Is a pole barn on your 2023 to-do list? With a new year starting, it is an exciting time to think ahead about what you want to accomplish this year. You may want to build a pole barn hobby shop to store your boat that you take to Lake Okoboji every year. Plus, there would be room to host the Cy-Hawk game this fall! Maybe your daughter has been asking for a pony, and you need an equine barn to house it in. Perhaps you just upgraded to a bigger John Deere planter and need a larger farm shop. Plus, if you have a building under contract and it will be completed during 2023, you can write off 80% of it on your taxes in the first year and then the remaining 20% over a 20-year period! Whatever the reason you find yourself interested in building a pole barn, the frequently asked question is, “How much does a pole barn cost?” Eight factors play into the cost of building a pole barn. Read below or select each category to learn how they affect the overall cost of building a pole barn.

Is a pole barn on your Christmas list? With Christmas right around the corner, you may want to build a pole barn hobby shop to store that new boat that you have been eyeing, plus there would be room to store the Christmas tree. Maybe your daughter has asked for a pony for Christmas, and you need an equine barn to store it in. Or perhaps you want to build a new farm shop and take advantage of the tax savings that the government has going on right now. Whatever the reason you find yourself interested in building a pole barn, the frequently asked question is, “How much does a pole barn cost?”

Editor’s Note: McElroy Metal has been FBi Buildings’ preferred metal manufacturer for 50+ years. We paired up with their in-house experts to inform our readers about the different metal paint systems used in post-frame construction. So, we traveled to the Sherwin-Williams “test fence” facility in Fort Myers, Florida, to better understand their products. This location “provides insight behind the creation and performance of exterior coatings that include pigments, resins, and polymers” that go into their metal paint lines. Our goal is to help you choose a pole barn paint system that increases the aesthetics and longevity of your post-frame building.

Rafters vs. trusses. Two different words that can easily be confused with one another (especially if you’re a construction newbie). Although both types of components are used to support the roof of a building, they each have their place in post frame construction.

Every post-frame builder wants you to purchase their product over the competition. It’s the nature of business. Their pole barns are superior in terms of structural integrity. They use higher-quality building materials that withstand the test of time. Their warranty covers more components for longer periods. Their construction crews are more efficient. You get the gist. As consumers, we hear these claims all the time. But, how do you know if their post-frame buildings are the best on the market? Do they have concrete evidence to back up such a bold statement?

When selecting a post frame builder, consumers are first concerned with service area and cost. We hear it all the time from our customers via email, phone, and social media. “Do you build in this county and state?” or “How much does a __’ x __’ pole barn cost?”