The modern American dream is to buy an acre or more of land and build a new home, whether a traditional stick-built home or a barndominium. Post-frame construction for residential use has continued to rise. 

Many customers prefer a barndominium floor plan due to its open concept and versatile design. In addition, many customers want a shop to do woodworking, tinker on cars, and store equipment.

In this blog, we will cover the top three factors that affect the cost of a barndominium and give three examples of what a barndominium with a shop will cost.

What Are the Top 3 Factors That Affect Barndominium Cost?

First, it is important to note that barndominiums can be called pole barn homes, shomes, and shouses. They are known for their energy efficiency and clear span trusses that do not require load-bearing walls. All are post-frame construction but typically are classified based on the following.

• Shouse: Typically has a smaller home with an attached shop that is larger in height and overall size.
• Pole Barn Home: Typically a ranch-style post-frame home with an attached garage
• Barndominium:Typically two stories, rectangular-shaped, often more high-end, and with a shop with the same roof line as the home.
  
  

When trying to decide how much your barndominium is going to cost, it is important to your overall project to base your decision on the following three items. 

1) Post-Frame Builder

There are many pole barn builders for barndominiums across the United States. It can be hard to know who is best for your pole barn home project, from bigger companies such as Morton and Lester to mom-and-pop construction companies and even the Amish. 

Each company varies in labor and material costs. Builders use different grades of lumber, metal, paint, screws, and more when it comes to materials. The labor costs also impact your project quote. Depending on the scope of your project and the distance the crew and materials will have to travel to the job site, all impact the quote.

Plus, you need to consider how much work your builder covers and how much is subcontracted. Will you be the general contractor of your project? In addition, each barndominium project is unique. Most people want customization, but that can make it hard to say a set price for each size as many factors go into a barndominium project.

Another factor that can change your overall project cost is the land you are building on. Site prep can cost a couple hundred dollars to thousands of dollars.

• Are you installing a long driveway?
• Will you need to clear trees out for a building spot? 
• How many loads of dirt will you need to level your building pad? 
• Will you need to install a septic and a well? 

There are many initial costs to prepare the lot for any home project.

In addition, consider if you are in a snowy climate; a pole barn designed for Texas will differ from Michigan. Snow and wind load are factored into every FBi Buildings project to meet the building codes for each state. A heavier-duty structure will cost more but sustain the elements.

2) Barndominium Floor Plan Size

Next is the pole barn size and floor plan. There are many barndominium floor plans out there. However, many do not include local code requirements. At FBi Buildings, we will work with your concept, and our in-house engineers will work with you to meet your wants and local codes.

Regarding the overall pole barn size, a smaller square footage is cheaper. But that depends. In post-frame construction, often a project is more affordable per square foot since the initial transportation and standard costs are spread out.

But we are talking about a home, not an agricultural building. In the case of a barndominium, how much of your project is a house, and how much is a shop? Is the shop all concrete or partial concrete and partial gravel? How many overhead doors does the project include? Will you opt for a sliding door over an overhead door in the shop? How tall is the project?

Another important factor is the barndominium foundation. Often, people want a basement, and yes, barndominiums can be built on a basement. Just like in new home construction, the cost of a basement averages around $100,000. This may make you think twice about having a full basement. Some customers have opted for a half basement, half concrete pad, or even just a small storm shelter section.

3) Barndominium Design & Features

Its design and features make a pole home cost $300,000 vs. $1,000,000. Everyone loves a big wrap-around porch with cedar columns, granite countertops, radiant floor heat, multiple large windows, double door entry, and vaulted ceilings. While many of these features are great design choices and will help if you decide to resell in the future, they can add to the cost.

Many barndominium builders will quote you on the shell of the building. You can estimate the total project cost by taking the shell times 2-3 (depending on the finishes and amount contracted out).                                                           

If you are a DIY person, you might prefer a builder to build the shell and recommend local tradesmen to finish parts while you frame, paint, and install light fixtures. This can save you thousands of dollars. Just keep in mind that if you are financing, you may have a time limit or restrictions on what you can and cannot DIY.

What Are the Average Costs of a Barndominium With a Shop?

There are many variables when it comes to the cost of a barndominium with a shop. 

A new home projects will consist of:

• Land ($10,000-$100,000+)
• Site Prep ($3,000-5,000+)
• Permits (Approx. $1,000)
• Utilities ($20,000+)
• Driveway ($3-$30/sq ft)
• Landscaping ($3,500-$16,000)

Typically, the cost to finish the inside of a barndominium can range from $100-400 a square foot. The interior finishes will vary based on the quality of the finishes and who does the labor. While it can be easy to want the nicest finishes, it is also important to factor in how you will control the barn’s temperature and moisture.

Top factors to keep in mind that will impact total cost:

• Number of rooms to frame
• Quality of Countertops
• Flooring type (concrete, carpet, hardwood, laminate)
• Radiant floor heat vs. heat pump vs. Furnace 
• Size and number of bathrooms, as well as finishes
• Kitchen size, quality of cabinets and appliances
• Is the shop portion heated/cooled too?
• Does the shop have an interior liner?
• Spray foam vs. Batt insulation 

Barndominium A 

This 42' x 80' x 16' barndominium was built as a getaway cabin. It is a great example of how adding a porch, mansard, cupolas, and windows are simple ways to elevate the look outside your pole barn. The garage is sheetrock; the shop portion has an interior liner.

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Inside, the owner chose to install radiant floor heat and has a 42’ x 40’ shop plus a 22’ x 40’ garage. On the main level, there is a 20’ x 40’ (800-square-foot) studio apartment. 

This customer chose to have a polished concrete slab for the floor, installed kitchen cabinets from Menards, a bathroom, a closet, and a laundry room. Above is a storage area, which could be finished into two additional bedrooms for an extra 800 square feet.

This is a great example of a more simple interior barndominium. The shell of this project in 2024 would cost approximately $180,000 (depending on travel distance). Below are the approximate costs of the interior finishes. 

Barndominium B 

This 60' x 104' x 16' 6" two-story barndominium features a 32’ x 60’ living space with a kitchen, living room, 2.5 baths, and a two-bedroom home. There is also an additional 1920 sq. ft. of storage and office space upstairs.

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It has a 24’ x 29’ 2-car garage, a 24’ x 31’ shop with car lift, and a 42’ x 60’ cold storage section for RV and equipment storage. This barn home has it all. The owners have space to live and play.  

This customer put a lot of detail into the fixtures and finishes for the kitchen, bedrooms, and bathrooms. They also opted for vaulted ceilings in the living and dining rooms. The customer stamped the concrete to look like wood in the home portion! Once you step inside, you will forget this is a post-frame building.

This pole building features a wraparound porch, a partially screened-in porch, cupolas, multiple overhead doors, and snow guards. The customer had a local contractor finish the interior, so below, we will give typical ranges to help you ballpark the cost of an average barndominium. In 2024, the shell portion would cost approximately $190,000 (depending on travel distance).    

Barndominium C 

This 60' x 96' x 16' two-story barndominium has 3,840 square feet of living space. It has two kitchens, four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and a large living room with a stone fireplace.

This is one of the more high-end barndominiums we have built. The customer chose tile showers, hickory cabinets, and custom wood and metal railings. Many interior finishes set this barndominium apart.

A 48’ x 64’ portion is a shop with a basketball court, which adds to the overall charm of this pole barn home. 

If you want an open floor plan with the added porches and exterior finishes this customer chose, the shell will cost approximately $230,000 in 2024 (depending on travel distance). .

Are You Ready to Build Your Dream Barndominium?

While a barndominium with a shop might start around $200,000 for the shell, the final price can vary significantly based on your specific choices and circumstances. Customers told us their project's total cost was $400,000 to over $1,000,000. It’s always a good idea to consult with builders and get multiple quotes to find the best option for your budget and needs.

Are you ready to build a barndominium? Now that you understand that many factors and often hidden costs go into the overall costs of building a barndominium, contact us for a free quote!

Have more questions about the cost of a barndominium with a shop Please contact FBi Buildings at 1.800.552.2981 or click here to email us. If you are ready to get a price, click here to request a quote and a member of our sales team will call you.