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pole barn or stick built garage?

9K views 40 replies 22 participants last post by  bbaXJ 
#1 ·
Will be moving to a new location in Howell. Looking for input on pros and cons of both type of construction. Building will be used for my toy/work shop. Will have gas heat, 220volt, cement floor, and be insulated. would like 30x40. Those of you that have them, what would you change?
 
#6 ·
The big difference is your foundation. Usually, you have a good bit more money in a full perimeter foundation, compared to just setting posts on biscuits.

I'm pricing a 30x40 now, and really, the price is about the same between the two, other than the foundation.

What wall height do you want? What type of siding and roof do you want? These affect whether you have trusses on 2ft or 4ft centers.
 
#20 ·
Where are you moving in Howell?[/QUOTE
Not sure yet, my house is not sold. we have an offer on a place that is owned by the bank. long story. We keep finding places with second garages or barns but by the time we get out there and look at it, it is either too much of a dump or we find out there was an offer put on it that day.

We are looking outside of town. I dont care which side of town. Unless you can shed some important light on a place to stay away from. lol.
 
#11 ·
Ive been curious about steel barn kits (I've heard about insulation issues in the cold, where the cold transfers through the steel.

But it seems like every steel barn company is shady and its a huge sales pitch to get a kit quote.
 
#24 ·
First talk with the township and see what size you can build. Some have crazy rules regarding how far the barn needs to be from this or that.

Go steel, it is cheaper overall and goes up a lot faster. Yes, you will need to insulate the roof. You do not need steel beams for a barn that size wood will cost significantly less unless you have a connection. Basically pour bases for the beams, put up the beams brace everything so nothing moves, Add steel beams for your hoist or lift, pour the foundation, Pour a curb or wall depending on the code in the area, attach the trusses, roll the insulation down on the trusses, Zip down your roof, attach your base fascia making sure everything is straight, zip down the sides and back with no installation, add your door(s) and then zip down the steel on the sides of the door, Now that the thing is enclosed install your electrical and gas lines(you may do this before your foundation depending on code),Spray foam the inside of the walls making sure to add a thin base then coming back and adding the rest so the foam does not push out your steel, toss drywall or steel or whatever over the foam and beams, finish up with lighting and other finishing touches.
It is not a complicated process once you jump through the township rules(if there are any). It is labor intensive but totally something someone can do on there own with a bit of help.
 
#26 ·
Thanks Cerial. I think thats what I would like. On the one place we found i checked with the township. They gave me all of the set backs and let me know how large I could go. On this one they said I coulg go 1800 sq.ft. Thats way more than I need. I was amazed, and I got giddy like a school girl, thinking of having a barn that big. lol.
 
#28 ·
Our main workshop at my folks was a 30x40 pole barn uninsulated. 12' slider doors. My place has a 30x40 stick built, full drywall & insulated with a 10' ceiling and roller garage door.
Dad eventually insulated his pole barn (years after I moved out of course). Heat-wise, with a shorter ceiling mine is obnoxiously easy to heat or cool.

Functionality - my RV won't fit in my garage for any sort of work, will barely fit in his but at least it will. I had to adjust the garage door to fit my truck here but still had to drop the front tires to yank the motor.
Moral of the story - go higher on height, not to mention the "no such thing as too big" for overall size.

Upside to not insulating: you have an excuse to hang out at the woodstove and drink beer, it works like a campfire. With insulation, now it's like being in the house (we still hang out at the woodstove to drink beer and BS, but it's only out of habit).
 
#34 ·
I have a 30x40 stick built and a 30x40 pole barn and WHEN I build another one it will be a stick built
 
#35 ·
i am in the process of building another garage. my current garage is 20x28. i planned on putting a 24x40 addition on it 12' tall but now am changing plans and going to a 32x46 12' tall and having a party room up top. it will be stick built and i am building it as tall as my pocket book will allow. build big and you wont ever kick yourself in the ass in the end
 
#37 ·
I just built a 30x48x12 post frame, and would do it again. Like everyone says, build as big as you can fit on your property and wallet allows. I shingled the roof for noise and for heating it, then had steel siding. I have a sloping lot, so I had to prepare a site with a 1000 yds of dirt, then let it sit for awhile. But it turned out great. I inulated it with 3.5in of closed cell styrofoam(1.5in in between the outside girts,and 2in over that).Then I studded in between the posts(6x6) because I had 3.5 in left to be flush with the inside of the posts. I also dug out for where my car hoist is going, so the concrete is 12in and the rest of the barn is 4in.I am just finishing the wiring right now, then I am sheeting the ceiling and all the walls with 7/16th plywood. Here are a few of the early pics, I need to get some more updated ones.
 
#38 ·
No matter what someone "told" you at the township, LOOK at the ordinances YOURSELF. Hell, have them make a copy for you. Then in the meantime until you actually get a building permit pay attention to any ordinance changes.

Scroll back to (iirc) post #8. A friend of mine built a pole barn and then proceeded to finish the inside. Kicked himself for not building stick frame.

There may be some additional upfront cost but really, I mean REALLY think about heating the floor. You would be amazed how comfortable you can be at 50 or 55 degrees when the floor is not an icicle.

I know this will probably sound goofy to some but if you are planning on adding on in the future and have space to the rear of the building think about building it wide and shallow. Set the trusses the wide way. Makes it soooo much easier to add onto. Then you don't end up with lean-to's or really loooonnnnggg narrow buildings.

Go back up ^^^^ to the heated floor part, do it, and never look back.
 
#39 ·
I have done some basic calculations going through the lumber in a stick built and pole build. They are basically the same cost, within a couple hundred bucks, on a 30x40, around $3000 or so (based on off-the-shelf prices at home depot from a couple weeks ago).

The lumber is a small part of the price, and most of the other things can end up being similar.

You need roofing, siding, doors and windows, electrical, plumbing, grade work & base, foundation etc,.

The foundation is the big difference between the two.

Roofing and siding depends on what you do. Pole barns need purlins and girts, stick builds need sheathing, but its not too different in price between those two.

I need to talk to my concrete guy and get a price difference between the two foundations:

30x40 with a 42-48" footer, or 30x40 with a 18" rat wall (required by my township) + 18 precast footers.
 
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