Pole Barn Ideas

JustDandee

JustDandee

TJ Enthusiast
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Sep 26, 2022
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Nampa, Idaho
Looking like we are going to downsize our property and have an eye on an older home on a 1/2 acre lot….but no shop. Looking for y’all thoughts/experience on having a pole barn built. Just the mention of a pole barn you might guess I am trying to do something on a budget. Thinking 50k will be target based on what I can sell for and buy the new place.
this is my starting point list:
  • 30x50
  • fit four cars. Really 3 with a good working space
  • high enough for a two post lift
  • Insulated
anyone have opinions-experience on using a kit having it assemble. Have a very competent guy that has done concrete work for me would probably be willing to do this. Or is it better to hire the outfit that will site build -does pole barns day in and day out?

So a couple questions for the group
  • How does that budget look?
  • sizing going to be adequat? set backs will dictate final size limits.
  • looking for architectural details ideas. I just don’t want a box but also can’t afford the barndominium. Things that add some class without blowing the budget.
  • any Northwest recommendations for kits?
 
I don't see 30x50 parking 4 cars and a work area too unless you will stack 2 with a Lift? Full sized truck needs 10x24 minimum to open the doors and be able to squeeze around it. 12ft sidewalls but 14ft would be better. You can put a walled off work room on 1 end and put a storage loft above it. Are your doors going on the gable or eaves side? 30ft deep would allow you to pull a truck in and still have a bench or toolboxes in front of it. Cars being parked is one thing, but "project" cars take up a bunch more space.

My shop was 24x40x8T with 2 doors on the eves side. So 2 bays for parking and a walled off 14x24 work room. I could just squeeze the truck in and close the door, but it was impossible to work on it in the Winter. I raised the roof on the original portion to 12ft and did an enclosed Lean-To addition to make it 36x40 with 2-10ft doors. The 14x24 work room is walled off and has a wood stove. It will get a window shaker or mini split at some point. The storage loft, you can walk around hunched over with a 12ft sidewall but 14ft would have been better.

Insulate if you can afford too when its built. So much easier. I retrofitted those wide RockWool Vinyl faced Blankets and hung them from the purlins with screws and fender washers. My trusses are on 10ft centers. Makes the most difference in the summer to not have that radiant heat coming off the metal. If your trusses are on 5ft centers or less then I would just staple up some plastic and line the ceiling with roof metal on the bottom chord. Then blow in cellulose.

100A service should be plenty with no electric HVAC, especially if you are usually working alone. I got by for years on 40A@240V and rarely tripped the main. Compressor and Plasma are my biggest loads now and thats maybe 60A.
 
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One of my favorite YouTube channels (no longer making videos) built a 20x40x12 pole barn a few years ago. I have no idea of the cost as the guys were all tradesman and did some of the work themselves. He walked around the progress of the shop a few times but those are scattered in their videos that I can't find. But I linked his video below for the tour. They were in Wisconsin so their insulation and heat would be relevant, can't remember if he talks about it. They would have several sxs and drift cars inside at the same time.

It would be substantially more expensive, I'm sure, but a smaller version of the shop that Grind Hard built would be legit. Single pitch roof, metal frame, heated floors, partial loft space. Pretty cool! There's several videos if you aren't familiar with their channel, but this will get you to their garage videos
 
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Powers145 said:
30x50 is doable but would need more info. plan to spray foam insulate? finish steel on the ceiling and inside? in floor heat?
Click to expand...

foam would be expensive? i was thinking batting with a white vinyl facing inside. this property has gas so a small ceiling unit would probably suffice.
JP_in_STL said:
I don't see 30x50 parking 4 cars and a work area too unless you will stack 2 with a Lift? Full sized truck needs 10x24 minimum to open the doors and be able to squeeze around it. 12ft sidewalls but 14ft would be better. You can put a walled off work room on 1 end and put a storage loft above it. Are your doors going on the gable or eaves side? 30ft deep would allow you to pull a truck in and still have a bench or toolboxes in front of it. Cars being parked is one thing, but "project" cars take up a bunch more space.

My shop was 24x40x8T with 2 doors on the eves side. So 2 bays for parking and a walled off 14x24 work room. I could just squeeze the truck in and close the door, but it was impossible to work on it in the Winter. I raised the roof on the original portion to 12ft and did an enclosed Lean-To addition to make it 36x40 with 2-10ft doors. The 14x24 work room is walled off and has a wood stove. It will get a window shaker or mini split at some point. The storage loft, you can walk around hunched over with a 12ft sidewall but 14ft would have been better.

Insulate if you can afford too when its built. So much easier. I retrofitted those wide RockWool Vinyl faced Blankets and hung them from the purlins with screws and fender washers. My trusses are on 10ft centers. Makes the most difference in the summer to not have that radiant heat coming off the metal. If your trusses are on 5ft centers or less then I would just staple up some plastic and line the ceiling with roof metal on the bottom chord. Then blow in cellulose.

100A service should be plenty with no electric HVAC, especially if you are usually working alone. I got by for years on 40A@240V and rarely tripped the main. Compressor and Plasma are my biggest loads now and thats maybe 60A.
Click to expand...

i would go gable end on the main door, so 50 feet deep-maybe 60 possible. i have a shorted K10, chevelle, tj, 56' f350 project. thinking if i size to 4 cars that 4th spot id my working area as I would be driving one of those. didnt think about storage up top but i kniw i would need a full 12' for the lift posts. 14' sounds like it might better-wonder the cost hit on adding height.?
 
I've built a couple of pole barns. Not a huge fan. They're basically sheet metal tents. And they're really impossible to get insulation up to any decent r value...so while the construction is cheaper you'll pay to keep it warm.

I'd also make sure you do a hidden screw roof...one side clips over the screws hiding them. I don't trust the neoprene washers to last more than 20 years without leaking.

I also wouldn't put the poles into a hole...most of them you take a 6 x 6 post, stud it with nails and cover it with gravel...the bottom sits on a 6" concrete pad. Me personally I'd pour concrete piers and bolt the posts to the piers. No bottoms rotting out on the posts. Bigger issue in Oregon than Nampa...I lived in Boise for 20 years.

I'd also stick to multiples of 12'. 36' x 48' is a much better use of materials.

Need any help let me know. I'm building a 48' x 72' shop, with an apartment on it for my in laws. Stick built...much easier to insulate. Nampa is like 8 hours away and I miss wheeling around the Owahees and Idaho City.

-Mac
 
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A buddy recently built a 50 x 60 x 16 place with standard 2 x lumber. Finished it inside and out like a home. Quite expensive I'm sure. About 30% is a bar/entertainment area the rest is jam packed with the TJ I sold him, a Ford Model A, 1960's Oldsmobile, several motorcycles. He's talking about building another one. No one has ever said "I should have built a smaller garage/shop"
 
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you guys are killing my budget target 😂

Some good input to process
After work I will dig a little deeper but I also looking at style ideas- i dont want a plain box like this looking for ideas that dont blow budgets to a little more character/curb appeal.

1702490473857.jpeg
 
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Monitor style is pretty budget friendly. Basically a tall barn in the center with side sheds.

Downside is posts in the middle of your space.

If you go with a 24' deep, 36' wide main structure...with two 12' side sheds...then theoretically you could take the back wall down, add more posts and girts and go bigger down the road.

-Mac
 
The concrete floor, insulation, electrical and internal finishes will coat as much as the building. Having concrete for the posts is overkill and will trap moisture around the posts. Gravel packed around the post with a concrete footing allows for drainage and the posts will snap before they move. I’m assuming that your ground frost level is 3’ or so and frost heaving will not be an issue. Construction activity in your area is depressed compared to 2 yrs ago so a stick built might be competitive. Get some string and lay out the foot print to see how much room you will have. Park some vehicles in it to see how much space there really is after you put in things that you will permanently store in it. I built a stick built shop at my Az home (42’X50’) and put a upper deck above my work bench area for storage. What is the power service to your property? Will you tap into your existing house and does it have enough capacity to add the shop? 200 amps is great but 100 will work too. You just will not be able to run high amp draw tools at the same time. 100 amps will handle a welder, compressor and lights at the same time. Will you be staying in this home for a long time. I do not know if adding a building will increase the property value of your home to cover the building cost but it will sell quicker. As said before build it as bug as you can or make arrangements to allow for expansion later.

A man’s home is his Castle but his garage is his Sanctuary
.
 
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Look into red iron construction, I think you might be surprised at how close the pricing will be to a pole barn and no comparison to the strength. when I built my last one 4 years ago the building and insulation package was $24500.00 it is 60' x 70'. They charged me $8000.00 to dry it in.
 
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TNHEADDUCK said:
Look into red iron construction, I think you might be surprised at how close the pricing will be to a pole barn and no comparison to the strength. when I built my last one 4 years ago the building and insulation package was $24500.00 it is 60' x 70'. They charged me $8000.00 to dry it in.
Click to expand...

damn and my kitchen is now creeping north of a 100K think of the building red iron could have built me!!!
 
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If I had the land I would FIND the financing to build a shop, land is very expensive here unless I want to drive a couple hours to get there.
 
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