Any barndominium owners/experts?

[morehornsepower 888]

Starting research for our retirement property (a few acres in the hill country), and recently took a tour of a nearby barndominium that was pretty impressive inside.  We had not previously really considered them.  Any surly-ites living in a barndo or have any thoughts?

[Deej 77843]

I've got a barndominium and a barn. I think the barn would be good for you. 

[morehornsepower 888]

45 minutes ago, Deej said:

I've got a barndominium and a barn. I think the barn would be good for you. 

Some days I love Surly...some days, i get exactly what I should expect...

[Brew 3049]

Pretty popular in our area. I know of a number of people that built them and lived in them while main houses were being built and that still live in them or use them as cabins on a separate farm. I built a 60x40 shop on our farm and then we added a 30x40 apartment on to the side of it with a breezeway connecting it for my parents. We went off the side rather than finishing out the upper level of the shop mainly for ease of access and because the shop is full of tractors, boats, atv’s, etc so we didn’t think we could isolate the noise very well. Based on current build prices it was much more economical than building/buying them a house as we are under $90 a foot for it. It's pretty basic, but it serves their needs and if they decide they don’t like it the kids will have a place to crash at the farm. The same guy that built the shop did it, so everything matches from the outside.

[TKthunder2 5059]

Not 100% sure if the definitions here, but I had a buddy who lived on one side of his barn that they turned into a house.

Kitchen, Living Room, Half bath and stairs on the first floor.  3 beds, 2 baths on the second floor, bonus room on the third.

It was nice enough, but he had horses on the other side of the barn and it smelled even in the house. You adjusted while you were there, but when we’d go out he always had a scent of horse on him even when clean.

Eventually he built another barn for the animals and now just parks his trucks where the horses went and stores equipment/supplies and let’s his dogs sleep on that side of the barn.

I always wondered why instead of building another barn he didn’t just build a real house (he had a few spots that would be perfect on his property) but it felt rude to ask.

[Elvis 3437]

I think it would be cool to build a giant shop and put one of those giant 5th wheel mansion trailers inside.  There would still be room for all of your trucks and gators and other country toys.  Roll out some astroturf and make a little indoor yard.  Throw in a bar and bandstand and your having a real good time.