If it is weird, strange or otherwise just bizarre, when it comes to pole buildings, chances are it will eventually come across my desk. Otherwise I would have run out of material to write articles about a long, long time ago. And it is rewarding to know I’ve got lots of loyal readers – like […]

Manufacturers and resellers of all steel frame buildings are quick to tout the fire resistance of steel as a reason to not turn to pole (post frame) buildings as a design solution. Dr. Michael N. is a lecturer in two subject areas at his local university, civil engineering and structural steel design. This is what […]

Arborvitae Green To my friends Jim Betonte, the Oglevie Brothers (Mike, Doug and Randy) and Kimron Leach – this blog’s for you! Somewhere about 35 million years ago the Willamette River of Oregon was created by plate tectonics. A few miles to the south of what was Willamette Falls, the river makes a sharp bend, […]

Hansen Pole Buildings is a proud member of the NFBA (National Frame Building Association https://www.nfba.org). Pretty much every Monday the Association sends out a newsletter, via email, to its members. In today’s newsletter was a link to an article written by Stephen Szoke and published in Construction Executive, May 5, “Building Codes: One Size Does […]

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.  If you want a quick answer, please be sure to answer with a “reply-able” […]

Hansen Pole Buildings’ Designer Dave Gross sent me this note recently: “I have a client questioning steel versus wood. I have gone through the blogs and discussed the pros and cons with client. Her main comeback is wood rot and bugs in South Carolina. She is a sharp cookie. 30 year business owner. Just built […]

It wasn’t too long ago I had a client who was looking for a new building and wanted to make sure we did not use steel roofing and siding from either Wheeling Corrugating or Metal Sales™ Manufacturing Corporation (https://www.metalsales.us.com/). I’d inquired further as to what his issues were with these two manufacturers and the response […]

About a year ago the Technical Department of Hansen Pole Buildings was contacted by the manufacturer of the Toci Ground Anchor: “We manufacture the Toci Ground Anchor, an anchoring device that you may find useful in your line of business. The Toci Ground Anchor safely secures any outdoor structure or building to the ground without […]

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.  If you want a quick answer, please be sure to answer with a “reply-able” […]

I celebrated my 35th year in the pole building industry in January. I’ve learned a lot and forgotten probably even more in this time. One of the things I have learned is, when quoting any particular post frame building, no one is ever $100 less. They are always $3000 or $5000 less and it is […]

“Wild Eyed and Southern Fried” Panama City Beach, Florida might very well be the best beach this side of paradise – with 27 miles of stunning white sand, emerald green waters and surefire enjoyment in, on or under the water. One thing for certain which they have and no one else has is The Wicked […]

Rural Builder magazine has sponsored the Gold Key of Excellence Award for 33 years. This award relies upon a ballot process which allows builders in the rural industry to vote for the companies which provide the best products and services time and time again. The balloting process begins in late February each year, with the […]

From Hansen Pole Buildings’ Designer Rachel: “A nice lady from Pennsylvania called and said she was looking to get some advice.  Her husband died five months ago and she is having a pole building put up.  It sounds as though they have the poles up, skirtboard on and the concrete poured although there is a […]

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.  If you want a quick answer, please be sure to answer with a “reply-able” […]

When Good Information Gets into the Wrong Hands When I want something done right, I go to an expert. I’ve got a friend working on re-restoration of my 1950 Chevy pickup truck right now. My friend happens to have taught auto restoration at a college for several years. When I talk with him about my […]

Attaching Solar Panels to Exposed-Fastened Steel Roofing I am simply amazed at the sheer number of solar system installers who convince their clients they have to use standing seam steel roofing in order to attach the solar panels to the steel roofs. First – they are doing a total disservice to their clients by causing […]

A Worthy Installer I deal directly with very few clients as a Building Designer – just enough to be able to make sure things are flowing through our system as I expect they will. I’ve truly been enjoying my recent interactions with a client who took the time to really share with me what his […]

Back in the early 1990’s, when I was building pole buildings, we had constructed a monitor barn for some clients in the Libby, Montana area. For those who are not familiar with the term “monitor barn” it is a main gabled roof, with side sheds or “wings” on each eave side. The height of the […]

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.  If you want a quick answer, please be sure to answer with a “reply-able” […]

Hansen Pole Buildings’ Designer Doug keeps me on my toes – he comes up with some of the most interesting questions, which I truly appreciate. Today, he asked me about chain hoists for overhead doors. I told him we did not currently include them in our proprietary “Instant Pricing™” system, due to lack of interest […]

Even though it is now May – the heavy snowfalls in the New England states this past winter have left many with concerns. Here is an actual conversation, between a client who recently invested in a new Hansen Pole Building kit package, and our Technical Support Department: Client: “Good Afternoon, Quick couple of questions.  The […]

Eight Nifty Tricks to Save Money When Building a Pole Barn (reprised) This is Part II of a two part series on pole barn savings through material and feature choices. Bret Buelo of Wick Buildings® wrote an article by this title last year, some of the items I agree with, some not so much. This […]

Eight Nifty Tricks to Save Money When Building a Pole Barn (reprised) Bret Buelo of Wick Buildings® wrote an article by this title last year, some of the items I agree with, some not so much. I will offer my “take” on his points. “1. Spacing of your columns. Builders typically space columns anywhere between six […]

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.  If you want a quick answer, please be sure to answer with a “reply-able” […]

Butt Cuts, not Cracks In a past life, when I was far younger, I was a newbie in the prefabricated metal connector plated wood truss industry. My first job was as a sawyer, I was the guy who trimmed all of the components prior to their assembly into trusses. Although my employers had what at […]