Tag Archives: Instant Pricing

Ceiling Insulation, Drafting Capabilities, and 24″ On Center Framing

This week the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about “ceiling insulation” for a roof rebuild, the capabilities of our drafting and proprietary pricing program, and “what percentage of pole buildings are 24″ on center?”

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: The birds have destroyed the front half of the ceiling insulation in our 40 x 60 pole building. We need a new roof and we plan to take out all the insulation when the roof is done. We don’t know what else to do because if we leave the insulation in the back half of the ceiling, the birds may destroy that also. What do you think? SHARON in STERLING

DEAR SHARON: Typically when I hear people talk about birds having destroyed pole building insulation I think of what is commonly known as Metal Building Insulation. Usually this is a thin layer of fiberglass with a white vinyl face – and once birds get started into it, there is no turning back https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2018/09/spot-problems-with-this-pole-barn-photo/

If you are doing a reroof, to control condensation your should look at ordering roof steel with a factory applied I.C.C. https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2020/09/integral-condensation-control-2/

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I was curious on what program you use to make your plans? Does it do take off and quotes with the drawings? Can you design the interior also the exterior to make a shouse? TIM in NORFOLK

instant pricingDEAR TIM: Always a pleasure to hear from a “lumber guy”. Our blueprints are actually drafted individually on AutoCAD, however we are gradually transitioning to where most fairly straightforward work will be automated from our trademarked and proprietary “Instant Pricing” system. We searched everywhere trying to find a computer program able to actually accurately do a structural analysis of post frame buildings and found none existed. We created our own and added to it abilities to do real time quotes for any climactic condition and anywhere in America. Our program does quotes, invoices, material takeoffs, creates purchase orders and interfaces with our client data base.

While it can do interior walls, we opted to create a full service program for shouse and barndominium plans with a real person interacting via screen sharing so clients can watch their homes appear before their very eyes from the comfort of their homes.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: What percent of pole barns are on 24″ centers? BRUCE in SXARTZ CREEK

DEAR BRUCE: There are numerous components of post frame (pole barn) buildings often placed 24 inches on center. Among these could be wall girts, roof purlins, sometimes roof trusses (most often seen with shingled roofs), floor joists or floor trusses over crawl spaces, basements and for second or third floors. One of fully engineered post frame building design’s beauties is there is no obligation to be at a specific spacing and materials can be utilized for their full structural capacities – making them extremely cost efficient.

 

 

More Information, Pricing for a Kit, and Site Work and Grade Changes

Today’s Pole Barn Guru answers questions about “more information” on Hansen Pole Building’s product, pricing for a kit, as well as site work and grade changes.

Hansen Buildings TaglineDEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hey, I was wanting to see if I could get some more information on a steel house. My wife and I have 5 acres in Kings Mountain, NC and are wanting to start the home buying/ building process at the end of next year. Do you guys take care of the structure, concrete slab, flooring, electrical, grading, plumbing, well, etc? I am trying to find more information on the steel house process and how I can go about getting started. Looking forward to hearing back from you. SAWYER in KINGS MOUNTAIN

DEAR SAWYER: Thank you for your interest in a new Hansen Pole Building. Here is a great resource to get you started: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2019/10/show-me-your-barndominium-plans-please/

Our goal is to provide you with the best possible building value and to help you avoid making crucial mistakes you will regret forever. We take care of custom design and structural aspects of your home along with delivery to your site. We include detailed step-by-step assembly instructions for you or your builder as well as unlimited free Technical Support from people who have actually built buildings.

Sign up for our every weekday blogs, friend us on Facebook, or give us a call at 1(866)200-9657.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I have seen your kits available other places so I decided to go to you directly. Where do I find pricing for 48 ft. x 60 ft. x 20 ft. Wood Garage Kit without Floor. LEAMARIE in NEW RICHMOND

DEAR LEAMARIE: Your quickest way to obtain pricing on this (or any dimension post frame building) is to call 1(866)200-9657 and ask to speak with a Hansen Pole Buildings’ Designer.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I live on the side of the mountain and planning on building a 36×40 shop, I have to do a little of grade work and may need to bring in some pit fill. Wondering if these pole barn kits will work for me? My plan is to have a concrete slab… was thinking of a Thickened edge slab because of my concern of frost heaving of a floating slab, does a pole barn make sense in my situation? Or should I just do a stick frame… DAVE in BOZEMAN

DEAR DAVE: Beautiful area – I spent a year in Bozeman when I was studying Architecture.

There have been many questions recently on dealing with grade change and fill…..all clear, level sites must be used up!


Regardless of what building type you are going to do, here is some information on site preparation, fill and compaction: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2011/11/soil-compaction-how-to/.

Thickening your slab’s edge is probably not going to be a solution for frost heave. Here is some further reading on frost heave: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2011/10/pole-building-structure-what-causes-frost-heaves/.

Post frame (pole) building construction is going to be easiest and most cost effective design solution.

Hansen Buildings Instant Pricing

Hansen Pole Buildings’ Instant Pricing Program™

Back in 1980, when I was first exposed to pole barns, in order to give a potential client a price quote, I had to do a manual breakdown of all of the components necessary to assemble their building. Luckily, most buildings were fairly simple rectangular boxes, but it was still very time consuming.

This graduated to a price grid – where I broke down common sizes of buildings so at least there was a starting point. Of course any changes in material prices resulted in having to recreate it (again manually).

Then along came my then trusty Kaypro computer – those floppy disks allowed for me to build pricing spreadsheets. If prices changed, all I had to do was make needed corrections, hit recalculate and then return the next morning and they would usually be done! Ah, the wonders of technology!

Luckily, things have changed dramatically when it comes to computers.

Reader BLAINE in RED OAK writes:

“Do you sell the software needed to design pole barns and garages or just design buildings for people?”

Thank you very much for your interest. We spent years looking for software to accurately correctly structurally design, price and do takeoffs for post frame buildings. We even went as far as investing in a few of them. Regardless of how well hyped up any of them were or are – not a one of them began to come close to meeting even a single one of these requirements. Even if we were to severely limit what we and our clients wanted to do with buildings to only a single wind and snow load and very few features, there wasn’t anything. With one we purchased, it was supposedly going to be customer tailored to fit our needs. It was so simplistic we were appalled – when we asked about buildings with or without overhangs we were told most people just throw them in for free!! This program wouldn’t include them.

As a result of this we assembled for ourselves an IT staff second-to-none and along with our third-party independent engineer we built what we consider to be by far our industry’s best possible design software – Instant Pricing™. We continue to expand upon it and add new features daily, it is frankly astounding as it will make changes as fast as I can hunt-and-peck.

But what exactly will it do?

Included in our system is Building Code and climactic (snow, wind, earthquake) data for nearly every jurisdiction in America. It can accurately structurally design any width, length or height rectangular building to a fraction of an inch. Odd roof slopes, no problem. Steps in rooflines, various building profiles – not just gabled roofs but also hips, gambrels, monitors, single and dual slopes, roofline extensions, attached sheds and porches.
Those “throw in for free” overhangs can now be open or enclosed, on one or multiple walls, with varying lengths. End overhangs can be flying gables (gradually tapered), widow’s peaks or turkey tails.

Choices are available for a myriad of roofing and siding combinations. Multiple floors, lofts or mezzanines can be included. This list goes on-and-on!

But it is far more than just an amazing pricing tool. It also generates quotes and invoices and is integrated with our client database. Material takeoffs are generated as well as purchase orders for materials!

Because it is so sophisticated and we make constant upgrades we feel it is not practical to release for public consumption at this time.

For those clients who are searching for an exactly right post frame building, we’d like to believe Hansen Pole Buildings is a right fit. Please give us a call today 1 (866) 200-9657, you will be pleased you did!