Barndominium vs House: A Detailed Cost Comparison Guide

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Barndominium vs House: A Detailed Cost Comparison Guide

Your home is a lifetime investment, and you will like to go with the best possible option to make the most out of your investment. Currently, we have better solutions, and we keep checking all the availabilities to find a better deal. However, if you cannot decide between a barndominium and a house, you are in the right place. We will answer all your queries related to the barndominium vs house. We will cover the cost factors. Keep reading if you want to find an affordable home.

Barndominium or barndo or bran house features an inspiring exterior and simple design. A barndo looks like a house, but there will be a few differences. A barndominium uses different materials, methods, and techniques. Also, it can be the best choice for rural areas. Additionally, you can consider building a new structure or renovating an existing pole barn. You can construct a barndo on the ground. You can use a prefabricated kit as well. If you consider a kit, you will find everything in one package.

Besides, a barndo is more customizable. It offers more customizations compared to a house. From the above, you might have an idea about the barndo. Next, we will make a cost comparison to enable you to find a suitable home.

Barndominium vs House: Which Is Less Expensive?

In many cases, you will find barndos less expensive than their competitor. The benefit of barndos is a lot of customization. Also, you can have more affordable options. Besides, most barndominiums use metal for construction. Metal is a bit cheaper compared to the materials used in traditional houses.

Furthermore, metal structures offer more space. However, you might find the initial expenses of the barndo a
bit high compared to wood frames. The labor and machine requirements contribute to the end cost. In some
cases, the steel frame will eliminate any design that supports the roof system. As a result, you can save on
walls. Also, you will have more flexibility in interior designs. You can use partitions and walls whenever
you want based on your preferences. Moreover, you can change the interior design to get a fresh look with a
few additions. In brief, you will have a lot of customizations.

Is a Barndominium Less Expensive?

Many things will depend on the material, design, and structure. As mentioned earlier, barndos are customizable, and they are super versatile as well. You can build them from scratch. You can also construct a barndo on an existing structure. Besides, you will have modular home options. A modular home is interchangeable. Hence, you can expect advanced customizability without changing the entire design. You will have the flexibility to select any module based on your requirements.

Additionally, you can build a barndo with a kit. You can get a fast result if you choose a kit or modular structure. However, kits will have specific designs, and you cannot plan beyond a limit. It is worth mentioning that you will have to spend fifteen percent less on modular homes compared to a traditional wood frame. But modular homes are not as good as traditional homes. However, barndos are durable like traditional options. The reason is that it follows a similar construction process. Hence, you can expect a better outcome.

Barndominium Or House

Decide Wisely

PROS

  • Cheaper and quicker to build than conventional houses
  • Flexibility in space management
  • Lower maintenance requirements
  • Lower insurance costs and associated taxes

CONS

  • Financing a barndominium can be very hard or impossible to find at all.
  • Financing a barndominium can be very hard or impossible to find at all.
  • Smaller pool of buyers due to high customization if you decide to sell
  • Etc.

PROS

  • Investing And Building Equity
  • Improving Credit
  • Greater Privacy And Control Over Your Living Spaces
  • Longer-Term Stability

CONS

  • High Upfront Costs
  • Maintenance And Repair
  • Property Taxes And Other Regular Fees
  • Less Flexibility.

Cost Comparison

You might find barndos cheaper with the metal material. Yes, the material is another consideration. Traditional houses use bricks and wood. You will have to spend more on these materials. However, the ceiling height of the barndos is up to fourteen feet. But the ceiling height of traditional houses is around eight or nine feet. Also, the exterior of both will look different. But you might find the interior design a bit the same. Now, we will cover the cost factors.

A barndo with some basic facilities will cost you between $30 and $40 per square foot. However, a traditional house will cost you much more per square foot. You will have to spend between $100 and $200. It is a comparison of homes with basic amenities. If you want luxury homes, you will have to pay more for the amenities and comforts you want in your living space.

With barndos, you will get more interior space. It will have an open design, and you will have a lot of customizations for interiors. But if you want high-end features, the end cost will be much more. You will have to spend more on the structure. Besides, the material will have a determining role. The labor cost is another consideration.

For a general brando structure, you will not have to spend more on labor. The construction will include exterior panels. Hence, the cost will be less compared to traditional homes. In traditional options, you will need bricks and wood for the construction. Both will demand more labor and time. However, you can use less expensive materials in barndos. You can save on the labor as well. Here are the detailed cost factors you can go through. The following factors will give better clarity on the costs.

Design

All the traditional houses follow a standard design during the construction. Most builders know the methodology. Also, they follow the same for all their construction projects, Barndos can use some traditional techniques. However, they are metal structures and do not need all the initial steps. Hence, you can avoid many construction processes. It will ensure the fast completion of the project.

We can take a simple example. If you construct a traditional house, you will have to go through many steps, including digging and footing. Some other steps are setting piers, painting, and layering cement blocks. You will have to follow the basic processes for all the traditional houses. Hence, you will have fewer customization options. Also, the costs of the initial steps will contribute to twenty percent of the total construction costs. Barndos will avoid all these steps, and you can save a lot. For barndos, you will need a monolithic slab structure. It will require concrete pads and footings. The labor, material, and construction time will be less than traditional structures.

In some cases, you can use posts in the place of block footings. By doing so, you can save more on construction. Another benefit of the posts is fast results. Also, if you use monolithic slabs, you can save five to ten percent even before completing the shell.

Labor

In addition to the design, you will have to consider the labor costs. However, the design of the house or barndo will decide the total labor cost. Generally speaking, you will have to spend less on barndos. Houses will need more labor for the construction. The materials and the design are the contributing factors. As mentioned earlier, you will have to spend around twenty percent of the total cost on the initial structure. A significant portion of the expenses will go to labor. You will have to pay more for manual labor throughout the construction process.

But the construction methodology of a barndo will be simple. Yes, it will not use bricks and woods. The barndo will not need a wood framework as well. You can set the framework by using girders and steel beams. In brief, the framework will not require more labor and expensive materials. That will make the end cost considerably less compared to its competitor.

However, the initial construction costs of a barndo will be more. Yes, barndos will need specialized skills and advanced machinery during the construction process. Hence, you will have to prepare yourself for high upfront costs. However, the labor of a wood frame will contribute to fifty percent of the total cost. But, it will be less than forty percent for a barndo project.

Material

Material is also a determining factor. Many focus on the design and labor and ignore the material costs. However, the material will play a determining role in a big house. You can find materials at any home improvement store. Also, there should not be any confusion in the material.

For a barndo, you will need commercial-style materials. Hence, you will have to research the material and availability much before the time. Otherwise, you might end up having poor-quality materials. Quality is a must if you want a durable solution. Besides, you will have to invest in advanced machines while considering barndos. You will need machines such as a crane. It will help to set girders, posts, and beams. It is worth mentioning that men power cannot do these jobs. Therefore, you will have to research the available machinery options. You can rent the machines for your project. The owners will charge for the machine and usage hourly. Find suitable machinery and finalize the deal before the time. You will have to make a list of materials and ensure their availability to avoid delayed completion.

Location

Your location might make you spend more. Yes, location is another cost-determining factor. You might need to spend less on labor and materials in some locations. However, other locations will charge you more. We can take an example. If you build a home in California, you will have to spend more. However, you can use the same material, design, and labor, and spend less in Texas. Therefore, you will have to know your location and material availability to avoid confusion. You will have to plan your materials carefully to avoid overspending. However, if you find the price is considerably more, you can use a kit. You will not find much difference in the costs of kits regardless of the location. You can choose any option based on your budget and preferences.

Upkeep

A traditional home will require more maintenance than its competitor. Yes, barndos will require less maintenance. Also, these structures are the best for commercial buildings. All the credit goes to the simple construction, durable material, and minimal maintenance requirements. Metal or steel will not require a lot of maintenance. Also, they will help with the desired durability. However, external elements might damage a wood structure, and there will be more maintenance requirements. In brief, you will have to spend more on the upkeep of traditional homes.

These are a few things you can go through while comparing the costs of barndos and houses. You might need to spend less on barndos since the design, material, and labor charges will be less. Also, a barndo project will take less time to complete than traditional homes.

Renovation or New Construction: Which Is Less Expensive?

You might need to spend less if you renovate an existing structure. Many find it less expensive than building a barndo. If you construct on an existing base, you can save the construction cost. But each project will have some challenges, and it might not be easy to predict the end cost without going through the details. You might have specific requirements, and the existing structure might need some modifications to meet that requirement. As a rule of thumb, when you need to modify more than twenty percent of the existing structure for your project, you can start from scratch. You will spend less if you plan for a new project instead of renovating the existing ones when the modification expenses are more.

If you plan for the renovation, first, you will have to demolish the existing structure. Hence, you will have to spend on the labor. If you plan for new construction, the cost will be less. The reason is that you will not have to pay for the demolition. It is an additional expense, and you will have to avoid it.

Besides, you will have to find a suitable structure for your design. If you find such a structure, you can avoid the initial cost. You can make minimal changes and plan the construction. However, you will have to take the help of a designer to know about design changes and other requirements. Experienced professionals can offer you the best guidance and save you a lot in the end.

Are Barndominium Kits Less Expensive?

Yes, barndominium kits are less expensive. However, these kits will limit your choices. If you have some design preferences, a kit might not be an ideal choice. But you can consider a kit when you have a limited budget. If you use a kit, you will get all the required materials. You will not have to search for materials and affordable prices. But if you want to build your barndo, you will have to give more effort and time. Also, the end cost will be more. A kit can make the entire process easy and hassle-free for you.

Downsides of Barndominium Kits

Kits will limit your choices. You might not find the one that matches your preferred design. Also, some kits will have unusable materials and parts. Therefore, you might need to spend extra on parts. If you want to use a barndo kit, you will have to find the most suitable one. Besides, you can compare materials and kits to find affordable solutions. With careful planning, you can get better deals.

You might need to spend about $70.00 per square foot if you buy an average barndo kit. If you have a limited budget, you can consider less expensive options. You might get one at $10, but it will have only the shell. If you buy an average kit, it will come with exterior windows, doors, and amenities. With a kit, you can make your barndo. Also, you can add a lot of customizations to boost its usability.

Is a Barndo Better Than a Traditional House?

You might find a barndominium better than a traditional house if you consider the benefits. Barndos use quality materials, and they are easy to maintain as well. Also, a barndo is easy to customize. You can add any feature based on your preferences. Many homeowners prefer brandos for their customized designs. Yes, these structures can match any lifestyle. You will appreciate the unique style. More importantly, the end cost will be less and upkeep requirements will be minimal.

Apart from that, barndominiums are more energy-efficient compared to traditional homes. The design will ensure better warming and cooling. Therefore, you can save on cooling and heating. Additionally, you will love the barndos’ inspiring exterior finishes and curb appealing look. You can make your exterior more alluring with some beautiful additions. With a barndo, you will have endless customizations.

Can I Build a Barndominium?

Yes, you can build a barndo. Building a barndo is easy compared to constructing a wood framework. With proper planning, you can expect beautiful construction and a fast result. You can get all these benefits without hurting your budget. You can change the look and feel of your home interior and exterior. Also, you can add whatever feature you want to boost the functionality of your home. You will appreciate the unique interior design and impressive appearance. The key benefit of a barndo is that it can match any lifestyle.

Make a list of your preferences and take the help of professionals to get perfection. Professionals can guide you throughout and enable you to choose the best design. Besides, they will save a lot in the end.