Design Vogue

• Durable construction

• Cost-efficient housing alternative

• Customizable space

• Easy kits available for DIY builds

• Less maintenance than standard house

• Less construction time than standard house

• Metal corrosion potential in some climates

• Financing difficult to obtain

• Some towns may not allow them

• May be difficult to sell

• Not very soundproof

Do-It-Yourself Barndominium

Building a do-it-yourself barndominium saves on labor costs. When building a barndominium from scratch, at least half of the cost is from the foundation and the building shell. Barndominium shell kits are pre-engineered, so they just need to be assembled.

A large barndominium (72 ft x 40 ft) may cost $153,000 to $182,000, including these elements:

Barndominium Considerations

Land

Purchasing land is often part of building a barndominium since building in developed residential areas can be difficult, due to zoning and permitting.

The average value of farm real estate reached $3,380 per acre in 2021, according to the USDA. But for purposes of building a barndominium, that cost may be less, since the USDA estimate includes land that might already have buildings.

Location matters, too. The average is skewed by just a few states with off-the-charts expensive acreage, with four states in the eastern United States averaging costs of more than $12,000 per acre. Except for California and Arizona, all Western U.S. states are below the national average, and some acreage even costs in the hundreds of dollars.

Access

The site will need access from the public road. If there is no road, one must be built.

Asphalt roads cost $70 to $170 per linear foot on average to build. So, a quarter-mile of paved private road will cost from $92,400 to $224,400.

Low cost is the main driver behind the popularity of private gravel roads. For each linear foot of gravel foot, expect to pay from $14 to $25 (at 30 feet wide).

Zoning and Permits

Residential zoning may not permit the building of large metal-structure barndominiums. Large acreage located in unincorporated areas is best for building this kind of structure.

Generally, the permit process for barndominiums is the same as for residential construction. The permitting agency will charge you either by the square foot or by an estimated building cost. You'll also need to submit architectural plans, consisting of a floor plan, elevations, a basic electrical plan, and often a plumbing plan.

Also required will be a site or plat plan (showing divisions), so the permitting agency can see the barndominium's location to the property line and any easements.

Finally, for metal buildings, you will be required to submit engineer drawings. If you purchased the building from a metal building manufacturer, they should be able to send you stamped, sealed engineer's drawings.

Utilities

Unless the site already has power, you'll need to pay the electric company to bring the wire to the site at a cost ranging from $25 to $50 per foot. For sites that are set a half-mile back on the properties, this can mean bills of $67,000 to $132,000—just for the power.

Installing a septic tank and leach line is comparatively inexpensive, costing around $6,800, on average.

If the property does not have a municipal water supply, a well must be dug. The average cost of digging a well about 100 feet deep is $6,000, though low water tables can mean deeper wells and higher costs.

Adding a water treatment and purification system, necessary for drinking water, will run between $1,000 and $3,000, not including labor.

Barndominiums: Blending Uses

Barndominium work areas can be any size. Ranchers, farmers, and business people may reserve as much as one-third or one-half of the ground floor for vehicles and large equipment.

Owners with non-commercial interests, like making beer or wine, sculpting, fixing vehicles, painting, or woodworking, may need less of the barndominium square footage devoted to work use.

Living and work areas are always accessible through inner doors or hallways—without having to step outside, a bonus during inclement weather. High BTU natural gas or electric heaters warm up workspaces and keep them toasty on cold winter days. For sizable work areas, plan on a 125,000 BTU unit at a minimum.

Barndominium Exteriors and Interiors

Though most barndominium exteriors look utilitarian, the interiors are comfortable, well-appointed spaces with multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, a fully functioning kitchen, living areas, entertainment rooms, offices, and of course, large work sections. Even restored barns turned into barndominiums have beautifully designed interiors.

With restored barns or outbuildings, you'll find all the rustic-chic farmhouse aesthetics of a true country barn, including white clapboard or batten-and-board siding, horse hitches, industrial lights, natural stone, and wooden double-hung windows, to name a few.

In general, barndominium exteriors are mostly unadorned metal structures made from sturdy, non-combustible shells that protect against rain, snow, sun, and fire (metal can be damaged by fire but not as readily as with wooden structures). 

Metal structures' strength-to-weight ratios allow you to build so large and so high, with so much open interior space. Metal also resists wood-boring insects, rot, mold, and all other forms of decay that plague wooden structures.

Exterior Barndominium Costs

Expect these price ranges for barndominium exterior features:

Interior Barndominium Costs

Expect these prices for barndominium interior features:

Utility Costs

Expect these prices for barndominium utilities:

Barndominium Sizes

Here are a few sample room configurations for a small, medium, and large barndominium.