The Barndominium

So we're building a barndominium. I guess technically it's not a barndominium because there won't be any "barn" to it. But we are taking a building that's supposed to be a barn and making it a home. My husband and I are building this "barndo" for my parents.

When we started researching this idea, I found that there is very little on the Internet about this. So I hope this can help somebody out there wanting to do something similar. And friends and family can keep up with the progress.

Over the last few months, besides finding the land to build on, we have been drawing up the plans. I prepared them on amateur architecture software by Punch Software called Home Design Suite. We also found a barn builder at National Barn. We have been working with them to customize the home. We are doing a cedar-sided building. The inspiration was the barn seen on National Barn's photo gallery.

We closed on the land on Monday. We set stakes for the approximate corners. We also met with the electric co-op to get an estimate and plan to get the pole set. Luckily, we already had a pole on the land. So the electric company will set another pole closer to the home site. Later, we will dig from the pole to the home to have underground service and avoid an ugly line across the property.

We're starting some excavation today to prepare for the slab.

A little about the barndo: The dimensions are 64' x 36' with a covered 6' deep porch on the front and covered 8' deep porch on the back. Downstairs will have 2 bedrooms & 2 bathrooms on one side, a 2-story living area, kitchen & dining in the middle of the building and a master bedroom with bath and MUD room on the other side. Upstairs will have 2 bedrooms with a bathroom on one end and an open loft on the other.

More to come...