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Barn to Residence, Slab Thickness Changes, and Home from a Roof

This week the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about differences in a barn to a residential structure, how to pour to a slab thickness change, and if a home can be built from an existing pole barn roof.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: What is the difference in building structure from a barn to a residential building. Please list materials, framing etc. The cost difference seems to be a lot. 24×36 $12,000 to 24×36 48,000. LAURIE in CHANDLER

DEAR LAURIE: From: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/pole-barn-prices/

“The pole barn prices shown on this page do not include any optional items. Prices also vary by location due to regional shipping costs and local design requirements.”

Your most recent quote is for a building 28′ x 46′ x 11′ with an 11/12 roof slope. Added features include:

Delivery to your site in Utah
38 psf ground snow load
Exposure C for wind (site unprotected from winds in one or more directions)
18″ enclosed overhangs on all four sides
4′ wide, commercial steel insulated entry door with steel jambs.
factory finish painted including window with grids Wainscot all four sides
Steel offloading service

(1) 5’x4′ sliding window
(3) 3’x5′ sliding windows with grids
(5) 4’x5′ sliding windows with grids
(1) 3’x2′ sliding window
(1) 4’x4′ sliding window
All windows are LowE gas filled
28′ x 46′ attic trussed loft (hence need for 11/12 roof slope, where 4/12 is standard)
Trusses designed with energy heels and ceiling loaded
Omnidirectional housewrap for walls
Vented ridge
Commercial bookshelf wall girts

You are, for practical purposes, comparing a handful of sand to a large gold nugget.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am building a 40×40 barn in Idaho. Frost depth there is 3 feet. It will have a 16 x 40×12 foot center, if you will, with 6×10,s every 10 foot. I will cut and stack a roof out of 2x8s 24″ oc. There will be 12 foot wings on either side framed the same. The outside walls will be framed walls at 8 feet and a 4/12 pitch roof. I am looking at ways to pour said building 5″ in center and 4″ in the wings. Is there a book out there on this for up to date ideas? I have poured a few hundred yards of concrete but never with a 3 foot frost depth. Any help would be appreciated…SCOTT in SANGER

Hansen Buildings Construction ManualDEAR SCOTT: To accomplish a change in slab thickness, merely grade your center 16 foot width section an inch lower than 12 foot wide wing areas. As for frost protection, you should consult with whomever provided your engineer sealed building plans. In most instances, you can follow perimeter slab requirements as outlined here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2024/07/post-frame-frost-walls-2/. If your building will have in floor radiant heat, then entire area under slab will need to be insulated. Otherwise, it is recommended to at least do under slab insulation within four feet of exterior walls. Do not neglect an under slab vapor barrier.

Your best book for up to date ideas is our Construction Manual. Reach out to Brenda@HansenPoleBuildings.com about obtaining a copy for yourself.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Can a home be built from an existing pole barn roof? LORENA in YAKIMA

DEAR LORENA: Maybe – if it was engineered to Risk Category II and deflection of all members is appropriately limited. You should reach out to a local Registered Professional Engineer to do an actual physical evaluation of your structure to determine if it is indeed structurally adequate. He or she can then design any needed upgrades or repairs, as well as structurally design exterior walls to be able to support openings (doors and windows) of your choice.

In most cases, it is less expensive to design and build a brand new structure, properly engineered to best meet your wants and needs.

This entry was posted in Footings, Rebuilding Structures, Building Interior, Lumber, Budget, Pole Barn Questions, Professional Engineer, Pole Barn Design, Pole Barn Homes, Pole Building How To Guides, Post Frame Home, Pole Barn Planning, Barndominium and tagged , , , , , , on by .

I Don’t Know Much Yet About Pole Construction

I Don’t Know Much Yet About Pole Construction

Reader BOBBY in MILTON writes:

“Prices have sent me here. I have a parcel in Farmington Maine that I’d like to put a good size garage and later a house on. I don’t know much, yet, about pole construction. I’m 72, healthy but not very strong anymore, 160#. I presume I have drilled a 4′ deep hole for each pole, then fill with concrete. Typically do builders use the 2 bys (?) that come with a kit to hold the post plumb? It seems to me that once the poles are in and the roof on, the floor could be poured, but wind could be an issue with just a roof. Do folks generally do the sidewall before the floor pour? Metal roofs are fine, but metal sidewall is too ugly for me. Is OSB then whatever on top what I’d want? Board and baton has appeal, but what would keep the walls from racking? There are some Amish up there in Maine, is finding help something you could help with? Not a big deal, just asking. Thanks in advance.”

Thank you for reaching out to me. You and I come from the same generation, as I am 67. Your new building kit is designed for an average physically capable person, who can and will read and follow instructions, to successfully construct their own beautiful building shell (and most of our clients do DIY – saving tens of thousands of dollars). We’ve had clients ranging from septuagenarians to fathers bonding with their teenage daughters erect their own buildings, so chances are – you can as well! Your new building investment includes full multi-page 24” x 36” structural blueprints detailing location and attachment of every piece (as well as suitable for obtaining Building Permits), our industry’s best, fully illustrated, step-by-step installation manual, and unlimited technical support from people who have actually built post frame buildings. Even better – it includes our industry leading Limited Lifetime Structural warranty! An excellent resource is our Hansen Pole Buildings’ Construction Manual. At over 500 pages, it seriously covers everything and can be acquired by reaching out to Haley.Stephenson@HansenPoleBuildings.com.

Holes should be dug to frost depth and a ‘bottom collar” of concrete poured in bottom 16 inches of holes. Lumber delivered with building kit will be used to temporarily brace columns. While I always had floors poured after building shell was closed in, at least roof should be on. We have a vendor who produces a steel board and baton siding, it is even available in a random ‘wood grain’ finish. It does need to be installed over sheathing, as it has no shear strength by itself.

Generally, our experience with Amish builders is they are usually inexpensive, quick, and not always best at reading plans. This can result in unexpected outcomes

This entry was posted in Barndominium, Constructing a Pole Building, Shouse, Pole Building How To Guides, Pole Barn Planning, Pole Barn Structure, Footings, Budget, Columns, Pole Barn Homes and tagged , , , , on by .

Can I Correctly DIY My Pole Building?

I Have Limited Experience, Can I Correctly DIY My Pole Building?

Reader MIKE in WISE writes:
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“I have been reading a lot of your posts, trying to gain as much knowledge as I can. You are truly the Guru. I have a couple questions that I hope you can answer for me. The first is, how hard is it for someone with limited experience to build a pole barn themselves and do it correctly? Sinking the holes for the poles in the right spots, setting the trusses, and putting on the metal without leaks? The second is, how does one go about framing out the interior? Would I have to build walls along the exterior walls like in a traditional build? Sounds like ridiculous questions, but I guess it’s the only way to learn.”
Mike the Pole Barn Guru writes:

Thank you for your kind words Mike, they are greatly appreciated.

With a Hansen Pole Building, your limited experience is a benefit, as you have no preconceived notion of how to do it ‘wrong’. Included with your building is our now approaching 600 page Construction Manual, walking you through every step of assembling your new building shell. You also get unlimited free Technical Support, in an event you run across any challenges.

Most of our clients do DIY their builds. I manage our Technical Support Department and 90% or more of our work is due to clients who hired builders, who did not follow plans and directions, and now have problems!

A major fear is setting poles correctly. Given a diagonal measure of a 6×6 is under eight inches and you are placing it in an 18 inch or larger diameter hole – you are shooting at a large target and have flexibility to move it to exactly where you want it. Our Construction Manual shares some great tips and tricks for not only settling columns, but also raising trusses and installing steel leak-free. All are much easier than one might suspect.

In all reality any average physically capable person, who can and will read and follow instructions, can successfully construct their own beautiful building shell, without extensive prior construction knowledge. We have hundreds and hundreds of clients, every year, who have done exactly this. In most instances, our DIY clients end up with a far better finished product than anything they could have paid to have assembled.

By utilizing commercial bookshelf wall girts, there is no extra framing required in order to have exterior walls drywall ready. https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2020/04/creating-extra-work-in-barndominium-framing/

There are no ridiculous questions – so please continue to ask them all until you are satisfied you are making correct decisions for your new building.

This entry was posted in Pole Barn Planning, Concrete, Budget, Pole Barn Questions, Constructing a Pole Building, Pole Building How To Guides and tagged , , , , , , , on by .

Converting a Stick Framer

Converting a Stick Framer

As my long term followers may remember, I grew up stick framing houses, apartments and commercial buildings working for my Father and his framing contractor brothers. While our (myself and my male cousins) education was focused far more on “do” as opposed to “why we were doing” we all got a pretty good grasp of things like walls are composed of 2×4 or 2×6 studs running vertically to support loads from subsequent floors and/or roofs.

Now when I built my very first ‘pole barn’ in South Salem, Oregon in early 1980 it would have been a step up for me to have considered myself as even having a clue as to how they went together:

Builder STEVE is erecting a barndominium for Hansen Pole Buildings’ clients in ROYSE CITY, Texas. He wrote to Bonnie (in our office, she prints and transmits plans, among other things, to our clients), and copied his client’s Project Coordinator, Justine:

“I have a couple of question about the girts…

I will be the first to admit this is a different type of building than what I’m used to.
We build houses, not pole barns. 

I’ve never seen Girts or this type of supporting walls so to speak in any of the houses I have built.

We typically use “sheer walls” or a totally different type of material when supporting “open portals” and bracing corners.

Can the engineer point to the locations, on the perimeter/outside walls that the girding is supposed to go. 

If they’re telling us that these only go in specific locations I would like to know what those specific locations are. 

Then after that please give me a detail of what runs between the Girts on the exterior wall where there are no Girts.

It was my understanding from previous emails that the Girts do not run continuously around the four exterior walls.

If they do, then please let me know that as well.

Thank you in advance.”

Even on a Sunday morning, Justine responded:

“Good Morning Steve,

Bonnie is not tech support.  

I have CC’D tech support in on this email.  Also, please find the construction manual that shipped with the hardware. This book will help you on many levels in building this post frame building.

On previous conversations – it was the Girt blocking that I stated isn’t continuous which was 2×4.  The “girts” which are primarily 2x6s per materials list and plans are what go between the posts horizontally.”

While our Construction Manual clearly lays out proper contacts (saving emails having to be passed from team member to team member), it does require actually opening and reading said manual.

Here our Technical Support Department got to join it (yes, on a Sunday as well):
Mike the Pole Barn Guru;
Justine is correct in instructing you to go to your best resource for understanding post frame structural systems, our Construction Manual.

Post frame differs from stick frame, as roof loads are transferred downward through columns to ground – eliminating need (in most instances) for structural headers over door and window openings. I grew up stick framing and it wasn’t until I was able to ‘wrap my head’ around framing running left-to-right, rather than up-and-down I was able to make any money building post frame.

You will want to carefully review Sheets S-4.1, S-5.1 and S-5.2 of your engineered building plans, as they detail location, orientation and placement of all wall girts and associated framing members. Bookshelf wall girts run from column to column, not continuously around the building perimeter.

Please keep in mind, your entire roof surface should be finished prior to any wall framing. Last page of Construction Manual Chapter 3 gives an outline of installation processes and for best success you will want to follow it explicitly.

This entry was posted in Post Frame Home, Barndominium, Pole Barn Questions, Pole Barn Design, About The Pole Barn Guru, Constructing a Pole Building, Pole Barn Planning, Pole Barn Structure and tagged , , , , , , on by .

Do You, or Anyone Else You Trust, Build In or Near (fill in the blank)?

This question was put forth by reader TARILYNN in FREEDOM.

It (or a similar variant) also gets posted roughly 10 to 20 times daily in various social media groups.

I spent most of a decade as a registered General Contractor in multiple states. At times we would have as many as 35 crews erecting buildings in six states. We had some very, very good crews – among them ones I had do work for me personally. Even being best does not come without some potential pitfalls and pratfalls however. About once a year or so my best crew would, for whatever unexplained reason, totally struggle with a building. Maybe it was a bad planetary alignment, but it does happen.

An absolute best way to avoid unforeseen challenges with a builder is to do it yourself.

Here at Hansen Pole Buildings we provide fully engineered, custom designed post frame buildings, with multiple buildings in all 50 states. Our buildings are designed for average physically capable persons who can and will read instructions to successfully construct their own beautiful buildings (and many of our clients DIY). Our buildings come with full 24” x 36” blueprints detailing location and attachment of every piece, a 500 page fully illustrated step-by-step installation manual, as well as unlimited technical support from people who have actually built buildings. For those without time or inclination, we have an extensive independent Builder Network covering every state except Alaska and Hawaii (although some of these builders would probably volunteer to travel to them, depending upon time of year). We can assist you in getting erection labor pricing as well as introducing you to potential builders. We would appreciate an opportunity to participate in your new home, garage, shop or commercial building. Please email your building specifics (or barndominium plans), site address and best contact number to caleb@hansenpolebuildings.com (866)200-9657 .

Prior to contracting with any building contractor (even one proposed by us) we strongly encourage you to read this series of articles: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2019/11/a-contractor-for-your-new-barndominium/

This entry was posted in Constructing a Pole Building, Pole Barn Planning, Building Contractor, Pole Barn Homes, Workshop Buildings, Pole Barn Questions, Post Frame Home, About The Pole Barn Guru, Barndominium, Shouse and tagged , , , , , , on by .

How Important is Technical Support?

At least here at Hansen Pole Buildings, we feel it is pretty dayem importantish!!
And just how important, enough so the information on how to get unlimited free technical support is found on the second page of our over 500 page illustrated Construction Manual.

Here is the language from the manual:

“Technical Support:

No technical support is available through our Sales or Production Departments.

For questions regarding proper installation or for any additional information not outlined inthis guide, technical support is available via the following:

FREE (and fastest):

Send an Email to TechSupport@HansenPoleBuildings.com. Include in Email: Project number, an accurate description of challenge, as well as a photo or photos if applicable.

AVAILABLE for a nominal fee (may be pre-purchased via login):

Purchasers of a technical support plan will be given contact information for our Technical Support Department. In the event a technician is not available when you call, leave a detailed message – which includes your project number. NO PROJECT NUMBER MEANS NO RESPONSE! All requests are taken in order received. Answers will either be emailed back (quickest), texted to your cell phone (please leave cell phone number and name of cellular service provider),  or next available technician will return your call. Depending  upon  call  volume,   telephone  calls will normally be returned  the following business day.

Keep in mind pole buildings are highly complex structures, involving thousands upon thousands of components. Our technical support staff may not have a solution to a particular challenge immediately. However, they will research the situation and respond with answers as quickly as is reasonably possible.

Do not contact either component manufacturers or Engineer of Record for Technical Support as wrong information may be given. Large charges to you may apply (calls or Emails to engineer WILL result in you being charged hundreds of dollars, even if question was not answered).”

Why not just let anyone answer technical support questions? Shouldn’t my Building Designer or the person ordering my materials have all of the answers?

building-plansIn a word: NO! We have highly skilled people in place to most expertly handle their portion of your post frame building project. Even though they might know the right answer – when contacted for a technical support question, it takes them away from the tasks they are most proficient at – which slows down the process for not only you, but also the rest of our clients. Rather selfish, isn’t it?

Please let the people who have the expertise answer your questions.

Why not do all technical support by phone?

While you might fully understand your building and the particular challenge at hand, it is important to accurately convey what those challenges are – putting them in writing and including any relevant photos has proven to be best at avoiding miscommunications.

We want to be able to give you the correct answers first time and every time.

This entry was posted in Constructing a Pole Building and tagged , , on by .

With Recent Improvements – Less Building Technical Support

I am not much different than probably most of my readers, when we get to the end of the work week, it is time to kick back and relax. It was on one of these “after the work week” evenings, that I met with a few friends to indulge in our favorite beverages, grab a bite to eat and swap stories. One of my friends, knowing I do technical support for people who are constructing their own pole building kits (or have hired a contractor to build for them), wanted to know how much building technical support I actually do.

The question sort of caught me off guard. While I am officially, “Technical Director”, most of my time and energy is spent in educating staff, researching new products and structural design work.

Truthfully, I had to say, “Not very much”. I only talk to one or maybe two clients a week about true technical support issues.

Much of this I have to attribute to the rewriting of our Construction Manual, which was completed earlier this year. Previous versions just had more material added to the old ones, as we strove to add the solution to any question which was posed to us. We hadn’t changed the format in several years, and the book became, well…cumbersome.

pole barn business

The latest edition is a complete rewrite, from the table of contents to the glossary. It was made more user friendly by having numerous, very focused chapters, and hundreds of new drawings and photos were added. We also now have it posted online, where clients can login to view and chapters specific to their building are highlighted.

My experience is, rarely will a new pole building owner contact us with a question. Why? Because it is their building, they take pride of ownership. The plans are carefully followed and the instructions read.

By far the greatest majority of my support work ends up being done with contractors, building for others, who made assumptions about how things should be done, or failed to follow the plans. Many builders are experts at what they do, but “not all pole buildings are alike”.  And ours is truly a hybrid of just about any style of pole building out there.  These tech support questions are usually not as fun to take, as some builders can become overly defensive.  For some of them,  mistakes could “not possibly have been theirs”. The nice part is, I have yet to ever be presented with a problem, which did not have a solution – often times, without the client or builder having to order more materials.

For me, I am thankful and tip my hat to the wonderful clients and builders, who do their part, pay attention to the plans, use the instructions and in the end – have gorgeous brand new pole buildings they will enjoy for years!

This entry was posted in Constructing a Pole Building, About The Pole Barn Guru and tagged , , on by .
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