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Howdy Barndo Folks!
So, you got this itch, this dream, of owning your own little piece of paradise.
You're out there, picturing yourself in your very own barndominium, living the good life.
It's the kind of dream that keeps you up at night, planning every little detail, every nook and cranny.
It's the ultimate feeling of accomplishment and freedom, right? Well, hold onto your hats, because I've got a story for you that'll knock your socks off.
As seasoned barndo community members, nothing quite prepared us for the whirlwind of mistakes we uncovered when we asked a thousand barndominium homeowners what their BIGGEST Barndo Mistakes were during their build.
These folks were building their dream, or so they thought, until reality came knocking on their door.
It's like a scene out of the 1986 movie, The Money Pit, where a story of home construction unfolded one problem after another.
From structural & mechanical mishaps to budget busts, concrete calamities to design dilemmas, and let's not forget about those contractors – oh boy, do our Barndo Homeowners have some stories to tell!
So buckle up, folks!
We're gonna dive deep into the top 5 mistakes that can turn your dream barndo into a nightmare.
But fear not, because with a little know-how and a whole lot of ‘measure twice, cut once’, we'll steer you clear of those pitfalls and get you on the fast track to barndominium bliss.
In just a few minutes you’ll find out:
The Top 5 Barndo Mistakes, reported by real homeowners.
Actual ‘snippets’ from homeowners sharing their frustrations and heartaches so that you can avoid the same barndo building pains.
1) HVAC/Electrical & Plumbing/Insulation/Framing/Roofing & Siding:
When it comes to the bones of your barndominium, getting the structure and mechanicals right is crucial. From heating and cooling systems to roofing, siding, electrical wiring & plumbing, framing and insulation, these are the unsung heroes that keep your home running smoothly.
But all too often, it is easy to miss or overlook critical details, leading to costly issues down the line like these barndo owners:
Builder attempted to fix our dormers four times. The insulation is ruined and drenched.
Not putting the pex water lines inside of PVC pipe before pouring the concrete and not put electrical outlets in the floor of the main room.
Installing mini splits. Computer boards fried, first time was under warranty, second time not under warranty. It would have been 2300 just for the parts and who knows how much for labor. This system was only 4 years old. We decided to install conventional heat and air.
Bar none, water tightness! From siding to windows and most importantly the roof! Allow no water to get into any wood to rot unbeknownst to you for years! Causes unseen decay and structural failure. Tape the house wrap from bottom up, no other way! Put aluminum flashing at all window and door jam bases allowing the flashing to run on top of the house wrap/tape!
Not giving enough space for switch boxes. Went with a large trim around the doors and have to trim the switch plate cover for the switches. Should have added an additional 2x4 where the boxes mounted too.
Not using trusses. (We did rafters)
Didn’t put girts up immediately. Posts began wandering & needed correction.
2) Concrete:
Ah, concrete – the foundation of any good barndominium. It's the solid ground upon which your dreams are built. But let me tell you, folks, pouring concrete is an art form, and not everyone is Michelangelo. Whether it's a wonky foundation or cracked floors, sloppy concrete work can spell disaster for your home. Here are some examples from homeowners:
Our floors are terrible. Not level at all my granddaughter got on her hover board and we could see her going up and down all throughout the floor I should've made them redo it.
Elevation. - wish my concrete slab was higher. To allow more fall away from my house.
Make sure your blueprint is exact. Once the cement is poured you cannot change a thing. Check all plumbing after the plumber is done. Measure everything.
I made the horrible mistake to not cover the floors prior to paint and now have overspray on my concrete.
3) Budget/Money:
Money makes the world go 'round, and nowhere is that truer than in the world of barndominium construction. But building your dream home isn't cheap. From permits and materials to labor costs and unexpected expenses, the dollars can add up fast. Take it directly from these owners:
We underestimated the amount of gravel we would use. In the driveway, under our slabs, porches and sidewalks. Every time a concrete truck went down the driveway, we needed more gravel!!
Do a contract with everyone that does something on it. Also hold back 10% until the end so they have to come back and fix anything that isn’t right.
Our construction loan people… the worst ever… and the neighbors LOL!
More crane time than I anticipated for setting trusses
4) Design:
They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but when it comes to designing your barndominium, it's all about function over form. Sure, those Pinterest-worthy pictures might look dreamy, but are they practical for everyday living? In their own words, this is what other barndo owners have to say:
Ours is 8’. We originally designed a 10’ height ceiling. The wrong metal building was sent. It was 18’ eave height instead of the 12’ we ordered. We decided to add a second floor and go with 8’ ceilings.
Not making it bigger. I wish we had gone with the original dimensions. And actually hiring an architect! I wish we had hired an architect, we went with someone used through the kit company and there is so much stuff they missed that I feel an architect would not have! Spend the money on one it’s worth it! My main door is located under a valley so all the snow and water pour directly over this door.
Make sure your mechanical room is big enough. It fills up fast with boiler, iron curtain, pump, softener, we did a water heater, etc. I wish I had it 4 feet wider.
My biggest design mistake was in my kitchen cabinet design. When our appliances were installed, it was discovered that the microwave oven fit in the upper cabinet opening adjacent to the refrigerator, but there wasn’t enough space for the door to be opened. The cabinet faces had to be torn out and redone, and new doors ordered. Lesson learned was that I should have taken advantage of free cabinet design services available in a big box store rather than go it 100% on my own on our custom cabinets. This is a case where “the professionals” knew better than I. Despite those mistakes, everything turned out fine in the end, and we are loving living in our new home.
5) Hiring the Right Contractor:
And finally, folks, we come to the most mentioned mistake of them all: hiring the wrong contractor or subcontractor. We were shocked to see that this out ranked the other categories almost 3:1.
Your contractor is the captain of your ship. But choose the wrong one, and you could be headed straight for disaster. From shoddy workmanship to missed deadlines and budget blowouts, the wrong contractor can turn your dream barndo into a nightmare. So, use these following suggestions from other barndo owners, do your homework, ask for recommendations, get signed and thorough contracts with detailed specifications and don't be afraid to grill potential candidates like a steak on the barbecue.
Contractor from out of state, he didn't square the building, 'his crew' didn't put sheet of metal on straight or at same heights. He did come back but couldn't of course make the building square as it was altogether. He fixed some of the metal. It's causing me to have to wainscot the front of the shop and one side because the metal doesn't go to the ground or where the cement slab will be. Walls went 14', lucky if I can average 12'. Lean-to on the shop isn't square nor was it at 10 feet like it was supposed to be, ended up more like 8' until I had another contractor take at least a foot of dirt out. Now closer to 9'. Trusses aren't on correctly 3 match the other 2 or flipped.
Crooked contractor/fired him & lost 90k, concrete guy for my floor/wall was excellent, other than that I'm pretty happy.
Never hire a friend contractor
Always, always vet your contractor. Make sure they have insurance to an acceptable coverage level and vet that too. If you can, source your own materials that have manufacturer’s warranty in place. Do Not - Pay your contractor a large lump sum up front. If your contractor cannot start work without first receiving a huge portion of your construction budget, there’s your sign. Work out a pay schedule based on progress and do not deviate from it - Always have a retainer in place.
The framer... I'm still trying to sue him. It cost me 70k to fix his mistakes.
Hiring a plumber to do our plumbing. We lost 10 weeks waiting him after the date he said he would start. We ended up doing it ourselves. Saved thousands but lost 14 weeks total.
FOR OUR VIP MEMBERS, we compiled the COMPLETE LIST of the hundreds of SHOCKING MISTAKES revealed by all the Barndo Homeowners that we asked. This is a MUST HAVE if you want to avoid the headaches and frustration that they have already gone through! PLUS!!!! We have added to the VIP Membership so that you can now access past issues of Barndo Buzz and all of its VIP info.
And…..next month we are adding a Video Library to the VIP section, with interviews of leading Barndo Experts from across the country to show you more money saving tips and costly mistakes to avoid!! Be one of the first to access this priceless information on VIDEO that you will not find anywhere else! DON’T WAIT!!!
Check out the Barndominium Mistakes & Should Haves Guide (Guide page of the website)
Happy Barndo Living!
-Barndo Buzz Crew
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