sharon ties it all together: You may be the best builder on the planet, but if you use inferior products your stellar reputation […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: What is the widest free span I can get in a pole barn? I live in zip 54474 for snow loads. Needs to have a door opening of 14′. LES in ROSHOLTDEAR LES: It would be very practical to have a clearspan of up to and including 80 feet. In some […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am considering using pole barn construction to add on to an existing metal building I have I also already have a 24×34 foundation were I want to put the add on. This will be a residential building. Would you recommend using drill in slab brackets to connect the post to […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am building a pole barn 50 foot clear span wide, and 70 foot long, 16 foot to the eve. I am using 4×4 metal uprights on 20 foot spans, red iron purlins and stringers, and 4×4 metal welded all around the top. I am using conventional wood trusses engineered for […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am a registered professional engineer and I am interviewing contractors on behalf of your customer to erect a 88×120 pole barn.  Do you have a list of questions you suggest asking? Also, do you have a practical method for squaring up the building?  JOHN in CARY DEAR JOHN: Here are […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am looking for a price on double sliding doors that have an opening of 15’ wide x 12’ tall.  I have attached some pictures for clarification.  I also need to know if these doors can be mechanically opened as well as manually opened.  Can someone give me a call to […]

Back in 2000, I had the pleasure of working with Dale Schiferl when we were both with Gruenwald Engineered Laminates, Inc.™ (https://gruen-wald.com/) , manufacturers of (among other things) glu-laminated columns for post frame (pole) buildings. Dale and I both moved on, Dale to open Timber Technologies, LLC, the manufacturer of Titan Timbers™. Dale and his […]

The late American radio and television writer Andy Rooney joined CBS television in 1949, however is probably best known for his end of the show segment on the CBS News program 60 Minutes, “A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney”, which appeared from 1978 to 2011. Andy had a few words on barns, which I will […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Do you folks do business in Canada? Thanks JOANN IN THE GREAT WHITE NORTH DEAR JOANN: We do not ship to Canada, however you and our other Canadian friends can pickup buildings at any of our distribution points along the southern side of the border. All of our buildings will be […]

Over 50% of all Hansen Pole Buildings kit packages are constructed by the building owners themselves. If you are amongst these stalwart folks, kudos! Odds are your new post frame building will have a far superior end resultant than what you could or would have paid your hard earned dollars to have a builder do […]

What distinguishing physical feature do Leonardo DiCaprio, John Travolta, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis and Ronald Reagan all share? I said, “physical feature” so all of them having been movie stars is not the answer we were looking for. They all have widow’s peaks! The expression widow’s peak dates from 1849, and the term stems from the […]

My oldest son Jake (read more about the adventures of Jake and I here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2012/07/construction-time-2/), has always had a certain fascination with secret rooms.  Maybe it was from playing the board game Clue too many times as a child! At least his interest is good natured, unlike America’s first serial killer H.H. Holmes. As described […]

We have a certain percentage of our clients who are looking for log siding for their new post frame buildings. Usually these folks already have a log home on their property, or their new pole building is going to be their home and they want the ‘log home’ look without the challenges associated with real […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Monitor Building Designs. Monitor Garage and Workshop. Over the years, monitor style roofs have been traditionally used on barn designs, specifically horse pole barns. Today, monitor roofs are found on everything from agricultural metal buildings to houses, shops and garages which may even have an office in the upper section. A […]

For those of you long-time readers, I have finally managed to weave The Smashing Pumpkins into an article. Their hit single 1979 takes me back to my days at Lucas Plywood and Lumber, where I shared an office with Al Mercer. Whilst I was gleefully entertained running the prefabricated roof truss plant (and selling a […]

Part of the mission of any good post frame (pole) building kit package supplier or contractor should be to save the client from making crucial design errors which they will later regret. Among the most often questions I answer in my “Ask the Pole Barn Guru” weekly column is in regards to the ability of […]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77ENInb4kAc and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrW-6MK3MO8 I will begin by saying this backyard engineer is not only absolutely clueless, but also frightening if someone was to happen to follow along with his plans and ideas. I’ve watched some of his later videos and they are truly scary. Even scarier, is others are watching them and making positive comments […]

In the days of my youth, my father and uncles were the largest (and best) framing contractors in the Spokane, Washington area. There was a time when (at least to the builders concerned) a particular field inspector was coming off as being arbitrary in his enforcement of the Building Code. The situation got to be […]

Skylights in steel roofs, whether FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic), Polycarbonate or Lexan pose enough structural problems to warrant not using them. Here is another reason, which I had not considered, but there is a valuable safety reason presented in this article by Gregory Havel appeared January 11, 2016 in Fire Engineering®. Skylights on the roof […]

Welcome to Ask the Pole Barn Guru – where you can ask questions about building topics, with answers posted on Mondays & Saturdays.  With many questions to answer, please be patient to watch for yours to come up on a future Monday segment.  If you want a quick answer, please be sure to answer with […]

They say the church is not a building. It’s the people. Here is an article which addresses this very subject: https://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2015/12/after_their_church_closed_pari.html Over the years, Hansen Pole Buildings has designed and provided numerous buildings for church communities across the country. These are buildings which were purposefully designed to meet the needs of the particular congregation, from […]

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” My long time readers recognize my ability to tie seemingly […]

One thousand – it can be a very large or very small number, depending upon one’s perspective. For me, this marks the 1,000th blog article I have written. To put this into perspective, Tolstoy’s epic, “War and Peace” (which I confess to having never read) has about 560,000 words, in English. The blog articles total […]

On a Major League Baseball team, the 25th man on the roster is the last guy on the bench. He’s usually a rah-rah guy, who is a fan favorite due to his obscurity. Generally he can play multiple positions, not very well. But when the team needs him, they need him. Inside Closures for steel […]

With winds topping out at an estimated 100 mph, the severe weather blew across Scotland County, Missouri quickly on a recent afternoon. While the bulk of the county escaped with only minor damage, the National Weather Service reported a tornado touched down between Memphis and Arbela at approximately 4:40 p.m. on November 11th. The EF-1 […]

Moisture accounts for about 80% of construction defect litigation, so while lawyers may love the stuff, no one else benefits. In the worst cases, moisture trapped in the framing assembly can lead to decay which weakens the structure and to mold growth which renders a building unusable. Problems need not be catastrophic to cause major […]

Adding on to a Concrete Block Building It was Hansen Pole Buildings’ Designer Rick who came up with the money question today. He wanted to know if I had ever attached a single sloping post frame (pole) building shed roof, to the eave side of a concrete block building. Whether concrete block, tilt up, stick […]

Welcome to Ask the Pole Barn Guru – where you can ask questions about building topics, with answers posted on Mondays.  With many questions to answer, please be patient to watch for yours to come up on a future Monday segment.  If you want a quick answer, please be sure to answer with a “reply-able” […]

Engineer Kirk Grundahl recently wrote the following which appeared in the Construction Magazine Network: “A truss collapse can be devastating, not only to the immediate health of those on the job site, but to the installers’ confidence going forward. Training a crew in proper bracing techniques in a way that gets them past the negative […]

“ATTENTION: Now YOU Can Discover What They Don’t Want You To Know!” “Secrets of Pole Barn Warranties Revealed” Would you seriously want to purchase a new “big-ticket” product without a warranty? Just think about it for a moment…would you order a new car or truck without a warranty? Of course not. You wouldn’t even consider […]

Here are the words of Ginnie’s husband – someone who understands: “Aaaargh! We’re never moving again! What we thought was going to be an easy melding of two households into one, has proved to be a nightmare times two. Remember that 40′ x 60′ pole barn on the farm that I was bragging about, the […]

Welcome to Ask the Pole Barn Guru – where you can ask questions about building topics, with answers posted on Mondays.  With many questions to answer, please be patient to watch for yours to come up on a future Monday segment.  If you want a quick answer, please be sure to answer with a “reply-able” […]

I’m an old guy (at least to my kids) – I turn 58 on Monday. Myself and my childhood cronies all grew up riding bicycles everywhere, and none of us wore cycle helmets. Also, none of us, or anyone we knew, was damaged by crashing a bike and not having worn a helmet. Cycle helmets […]

Post frame (pole) buildings are unique in their ability to be constructed without having to pour a concrete slab floor. Often clients will opt to design their buildings without this floor, with the intention of saving money by pouring the floor at a later date. There are some times when this becomes a case of […]

Please, Don’t Let This be You I’ve preached for years about thoroughly checking out anyone or business thoroughly before committing to a large investment. Here is how to check out pole building suppliers: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2015/01/pole-building-suppliers/ And builders: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2013/07/contractor-6/ Apparently not everyone who is looking for a building contacts us, or at the least follows my advice. […]

It seems I am always reading – looking for new content to entertain, inform and enlighten the loyal readers of this column. One of the columns I read is “Ask The Builder” where readers send their questions to Tim Carter looking for advice – much like my Monday, “Ask the Pole Barn Guru” column. Recently, […]

I’ve spoken a lot about the re-purposing of pole buildings for uses other than what was originally intended. Barns become homes, shops, businesses, etc. Here is one which I had never considered, from an October 25, 2015 article first published in www.dailyitem .com and written by Eric Scicchitano (photo by author). “A motorist was flung […]

Welcome to Ask the Pole Barn Guru – where you can ask questions about building topics, with answers posted on Mondays.  With many questions to answer, please be patient to watch for yours to come up on a future Monday segment.  If you want a quick answer, please be sure to answer with a “reply-able” […]

You have gone to great lengths to get every detail right in your new post frame home. You chose the right company for the design and to provide the plans and materials, the right finishes and colors. But have you chosen the right structural wood components? Are they protected from the threat of fungus, rot and […]

When I ran the prefabricated metal connector plated truss manufacturing plant for Lucas Plywood and Lumber in Salem, Oregon – one of the better framing contractors in town was a builder named Scott Rose. Scott was reliable, did great work and was very reasonably priced with a caveat…..he claimed his middle name was “extra”. As […]

October 17, 1989 at 5:04 p.m. Pacific time, I was the owner of M & W Building Supply Company in Canby, Oregon. At the same time, one of our sales people – Randy Oglevie, was talking on the phone to one of his clients in the San Francisco Bay area. Randy’s client was standing out […]

Why We Don’t Give Out Free Building Plans for Obtaining a Building Permit If I had a dollar for every client (or prospective client) who asked if we would supply them with free building plans to obtain their building permits, I could, at the very least, take a great vacation. I’ve warned people in the past […]

Welcome to Ask the Pole Barn Guru – where you can ask questions about building topics, with answers posted on Mondays.  With many questions to answer, please be patient to watch for yours to come up on a future Monday segment.  If you want a quick answer, please be sure to answer with a “reply-able” […]

The vinyl windows for your new pole building are delivered and upon inspecting them you find small square holes on the exterior frames of them. While the first thought may be, “Won’t those little holes let cold air in (or warm air out), the reality is these are the window’s weep holes. They are designed and […]

Winds and Stick Frame Construction This first appeared at www.ValleyNewsLive.com on Monday Oct. 12, 2015: “High winds caused a building under construction to fall in Fargo Monday. Parts of a building in the 300-block of 39th Street south, near the Flying J truck stop, fell apart after 1:00 p.m. Monday. City building inspectors say they […]

SIPs (Structural Insulated Panels) are nothing new. The idea for using stress skinned panels began in the depression era with research and testing done primarily by Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin, as part of an USFS (United States Forest Service) attempt to conserve forest resources. Engineers from Forest Products Laboratory weren’t the only ones […]

Snow Load Duration Factor Wood is a natural, fibrous non-homogeneous material.  Because of this wood has several unique characteristics.  One of these properties is duration of load.  This is the ability of wood to resist higher stresses when loads are applied for a short duration of time.  In other words, wood has a higher strength […]

Welcome to Ask the Pole Barn Guru – where you can ask questions about building topics, with answers posted on Mondays.  With many questions to answer, please be patient to watch for yours to come up on a future Monday segment.  If you want a quick answer, please be sure to answer with a “reply-able” […]

I’m a pretty calm guy. It takes a lot to get a fire stoked under me, but the City of Williston, North Dakota could eventually get me there. And here is why…. The Williston city commissioners are considering making a pole building moratorium on any new metal or pole structures permanent. In my humble opinion, […]

Judy Hansen is a Registered Nurse, who generally worked in smallish hospitals in the area around Browns Valley, MN. Primarily working in or being a nurse manager for 24 years – she pretty well did it all, including delivering her share of little ones into the world. One of her favorite positions was working at […]

The answer is – yes! Back in the late 1960’s in Spokane, Washington Joseph “Joe” Mazzie started Pacific Metal Buildings. Joe is from my father and uncle’s generation and, being in construction (and living in the same general area of town) they were acquainted. Joe developed a reputation as a shrewd businessman, as well as […]

Welcome to Ask the Pole Barn Guru – where you can ask questions about building topics, with answers posted on Mondays.  With many questions to answer, please be patient to watch for yours to come up on a future Monday segment.  If you want a quick answer, please be sure to answer with a “reply-able” […]

Earlier this year I was motoring around Arizona and stopped in to visit the Contractor (aka Pro) Desk at The Home Depot® in Sierra Vista. My timing could not have been better, as The Home Depot® Pro Account Sales Associate (PASA) Sherry was working on a quote for standing seam steel roofing and the question […]

Accidentally learning more new stuff today. Most of the best things I have ever learned have been by accident, probably why my adult children believe Dad knows more worthless trivia than anyone! I was looking for information on Fabral’s website (www.Fabral.com) for standing seam roofing and at the bottom of a page was chimney pots. […]

See the Pretty Pole Building Some of the time I drive my wife absolutely nuts. We are talking some serious bonkers here. A prime time for this is when I am looking at photos of newly constructed pole buildings. She will remark, “What a nice looking building”. And then hide the photos as she realizes, […]

Daylighting  Windows are more than just a building’s eyes to the world. Properly located they can also save on your pole building’s utility bills as well as increasing comfort and productivity.  Daylighting is the use of nature’s sunshine, rather than bulbs, to light interior spaces. Many variables need to be considered to maximize the benefits. […]