What Are Barndominiums? What They Are And How They’re Built

The quest to build the perfect home can lead to some unique ideas. Barndominiums are one type of home design that has gained steam over the past few years. Barndominiums are highly versatile, affordable, and more affordable to maintain than more traditional houses, making them an interesting choice for those looking to build their own home.

In this post, we’re going to answer the questions, “What is a barndominium,” “Why are barndominiums popular,” and “What is the process of building a barndominium?” Let’s dive in!

Barndominiums (a combination of “barn” and “condominium”) are open-plan, metal or wood frame buildings with a barn-like design.

Often called “barndos,” barndominiums gained mainstream attention in 2016 a barndominium design was featured on an episode of the HGTV show Fixer Upperin 2016. However, the concept had been around for much longer — Connecticut real estate developer Karl Nilsen coined the term barndominium in the late 1980s.

Barndominiums typically have an open-plan design. The roof's weight is spread along the perimeter of the building, removing the need for pillars or load-bearing walls that disrupt the flow of its interior. This allows for incredibly versatile barndominium floor plans that fit even the most specific requirements.

You often see barndominiums with mixed-use designs, like living spaces combined with storage, workshops, or garage spaces. They can also be designed for residential, business, or even agricultural purposes.

While barndos are commonly thought of as barns that have been converted into living spaces, barndominiums can be any metal pole barn, post-frame, or barn-like structures that have either been partially or fully converted into living spaces. 

Barndominiums have grown in popularity since Fixer Upper boosted their profile, highlighting their unique benefits. These hybrid structures offer a unique style, flexibility, and functionality that many other building types cannot achieve. Here are a few key reasons why they’ve become so popular.

People interested in building a barndominium can choose from a variety of options, including purchasing a pre-designed barndominium floor plan, designing their own barndominium perfectly suited to their needs, or buying a prefabricated barndominium house kit.

Barndominiums can be designed and built to suit a homeowner’s specific requirements. Looking for a wide open-plan living space? Do you need a place to work on woodworking projects alongside your living space? A barndominium lets you do all that without sacrificing functionality or aesthetics.

Like with any property, cost and maintenance play a key part in the popularity of barndos. Most barndominiums use a steel frame and metal siding rather than using more traditional building materials like wood or brick, which cuts down on the cost of materials.

This has been a big selling point for millennials and first-time homeowners in particular, allowing them to enter the property market with a more affordable option. 

These unique structural traits and building materials provide further savings down the line thanks to their durability. Unlike timber frame houses, the steel frames of a barndominium are not as susceptible to common issues like mold, mildew, rot, and fire. This means homeowners can spend less on maintenance over time.

The added durability also means barndos can handle a wider range of environments and weather conditions, including extreme weather such as tornadoes.

Plus, their utilitarian roots in metal pole barns mean barndominiums are ideal for rural areas where someone may want a living space that also serves as part of a working farm, machine shop, or more.

Whether you’re new to home building or just new to tackling a barndominium project, here are the main things you need to know.

• Planning and budgeting: As with a traditional build, planning out your project is the first step in the process of building a barndominium. This includes choosing a location for the build, gathering  permits , and designing the interior and exterior. You will also need to  create a site plan  during this stage to help with budgeting and permits. 
• Creating the foundation: Your barndominium needs a sturdy foundation. The  type of foundation  you choose will depend on what type of barndominium you’re planning to build.
• Framing: When building a barndominium, the framing process is slightly different than typical wooden framing . Because the frame holds all of the roof’s weight, special attention needs to be paid at this stage — after all, you want a safe barndo! The exterior framing usually uses steel, while interior framing uses wood to make it easier to install insulation and drywall.

• Wiring, plumbing, and HVAC: Routing utilities throughout the barndominium will depend on your desired layout and should be taken into consideration during the planning stage.

• Insulation: Insulation is a crucial part of the process of building a barndominium. Correctly insulating the building can help improve energy efficiency and reduce energy costs. Key considerations include wall thickness and insulation types.

• Interior finishing: The last stage of building a barndominium is putting your stamp on the place. Interior finishing lets you make the home your own and allows you to inject your personality into the barndominium.

Barndominiums are essentially metal shells with endless possibilities when configuring your desired layout. To take full advantage of the open-plan nature of barndos, you’ll want a floor plan that incorporates a lot of open space. Here are some common things you’ll see in barndominium floor plans.

Many barndominiums have large, sweeping living spaces that flow into one another. You’ll see combined living, dining, and large kitchen areas to make use of the barndominium’s high ceilings and limited internal support structures. 

While you can build small barndominiums, it’s more common to see barndos with multiple bedrooms and bathrooms. Common barndominium floor plans include two to four bedrooms and typically include at least two bathrooms.

Most barndominium floor plans will include living spaces and functional spaces, such as storage, garages, or workshops. When designing a barndominium, it’s important to consider how these spaces will be separate and how they’ll work together. 

A good site plan can make or break a barndominium project. Barndominium site plans will help you optimize layout, utilities, and accessibility by ensuring the correct building placement and interior elements.

The right site plan can also help you secure important permits for your barndo build, making the planning stage much easier.

Ready to build your own barndominium? MySitePlan can help you create a site plan or floor plan for the barndo of your dreams!