# Barndominium Plans



## Sabagley

I'm not sure where in Texas you are but we are about a 1000 miles from Eagle and they are still competitive. (At a certain size). 

We have put up a few and a GC we do work for has probably built a dozen or so. With a lot of different configurations. He has two going now, both with office space. 

They have kind of caught on here partly because one of the local lumberyard outside sales guys became a sales rep for them. 

I like them because they are clear span, and they go together like a steel building but finish like wood. 
They also go up quick. 

It might be worth sending your plans off to them just to get a price comparison.


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## Philament

Tinstaafl said:


> Having two buildings just 10' from each other can make a significant psychological difference for both you and them.


Speaking from experience (currently entire main floor of my house is my shop...due to circumstances), Tin's statement rings very true. 

It's difficult enough being self employed because you never really leave work and don't have "days of the week", just some days stores are closed, so that feeling of "leaving work" is challenging in itself. This is magnified when your work and living space is that close, in that even though you may go into your living quarters, you never "leave work". It's nearly impossible to relax when you have a partially finished project sitting in the other room, you feel guilty for not working on it. 

On the positive side, you visit friends and family a lot more often to get out of the house and have that disconnect 

If it's just a short term thing, it's doable, but I wouldn't recommend doing it for more than a year. I have heard of a few people doing a two story garage and living upstairs with the shop downstairs (examples in this FHB article: http://www.finehomebuilding.com/design/departments/drawing-board/designing-two-story-garages.aspx) while saving enough to build their house. Psychologically this is a much better option, even better to have that 10' separation of another building.

$0.02


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## txgencon

Sabagley said:


> I'm not sure where in Texas you are but we are about a 1000 miles from Eagle and they are still competitive. (At a certain size).
> 
> We have put up a few and a GC we do work for has probably built a dozen or so. With a lot of different configurations. He has two going now, both with office space.
> 
> They have kind of caught on here partly because one of the local lumberyard outside sales guys became a sales rep for them.
> 
> I like them because they are clear span, and they go together like a steel building but finish like wood.
> They also go up quick.
> 
> It might be worth sending your plans off to them just to get a price comparison.


It is an interesting product. I will contact them as I have some questions about wall and rafter thickness - like, "how much would they encroach on the interior space?". This pic illustrates my concern. I think I would stick build the end panels so that my horizontal rafters would sit on top of the rake wall so as to strengthen the overhangs. In the pic, it looks like the only thing supporting the overhang is sheathing.

Thanks for the info.


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## ScipioAfricanus

Tex, think about spicing this thing up a little bit.

Remember you have to live in it as well as work in it. And the wife has to live in it too.

Andy.


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## txgencon

ScipioAfricanus said:


> Tex, thin about spicing this thing up a little bit.
> 
> Remember you have to live in it as well as work in it. And the wife has to live in it too.
> 
> Andy.


Thanks. I hadn't given any thought to simulated windows.


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## Texas Wax

txgencon said:


> Thanks. I hadn't given any thought to simulated windows.


"facademanship" you can take any type of structure and make it look how ever you want. Let's face it every building is nothing more than a box with a lid, it's how you decorate it. LOL Be creative and have some fun. Make it look like the Lincoln Memorial, charge admission for tours - and pay for it :thumbsup:

Perfect current example is the Cable Show "American Restoration"


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## txgencon

Texas Wax said:


> "facademanship" you can take any type of structure and make it look how ever you want. Let's face it every building is nothing more than a box with a lid, it's how you decorate it. LOL Be creative and have some fun. Make it look like the Lincoln Memorial, charge admission for tours - and pay for it :thumbsup:
> 
> Perfect current example is the Cable Show "American Restoration"


At one time, I wanted to build a replica of the Ka'aba on another property I have on US 80 near Wills Point and make a liquor store out of it. Wife said, "No."


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## hdavis

txgencon said:


> The "taxed like a barn" part is key.


That part got my attention. No income tax, but property and school taxes can be a bear...


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## txgencon

Sabagley said:


> If you are looking at going with steel, you might check out the Eagle Rigid Span buildings. I think with the size you are looking at their price could be very competitive.
> 
> For the record, I'm not naysaying the idea. Just real life examples.
> 
> We will be framing one in the spring when things warm up a bit.


It looks (to me) like it wouldn't be too difficult to fabricate members like these (the Eagle Rigid Span) in my shop.


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## Rio

txgencon said:


> Thanks. I hadn't given any thought to simulated windows.


Looked like clerestory windows, not simulated, and good for getting light into the space.


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## txgencon

ScipioAfricanus said:


> Tex, think about spicing this thing up a little bit.
> 
> Remember you have to live in it as well as work in it. And the wife has to live in it too.
> 
> Andy.


I took your suggestion and ran with it.


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## hdavis

I'm really liking that one!


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## txgencon

Adding the additional height to accomodate the clerestory windows eliminated the need for clear span (either wood or steel) members. Going to 16' walls with a 16' flat ceiling meant I could go with common trusses over the elevated area and the boxing in the vertical columns issue is eliminated. Now I can have a regular drywall ceiling and the inside of the shop will finish out nicely. 

I have been giving some thought to balloon framing the end walls straight through to the rafters rather than stacking a gable end truss on top of the 16' wall so as to eliminate the bending moment at the wall/gable juncture. Also, for additional strength/safety factor I plan to have the trusses designed for 24" spacing but buy enough of them to allow 19.2" spacing. 

I'm meeting with my excavator to line up building a pad for this project at the end of the week. I need to spend a couple of days figuring out exactly where to site the building on the very heavily forested property. The ground is thoroughly saturated with all the rain we've had this year. I may have to wait longer for the excavation work. I want to let it sit for at least six months before starting work on the foundation.


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## Texas Wax

:laughing:
:whistling
Some places it's called a floating slab :thumbsup: and the cement trucks are the anchors after they sink in this slop


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## Sabagley

So how is it coming along? 

Here is the one we were suppose to start this spring. My partner is on it but its too late in the season for me. 





















16' eves and I think about 1500 sq/ft of living space. What looks like a collar tie is just temporary, for picking them in place. 

Sorry about the poor quality pics.


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## txgencon

Still planning. Rethinking the whole idea, actually. Leaning toward a smaller building for offices. Then a building for fleet, equipment and trailers. Then, a 2400-3000 sq ft clear span building. Oh, and a small (180 sq ft) apiary building. I want to keep all that pretty far from the residence (there's room for 500'-600' spacing).


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## JSDraftDesign

My wife and I designed one slightly similar, turns out the acreage we are buying next month has an old 30x50 round roof barn and we are going to make our barndominium out of that, if you would like to check out the plans I made up for both PM me


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