This alternative to a traditional house can be built from a kit.
A decked-out barndominium is a living quarters/workspace, housed within a restored barn or barn-throw in metal building.
These structures can cost about $65 to $160 per square foot to build.
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Read on to learn what a barndominum costs and whether this key in of housing is right for you.
What Is a Barndominium?
A barndominium is a restored barn or a new barn-like metal structure with spacious living quarters.
How Much Does a Barndominium Cost?
For many buyers, the low price point of the metal barndominium shell is the draw.
A custom-designed floor plan for a barndominium can cost an extra few thousand dollars.
Barndominium shell kits are pre-engineered, so they just need to be assembled.
Location matters, too.
Access
The site will need access from the public road.
If there is no road, one must be built.
Asphalt roads cost $70 to $170 per linear foot on average to build.
So, a quarter-mile of paved private road will cost from $92,400 to $224,400.
Low cost is the main driver behind the popularity of private gravel roads.
Zoning and Permits
Residential zoning may not permit the building of large metal-structure barndominiums.
Large acreage located in unincorporated areas is best for building this kind of structure.
Generally, the permit process for barndominiums is the same as for residential construction.
The permitting agency will charge you either by the square foot or by an estimated building cost.
Finally, for metal buildings, you will be required to submit engineer drawings.
Installing a septic tank and leach line is comparatively inexpensive, costing around $6,800, on average.
If the property does not have a municipal water supply, a well must be dug.
Barndominiums: Blending Uses
Barndominium work areas can be any size.
High BTU natural gas orelectric heaterswarm up workspaces and keep them toasty on cold winter days.
For sizable work areas, plan on a 125,000 BTU unit at a minimum.
Even restored barns turned into barndominiums have beautifully designed interiors.
Barndominiums can take half the time to constructand time is money.
Less construction time translates to less labor and fewer material needs.
Also, when working with metal, it can rust over time.
The average lifespan of a barndominium is between 50 and 150 years.
The most expensive part of building a barndominium is often the interior finishes.
The most cost-effective barndominium size is somewhere in the 1,500 to 2,500 square foot range.
Most new barndominiums are about 2,500 square feet.
How much does a barndominium cost to build?.
Land Values 2021 Survey.
United States Department of Agriculture.
