Barndominium Duplex Floor Plans: Ideas and Cost Guide

Barndominiums of all shapes and sizes are becoming popular for homeowners looking for cost-effective and unique living spaces. “Barndos,” as they are known, accommodate many different lifestyles, ranging from 2-bedroom, 3-bedroom, and 6-bedroom homes.

Depending on your city, they can be built on any property (location permitting), including rural land, acreage, and even subdivisions. While there are many different styles, we are diving into barndominium duplex floor plans today.

Barndominium Duplex: What is it?

A barndominium duplex is two residences that share a common wall, similar to a townhouse. The floor plan varies by the number of bedrooms, square footage, and storage. On average, a duplex is around 900 square feet.

Building a duplex can be more expensive, but most people use the extra living space as a rental space for extra income.

While most barndominiums have a single floor, a second floor could be added to the duplex, along with a shared garage or courtyard.

The Benefits of Building a Barndominium Duplex

A barndominium duplex has several benefits, including the basic advantages of a traditional barndo like durability, versatility, ease to build, cost-effectiveness, energy-efficient, and typically cheaper than building a traditional home.

For a barndominium duplex specifically, the benefits include:

• Giving you an extra income by renting out the other half of the structure
• The other half can be used as a guest space or when family visits.
• As a rental property, there are potential tax benefits. You can treat your duplex as two properties, claiming expenses against the income you earn from renting out the unit.
• It could be an extra place for work, a play area, or a studio equipped with bathrooms, a kitchen, and a living area.

But this depends on your floor plan, appliances, and whether you build from the ground up or use a barndominium shell kit. On the high-end, you might be looking at $312,500 for a 2,500 sq. ft. barndominium duplex.

Another thing to keep in mind is that because it’s two separate living spaces, you’ll need to double everything from appliances to furnishings. You will also need to account for each duplex’s electricity, plumbing, sewage, and HVAC.

These homes are made of steel, making them cheaper than traditional ones. They are also durable and known for withstanding severe weather conditions and common house issues like rot and termites.

What is the size of the barndominium duplex floor plans?

There is no definitive answer to this question as the size of the barndominium duplex floor plans can vary greatly depending on the specific design and layout of the property.

A barndominium duplex will range between 900 to 3,000 square feet. They are typically larger than a traditional single-family home because of the two separate living quarters.

How long does it take to build a barndominium duplex?

Barndominiums take approximately 3-6 months to construct. However, an exact timeline is determined by the size and customizations for the duplex.

How do I find a barndominium duplex builder?

This is going to require research on your part. While barndominiums are becoming more popular, that doesn’t mean that every contractor company knows how to build one.

Depending on your location, you might be able to find a barndominium that specializes in this type of structure. If you decide to purchase a shell kit, sometimes the company provides contractors to help put the kit together.

What type of foundation is required?

The most common foundation for barndominium building projects is poured concrete, which requires a minimum of 4-inches. Others include block foundations (8-inches) and pier and beam foundations (12-inches). The foundation you need is determined by soil conditions, structure weight, and climate.

We’ll dive more into the cost of a barndominium duplex below. But first, let’s take a look at some barndominium duplex ideas!

Barndominiums Duplex Ideas

There are several ways to build out your barndominium duplex, side-by-side or stacked.

Barndominium Duplex Ideas: 1

This barndominium duplex is stacked and appears to have a single entrance with stairs leading to the upper duplex.

It appears identical from the front, but on the upper duplex, there are two windows on the side but not on the bottom. It looks like it leads to the small porch that goes into the entrance.

There is a small covered patio on the bottom duplex, and they share a yard.

Barndominium Duplex Ideas: 2

This barndominium duplex is side-by-side, and each looks like they have its one-car garage. The front porch is separated by a partition and has separate entrances for each tenant.

This is a two-story duplex with many windows to allow natural light. A wall separates the two duplexes; it might let in more sound than you would want.

Barndominium Duplex Ideas: 3

This barndominium duplex is side-by-side, and each looks like they have its one-car garage. The front porch is separated by a partition and has separate entrances for each tenant.

This is a two-story duplex with many windows to allow natural light. A wall separates the two duplexes; it might let in more sound than you would want.

Barndominium Duplex Ideas: 4

This barndominium duplex appears to be stacked with one entrance with stairs leading to the upper duplex. There is a shared porch and yard.

It is boxed-shaped and does not have much curb appeal. However, there are a lot of windows to let in natural light.

Barndominium Duplex Floor Plan Ideas

Now that you have seen some ideas of how a barndominium duplex can look on the exterior, it is time to look at some floor plans to see if they would work for you.

Floor Plan 258

From the description, this is a side-by-side barndominium duplex with a second floor. Both floor plans are identical: three bedrooms, a living and kitchen area, and a breakfast nook.

Each has a covered patio, but we are unsure how you get to the second floor. This is a fairly large barndominium duplex as each bedroom averages 12×14 or a little larger, a living area of 14×24, and a kitchen of 10×15.

Floor Plan 259

This is a floor plan for one half of a barndominium duplex with the bottom and upstairs floors.

There is a garage; the master suite, kitchen, laundry room, living, and dining areas are on the bottom. There are three more bedrooms, a loft area, and bathrooms on the second floor.

Floor Plan 260

This is a floor plan of one-half of a barndominium duplex with an attached garage and a second floor with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. On the lower level, you have another bedroom with a kitchen and living space and what appears to be a laundry room.

Floor Plan 261

Here you have the first and second floor of one half of a barndominium duplex with a 2-car garage. The kitchen, family room, dining room, and study are on the main floor. You will find the master suite, two additional bedrooms, and a large game room on the second floor.

Floor Plan 262

This is a side-by-side barndominium duplex with identical floor plans. They each have a garage and a courtyard—the second floor with more bedrooms. There is only the master suite on the first floor, with the kitchen, dining area, and great room separated by a foyer. There is also a breakfast nook. It does not have the open concept that most barndominiums have.

Building A Barndominium Duplex: Cost Guide

When building a barndominium duplex, there are several factors to consider. But the average cost of a barndo duplex is around $40 to $125 per square foot and typically around 900 to 1500 sq. ft. You can build them bigger (up to 3,000 sq.ft.), but let’s stick to this range for now.

Basic Costs

• Structural cost
• Exterior & Interior costs
• Roof
• Building Permits
• City Inspections
• Labor costs
• Materials
• HVAC systems 
• Utility hookups
• Customizations
• Drywall
• Doors & Windows
• Plumbing & Electrical
• Countertops
• Cabinets
• Flooring

Duplex Cost Breakdown

Foundation: $3,600 to $9,000

While there are different foundations, the most common is a 4-inch reinforced concrete slab which runs $4-$6 per sq. ft. 

• $3600: For 900 sq. ft. ($4)
• $9,000: For 1500 sq.ft. ($6)

Other foundation types include Block foundations (8-inches) and pier and beam foundations (12-inches). It depends on the land on what kind of foundation you can build.

Electrical: $2,700 to $7,500

Electrical will include a licensed electrician and all the wiring, like indoor and outdoor outlets, appliances, and circuit breakers for both sides of the duplex. The average cost is around $3-$5. 

• $2,700: For 900 sq.ft. ($3)
• $7,500: For 1500 sq.ft. ($5)

Plumbing: $4,050 to $6,759

Plumbing, like electrical work, will require a professional unless you want to risk plumbing problems in the future. You want this done right, especially if you have a tenant living in the other duplex. Plumbing includes all sinks, toilets, sewage, septic tanks, water filters, and drainage. The average is around $4.50 per square foot.

• $4,050: For 900 sq.ft.
• $6,759: For 1500 sq.ft.

Windows: $16,000 to $43,200

You can expect to pay around $300 to $700 per window for your barndomimon duplex.

Doors: $155 to $3,734 per door

The cost for your doors depends on what type of doors you’ll be using. Doors include closet, bedroom, bathroom, and all exterior doors. Doors can be anywhere from $155 to $3,734 per door, depending on the type you get.

Kitchen: $13,500 to $56,250

The kitchen can cost an average of $100 to $250 per square foot, with the kitchen being around 15% of the total square footage. 

• $13,500: For 135 sq.ft.
• $56,250: For 225 sq.ft.

However, remember that because this is a duplex, you’ll need to double the kitchen features as you’ll have two.

Bathrooms: $11,200 to $44,000

The national average price for a bathroom is between $70 to $275 per square foot, with the average full-size bathroom around 40. If you estimate two bathrooms per duplex unit, you’re looking at around $11,200 on the low and $44,000 on the high end.

Flooring: $2 to 25 per sq.ft.

Flooring will be determined by the material you use for your barndominium duplex.

• Hardwood: ​​$3-$22 per sq. ft.
• Carpet: $2 to $8 per sq.ft.
• Title: $2 to $25 per sq.ft.
• Linoleum: $3 to $5 per sq.ft.
• Engineered Wood: $6 to $12 per sq.ft.

Roofing: $7,000

The average cost for a 1500-square-foot duplex roof can be around $7,000. This cost also depends on whether you use tile, metal, or shingles.

Siding: $2-$15 per sq.ft.

The average cost for siding in the U.S. is around $2 to $15 per square foot.

Barndominium Duplex: Additional Costs

• Location
• Contractors
• Land
• Land Clearing
• Permits & Inspections
• Building Loan
• Property Taxes

Location: $20 to $200 per sq.ft.

The location refers to the city, state, or county where you want to build your barndominium duplex. This is going to have an impact on your overall costs—research before starting.

Contractors: $28,125 to $46,875

On average, builders and contractors charge around 10 -20% of the project’s total cost. Bigger companies sometimes charge up to 25%. On the high end, if your duplex costs $187,500, you can expect to pay around $46,875 for a 1500-square-foot structure.

Land: $1,500 to $4,500 per acre

The national average cost for an acre of land is around $4,420. But it depends on your state on how much you’ll end up paying for land.

Most expensive states to purchase land:

• New Jersey
• Rhode Island
• Connecticut
• Massachusetts
• Maryland
• Delaware
• New York
• California
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania

Cheapest states to purchase land:

• Wyoming
• New Mexico
• Nevada
• South Dakota
• Montana
• North Dakota
• Nebraska
• Idaho
• Kansas
• Arizona

Clearing The Land: $1,266 to $3,900

The average cost to clear land is around $2,581, but it depends on what kind of debris is cleared, how it is cleared, and how much needs to be cleared from the land to build your duplex.

Permits & Inspections: $50 to $500

No matter what you’re building, you’ll need permits and city inspectors to approve the barndominium duplex floor plan and construction. Check with the local permit office to know what it’ll cost.

Home Loan: 3.5% to 20% Down Payment

Sometimes, financing for a barndominium can be difficult, as some banks or credit unions don’t allow lending money for these projects.

How to Finance the Construction of a Barndominium Duplex

Credit lenders and local banks are your best bet when getting construction loans. You’ll need contractor bids, good credit, and a solid barndominium duplex floor plan.

Check out banks or credit unions, farm credit bureaus, mortgage banks, mortgage brokers, and online loan companies for financing.

Property Taxes: 0% – 2.21%

Your property taxes are based on your location. Check with a local tax assessor to get an average.

Average Property Tax By State

• Wisconsin: 1.68% (8th highest in the U.S.)
• California: 0.73% (Below the national average)
• Texas: 0% (The state does not have property tax)
• Michigan: 1.45%

Can I Build a Barndominium Duplex for 100K?

The average cost for a barndominium duplex is between $40 to $125 per square foot, with the duplex size being 900 to 1500 square feet. Your costs will be around $36,000 to $187,000. So yes! You can build a duplex for $100,000.

Conclusion

When choosing your barndominium floor plans, ensure you find the space that meets your needs. Whether the second space is for visiting family or a renter, make sure you have everything you need to make it functional. 

Related Resources:

1. Pole Barn Home vs Barndominium: Which Is the Better In 2022?
2. Barndominiums Pros and Cons: Know Before You Buy One
3. Barndominium Floor Plans With Walkout Basement
4. Can You Get A 30-year Mortgage On A Barndominium?
5. How to Build Your Luxury Barndominium?