When Mike the Pole Barn Guru blog was first begun two years ago, I had it in my mind it might be possible to write on say 100 or so topics, provided I really put my mind to it. For those who are keeping track, this happens to be blog #500!! And yes, there are […]

Contractor Contracts Good fences make for good neighbors. Good contracts make for good relationships between a builder and the building owner. Think about it – a contractor without a contract is just a worker and his or her word. Even the most honest person would be hard-pressed to keep track of all the conversations which […]

Can I Build on Bedrock? Email all questions to: PoleBarnGuru@HansenPoleBuildings.com DEAR POLE BARN GURU: It looks like on two of my pole footings (24 x 36 barn) I’m going to hit bedrock about 2.5 feet down into my 4′ footing.  Is my only option to rent a jack hammer and keep chunking away at the […]

According to TKProduct.com: “Drying shrinkage is an inherent, unavoidable property of concrete. Shrinkage of plain concrete drying is .72 inches per 100 feet from its plastic state to a dried state with 50% relative humidity, this shrinkage will take place when the moisture leaves the concrete.” Now this research, on my part, was triggered by […]

I bet they wished they’d followed the Call 811 rule! I live on lake, in the mountains. My lot, much like those of my neighbors, is narrow and deep, with lots of grade change from lake to back of the lots. Nearly two decades ago, I wanted to construct a pole building on the back […]

The ‘net is a scary place More “True Confessions” from the Pole Barn Guru….I am a ‘net surfer. Yep, I scour the internet for almost anything I can find on construction related topics (especially pole building related). I have Google Alerts set up so I get notified of almost anything new posted regarding pole buildings, […]

True confessions time (yes, I know people love it when I confess)…..I do not watch television. Gasp. When apparently popular series’ such as “Friends” and “Seinfeld” ended, I truthfully went, “Huh”? Having never seen an episode of either, the events were meaningless to me. It appears I may have been missing out on something…..the DIY […]

Identifying Tempered Glass Email all questions to: PoleBarnGuru@HansenPoleBuildings.com DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Can you tell me if there is any method to identify glass as being tempered or not without breaking it? Many thanks in advance. SIMPLY SOPHIE DEAR SIMPLY SOPHIE: All glass including mirrors used in hazardous locations as defined in the IBC and […]

“Here at xxxxxx (pole building company) we represent the top quality building companies in the business and build every building with pride. Our trusses are set on 4’ or 5′ centers, unlike many post-frame builders that set their trusses on 8′ or 10′ centers in order to cut costs. The trusses are an important part […]

Right to Work Laws seem to have certain logic behind them – worker freedom is safeguarded by not forcing workers to join a union, in order to get a job. Currently a great deal of attention is being paid to state battles over union power, with Right to Work proposals receiving plenty of press nationally. […]

Is it a Glulam? Usually the process works this way – check with the Planning Department to confirm the desired building can be constructed on the property, have pole building plans prepared by a registered design professional (RDP – engineer or architect), apply for and be granted a Building Permit, then build. The photo of […]

Pole Buildings & Internet Sales Tax Hansen Pole Buildings sells pole building kit packages and materials directly from our website. We collect sales taxes from clients who are building in South Dakota and Washington states, but not from people who live in other states. Under the law, states can only require businesses to collect sales […]

Welcome to Ask the Pole Barn Guru – where you can ask questions about building topics, with answers posted on Mondays.  With many questions to answer, please be patient to watch for yours to come up on a future Monday segment.  Email all questions to: PoleBarnGuru@HansenPoleBuildings.com DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am having trouble determining […]

I’m finishing up the last of my five week trip to Ecuador. I love Ecuador; they have such unique descriptions of things. An example, the house next door to where we are renting is for sale. We took a tour of it, and one of the features of the home was the four car “garage”. […]

I always appreciate unique uses for a pole building. In this particular case, the building is not even one which I had any involvement in either the design or providing of, but it IS unique. Back in 2005, my friends Sheri and Larry Herberholz had an idea – it involved a pole building, alcohol and […]

When it comes to the purchase of a new pole building kit package, there are really only three major areas to cover – quality, service and price. Everyone wants to feel they have gotten a good value when they make a major investment, whether it is a vehicle, a house or a new pole building. […]

Is Renovating a Pole Barn Practical? Welcome to our newest feature: Ask the Pole Barn Guru – where you can ask questions about building topics, with answers posted on Mondays.  With many questions to answer, please be patient to watch for yours to come up on a future Monday segment.  Email all questions to: PoleBarnGuru@HansenPoleBuildings.com […]

This is a hands on demonstration which can be done at home! Side note – I love audience participation as well as magic shows. Required items –  a two inch long #9 self-tapping screw with a ¼” hex head (like the kind used to attach steel roofing and siding), a block of kiln dried 2×4 […]

The basics of marketing teach us (as suppliers of pole building kit packages) to focus our efforts on those most likely to be a customer. If implemented (which most do) the problem becomes the focus is on direct competitors rather than enlarging the pool of potential clients. Everyone becomes more worried about losing a sale […]

For years I have preached about the efficiencies of post frame (pole building) construction, as compared to stick frame construction. I appreciate the beauty of a well-designed pole building – every piece has a structural function, there are not the redundant materials found in typical buildings with stud walls. The idea of efficient structural design […]

Are Engineering Fees Expensive? Although many people call themselves engineers, frequently illegally, a professional engineer is someone who has demonstrated sufficient education and experience to a state licensing board through written examination. Having gone to school in an engineering discipline, graduated from an engineering program or worked for an engineer, does not qualify an individual […]

How to Clean a Steel Roof Welcome to our newest feature: Ask the Pole Barn Guru – where you can ask questions about building topics, with answers posted on Mondays.  With many questions to answer, please be patient to watch for yours to come up on a future Monday segment.  Email all questions to: PoleBarnGuru@HansenPoleBuildings.com […]

More and more, post frame buildings are being utilized for homes. And with good reason – they are cost affordable and can be easily constructed by the average weekend warrior. The trend in all residential construction is towards a return to traditional and vintage home styles, with columns standing out as one of the hallmarks […]

Searching for a Contractor in All the Wrong Places Plenty of experts predict the Angie’s List business model — relying on consumers to pay for information they could get for free — is not sustainable. But Angie’s probably has a way to go before it runs out of steam. Yet even free review sites may […]

Roof Replacement – Steel Roofing Insured thunderstorm losses are much higher than they have ever been, and there is no sign they will return to lower levels any time soon.  Moreover, the current state of the insurance industry—from the focus on heavy marketing to standard replacement cost coverage on roofs—exacerbates these losses, creating a real […]