Living in a Pole Barn

[chargerboy69]

I am curious if anyone is currently living in a pole building or steel building.  The wife and I are considering a 50X120 pole barn with one end as a two story living quarters, and the rest as a huge shop with a in ground pool outback.  I have searched the internet and have found several people talking about doing something like this, but have not found any pictures of a finished one.  It looks like you would just build your pole barn and hire a contractor to frame in the living quarters.  I have to say, I am surprised my wife is for this.  This would be a guys dream come true.  Now, if I could only get her into that Wonder Woman outfit.  

[41husk]

I say your wife is a saint!  I would live in such an arrangement in a heart beat.  My wife, on the other hand would not even consider it.  Infact in our past home searches, my wife has told the realtor, "don't need to show him the house all he is interested in is the garage'' . 

[bull]

I have a good wife too. She has considered it and would do it because she understands the practical side of it. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure she wouldn't stand for a POS living space in this pole barn but just knowing she'd do it means a lot. And thanks for the Wonder Woman costume idea. I'll have to see where that gets me.

[moparguy01]

My wife and I have considered doing this when it comes time to get a new place. she just insists its lake front.

when i used to work for menards I remember helping to do quotes on some weird setups using pole barns as bases. One fella made a 2 story pole barn, with a basement, and had us design for him a silo attached to the building and you guessed it, he used the silo just for the stairs to the upper level. It was a damn cool design, but I don't know if he has built it yet.

They do have listings for pole barns for living use, they just change a few of the requirements, and yes, you can sheetrock and insulate them like a normal house without a problem. I've even helped with one the guy put vaulted ceilings in it for a 50x150 "hunting shack" I am afraid that fella just had too damn much money to blow.

[Todd Wilson]

A guy I used to work with before he retired did this. Built a good steel building and then made an partment in one corner. Once you were in it you didnt know you were in a steel build. He would open the door and pull in. Get out of his car. Had a bench there to sit down and take off shoes. Hooks for coats were right there. Stepped thru the door and into the living area. Had radiant floor heating in the shop so it was nice and warm in there. Had a wash bay out back and plenty of room to work on stuff.   


I was with another friend and we went out to another place that was still being built. His friend was building it. It was tall enough they actually had 2 stories in it. Both buildings were stell frame buildings though and not wood pole barn setups.

Might check with your city code as I dont think you can do this type of setup just anywhere. Its a steel shop building first and a house 2nd.


Todd

[Tilar]

A guy I know has one that he and his wife built a couple years ago. Very cool idea. I wonder what insurance would be on that arrangement.

[dkn1997]

...............This would be a guys dream come true.  Now, if I could only get her into that Wonder Woman outfit.  

[bakerhillpins]

Doesn't sound much different than owning a automotive shop in the city with an Apt for the owner above. Seems like a cool idea. I suspect you would want to make it your "final solution" though as resale would definitely have a limited market. That resale thing might make it difficult to get a construction loan as well, if that was what you needed to do.

Bryan

[chargerboy69]

Might check with your city code as I dont think you can do this type of setup just anywhere. Its a steel shop building first and a house 2nd.


Todd

Todd,  I would do a steel building rather than a pole barn.  In our county you can not build a barn on your land without having a house on it first, but you can build a barn and live in part if it.  

.

One fella made a 2 story pole barn, with a basement, and had us design for him a silo attached to the building and you guessed it, he used the silo just for the stairs to the upper level. It was a damn cool design, but I don't know if he has built it yet.

Now that is a great idea for the stairs.  We are going to be doing a basement too.

And thanks for the Wonder Woman costume idea. I'll have to see where that gets me.

Not a problem Bull.  I hope you get further with the idea than I have.

[Steve P.]

Check the THIS OLD HOUSE site. They work with a guy that is building a sort of PRE-FAB kind of barn style house that is very GREEN. I was in one of his barn homes years ago and it was spectacular.  Extreme insulation and very tightly put together. I was impressed. His new GREEN HOME idea is great and not very expensive.

I know of a body shop close by with 2 apartments above the main shop and his house is 2 story behind and above it. Works out great for him..

[PocketThunder]

Might check with your city code as I dont think you can do this type of setup just anywhere. Its a steel shop building first and a house 2nd.


Todd

  Around here you have to put up a primary residence first, then you can build out buidlings.  Otherwise everyone would be living in their loft garages and the gov't wouldnt have a lot of property value to tax you on.  They need that house so they can apply their $$$ per Square Foot to the main dwelling and rake in the bucks. 

[lisiecki1]

Just FYI after building out many of these myself, there is virtually no monetary savings in building this way.  That being said, they turn out very nice and I would live in one in a heartbeat.

[Skyview69]

i work at a bank and have seen a few of these done.  They turn out very nice...look just like real homes on the inside.  However,  you won't be able to obtain any type of financing for this type of property.  keep that in mind if you ever need to sell the home or tap into any equity you might have.  Banks or other lenders don't want this on their books and won't lend any money...even if your credit is top notch. 

[ralley72]

I lived in my pole barn for 4 years. I purchased 28 acres  in a county that is not zoned, so you can pretty much build what you want. Not far from me someone lives in 2 round grain bids. I built a 30 x 50 pre-engineered  Lester Metal building pole barn, same level and cost of a Mortin, not cheap. Small apartment on one side, shop on the other. Not near big enough. I had no problems working with our local bank with financing.( have a well planned design and future editions, i.e. real house) With that said, it sucks. Couple of things to do if you are going with this plan, before any metal is installed on framing warp it with tyvek, stops wind and moisture from messing up  the side wall insulation, Go with forced air or radiant floor heat, wall mounted base heaters cost to much and heat uneven. Build a concrete or cmu  grouted cells and rebar storm shelter. More than once I didn't have a safe place to go. very scary. Every time I walked in the door I see could all the work I needed to do, nice to be able to get away from your projects when needed. After about 1 year of living in my pole barn I knew I needed a real house. You can still build a nice one, but its not a real home.
IMHO.

Mike

[Steve P.]

I would realllllly consider all options. Where I live it would not pay for me to do it on the cheap. If you like the look of a barn home, (I DO), I would think about a heated slab and 6 inch walls built on a raised block stem wall. Then once the exterior is built and completely dried in I would have spray foam insulation done from the stem wall all the way up and over and back down the opposing walls. Heating and cooling costs are very high and this is a huge thing to consider, but your house staying comfortable without heat/AC running allot is HUGE... Tyvec is a fantastic weather blocker. It's even better when taped.

Do your homework and ask MANY people MANY questions. It realllllly pays to do it right the first time.

[MoparManJim]

I don't know if this will help ya or not http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.timshellfarm.com/photos/pole-barn_house_inside_wall_ceiling_011.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.timshellfarm.com/building_a_pole_barn_house.html&usg=__n9oBKUMA_A3lhyqi5KpHPNYBrn0=&h=181&w=268&sz=11&hl=en&start=19&tbnid=cxrPRjYO3cRWlM:&tbnh=76&tbnw=113&prev=/images%3Fq%3DPole%2BBarn%2BHouses%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den

[PocketThunder]

I don't know if this will help ya or not http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.timshellfarm.com/photos/pole-barn_house_inside_wall_ceiling_011.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.timshellfarm.com/building_a_pole_barn_house.html&usg=__n9oBKUMA_A3lhyqi5KpHPNYBrn0=&h=181&w=268&sz=11&hl=en&start=19&tbnid=cxrPRjYO3cRWlM:&tbnh=76&tbnw=113&prev=/images%3Fq%3DPole%2BBarn%2BHouses%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den

There is no garage space in that building though.  I think he is looking for a 1/2 garage, 1/2 living area.  That house is nice none the less.  It would be fun to build though, thats for sure.

[1BAD68]

A couple years ago I took a bunch of pics of a Hanger that I thought would make an incredible living space with a few modifications.
My plan was to build some thing like this...

[1BAD68]

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[1BAD68]

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[PocketThunder]

I just found this site.  Looks like you can make a pretty nice barn into a home.  But its probably easy to get real expensive real quick with all the little details that add up quick.

http://www.barnplans.com/

[MoparManJim]

I don't know if this will help ya or not http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.timshellfarm.com/photos/pole-barn_house_inside_wall_ceiling_011.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.timshellfarm.com/building_a_pole_barn_house.html&usg=__n9oBKUMA_A3lhyqi5KpHPNYBrn0=&h=181&w=268&sz=11&hl=en&start=19&tbnid=cxrPRjYO3cRWlM:&tbnh=76&tbnw=113&prev=/images%3Fq%3DPole%2BBarn%2BHouses%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den

There is no garage space in that building though.  I think he is looking for a 1/2 garage, 1/2 living area.  That house is nice none the less.  It would be fun to build though, thats for sure.

Oops, I for got about that detail part.

[chargerboy69]

Here is someone else that did this.  This is not my design style but it is an idea.  


http://www.redstone-tech.com/ranch/cabin_construction.htm

A couple years ago I took a bunch of pics of a Hanger that I thought would make an incredible living space with a few modifications.
My plan was to build some thing like this...

I do like the hanger.  Just turn the office space into living space.  That is exactly what I had in mind, it is perfect.  Thank you for posting the pictures.

[quapman]

Bear in mind, you'd probably need a C of O (certificate of occupancy) from your local municipality before you can legally live in any new structure or one not originally intended as a living space. Might get tricky.

[Landonsrt]

My sister just sold her house recently that was originally a barn (garage). It was a four car garage on the main floor with a kitchen in the back with master bedroom. Two bedrooms and a bath upstairs. Basement with full shop open to the backside of the house with one car garage and concrete shelving and safe room. They ended up taking out the two main garage doors and converting it all into one big living area. Nice property and a pool.