Be Accountable Unfortunately, too many post frame building owners are either unable or unwilling to spot the differences between a well-designed pole building and one which barely (or doesn’t) meet construction standards. And when things go awry (as can happen in construction), all too often the fingers get pointed everywhere except at the person who […]

The Argument Against Building Codes The argument against building codes isn’t a haphazard attempt to loosen restrictions. Instead, it’s often made by experienced contractors and other industry veterans who are frustrated by certain trends and aware of hazards or risks the general public may not realize. When construction teams “build to code,” what does this […]

Some Building Code History I’ve reflected some in the past about Building Codes from history, where the generally accepted first code was in the Code of Hammurabi: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2013/07/engineer/. In July of 64 A.D., a great fire ravaged Rome for six days, destroying 70 percent of the city and leaving half its population homeless. According to […]

Back to Vincent’s Question A few days ago Vincent Phelps postulated this question: “Titanium hammers claim to put a greater amount of energy into the nail. What impact (no pun intended) does that have on galvanized fasteners? I’ve seen failure of the protective coating and even the heads being broken by worn out by air […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Can I set a payment plan option? DESTINY IN GARNER DEAR DESTINY: Hansen Pole Buildings has many options available for payment plans. The great majority of our clients chose to pay in full at time of order by ACH (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2011/11/ach-what-is-it/) which gives you a five percent discount off the price of […]

For some reason, I have always liked framing hammers with wooden handles. Always felt far more comfortable in my hand than composites or steel handles. Hickory handles beat synthetic materials for strength, and also have the benefit of less vibration. Wood transfers less vibration than metal. Some hammers have a fiberglass shaft core or a glass […]

I appreciate long time reader Vincent Phelps – Vincent, I know you are reading this and thank you! Vincent appears to be always on the lookout for technology and new and better ways to build bigger mousetraps (buildings). Here was a recent question he sent to me on Facebook (yes, we are Facebook friends): “Titanium […]

Sales and marketing….to some the thought of at least one of these is absolutely chilling. SALES There, I said it. It amazes even me how challenging it can be to get clients to engage with our Building Designers. I realize it is frightening to think – your problems might be solved or goals able to […]

I’ve been doing some of my own research on solar power lately, and have found some interesting stuff. The real interesting part of this article is not in the cool solar product – it is on how to solve the problem they do not know they have with the pole barn (post frame) building in […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I’d like to have a realistic comparison in price and benefits of both a pole barn vs. a metal barn. I am looking to build a 40×60. MELINDA IN ST. ANTHONY DEAR MELINDA: I will have to take a leap of faith here and guess ‘metal barn” is referencing an all […]

What distinguishing physical feature do Leonardo DiCaprio, John Travolta, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis and Ronald Reagan all share? I said, “physical feature” so all of them having been movie stars is not the answer we were looking for. They all have widow’s peaks! The expression widow’s peak dates from 1849, and the term stems from the […]

Prefabricated Roof Trusses – They can Make You or Break You In yesterday’s blog, Mike the Pole Barn Guru started to share some secrets which should both increase your bottom line as well as allow you to sleep soundly at night. A short recap here, for the full account, read Part One posted yesterday, May […]

Prefabricated Roof Trusses – They can Make You or Break You This article (written by yours truly) was published in the May 2016 Rural Builder magazine (https://media2.fwpublications.com.s3.amazonaws.com/CNM/RB_20160501e.pdf and begins on Page 26). Although the article is written towards post frame (pole) building contractors, it gives a perspective as to the challenges of ordering something as […]

Self-Disclosure People are fascinating, we all have life stories to tell, and most of us are merely looking for others who have listening ears so we can share our stories. This dates back to the days of prehistory, when early man sat around campfires and swapped lies. The homes of a hundred years ago were […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU:  Hello. Can you give me an estimate for a concrete slab only? Specs are below. Just looking for an approximate ballpark figure. 3,600 square feet 6” thick 3,000 PSI Heavy duty as plan to install a car lift at a later date. Heavy duty anchor bolts. Please advise. Thank you. SHERYL […]

Open Beam Post Frame Construction Post frame (pole barn or pole building) design lends itself to a myriad of different design opportunities which can create some truly unique as well as magnificent spaces. We were recently approached by a client who wanted his 36 foot width post frame building to have a 32 foot long […]

My oldest son Jake (read more about the adventures of Jake and I here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2012/07/construction-time-2/), has always had a certain fascination with secret rooms.  Maybe it was from playing the board game Clue too many times as a child! At least his interest is good natured, unlike America’s first serial killer H.H. Holmes. As described […]

It was a pleasant October evening back in 1985 in Blacksburg, Virginia. My friend Dr. Frank Woeste was then a professor in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech (officially Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) and he had invited me to teach one of his classes for a day, in exchange […]

Redwood for Post Frame Building Columns Just this week we had a client in the California Bay area interested in a roof only post frame structure. His caveat, he really wanted to have Redwood columns, as opposed to properly pressure preservative treated timbers. The characteristics of redwood make it a popular choice for outdoor applications. […]

Why NOT to Mess With HOAs Homeowners Associations (HOAs) are normally begun with every good intention in mind, however in my humble opinion they are a restriction upon how one determines their own property should best be used. An HOA is an incorporated association, usually created by a developer who prepares the Covenants, Conditions, and […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: We are in the process of investigating our options re., the construction of a pole barn to serve as a retail antique mall/auction house. We have several sites in mind from 3-5 acres but have made no decision re., that yet as negotiations remain underway. Our facility needs to be vintage […]

We have a certain percentage of our clients who are looking for log siding for their new post frame buildings. Usually these folks already have a log home on their property, or their new pole building is going to be their home and they want the ‘log home’ look without the challenges associated with real […]

Maybe you have a hobby that’s outgrown its current space. Or maybe your family has been telling you they’re tired of hearing power tools running in the garage. Maybe you just need a place to work that’s free of distractions. Whatever the case, it’s time to build a custom workshop. A detached workshop can be […]

I have to admit, steel price increases have in the past, been huge drivers of business. My own personal opinion is I would rather see your hard earned money stay in YOUR pocket, instead of the pockets of some faceless corporation. I know I work hard for my money, I am sure you work hard […]

Who wouldn’t want a guest house and the endless possibilities it offers? You could use your guest house to host friends from out of town or house parents or in-laws. You could earn some extra income by renting out your guest house on HomeAway or Airbnb, or you could use it as your very own […]