Pole barn used as a home (convert, electricity, land, heater)
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We built a 30 x 40 shop, 16' walls and 22' to the peak.
It cost $30,000, has 4 windows, one man door and one 16' x 14' that will let any RV fit, lots of electric including 220 and provisions for a generator.
After it was finished, I looked at it and asked the builder what it would take to make this building compliant with residential codes. He said he thought some stuff near the ground for infiltration, IIRC.
It's insulated with GreenGuard, some stuff in the roof, no vent though because the builder said we don't need one.
My idea is to dig a deep basement, perhaps even two stories deep, then put up a pole barn on top of it. With hyperinsulation and some underground quarters the heat and air costs should be pretty reasonable.
I was wondering if you could just build the shell and then spray the inside with styrofoam, as they do with monolithic domes, then pshotcrete over that. You'd have an almost airtight building with the insulation qualities of a dome.
Might be just as easy to do the dome. Monolithic
Anyway, I'd think you could get into a pretty nice place for well under 100 grand.
We built a 30 x 40 shop, 16' walls and 22' to the peak.
It cost $30,000, has 4 windows, one man door and one 16' x 14' that will let any RV fit, lots of electric including 220 and provisions for a generator.
After it was finished, I looked at it and asked the builder what it would take to make this building compliant with residential codes. He said he thought some stuff near the ground for infiltration, IIRC.
It's insulated with GreenGuard, some stuff in the roof, no vent though because the builder said we don't need one.
My idea is to dig a deep basement, perhaps even two stories deep, then put up a pole barn on top of it. With hyperinsulation and some underground quarters the heat and air costs should be pretty reasonable.
I was wondering if you could just build the shell and then spray the inside with styrofoam, as they do with monolithic domes, then pshotcrete over that. You'd have an almost airtight building with the insulation qualities of a dome.
Might be just as easy to do the dome. Monolithic
Anyway, I'd think you could get into a pretty nice place for well under 100 grand.
I like the domes, really interesting site. Especially like the ones with the windows, as natural light is important to me. Maybe you could talk to an engineer to see if that method of spraying with styrofoam/pshotcrete would be structually feasible in a pole barn building. What is GreenGuard?
The worst part about pole barn living is being on concrete. Same with houses on slab IMHO. As you age that concrete can get very hard on the back and knees, joints generally. Have an injured back and it just gets worse. I wondered if there was a way to put low suspended floor joisted floor over the slab - but it would certainly add to the cost, add in a few extra windows, doors etc. and pretty fast a pole barn is almost as expensive as a stick built or modular.
Just to report back on my friend's barn home I posted about earlier....that thing made it through Hurricane Ike (it was 3 blocks from the water) w/ very little damage. Strangely enough, the doors and base were so thoroughly sealed that only 3 inches of water made it into the building...there was about 2.5 outside the building. No wind damage at all. It was strange seeing that place there being all cheery, when only a few other houses in the immediate area were still standing. The unattached shop and gardens did not fare so well. Salt water really does in tools and landscaping.
We are in the process of building our 40x56 storage/living with attached 28x32 great room/kitchen combination. Hopefully we will have pictures up once construction is finished and then my hubby will be working on the inside!
The bathtub with the platform built up around it,the top will be tiled with slate and we are building a shower curtain to go all the way around.
The pine door and wood walls,still trying to decide what to put on the walls,we want the would to show its natural color.
Floors will be slate tile,next weekends project.
Vanity counter top with copper sink.Unfortunately Mrs oz was not able to finish the plumbing as the sink required a special piece....another project for next weekend.Unsure of what to place on the counters,that is Mrs oz's territory,she has the good taste.
Another view of vanity,it is actually three kitchen cabinets and measures six feet long.
We are in the process of building our 40x56 storage/living with attached 28x32 great room/kitchen combination. Hopefully we will have pictures up once construction is finished and then my hubby will be working on the inside!
Would love to see pictures of the process, and of course the finished living space.
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In the process
*bump*
