# Building a Barndominium



## kingfisher 11 (Jan 26, 2000)

Anyone have experience building a Barndominium? I need a large storage building for the toys and it seems like this would be a great way to go. I would like to hear the pros, cons and builders in the Gaylord area?
We have friends that built one in Saginaw County and my wife loves it. The floor is stained concrete for the living quarters. They ran in floor heat for the full structure. I guess I would like to here why we should not go that route?


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

Bandi Builders out of Harbor Springs built a couple of luxury barns on Mullet Lake road and Sand road. I know they travel around.


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## 98885 (Jan 18, 2015)

kingfisher 11 said:


> Anyone have experience building a Barndominium? I need a large storage building for the toys and it seems like this would be a great way to go. I would like to hear the pros, cons and builders in the Gaylord area?
> We have friends that built one in Saginaw County and my wife loves it. The floor is stained concrete for the living quarters. They ran in floor heat for the full structure. I guess I would like to here why we should not go that route?


Doubt you'd get any negatives going that route today. Building materials at an all time high. No foundation to increase cost. My step son is a builder and he's building one. He can save over 50% in labor and still going that route. It's a great concept and an economic alternative to a stick built home.


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## Nostromo (Feb 14, 2012)

johnIV said:


> Doubt you'd get any negatives going that route today. Building materials at an all time high. No foundation to increase cost. My step son is a builder and he's building one. He can save over 50% in labor and still going that route. It's a great concept and an economic alternative to a stick built home.


Why doesn't it need a foundation?


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## 98885 (Jan 18, 2015)

Nostromo said:


> Why doesn't it need a foundation?


Crawl space/basement was my meaning. Saves quite a bit of money in block work and masonry


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## BulldogOutlander (Oct 1, 2019)

i really want to go this route for our future home. Wife likes the idea, but doesn't like the idea of no basement incase of a tornado (she lived through katrina, so is mildly nervous when bad weather hits. I have seen some people make one room inside the house out of solid concrete for that issue. 

i called mortin builders and they wanted like $400k+ for a 4 bed/2 bath house with attached garage, and that would be with my step-dad and i doing a lot of the work on the inside! Anyone know of cheaper builders but still do good work?


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

I’m very happy with my Morton barn. Quality product from top to bottom. Absolutely no buyers remorse.


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## 98885 (Jan 18, 2015)

BulldogOutlander said:


> i really want to go this route for our future home. Wife likes the idea, but doesn't like the idea of no basement incase of a tornado (she lived through katrina, so is mildly nervous when bad weather hits. I have seen some people make one room inside the house out of solid concrete for that issue.
> 
> i called mortin builders and they wanted like $400k+ for a 4 bed/2 bath house with attached garage, and that would be with my step-dad and i doing a lot of the work on the inside! Anyone know of cheaper builders but still do good work?


You didn't mention sq footage but I'm guessing at 400k for what you described, you'd have buyers remorse


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## Waif (Oct 27, 2013)

Luv2hunteup said:


> I’m very happy with my Morton barn. Quality product from top to bottom. Absolutely no buyers remorse.


Those I've looked over were quite decent.
Submitted a request for a quote a couple years ago to the nearest Morton office.
Still waiting for a reply...L.o.l..


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## BulldogOutlander (Oct 1, 2019)

johnIV said:


> You didn't mention sq footage but I'm guessing at 400k for what you described, you'd have buyers remorse


keep in mind they have 3 levels of contracts when it comes to houses.. lvl 1 they do everything - most expensive.. lvl 2 they do some, you do some... lvl 3 they put up the shell, you do everything else on the inside.


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## A.M. General (May 3, 2001)

BulldogOutlander said:


> i really want to go this route for our future home. Wife likes the idea, but doesn't like the idea of no basement incase of a tornado (she lived through katrina, so is mildly nervous when bad weather hits. I have seen some people make one room inside the house out of solid concrete for that issue.
> 
> i called mortin builders and they wanted like $400k+ for a 4 bed/2 bath house with attached garage, and that would be with my step-dad and i doing a lot of the work on the inside! Anyone know of cheaper builders but still do good work?


After you have an idea or plans, a place like Carter lumber or any lumber store that has design staff will give you a materials list. Then you need a contractor to build it. If you are doing most of the work, you will have some hoops to jump through unless your bank allows you to be the GC. And not many allow that.


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## BulldogOutlander (Oct 1, 2019)

A.M. General said:


> After you have an idea or plans, a place like Carter lumber or any lumber store that has design staff will give you a materials list. Then you need a contractor to build it. If you are doing most of the work, you will have some hoops to jump through unless your bank allows you to be the GC. And not many allow that.


that's where my ace up my sleeve comes in handy.. My stepdad has his contractor's license and i could "hire" him to do the job for me. Helps also that we have different last names too


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## A.M. General (May 3, 2001)

BulldogOutlander said:


> that's where my ace up my sleeve comes in handy.. My stepdad has his contractor's license and i could "hire" him to do the job for me. Helps also that we have different last names too


I did this 4 years ago. PM me for more details and what I learned. Now that I'm done, I see many things I would've done differently.


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## chiman0101 (9 mo ago)

I am trying to figure out the cost difference of framing a barndominium as stick vs post-frame. We are gathering info on what to do once material prices calm down. Without having the exact material list, the stick version is $270K (crazy). What can I save if the barndominium framing is build in a post-frame version? I suppose everything but framing stays the same in stick and post-frame, no? Here is a link to the plan.

3 Bedroom Barndominium Style Plan with Loft and Two-story Great Room | Wakefield

We want to build in SW Michigan and labour is scarce. I am handy but not to the point of framing a new house. Can do finishing plumbing, all electrical, finishing carpetry. So if I go by BulldogOutlander's contract level system, maybe I will be looking for level 2 (builder does half of the items). Level 3 (just shell and foundation) will be possible if the incremental labour price vs level 2 is substantial.


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## BrendaAmil (8 mo ago)

My father lives in the countryside, and recently he started to build a barndominium. He got all the materials and found people who would help him build, but he had problems finding a company that would do the construction plans.


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## jmich24 (Jul 29, 2009)

A.M. General said:


> I did this 4 years ago. PM me for more details and what I learned. Now that I'm done, I see many things I would've done differently.


PM sent.


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## jmich24 (Jul 29, 2009)

Luv2hunteup said:


> I’m very happy with my Morton barn. Quality product from top to bottom. Absolutely no buyers remorse.


Got a quote from the Amish on a 30x40 Pole building. I intend to use the whole structure as a cabin
Amish was only 21,000 without cement. But I’m concerned about quality after going back and reading some thread on here. 

From what I have found, Without digging too deep Morton is 90k for similar but obviously high quality.

I have read a lot of mixed reviews on metal roofs.
Did Morton use metal roofing? Any additional Thoughts?


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## sparky18181 (Apr 17, 2012)

jmich24 said:


> Got a quote from the Amish on a 30x40 Pole building. I intend to use the whole structure as a cabin
> Amish was only 21,000 without cement. But I’m concerned about quality after going back and reading some thread on here.
> 
> From what I have found, Without digging too deep Morton is 90k for similar but obviously high quality.
> ...


if I was building new I d use standing seam metal roofing. Hidden fasteners and should last a life time.


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

jmich24 said:


> Got a quote from the Amish on a 30x40 Pole building. I intend to use the whole structure as a cabin
> Amish was only 21,000 without cement. But I’m concerned about quality after going back and reading some thread on here.
> 
> From what I have found, Without digging too deep Morton is 90k for similar but obviously high quality.
> ...


Morton will building you anything you want. They use high quality materials on everything. Fade warranty is 50 years along with the first 5 years no cost rebuild if your building is wiped out by Mother Nature. It cost nothing to meet with them.

They are not an inexpensive building. Look elsewhere if you are looking for a cheap structure.


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## kingfisher 11 (Jan 26, 2000)

98885 said:


> Doubt you'd get any negatives going that route today. Building materials at an all time high. No foundation to increase cost. My step son is a builder and he's building one. He can save over 50% in labor and still going that route. It's a great concept and an economic alternative to a stick built home.


Looking for a builder to get a quote for a new build Barndominium.


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## Night Moves (Jan 28, 2021)

I had one for years. It was a 30x50 barn with a 10x30 living quarters with storage above it. I loved it. I bought the propery with barn and I built the living quarters. I sold it years ago.


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## pgpn123 (May 9, 2016)

I've noticed 4-5 barndominiums in my local travels lately. Haven't been inside but they look sweet.


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## grapestomper (Jan 9, 2012)

My buddy I hunt with in Missouri has one and he insulated it very well.
It works great.


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## jmich24 (Jul 29, 2009)

I got a full tour of one in Ogemaw County. He didn’t say, but I’m guessing he is going to have $250-300,000 in to it all said and done.

I’m hoping to get one built myself in the next year or two. But I’m hoping to stay in the 75-90,000 price range. Little smaller and more rustic, like a cabin.


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