Home >> pole barn comparisons

Tag Archives: pole barn comparisons

It’s a GREAT DAY at Hansen Pole Buildings!!

It’s a GREAT DAY at Hansen Pole Buildings!!

As Technical Director at Hansen Pole Buildings since our founding in 2002, it has always been my personal view we have no competitors, only others who try in vain to match up to what we deliver. We have clients, not customers. Customers buy a product with little or no expectation of receiving more than just a product (think of purchasing just a 2×6 at a lumberyard or big box store). Clients are relationship based, where they come to us because they have a problem or challenge and believe a new post-frame building may very well be their solution. It is then up to us to provide “The Ultimate Post-Frame Building Experience™” to help our clients to best reach their goals.

Loyal followers and readers of my approaching 3000 online articles know I never purposefully negatively call out another provider by name, who is attempting to compete with us. I find it both distasteful and unethical.

From Google AI Overview:

“Based upon the provided search results, it’s not clear whether the “Pole Barn Guru” (Mike at Hansen Pole Buildings) explicitly calls out competitors by name in a negative or critical way. However, there is some evidence that suggests that he does refer to competitors in his writing and acknowledges their presence in the industry:

Acknowledgement of Competitors: The Pole Barn Guru mentions that his blog has followers from competing companies who looks for “secrets” in his posts.

Discussion of competitor’s work: He has written about a situation involving “an oops from a competitor’s architect”, without specifically naming the competitor.

Self-disclosure: He states that his ability to attract customers is due to using appropriate self-disclosure, suggesting he discusses both positive and negative aspects of the industry.

Addressing issues related to non-Hansen buildings: The blog provides practical answers to condensation and insulation problems even for people who have structures not provided by Hansen.

While these instances show the Pole Barn Guru is aware and interacts with the competitive landscape, there’s no direct evidence provided in the search results that he directly and negatively names specific competitors. His focus seems to be more on sharing information and providing value to readers, even those who haven’t purchased from his company.”

My note: Recently a to-be unnamed by me company (referenced only as xxx Pole Barns to follow) put up some errant information on their website (and Instagram) including:

”Choosing the right pole barn kit can make or break your project. With so many options—xxx Pole Barns, Hansen Pole Buildings, Cheap Pole Barns, PBS (PBS Direct), and Menards—it’s essential to find the right balance of price, quality, and ease of assembly.

To make your decision easier, we’ve compared these companies in five key areas: customer service, pricing, material quality, ease of assembly, and customization.

How xxx Pole Barns Compares to the Competition:

Not all warranties are created equal. At xxx Pole Barns, we provide a Limited Lifetime Warranty with every kit at no extra charge. You can sleep well for years to come, and there are no hidden extra fees or surprise costs.

Compare this to competitors such as Hansen Pole Buildings, who require you to pay extra for a lifetime warranty with engineer-stamped plans. We do things differently. You don’t need to worry about additional fees for the protection you deserve with us. It’s part of our commitment to value and quality from the start.”

My note: Hansen Pole Buildings includes site specific engineer sealed plans AND our lifetime warranty with every building – at NO EXTRA CHARGE. Hansen Pole Buildings was first to offer a structural warranty on post-frame kits. Even better, our warranty is NOT PRORATED!

“When you choose xxx Pole Barns, you don’t just get a pole barn kit; you get superior protection and a partner invested in making sure your building lasts for generations to come.

1. Customer Service: xxx Pole Barns Puts You First

Good customer service can make or break your project. xxx Pole Barns leads the industry with a 9.0 rating, thanks to its responsive, knowledgeable support team. When you need help, many customers get assistance directly from our owner. That’s a rare level of service – and it’s built off our knowledge, expertise, and desire to make your barn the best you’ll ever own.

Hansen Pole Buildings offers solid customer support, but response times can vary. On the other hand, Cheap Pole Barns, PBS Direct, and Menards tend to have a more hands-off approach, leaving customers to figure out issues on their own.”

My note: I personally manage Hansen Pole Buildings’ Technical Support team and we provide answers to client’s challenges SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, from our team who have actually built post frame (pole) buildings since 1980.

2. Pricing: Affordable Without Cutting Corners

The price you pay is one of the most important aspects of any purchase. We get it! But finding the right price point isn’t just going with the cheapest. While competitors like Cheap Pole Barns and Menards offer low-cost kits, they often compromise on materials and customer support.

But paying more doesn’t always mean you’re getting more. Hansen Pole Buildings offers solid options, but they can be pricier. And just because you paid more doesn’t mean your barn will feel like it was worth more.”

My note: Hansen Pole Buildings does not have to offer many options, because our buildings are so much better to begin with, no other provider includes all these standard features:

Site specific, engineer sealed full-sized 24”x36” blue prints, showing every board and connection for YOUR building – no guess work required for installation. Plus engineer sealed verifying calculations to confirm structural adequacy;

All roof supporting columns are Glulaminated from 2400f msr lumber. Besides being unparalleled for strength (compare bending strengths to 145% of other’s best glulam columns, 229% of #2 SYP 6×6 and 424% of #2 Hem-Fir posts), glulams remain straight;

#1 grade FDN (Foundation Rated) UC-4B treated splash planks and mud plates;

MSR framing lumber (typically 2400f, well over twice as strong as other’s #2 grade material);

No lower grade such as #3, stud or Std&btr lumber – even in our prefabricated wood trusses;

Wall girts, roof purlins, ceiling and floor joists – all color coded per specific location on your new building;

All wood-to-wood or engineered hanger-to-wood connections are provided Simpson structural screws;

Powder coated diaphragm screws with EPDM gaskets to attach steel roofing and siding – guaranteed to outlast roofing and siding;

500+ page, fully illustrated Construction Manual, walking thru every step of your build.

“PBS Direct and Menards are budget-friendly, but their kits often require additional purchases to complete the build. What you save in upfront costs you lose in getting nickel-and-dimed to complete your build. And what’s more is the work it takes to get there – that’s extra time making additional purchases to finish your barn.

xxx Pole Barns strikes the perfect balance, earning an 8.5 rating for affordability. Customers report saving 25–40% compared to other providers, while still receiving premium materials.

Plus, our kit comes with it all. All you need is a few common tools and a good time to get to building (or calling one of our Preferred Builders to do the work for you!)”

My note: Rather than lambasting some ‘make believe’ rating system myself, I went to an outside source:

From Google AI Overview

“xxx Pole Barns mentions earning an 8.5 rating specifically for affordability. They state that customers report saving 25-40% compared to other providers while still receiving premium materials. This suggests that the 8.5 rating is based upon their internal evaluation.”

“It’s important to note that this is not a general customer satisfaction rating or a rating from a third-party review site like the Better Business Bureau (BBB) or Trustpilot. While xxx Pole Barns does have other reviews on sites like Verified Reviews, these showcase various ratings, both positive and negative.

So, while they may have an 8.5 rating related to affordability, it’s not a reflection of their overall performance or reputation across all aspects of their business.”

Negative Feedback:

“Pricing and Transparency:

Missing Price Information:
Some users found that the website didn’t show prices after they invested time specifying building details, leading to a feeling that it was a ploy to collect contact information.

“Too Good to be True” Pricing:
Some users questioned whether the quoted prices were realistic, especially for installed barns.

Website and Design Tools:

Missing Features: Some users wished for the ability to add specific features to the design, like lean-tos or scissor trusses for high pitches. Difficulty with Certain Options: Some users reported issues with removing windows or adding roll-up doors.

Other Concerns:

Basic Barn Design: Some users felt the barns offered were very basic in design.”

3. Material Quality: Built to Last
A pole barn is an investment, so materials matter. Xxx Pole Barns scores a 9.0 rating by using premium-grade lumber and Galvalume® metal siding, backed by strong warranties.

Hansen Pole Buildings also offers quality materials, but some customers report issues like warped lumber or inconsistent deliveries.”

My note: Prior to June 2024, Hansen Pole Buildings relied upon outsourced third-party vendors for lumber, trusses and deliveries (just like xxx Pole Buildings does currently) – leaving us somewhat to their mercy. To best service our clients, we since have built our own prefabricated wood truss manufacturing facility and wholesale lumber distribution center. Our tremendous volume allows us to purchase lumber mill direct by railcar loads, with these savings passed along to our clients. By providing extremely high quality and strength lumber (our 2×6 2400f msr compares quite favorably to even 2×6 #1 premium SYP’s 1300f – nearly double bending strength), we just do not hear client concerns about lumber quality.

“Cheap Pole Barns, PBS Direct, and Menards often use lower-grade materials, which may require extra maintenance. It’s easy to guess they’re less likely to last the test of time.

A xxx Pole Barn can last a generation. We’re dedicated to making sure it’s an investment that lasts.

4. Ease of Assembly: Designed for DIYers
xxx Pole Barns earns an 8.0 rating for ease of assembly. Our kits come with pre-cut materials, clear instructions, and helpful support. Even first-time builders have found them easy to put together. It really is a “DIY” project!

Hansen Pole Buildings provides good assembly guides, but some customers say the instructions could be clearer. Making a mistake when building your pole barn can be a big headache – so it helps to go with a company that provides the easiest-to-follow guides.

My note: roughly 50% of Hansen Pole Buildings’ clients do their own assembly, yet well over 90% of our technical support is performed with ‘professional’ builders, hired by our clients – who fail to look at plans or read instructions. Any time we receive a concern about assembly, not covered by our Construction Manual, we address it in our next edition. It does make sense to invest in a Hansen Pole Building.

“Cheap Pole Barns, PBS Direct, and Menards tend to offer more basic instructions, leading to confusion and extra hardware store runs. These are projects where you’ll really be on your own.

xxx Pole Barns isn’t just a place to buy your next pole barn garage or workshop. Our team is here to make you an expert in pole barns. We provide more than instructions; we’re here to support you if you have questions too!

5. Customization: Make It Your Own

xxx Pole Barns earns an 8.5 rating for customization, offering a variety of sizes, colors, doors, windows, and add-ons. Our online design tool makes it simple to customize your barn and get an instant quote. You can also use our 3D barn building tool to “see” your barn as you select options!

Hansen Pole Buildings also allows for customization, but at a higher price. Why pay more to get what you want? It’s your pole barn, customizing it to be your own should always be part of the process!”

My note: Hansen Pole Buildings offers a greater degree of customization than any other provider – clearspan roofs to 102’, clearspan floors to 53’, sidewall heights to 50’ and four stories; snow loads in excess of 400 psf (pounds per square foot); design wind speeds over 200 mph; Complex footprint shapes encompassing every alphabet letter; Any roof slope – even fractional ones. Chances are good – if you can imagine it, Hansen Pole Buildings can engineer and provide it. Somehow, I am skeptical xxx Pole Barns does not charge more for customization.

“Other companies like Cheap Pole Barns, PBS Direct, and Menards tend to offer fewer options, limiting design flexibility.”

Don’t just take my word, here is an actual BBB review of xxx Pole Barns by Jonathan P (spelling and grammar not corrected):

“RUN! Do not use this company no matter what! They do NOT stand by their word, and are ONLY responsive to the point of sale. They referred a “preferred builder: that was “one of the best in the nation”. YA RIGHT! I found out that he didn’t have an “active license”, had “expired insurance or obligations”, and his building license had been revoked!! for OVER two years!!! My delivery from them was over 30-days late, customer service was a joke, and I was stonewalled when I complained about their “preferred builder” that was “one of the best in the nation”. Find ANY other company you can, I promos you, its not worth a few bucks.”

While no provider is a perfect 10 every time, Hansen Pole Buildings is as close as you will find. For “The Ultimate Post-Frame Building Experience™” call today 1.866.200.9657.

This entry was posted in Constructing a Pole Building, Pole Building How To Guides, Pole Barn Planning, Budget, Professional Engineer, Pole Barn Design, Barndominium, Pole Building Comparisons and tagged post frame reviews, pole barn comparisons, Hansen Pole Buildings, the ultimate post frame building experience, Hansen Buildings Construction Manual, DIY post frame on July 17, 2025 by Rick Ochs.

Post Frame Building Saga

A Day Which Will Live in Infamy

Most United States citizens who have at least taken a high school U.S. History class will recognize this line from President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Dec. 8, 1941 speech given to a joint session of Congress. For those of you who need a quick refresher: https://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=UTF-8&fr=crmas&p=dec.+7+1941+roosevelt%27s+speech

I know I have baffled many a loyal reader, over the years, who has wondered where it is I am going with my writing about post frame buildings – although the answers to this one are going to require more than just a single day’s worth of reading.

You may ask, “How the H is he going to tie this one into a tidy package”?

Well, it appears as though my article posted June 17, 2015 – has very well struck a nerve. A nerve which I will share with you tomorrow.

I do not profess to be a journalist. Indeed – under the rules set down by U.S. District Judge Marco A. Hernandez, I am not (you can read David Coursey’s Forbes article here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidcoursey/2012/01/02/you-be-the-judge-are-bloggers-journalists/).

However non-journalistic I may be, there are goals to my articles – I want to be both entertaining and informative. While not every article attains both of these goals, more than a few do. Many articles have been viewed upwards of 50,000 times, with one article (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/blog/2011/06/pole-barn-truss-spacing/) reaching a readership of over 100,000 viewers in the four years since it was posted. This happens to work out to nearly 70 views per day, every day or once every 20 or so minutes!

I’ve learned a lot over the past four plus years of writing, much in part to questions and concerns posed by readers. I also make mistakes – and lots of them, you’ve had the opportunity to read many of them within the pages of my blogs. I am pretty well certain when I quit making mistakes, I will have died (or expired for those of gentler linguistic persuasions).

For those who are searching for building design solutions, my mission has remained constant since I was in architecture school at the University of Idaho – to assist people in getting the absolute best post frame building value for their investment. Even if this means the client gets a building from another provider, or doesn’t construct a post frame building, the goal remains the same.

Stay tuned in – as the saga continues tomorrow!

This entry was posted in Pole Building Comparisons, About The Pole Barn Guru and tagged pole building, pole barn comparisons on July 1, 2015 by admin.

I Am Going to Defend Morton Buildings

What? Have I gone out of my mind?

No, not at all. We’ve always had a good relationship with Morton Buildings. They are the largest post frame (pole) builder in America, but all they do is build. We’ve had them refer clients to us who are looking only for building kits.

I ‘net surf a lot – I am by nature a curious guy and I want to know what is going on in the world. And I am not the only one!

One of the Hansen Pole Buildings Designers, Rick, sent me a link to on online forum he came across: https://www.dieselplace.com/forum/4-other-topics/69-shop-talk/101469-whats-most-affordable-type-brand-building.html

Here was what a poster wrote (spelling/grammar uncorrected from original post):

“Oh …. Morton Buildings rock……….. We have had one since 91…. it still looks like new. We had to replace a piece of steel do to a snowmobile trailer flying into it during a wind storm, and the new piece of steel matched the 10 year old piece exactly when the fly crap was taken into consideration.

Mortons rock there build qualty, materials, and efficency seem 1st rate. Dad said if he ever had to do it again, or put on an addition, (like we have talked about) he would have morton come back and do it.

they may or may not be the most affordable, but they did an awesome job on ours and I would highly recomend them to anyone.”

My thought was, “Cool, someone who really loves their building!”

The next poster wrote:

Ive seen two many of their rooves collapse under snow becuse they only use half the trusses they should and half the roof perlins which also means their metal only gets half as many screws as it needs….. o wait they are still stuck in the 18’th century as they still nail their steelfast.”

The second poster is the one I will take Morton’s defense on. The poster may very well be suffering from the Dunning Kruger Effect (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/blog/2015/01/dunning-kruger-effect/)

With currently nearly 100,000 people having read the article, it is by far the most read of any I have written: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/blog/2011/06/pole-barn-truss-spacing/ You might also want to read my article in Structural Building Components magazine: https://www.sbcmag.info/article/2011/it-isnt-your-grandpas-barn-tips-technicians-designing-post-frame-trusses

The quantity of trusses being provided for any given pole building have absolutely nothing to do with the ability of a building to support a given snow load. Morton’s designs incorporate larger, stronger trusses – spaced further apart!

Knowing the engineering staff at Morton Buildings, with a high degree of certainty, I can assure any reader the load carrying capacity is equal to, or better, than the loads the trusses were designed to carry. And the quantity of screws (or, forbid) or nail fasteners in a roof have nothing to do with snow load capacity! (Read why not to nail on steel here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/blog/2014/05/nailing-steel-roofing/)

More often than not, roof collapses from snow are due to snowfalls which are greater than the Building Code requirements. This becomes even a greater concern with agriculturally exempt buildings: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/blog/2011/12/exempt-agricultural-buildings/

Decide for yourself, but I am still in support of Morton Buildings, if someone wants a turnkey operation and is willing to pay for it.

This entry was posted in Pole Building Comparisons, Building Styles and Designs and tagged pole building comparisons, pole barn comparisons, dieselplace.com on March 24, 2015 by admin.

Missouri – the Show Me State on a Pole Building

Well, gentle reader, if my occasional rants make good reading, or are otherwise entertaining, today should be a treat indeed.

A client (from Missouri) sent us the quote he received from a lumberyard in his area for a new 30’ x 40’ x 12’ pole building. Great price – if I was going to purchase a pole barn kit package and all I cared about was a screaming great price, I’d take two of these.

Now – time to have fun…..as I dissect their quote, which happens to list all of the pieces they propose to provide.

#1-Painted steel – sounds like a good start, until I read, “Figured in 10 year metal”. 10 year metal? Come on now….a good pole building should last a lifetime, and they propose steel with a 10 year warranty? This steel is what is known as “liner panel”. They are designed to be used on the inside of buildings, not exposed to the elements!

#2-Ridge vent. They are quoting a universal ridge vent – strips of square material which is to compress to conform to the ribs of the steel. All well and good, but these products rarely seem to fit 100% snug against the base of the high ribs of the roof steel panels. But, it is something.

#3-Truth in advertising time – “Single Bubble Reflective Insulation R-14.1”. Hansen Buildings sells literally millions of square feet of reflective insulation. To promote any reflective insulation as being R-14.1, without qualifying how the R rating was calculated, is stepping way out on a limb. A limb the future building owner may not like to stand on.

#4-2×10 #2 Yellow Pine truss carriers. The proposed building has columns every eight feet, with trusses attached to them. What in the heck are the “truss carriers” carrying?

#5-2×6 Treated (no grade mentioned)….can only assume this to be a very undersized splash plank at the base of the building.

#6-2x4x10’ #2 SPF (Spruce-Pine-Fir) – these are wall girts placed barn style every two feet across the endwalls. Obviously meeting the building code criteria for deflection is not a concern.

And now it gets even more interesting. Some things seemed to be completely missing from the pole building quote…steel trims for around the base (rat guard) and at the top of the eave. No stitch screws to attach the ridge cap and rake trims. Inside closure strips for the edge of the roof.

I just have to question their providing “sinkers” to attach framing to pressure treated lumber. Maybe not the best possible choice.

The wonder of the internet allows me to check out what could only be thought of as a rudimentary website. Where I find their mission statement, “To bring our Customers quality products at a great price” great in theory, somehow I have missed it so far based upon their quote.

One click on the “Agricultural Pole Barns” link and I find, “Our contractors build anywhere from 300 to 500 pole barns per year, and we sell an additional 150 to 200 material packages to farmers and “Do-it-yourselfer’s” annually.”

If indeed they do provide this many buildings, surely some sort of even minimal quality standards must exist. I clicked to view pictures of their pole barns…and was reminded quality comes in many levels – great quality, as well as poor.

Remember my questioning the “truss carriers”, sure enough, they are installed and carrying absolutely nothing!

Base trim/rat guard and the 2×6 pressure treated? The solution is to run the wall steel all the way down to the ground! Any sort of manufacturer’s warranty on the steel just evaporated. If you want to see what happens to steel siding which comes in contact with the ground, I most heartily invite you to visit the Hansen Productions building. It was built approximately 30 years ago by some previous company (we purchased it about 6 years ago), and has everything you do not want to see happen with a pole building. The bottom edges of the steel all the way around the building are rusted up from half to over an inch! Folks, you do not want steel in contact with the ground.

What took the cake for me was….photos of trusses in completed pole buildings with absolutely no truss bracing what-so-ever!! No bottom chord bracing (with single trusses, the absolute maximum spacing for bracing would be every 10’)!! Truth be told, I would be scared to stand in a building like this on a calm day.

My summation – ignorance is bliss. If these people can sleep at night, it is only because they must be entirely oblivious as to how buildings should be put together. In the event they happen to read this article, I am offering my services, for free, to educate them – before one (or more) of their buildings collapses and someone is injured, or worse yet, killed.

This entry was posted in Pole Building Comparisons and tagged DIY pole buildings, pole barn comparisons, quality pole buildings on September 12, 2012 by admin.

Pole Building Construction Advantages: Audience Participation

For those of you who have ever taken a DiSC profile, you will understand when I tell you I am a high “I” personality. We high “I” people, we love a show – I love magicians. I don’t know how they do it, but I love the show. I will watch them over and over and over.

When I was in architecture school at the University of Idaho, The Amazing Randi put on a magic show to a packed house. A volunteer from the audience was asked to loan them a jacket to be part of the show. I was wearing my favorite denim sport coat, and I volunteered it, not realizing Randi was going to cut it in half with scissors in front of us!!

One part of the jacket went off the stage to the left, the other part off the stage to the right. I have no idea how it was done, but after the show, I was given back my intact sport coat.

Back to the case at hand…..today’s blog post will offer the opportunity for readers to participate in the end.

Recently a client wrote: “After talking with the building inspector he does not like the idea of post 12ft apart with double rafters. Can you quote a standard setup so I can compare apple to apples, post 8ft on center with double 2×12 header and trusses every 4ft, no joist hangers needed for perlins?”

I responded: While the building inspector may not “like the idea” it is not only a tried and true method, but it is also one which our engineers recognize as being structurally superior and will engineer seal. We have tens of thousands of buildings in all 50 states done with the exact same pole building construction design. It affords the benefits of fewer holes to dig, fewer pieces to handle and install, engineered connections and the reliability of true doubled trusses. Given the correct loading criteria and an engineered building, we will guarantee the ability to obtain a structural permit from our plans. The posts every 8′, single trusses every 4′ resting upon headers is a system our engineers are not interested in risking their careers on. In the event of a single truss failure, this system will result in a domino effect and the collapse of the entire roof system.

Ultimately, both the inspector and the client were satisfied and a permit to build was issued.

We get the requests for abnormal (for us) truss spacings or post spacings every once in a while. Here are a few of the advantages of the doubled truss, widely spaced columns, as would be typical of a Hansen Pole Building kit – (1) Fewer holes to dig, digging is always the worst part of any pole barn project, and the one which is outside of anyone’s control. Hit a Smart Car sized rock on the next to last hole and what is one to do, move the building? (2) Fewer posts to set, fewer trusses to raise, fewer purlins and girts to handle. The real advantage of pole building construction is having the least number of pieces, in order to do the job structurally. By using slightly larger pieces (generally 2×6 instead of 2×4, where it takes only 50% more wood, to be 246% stronger) we are being material efficient. (3) Wider door openings without the need for structural headers. In the event someone wants to add a door or window at a later date, they have far more flexibility to do so. (4) Does anyone REALLY want to stand on a 2×4 roof purlin 12′ or more up in the air? That purlin snaps and it is a long drop to the ground. It isn’t the fall; it is the sudden stop at the bottom that will kill you. (5) Most building collapses come from connection failures. In our case the purlins connect to the trusses with engineered steel hangers (not just nails); the double trusses bear directly on the posts (not on the sides of the posts, or nailed onto a header).

Audience participation time….what other advantages can you name for pole building construction? Respond in the comments section please!

P.S. If you have never taken a DiSC personality profile test (it is quite fascinating) and would like to do it at a reasonable price ($27.50 for the DiSC Classic 2.0 online), here is the link: https://www.intesiresources.com/catalog/disc-classic-profiles-35-1.html

This entry was posted in Pole Building Comparisons and tagged pole barn comparisons, pole building advantages, truss spacings on June 25, 2012 by admin.