Pole building home

[Hogleg]

I have 12 acres in Eastern Washington. The property came with a small old mobile, where we are currently living. It is cramped with two adults, a four year old, 1 year old, two dogs and two cats.
We were going to pay off the land before we built, but are now considering a steel sided pole building as a residence. I was thinking 36 x 48 x 10, probably run joists for floor, as opposed to a slab. Also want plenty of insulation.
I am thinking of getting the material in a kit, and probably sub contracting any thing I dont feel comfortable with or cant do such as the septic tank. I have never built anything of this size but have relatives who have.
I am wondering if anyone has had experience with this type of home. Anything to look out for, any pros and cons? Would insurance be an issue? What about condensation? Thanks for any input.

[Deberosa]

I had a pole barn built on a slab in Western Washington a few years back. One of the guys who worked on it had a metal pole barn that he converted to be his home. Said it worked really well.

They put a 3r insulation under the metal in the roof for condensation. Part of the building I had built I insulated and was going to make a rec room/shop out of it. I had a sky light the length of the building and that part was a bit drafty - wouldn't do that if it was going to be a home. Also the places around the edges I needed to use alot of that foam filler to fill in holes around the metal siding - it wasn't very air tight. I imagine you would want to put that 3 r insulation against the metal on the sides if you were thinking of dry walling for a home. I just put insulation up and then to cover it I stapled colorful sheets over it from the second hand store - that way it could still breath.

Eastern Washington gets alot colder so you may have more issues with keeping the place warm, not sure. Also I am not sure if your part of the world is as permit crazy as it is here but there was over 2000 in permits just to build the shop I did and they picked at every step of the way so making it into a home would be a pain around here!

[DM]

There are quite a few people that do just that, and i also have a space like that on my pole building....

I wouldn't use pole barn tin for the roof, i'd either use a "standing seam" steel roof, or as i prefer, a shingled roof with "quality" shingles.

I put R-5 1" 4'x8' styrafoam sheets (sometimes called blue or pink board) under the sideing on the side walls. It sure helps with noise and seals up the building quite a bit. I think it was waaaaaaaay worth the money...

On the interior walls you have options. I nailed up horizontal stringers and put up my wall board on them.... A buddy of mine used 2x4"s and made walls that he pushed inbetween the 4x6's...

I did it my way to get more space in the walls for insulation... Treat the ceiling just like any other building or house.

Just make sure when you order your truss' that they are rated to carry a bottom load!! (sheet rock)

Here's my "cabin" over my shop...

DM

http://www.fototime.com/420D7DDC63D0FCD/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/B623620D9C04F51/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/5AA2F1008DB4857/standard.jpg

[bookwormom]

have you considered filling in with strawbales? you can do that yourself and it might be cheaper all things considered.

[Hogleg]

Thank you all for the responses.

I spoke with a lender that does owner/builder loans on pole building homes. Says the county is pretty good about working with this type of house. So we are moving forward with the plan.

Im wondering, is the 3-R and the blue board the same thing? I was thinking of using 6x8 posts making the wall thickness 8 inches deep so I could lay in about 8 inches of pink fiberglass. I appreciate the tip about the foam board sealing out the draft.

Also what was your reason for choosing the standing seam? As opposed to the standard metal roofing I might get as a kit?

I briefly thought about a straw bale wall. I read that you don't save much in lumber and the plaster can be alot of work. Mostly I decided against it because it was hard enough to get my wife on board with living in a metal sided pole building. She does not want to live in to radically different of a home.

Thanks again for the tips, keep them coming. This is going to be a real learning experience.

I will start posting pictures of our progress when we break ground. Right now we are still in the investigative and financing stage.

[BIGGKIDD]

Hogleg,

You may want to check into this stuff for insulation.
http://www.tigerfoam.com/
I have not used it but if its like the great stuff foam (which it looks like) then it should work great. I would think it would be a lot better for sealing any and all air gaps.
Larry

[DM]

Im wondering, is the 3-R and the blue board the same thing? *I was thinking of using 6x8 posts making the wall thickness 8 inches deep so I could lay in about 8 inches of pink fiberglass. *I appreciate the tip about the foam board sealing out the draft. *

Also what was your reason for choosing the standing seam? *As opposed to the standard metal roofing I might get as a kit?

*I don't know what 3-R is?? *Blue or pink board has R-5 insulation rateing per inch, so with 6" of fiberglass in the 6" wall space + 1" pink board it gives you R-24 total. *That's pretty good right there.... *But of course, more is always better...

*Pole barn tin is pretty thin and really intended to be sideing. *The way it's designed with the overlap, in time a hard rain will make it's way through! *Around here you rarely see a pole barn built with a metal roof anymore, and it use to be the only way they were built. *The problem is, in time they leak, and i believe it's because the building moves from winter to summer, breaking the seal on the tin.... *Another problem is, the washer seal on the screws degrades over the years and fails too. *I've seen many of those seals rotted when they get old.

*Folks here are replaceing there metal roofs with shingles... *Also, tin sweats so you have to deal with that too.

*A standing seam metal roof is metal that was intended to be roofing material from the beginning. *The seam is standing above the tin enough (and crimped) so it doesn't leak! *Also the metal is of a better quality with a better finish on it to last longer... *This is the kind of metal that was used on old barns, and it will last a long time. *(read expensive!)

*The best way to have a metal roof is to have a very steep pitch so the water rushes off and doesn't have time to find it's way in...

*I have 40 year shingles on my house and the space over my shop.... *they still look like new, and that's what's going on the rest of the shop too, as they are going to out live me......

If it's a building that's just a shed to park something under, anything will do there and i have some used tin for that project! (read cheap!)

*DM

[Hogleg]

DM,

Thanks for the further info on roofing. I have seen the standing seam roofing, now that you explained what it looks like.

I will definately consider upgrading from the standard tin. I too was concerned about the seal around the fasteners, as I have seen some of them fail with age and weathering. I will also give the roof a high pitch.

Thanks again.

[JMX7114]

I live outside Cheney WA - I have a "normal" home, but a good friend of mine relocated from the "West Side" earlier this year - his wife and he put up a pole building out here, near my property - think he's got ten acres.....they originally planned on living in it temporarily, but have decided to live in their pole building - it's a really nice set up. Down the road I can see selling our "normal" home and moving into something smaller - I really like what my friend and his wife have done with their place. Good luck with your venture!!!

[sharp_shepherd]

Hogleg,

You may want to check into this stuff for insulation.
http://www.tigerfoam.com/
I have not used it but if its like the great stuff foam (which it looks like) then it should work great. I would think it would be a lot better for sealing any and all air gaps.
Larry

I know i am quoting an old post but i have to say this tiger foam is by far the best insulation application i have ever used and it is awesome....everything they say it is and more. It was so easy to apply, seals up gaps and it goes a long way. Seems a little expensive but it is by and far worth every dollar.

[dkemple1]

I have a house just like the one you are talking about. I did not build it, but I don't think I would ever live in another one. It is cold and drafty. It has a drop ceiling, and it is expensive to heat. I had a home energy door blower test last year and they told me that the normal air exchange within an hour averages about 6 times an hour, mine was about 30! He could not even turn the blower up to where it was supposed to be, because he was afraid he would suck the ceiling down. I live in Indiana, and it's cold, but there are a lot colder places. But sometimes, the furnace will run 24 hours a day and the temperature inside will still be lower than the thermostat setting. Sometimes by 5 or 6 degrees. If I were to build one, all I can say is to insulate, insulate, insulate and make it as airtight as possible. I love the layout, just hate the efficiency

[flatwater]

HogLeg what part of Eastern Washington are you at?
Flatwater ( from nime mile falls and soon to move above curlew )

[Hogleg]

I am in Elk, Washington about 25 miles north of Spokane.
The lender assured us all the way to the end, that he has done loans on several of these types of homes. After I put down a deposit with the steel building company, the lender says to make the home more conventional we should consider pouring a footing and putting the building on short concrete walls. Then he says the appraisal is not going to come in high enough for him to make the loan work.
This was last year, and now we are even having trouble getting a high enough appraisal for a manufactured home. The housing market is pretty slow in this area. Homes are not selling, or are selling at low prices, devalueing our land so our equity is not there.
Hope things pick up next year.

[Jimmy7114]

That's a beautiful area - I love my place, but I'd prefer something greener - I have plenty of trees and some small ponds (wet lands), but it gets so freaking dry here!!!

[fnfredux]

I live in one, 21/2 stories. We were going to leave the bottom open, glad we didn't. We had a concrete slab poured AFTER we had enclosed the "lower" level, cost quite a bit more. Be wise, put a slab in to begin with. Or don't put it in and find out why you REALLY want one, (like going "downstairs" and finding a six foot long shed snakeskin in the corner). It's your home seal'er up. A crawl space invites "crawlies"
* http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i164/wingspot/house2.jpg

Build tall, the view is great, the stairs will keep you young.
I give more details on the house in another post, but YES INSULATE well, wrap the house interior before you put up drywall with one of those foil wraps. My house has a loft so much of my ceiling is "cathedral". Once again, overdo, I used all I could fit (R 40) and also used the foil wrapper on that. My walls downstairs "basement" which is really all above grade are 10" thick and I used unsufaced batts I belive they were R 30... I skipped the foil down there, I ran out. Wish I had just bought more. All totaled it's about 2000sq feet. It cost me about $800.00 to heat last year because the price of propane went INSANE. I only used 400 gallons. We lose some heat downstairs from a constantly active doggie door.
It is a good solid house, it's sort of a combination pole "barn" and timber frame. Suits us, that's what matters. Just wish we were a little younger, would be a wood stove and NO fuel bills. First year we were here, before the concrete and sealing up the "lower level" we used 800 gallons of propane.

[crisco41]

HI. I am so happy I found you.I have been thinking on this pole barn house for a year now. A morton put up pole house was 44,000,,,we need pretty large(2400 sq ft) as we now have 5 kids after adopting my 4 grand kids. Of course this was fancy..with gutters soffits etc,,'
Ideally I would like a main floor,,for us elderly..and a sleeping loft for the kids. Any help greatly appreciated.
I see it as the only way to get to our land., Am seriously considering a smaller "cabin" which we can addon to as we get cash. glad i found you all/ lori in tn

[vikx]

I lived in my shop for 5 years and loved it. Not a house but two "apartments" I built into the main shop, 12 x 36; downstairs, upstairs. Super insulated, (a little too well) I was very warm with just a 6100 BTU catalytic propane heater. I had venting but the windows would sweat because it was too "tight". The neighbors also had a shop converted to a house. They had 4 kids who slept in the lofts. The wood stove kept it toasty. Western Washington. It's do-able, most of it by your own efforts! VK

[flatwater]

Hogleg, if your back in the sticks far enough get a permit for a shop. Get it done and inspected for a shop then build your home inside like vikx did. use your imagination when you build IT WILL BE OK. I know stevens county has a policy that when you get the permit just tell them you don't want it inspected and they won't come out

[vikx]

Another tip-if you're going to put a slab in, put the plumbing down beforehand. Funny thing happened to me-I had the water supply buried and hired a local plumber to install the DWV system pipes. Once he found out I wanted to build the bathrooms and install the water pipes myself, he never returned. So here I was with black pipes sticking out of the cement and had absolutely no idea what they were for...The most fun three years of my life were spent out on that remote farm teaching myself to plumb, build, design, you name it. My only talent in the beginning was electrical; had lots of power.

I have since graduated to refurbishing vintage travel trailers. They are a little lighter weight work but similar systems; a rewarding hobby. You have brought back fond memories! Wish I could do it all again. VK