More than Premade: Why You Need a Barndominium Architect
Barndominiums are an up-and-coming style in the architecture industry, and it’s no wonder everyone wants to build one.
Nicknamed barndos, barndominiums have large structural spans. They’re typically shaped like barns, and usually provide living spaces along with commercial and/or recreational spaces. They can be built brand new from the foundation up, renovated from an existing barn, or created from a premade kit.
Since the first barndos were built in Connecticut in the 1980s, the trend has spread across the country. As the features and benefits of barndominiums become clearer to more people, they continue to become an even more popular choice, particularly in states like Texas and Colorado.
Streamlined construction, customization, and cost-efficiency are some of the main reasons people choose to build barndominiums. But many of these benefits are lost when you use a premade kit instead of a professional architect.
If you’re considering building a barndominium, don’t buy a kit just yet. First, check out these vital reasons why a barndominium architect is worth the investment.
The Barndominium: Is it Worth It?
People love the barndominium for many reasons.
For some people, it’s their love of the modern farmhouse style. For others, it’s the opportunity to live in an open concept with an expansive great room. Others are drawn to barndominiums for their speedier construction process and the ability to easily add on to the structure at a later date.
But for many people, it’s all about the cost.
Building a new, traditional home costs approximately $100 to $200 per square foot. Building a barndominium can cost as little as $30 to $40 per square foot.
What some people don’t realize is that there’s a lot more to the process than building the barndominium.
Purchasing a premade barndominium is a way to save money in building the shell of a structure. Still, it will cost significantly more to outfit that structure with drywall, staircases, toilets, countertops, cabinets, closets, flooring, and insulation.
Many extra costs and important design decisions must come into play before a barndo can be made into a livable and usable space. For these reasons and others, in the long run, hiring an architect to design a barndominium can be more cost-effective and less time-consuming than purchasing a premade kit.
What’s Included in a Barndo Kit?
Barndominium design kits are available in either wood or metal options, but what’s included in the kit depends on the manufacturer that makes it.
Most barndominium kits include:
Main framing
Secondary framing
Exterior sheeting
Trims
Closures
Fasteners
Building plans
Assembly plans
Clients can also select upgrades to a kit, such as second-floor options and wrap-around porches.
But it’s what’s not included in a barndominium kit that matters most.
Barndo kits do not include:
Insulation
Electrical or plumbing systems
Doors
Windows
A barndominium kit allows a client to erect a shell of a structure.
Kits do not include any interior finishes, countertops, or fixtures. They don’t have plumbing or electrical systems. Further, they provide no help with interior or exterior design details. With a kit, you can simply build a shell of a barn.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Barndominium kits are also lacking in one other incredibly important piece of the building process:
The architect.
Hiring an architect from the get-go to help create a barndominium allows clients the opportunity to build a personalized, customized structure that meets their specific needs.
It’s also a way to ensure that the building will align with zoning permits and adhere to building codes.
Some people think they can buy a barndo kit and erect it anytime, anywhere. This is not the case. Many steps need to be addressed long before a barndominium can be erected, as well as elements attended to after the shell is built — elements that an architect can take the reins on.
The Benefits of Hiring a Barndominium Architect
Clients considering erecting a barn-style structure will fare better consulting a professional architectural firm for a barndominium house plan than they will attempting to buy a kit and hiring a contractor to handle the build.
Here are the three key reasons why hiring an architect is the best choice for those looking to live the barndominium life.
1. Your Visions Become a Reality
No matter what a client’s dream barndominium looks like, an architect can make that vision come to life. Architects with experience in creating barndominium floor plans and monitoring their building process have the unique ability to erect a structure that combines residential living quarters with commercial spaces and/or recreational spaces, all while providing aesthetic appeal.
Regardless of the project's scope, architects follow the architectural design process to a tee to ensure that every structure is safe, efficient, built to code, and satisfies the client's unique needs.
The best architects also know how to take a client’s vision and improve it by offering expert advice. This professional advice makes hiring an architect well worth the investment.
But that’s not all …
An architect can design a custom barndo to meet any specific size or height requirements, including how many stories the structure will have. They create building plans that account for the environment, elevations of the property site, and the client’s specific design load. In addition, architects provide interior design elements, including where plumbing, electrical, and mechanical systems will go.
A client can approach an architect with a wish list of what they want their barndominium to look like and how they want it to function. But it’s the architect's responsibility to ensure that the structure can be built efficiently and outfitted with attractive interior finishes and an architectural layout that meets those overall goals.
Barndominium kits are customizable to a degree, as many manufacturers allow clients to add upgrades or choose a few specific design elements. Having an architect involved in the process allows the client much more flexibility as well as peace of mind that the building will be both aesthetically pleasing and architecturally sound.
2. Cost-Efficiency Increases
One of the reasons barndominiums have become so popular is that the materials used to erect them are typically less expensive than those required to erect traditional “stick-built” structures. Assembling those materials is also a bit easier, so there is cost-efficiency on the construction side as well.
The first barndominiums were built in the pole barn structure, a simplified framing technique that traditionally used wood post frames.
Today, most barndos are built on steel frames with a series of thick steel columns to support the structure. Even with steel frame supports, building a barndominium is easier and usually less expensive than building a stick-built structure.
However, some clients looking to build a barndominium don’t realize that hiring an architect can make the project even more cost-effective. Hiring an architect to create barndo home plans or build a commercial barndo space — one that’s well-conceived from the ground up — can actually save money in the long run.
Here’s why:
Architects provide clients with options, including things like building materials and finishes. They know which materials and finishes will work best with and withstand the surrounding environment. They know which materials are most durable. The more durable the materials, the less a client will have to spend on future maintenance and upkeep.
Architects also know how to build energy-efficient spaces. By designing a structure with strategically-placed windows that allow natural light, clients can save thousands on their utility bills over time.
3. Your Architect is Your Guide
As a dream home or a multi-functional commercial or recreational space, the barndominium offers limitless possibilities, but that doesn’t make them “easy” to build for people that don’t have construction experience.
Hiring a general contractor who knows how to erect steel buildings is a necessity.
Inexperienced builders, even those with a moderate level of experience in erecting metal buildings, should never attempt to build a barndominium on their own.
Architects do far more than design barndominium floor plans and select interior finishes. They also work with structural engineers and construction experts to ensure that a building is designed and erected properly from start to finish.
That includes:
Assessing feasibility and function
Checking zoning regulations
Securing the building permits
Creating schematic designs that show the placement of windows and doors
Overseeing the construction process
Remedying any obstacles that may arise during the build
From creating the initial design concept to seeing the project through to the end of the building phase, many decisions need to be made for a barndominium to be erected safely and efficiently.
Clients will be best served by relying on the professional expertise of an architect to guide them through the process and help them reach their overall design goals.
While the low price of a barndo kit makes it an attractive option for some, it’s important to reiterate that it is not a DIY structure that inexperienced builders can erect on their own. To comply with building codes and meet safety standards, an experienced construction contractor is needed to build the structure.
How to Find the Ideal Barndominium Architect
There is one key reason why the process of building a barndo from the ground up is similar to the process of building any other structure:
It requires architectural and engineering experts with years of experience.
When searching for an architect to build a barndominium in Colorado or any area, look for one in your specific area that understands the natural environment as well as the zoning and building regulations in your municipality.
Clients in the Denver, Colorado area can rely on ZP Architects & Engineers, a full-service firm with architects, structural engineers, civil engineers, and construction management professionals all under one roof.
Clients outside of this area can find a reliable architect by asking for recommendations from friends and neighbors and conducting online searches to find architectural firms with high reviews. They can also search for members of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) to find a reliable, experienced professional in their region.
Building a barndominium is slightly different from erecting a “stick-built” building, so it’s important to hire an expert who has experience in both pre-engineered metal buildings and designing residential living quarters.
Interview Different Architects to Find the Right One
Clients that don’t already have an established relationship with a specific architect can find it helpful to interview and consult with multiple architects before deciding who to hire for the project.
When conducting interviews and vetting potential architects, consider the following:
Compatibility Between the Architect and Client
There needs to be a certain level of compatibility and comfort between an architect and a client. Part of the architect’s role is to understand the client’s goals and interpret their design plans in a way that meets or improves upon that vision. At the same time, the client should understand that the architect must be realistic and practical in their design plans.
Having compatibility and a level of comfort with one another allows for a better exchange of ideas throughout the design process.
Time Frames and Deadlines
There are specific steps that an architect, engineer, and construction team must follow to design and erect a sound structure, and the process cannot be rushed. When interviewing architects, clients should ask if their ideal timeline is realistic or not.
Budget Constraints
Every project has a budget, so it’s crucial that the client and architect communicate openly about what that budget is. Finishes and materials can greatly affect the cost of a build, so price constraints must be addressed before hiring a firm to begin the initial stages of the design.
References or Samples of Work
Before choosing a barndominium architect, ask for references or look at examples of their work. Competent, experienced architects and builders will be happy to show their portfolios and provide references from former clients. Inexperienced architectural firms may be less inclined to do so.
Read more: Things to Look for in a Commercial Architect
In Summary
Whether the goal is to turn a barndominium into a dream home or an exciting, open concept commercial space, it’s best to hire a full-service architecture and engineering firm to design the structure and manage the project from beginning to end.
Doing so can save time and money and result in a more well-conceived design and build than one could ever get from a premade kit.
