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Additional Guidance, Steel Trusses, and Kit Inclusions

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about guidance of adding to an existing structure, the practical use of light steel trusses for a pole barn home, what components are included in a Hansen Pole Building kit.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: If purchasing a kit from Hansen with installation instructions. Assuming it’s a custom kit that is intended to be an addition like a new garage, would you provide guidance as to how to complete the marrying of the new structure with the existing? EVAN in HORICON

DEAR EVAN: Thank you for your interest in a new Hansen Pole Building. Every building we provide is custom designed to meet our client’s wants and needs, as well as being fully engineered for your specific climactic conditions. Yes, we will provide assistance in joining your new building to your existing. Please keep in mind, because we did not design or provide your existing building, our addition will be designed to be totally self-supporting

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: We like the look of the pole barn ceiling, we like the look of the steel trusses. We want to build an open ceiling, open ductwork, residential pole barn home. Are the same trusses used in a residential the same or are they structurally larger? TAMMY in EASTPOINT

DEAR TAMMY: Very few of these light-gauge welded up steel trusses are fabricated to meet mandated Building Code requirements for quality assurance, as they do not have random third-party inspections. Further, they are typically not fabricated by certified welders. You can achieve a very similar look, using parallel chord wood scissor trusses. Prefabricated metal-connector plated wood trusses are subjected to rigorous quality controls, both daily in-house and quarterly by a certified third-party.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: What is all included in your kits? Just the frame, or siding, roofing etc.? JOHN in SPOKANE

DEAR JOHN: Your new Hansen post-frame building kit includes full multi-page 24” x 36” engineer sealed structural blueprints detailing location and attachment of every piece (as well as suitable for obtaining Building Permits), all lumber, trusses, roofing, siding, doors, windows, etc., to provide a complete ‘dried-in’ shell. Any raised wood floors (lofts, mezzanines, second or third floors) and applicable stairs. 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!

 

This entry was posted in Pole Barn Planning, Trusses, Building Interior, Professional Engineer, Pole Barn Questions, Pole Barn Design, Constructing a Pole Building, Barndominium, Pole Building How To Guides, floorplans and tagged , , , , on by .

Help, I am Not a Building Contractor

Help, I am Not a Contractor

Potential client JERRY in MONETA writes:

“Kit would do us no good as I’m not a contractor and these structures certainly don’t come with labor. Being a kit would be no better than its actual builder how does one go about finding a reputable contractor for Hansen pole buildings?”

Mike the Pole Barn Guru

Your new building kit is designed for an average physically capable person, who can and will read and follow instructions, to successfully construct your own beautiful building shell, without extensive prior construction knowledge (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!

Our experience is an average DIYer will end up (in most instances) with a better finished product than what they would get should they have hired most ‘experienced’ builders. Why? Because it is yours, you actually care. You will follow directions and not take shortcuts to sacrifice quality and performance, just to increase profits.

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!

Currently (and for foreseeable future) there is a nationwide shortage of building erectors. Many high quality erectors are booked out well into 2024 (some even 2025). We would strongly encourage you to consider erecting your own building shell.

For those without time or inclination, we have an extensive independent Builder Network covering contiguous 48 U.S. states (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/find-a-builder/). We can assist you in getting erection labor pricing as well as introducing you to potential builders.

A CAUTION in regards to ANY erector: If an erector tells you they can begin quickly it is generally either a big red flag, or there is a chance you are being price gouged. ALWAYS THOROUGHLY VET ANY CONTRACTOR https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2018/04/vetting-building-contractor/

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

Do You Do Longer Ones?

Do You Do Longer Ones?

Reader DANA in DEER LODGE writes:

“Hello. We are looking at having a 4 door garage built but 2 of the spots will be turned into living space. I see the one you have with 3 garage doors. so you do longer ones? What would the price be to do that and who can we have build it? We close on our property the end of April. How long does it take to get it if we order soon? Thank you.”

WindowsGood news – our buildings are 100% customizable for all dimensions and features.

Hansen Pole Buildings is America’s leader in providing fully engineered, 100% custom designed, post frame building and barndominium kits, with dozens provided to our clients across Montana.

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, without extensive prior construction knowledge (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 construction 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!

Currently (and for the foreseeable future) there is a nationwide shortage of building erectors. Many high quality building contractors are booked out into 2023. We would strongly encourage you to consider erecting your own building shell.

For those without time or inclination, we have an extensive independent Builder Network covering the contiguous 48 states (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/find-a-builder/). We can assist you in getting erection labor pricing as well as introducing you to potential builders.

A CAUTION in regards to ANY erector: If an erector tells you they can begin quickly it is generally either a big red flag, or there is a chance you are being price gouged. ALWAYS THOROUGHLY VET ANY CONTRACTOR https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2018/04/vetting-building-contractor/

Pre-COVID we could deliver most any building, anywhere in two to three weeks. Due to random supply chain challenges, we do ask our clients to allow 8 to 12 weeks. In many instances, framing materials can be delivered quicker and non-stock special order items such as windows and doors sometimes taking longer.

This entry was posted in Constructing a Pole Building, Pole Barn Planning, Building Contractor, Budget, Professional Engineer, Barndominium, Pole Barn Questions, Building Styles and Designs, Shouse, Building Department and tagged , , , , , on by .

Lumberyards-Don’t Burst Customer’s Dreams

Lumberyards – Don’t Burst Customer’s Dreams

A week or so ago I was contacted in regards to a 42 wide by 48 foot long 12 foot eave post frame (pole) building kit. This person had actually ‘purchased’ this building from a vendor local to him for just over 12,000 dollars with steel roofing and siding, with him to provide his own doors. He was also planning upon adding a front deck (as in photo) at a later date.

Now this seemed to be a heck of a deal. Client had lined up a builder to start right away and all was lovely until his Building Department asked for engineered plans. And his provider of choice could not provide them!

This client was nice enough to provide his earlier provider’s invoice, so we could do a comparison. It was only then that I discovered there was more than just engineer sealed plans absent from this equation.
Look at trusses specified on this invoice. 30 foot span would need a major board stretcher to cover 42 feet. Good news is there are 25 of them, enough to go 48 feet of building length. Bad news is, there is no material for truss carriers (aka headers or beams) to run from column to column to support these trusses. No idea why trusses would have overhangs on only one side.

Posts are perfect in quantity for a 10 foot on center spacing, however there should have been four more (ignoring wrong building width) to have placed client’s three nine foot width overhead doors. In case you are curious, these three doors would not have fit across a 30 foot wide endwall.

Endwall steel is plenty too long for a 12 foot sidewall, however no provision has been made for shorter panels above overhead doors. Where this gets dicey is when roof steel is looked at. 19’3” would be a correct length for a 10-1/2” eave overhang, at 30 foot wide and 8/12 slope. Assuming no end overhangs, each 48 foot roof side takes 16 three foot width pieces. 20 are on the order? Maybe just 30 feet on each side of roof?

No idea what was planned to cover 48 feet of ridge using four 10 foot long ridge caps.
Sidewall steel exhibits similar problems – only 20 pieces 14 feet (again too long for a 12 foot eave), however there is a mysterious 10 pieces of 8’2”.

By now – I am sure you are getting an idea as to how upset this client would have been with his 12 foot too narrow building. How about his builder? Even had 30 foot been accepted, there would have been many a trip back to this supplier (over 50 miles away) to even come close to being able to assemble this mess.
This is what upsets me – this unknowing client has scrimped and saved for his dream building and now believes he can afford it. Only to have those expectations and dreams smashed by a supplier who (in my humble opinion) had no business even leading client to believe they could supply what he desired, wanted and needed.
At Hansen Pole Buildings, we guarantee we will furnish a complete and ENGINEERED post frame building kit per invoice and plans. Along with all step-by-step instructions on how to assemble and unlimited free Technical Support from people who actually know how to erect post frame buildings.
Want it done right? Please dial 1 (866) 200-9657 and speak with a Hansen Pole Buildings’ Designer today.

This entry was posted in Pole Barn Questions, Pole Barn Design, Overhead Doors, Pole Building Comparisons, Pole Barn Planning, Pole Barn Structure, Steel Roofing & Siding, Building Contractor, Pole Building Siding and tagged , , , , , , on by .

Pole Building Technical Support

“With a Little Help from My Friends” was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and released on the Beatles album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in 1967. It was written for and sung by the Beatles’ drummer Ringo Starr as the character “Billy Spears”.

Several years ago, we provided pole building kit packages through the lumber yard chain 84® Lumber. Besides Hansen Pole Buildings providing packages, some of the individual 84® Lumber locations put together and sold their own kit packages. There was plenty of business to go around but trying to convince some of the 84® Lumber sales staff of how easy we could make their lives by letting us handle the work for them, sometimes required a lot of effort on our part.

Now, astute readers, you may be seeing where this is going – where one chain (in this case 84® Lumber) is doing things two diversely different ways.

Frankly, one or more of the 84® Lumber sales people had very little clue as to what it was they were selling (when they did it on their own) and even less of an idea as to how to offer pole building technical support when their customers couldn’t figure out how to put things together. With limitations on the plans they were able to provide, and no assembly instructions, some of the 84® Lumber team were in over their heads.

A few of the folks who had invested in the 84® Lumber version of a pole building connected us with 84® Lumber (it may have had something to do with our brochures on the 84® Lumber sales counters), and began contacting our Technical Support Department for assistance with pole building assembly. Although we had no financial benefit from doing so, we did what we felt was the right thing and gave as much technical support as we possibly could. This was outside of the fact we had no idea as to what had actually been supplied by 84® Lumber.

Although it has been years since we supplied pole building kits through 84® Lumber, the spirit of assisting anyone with pole building questions of any sort still exists here at Hansen Pole Buildings. My philosophy has always been to help others, because it’s “just the right thing to do”.

Have a question, need technical support for constructing your new pole building? All you need to do is ask to get a little help from your friends: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/ask-the-pole-barn-guru.php

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Mike the Pole Barn Guru: Unemployment Line?

Mike the Pole Barn Guru: Unemployment Line?

I don’t think so….

Back in 2002, this was just a fledgling business. Sure, I had over 20 years of experience, but this new business meant starting over from nowhere.  I had never before sold buildings primarily through the internet.

Our building plans – two pages (granted they were full blueprint size at 24” x 36”) would “get you there”, but you had to guess a bit and pay a lot of attention.

Hansen Buildings Detailed Construction Manual

The reason most pole builders do not want to sell pole barn kits…instructions.

If you provide really, really good instructions, you get very few phone calls and Emails for help. But, it takes crafting those directions. And it is a long and time intensive project, especially when you want to sell “custom” buildings.

When we first started, our instruction “manual” (using the term loosely), was less than two dozen pages.  The directions had been written by me back in the early ‘90s, when I was a builder – we had our subcontract crews using them.

Now from the plans, the instructions and my having been involved in several thousand buildings, I certainly could have put together a fine building. However, very few people (even those who pound nails and drive screws for a living every day) have my level of experience.

Over the years, every time a client would have a question or concern about either the plans or the instructions, we would add more wording, pictures and “live” drawings to the appropriate documentation. We wanted our clients to have the best possible building experience, and our pole barn plans and instructions reflected our desire.

The building plans became more and more detailed, swelling to six pages or more. And the “Construction Manual” over 400 pages!

Along with this, we got to the point where we had such a huge volume of business – we ended up with one person pretty much doing technical support full time. Technical support means helping people via phone, text, FAX and/or Email through their building project.

Now this was crazy!

In hopes of better servicing our clients, I ended up as Technical Director (meaning “Mike, you can do the Technical Support”).  First it was sort of a joke, but the name Pole Barn Guru quickly had me “flagged and tagged”…and the name stuck!

Over an 18 month period, our Construction Manual was completely revamped and rewritten. Chapters were made very narrowly focused. More drawings were added as well as actual construction photos. The guide now appears in each client’s login on the Hansen Buildings website.

The chapters which pertain to each particular building are now highlighted. We’re back to keeping it simple.

So how does all of this pertain to an unemployment line?

Judy, one of Hansen’s owners, asked me today about how many total hours I have spent on true Technical Support with our clients since the new construction manual “went live” at the beginning of 2011.

While I couldn’t give her the exact number of minutes, I know it has been less than a total of a half day of time, in seven plus months!

I had worked (written) myself out of a job…..

Or did I?

See tomorrow’s blog…..

To receive more pole building tips and advice,  subscribe to the pole barn guru blog to receive my blog by email!

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