Welcome to ultimate guide on barndominiums pros and cons. It’s a truth universally acknowledged that a single person must pay a premium for a single-family home.
But what is less universally acknowledged is that this premium is not always worth it.
In many cases, you can get the same space, the same amenities, and the same features in a barndominium—or a barn—for less money.
And if you’re looking for a more affordable option, you can even find a barndominium that fits your budget.
So, if you’re interested in living in a barndominium and want to know what benefits and drawbacks come with the territory, read on for some insights.
Contents
Pros of Living in a Barndominium Home
1. Safe Living Solution
When you are investing $300K and upwards, you want a durable, reliable and well-built home that can withstand extreme weather conditions like tornadoes, hurricanes, and other disasters.
Fortunately, barndominiums are designed and built with such severe weather in mind.
You won’t have to worry about your barn toppling over in strong winds or waves, and it will keep its structural integrity even under high flooding pressure.
Plus, since these homes tend to be made out of cedar wood sourced from local sawmills that employ sustainable logging techniques, they’re also environmentally friendly.
2. Energy-efficient
Built in open space, barndominiums let air circulate easily to keep your home cool on hot summer days—without using any electricity.
Plus, since most barndominiums are made out of cedar wood sourced from local sawmills that employ sustainable logging techniques, they’re also environmentally friendly!
Cedar is naturally rot-resistant and durable; while it works well for both interior and exterior building projects (including barns).
Its composition means that it doesn’t retain moisture like other types of wood do. This means that there’s no mold or mildew buildup either!
3. Easy and quick to build
When you buy a barndominium, it’s basically already built!
You can move right in without having to worry about hiring contractors, doing heavy lifting or moving heavy furniture around.
In fact, these homes usually come with appliances pre-installed so that all you have to do is just unplug them from their shipping crates, plug them into an outlet and start using them!
So, if you’re looking for a reliable home that you can just move into right away—and don’t want to invest time and money into DIY construction projects—this is probably going to be your ideal solution.
4. Customizable interiors
Want to have complete control over your home’s design? Well, you can achieve that with a barndominium!
Since these homes are built using prefabricated units, they’re easily customizable so that you can furnish them according to your tastes and needs.
You also don’t need any building permits or construction skills; all you’ll need is an electric screwdriver or drill!
However, if there are still things that aren’t up to par, you might want to consider hiring local contractors for additional tweaks.
Most barndominium companies will be able to recommend people who are well-versed in their craft.
5. Low Maintenance Requirements
Unlike conventional homes, barndominiums require very little maintenance!
They don’t even need lawn care or exterior painting because they’re made out of natural materials like cedar wood sourced from local sawmills that employ sustainable logging techniques.
The only things you’ll need to keep an eye on are leaks, cracks or other signs of wear and tear.
But since these homes come with a lifetime warranty, you can always get them repaired as needed without having to pay any additional fees.
So, if you’re looking for something that is easy to maintain, comfortable and affordable… Well, then a barndominium might just be your ideal solution!
6. Durable And Long Lasting
Barndominiums are made out of durable materials like wood sourced from local sawmills and metal frames with rust proofing—meaning that they should last you for years to come without requiring too much maintenance!
Also, since most barndominiums are built using prefabricated units, you’re basically getting an already-constructed home that can easily withstand strong winds or other elements.
7. Dual-Purpose House
Most barndominiums are built using sturdy materials that can double as exterior or interior walls—meaning that you can transform your home into an office when needed!
For example, when it’s time to paint, you’ll just have to remove your furniture, lay down tarps on your floors, tape up all your electrical outlets, pull out any light fixtures that are attached to interior walls.
The list goes on. And then when it’s done, just put everything back where it was before.
8. Large Interior Space
This type of home usually comes with large interiors that are perfect for hosting guests, parties or extended family members!
So, if you’re looking for more spacious alternatives to smaller homes—or you’d like to move out on your own but don’t want to invest time and money into DIY construction projects—you might want to consider purchasing a barndominium.
9. Unique and versatile structures
If you’re looking for alternatives to plain-looking homes, then barndominiums might just be your ideal solution!
These homes are made out of unique materials like logs, bricks or stone—meaning that they’ll give you an interesting character unlike conventional homes with symmetrical floor plans.
If you want something that’s more distinctive than most other abodes, then buying a barndominium is probably going to be your best bet!
10. Ideal as a retreat or second home
If you’re looking for an affordable option to build your dream cabin, then barndominiums might just be your ideal solution!
You can even choose which ones will have interior walls so that you can plan how you want them to look.
And they’re still cheaper than most conventional houses with similar interiors!
These homes are also perfect if you just want something that’s unique, quirky, comfortable or practical.
11. Good for short and long term
Since most barndominiums are built using durable materials, they’re ideal as homes, office spaces or even secondary homes!
So, if you just want to live out your vacation dreams until you have to go back to work—or if you want to use them as secondary properties that will let you save money on hotels when you travel—then these homes are definitely worth investing in!
Cons of Living in a Barndominium
1. Typically Single-Story
Most barndominiums are single-story homes that only have one bedroom, bathroom, kitchen or other common areas—meaning that they’re pretty simple when it comes to layout.
However, if you’re looking for something more than just a space to live in—or if you just want additional rooms to decorate with additional furniture—then barndominiums might not be your ideal solution.
2. Higher initial costs
Most barndominiums are built using natural materials like wood, which is definitely more expensive than building homes out of concrete or other artificial materials.
So, if you’re looking for cheaper alternatives to wooden-framed homes, then these residences might not be your ideal solution!
However, it’s possible to find affordable ones if you do some thorough research; most barndominium sellers will also let you negotiate with them on prices—so keep that in mind when it comes to making your final purchasing decision!
3. Fabrication Error
If you want to save money, then it’s worth considering investing in DIY materials for your barndominium—but remember that these homes are much more difficult to build than conventional houses!
So, if you’re looking for something simple, then barndominiums might not be your ideal solution.
That said, there are plenty of pre-fabricated options out there; just make sure to do your research beforehand so that you’ll know exactly what you’re getting into!
4. Rural living
Since most barndominiums are built in rural locations, they’re not ideal if you want to live closer to your workplace or just near civilization!
So, if you’d rather have an easy commute or proximity to amenities, then barndominiums might not be your ideal solution.
Still, it’s possible to find some that are located relatively close to towns—or that are being sold as DIY projects; just make sure that you research things thoroughly beforehand so that you’ll know exactly what you’re getting into!
5. Not Immune to Corrosion
Since most barndominiums are made out of wood, they’re not completely immune to corrosion like other building materials—meaning that you’ll have to make some repairs or replacements over time!
So, if you want something that’s built with more long-lasting material, then barndominiums might not be your ideal solution.
However, it’s possible to find durable ones if you do some thorough research beforehand!
3 Proven Tips on Building a Barndominium
Now that you know more about barndominiums, here are some tips to consider when building one—or buying one!
From understanding the most important features to doing your research before purchasing, these pointers will make sure that you make a good investment.
1. The gradient of the land
Make sure that you select an area where your land is relatively flat so that you’ll have less obstacles when building your barndominium!
If you choose an area with too many slopes, then it’ll be much more difficult to lay down your foundation—which can easily lead to problems later on.
That said, it’s still possible to build barndominiums on areas with slopes; just make sure that you do your research beforehand so that you don’t end up spending way more than necessary on materials!
2. Location of land
You also want to make sure that you choose an area where it’s legal to build your barndominium—especially if you’re planning on building one from scratch!
Also, remember that some areas don’t allow for specific structures; so, make sure that you do your research beforehand so that you won’t end up accidentally breaking any laws!
Remember, it’s always better to know what’s allowed ahead of time—rather than having to make expensive repairs later on!
3. Always keep things within the budget
Since building a barndominium from scratch is much more expensive than building an ordinary house, you definitely want to make sure that you’re able to afford one!
So, if you’re looking for cheap alternatives, then it’s best to purchase a pre-built one.
If you do build one from scratch, make sure that you take your time with it so that you don’t end up going over-budget.
Does A Barndominium Have to Be Rectangular?
As long as your structure is made out of durable material, it can technically qualify as a barndominium—even if it’s not a conventional rectangle!
That said, some pre-built ones might still look like ordinary houses or even storage sheds from outside.
If you want something that stands out from others, then consider choosing one that has unique features.
Final Verdict
If you want an affordable option for living closer to nature, then barndominiums are definitely worth considering!
Just make sure that you do your research beforehand so that you’ll know exactly what to expect when you build or buy one.
With that said, good luck with your construction—and happy living!
I'm James, your barndominiums advisor. Several years ago, I had no idea what barndominiums were. Although I'd spent over 10 years in the construction industry, the first time I heard about barndominiums was when I saw my neighbor building a new-style home. That was the first barndominium I've ever seen, and I found it so fascinating that I wanted to learn more about them.
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