Look up “barn house design,” and before long. You will start to see some very attractive pictures being posted over. And over again without anyone bothering to say anything about their cost or even their functionality. But we’re going to do that right now. A barn house design, if done right, allows you to have high ceilings. An open floor plan, and a rustic cottage look that you simply cannot get with a conventional suburban design. But the actual cost is all over the map depending on whether. You choose to go with a pole barn, steel kit, or timber frame. And that decision is far more important than any exterior finish that you will eventually select.
What Makes Barn House Design Different From a Traditional Home?
A barn house borrows its bones literally from agricultural buildings. A simple gable form, a clear-span interior with few or no load-bearing interior walls. And a roof pitch steep enough to shed snow and rain fast. That structural simplicity is exactly why barn houses tend to build faster. And cheaper per square foot than a home with a complicated roofline and lots of interior framing. Where it gets interesting is the interior. Instead of chopped-up rooms. You get one big volume you can carve into open living space, a loft, or a mezzanine office. Which is why the style has become popular with people. Who want flexibility more than a fixed floor plan.
What defines a modern barn house design?
In a modern barn house, the barn shape will be complemented by modern building materials. Such as standing seam metal roofing painted black, board-and-batten siding or cedar shingles siding. And large windows to maximize the lighting in the open space inside. The word “modern” does not apply to the shape itself, but to the materials used and the glass. When wood siding on a barn is replaced with modern materials like black metal and huge glass. The effect becomes what’s being seen all over Dezeen and Design Milk at the moment.
Barn house vs. barndominium: what’s the difference?
A barndominium is a barn house with a workshop, garage. Or shop space built into the same structure usually under one roof. A barn house, by contrast, is purely residential — no shop bay, no equipment storage. If you need somewhere to park an RV or run a workshop, you’re really talking about a barndominium. And that changes your square footage math significantly. Since shop space typically adds 600 to 1,800 square feet on top of the living area.
Popular Barn House Design Styles to Consider
Barn house design isn’t one look — it splits into a handful of recognizable styles. And picking the wrong one for your site can leave a beautiful house feeling out of place. A Scandinavian-style barn on a wooded New England lot reads completely differently than. The same footprint dropped into open Texas ranchland. I’d argue the style decision should come after you’ve walked the actual site, not before. Because the surrounding landscape does half the design work for you.
Scandinavian and minimalist barn houses
This style strips the barn form down to its simplest expression. Pale or dark monochrome cladding, minimal trim, and windows placed with almost mathematical precision rather than for view-framing. It photographs beautifully, but it’s less forgiving of budget compromises — every surface is visible, so cheap materials show immediately.
Industrial steel and traditional timber-frame styles
Steel-kit barndominiums lean industrial, with exposed steel framing and metal interior finishes that keep costs down. Timber-frame and post-and-beam barn houses go the opposite direction. Exposing heavy wood beams and mortise-and-tenon joinery — gorgeous. But running $480 to $900 per square foot according to figures cited by several timber-frame builders. Roughly three to five times what a comparable steel-kit shell costs.
Barn House Floor Plans and Layouts
There are also various floor plans for barn-style houses. Ranging from tiny 700-square-foot accessory dwellings to huge 4,000-square-foot homes. And clear-span framing makes it easy not to have issues with load-bearing walls when designing interior space. Such resources as Houseplans.com and The Plan Collection offer ready-made barn house plans. Starting from 1,200 square feet up to 3,800 square feet and more. And looking through several dozens of such ready-made plans is probably the quickest way to figure out what size is right for you before hiring an architect to design custom.
How big should a barn house floor plan be?
For a couple or small family, 1,800 to 2,200 square feet covers three bedrooms. And two-and-a-half baths comfortably without wasted space. Larger families or anyone wanting a dedicated home office and game room should look closer to 2,800 to 3,500 square feet — beyond that, you’re paying to heat and clean rooms most households only use occasionally.
Should you add a loft or keep it single-story?
Loft space should be considered in the event. That there is the need for an extra room and office within the house without necessarily increasing the size of the structure; the inclusion of a loft on top of the existing living space will add about 400 to 600 square feet of living space for much cheaper costs compared to the addition of an extra floor on the existing structure. There is more reason to go for single-story homes in barns.
How Much Does Barn House Design and Construction Cost?
This is where most barn house dreams either survive contact with reality or don’t, so let’s be blunt about numbers. For the bare metal barn shell. The costs are around $7-$25 per square foot. While the pole barn shell will cost about $15-$45 per square foot. And nothing has been said yet about the interior being finished into a habitable place. With the insulation, drywall, plumbing, wiring, and other finishes added to the mix, costs per square foot will rise up to between $50-$150 for economy finish, $80-$120 for mid-range, and $120-$250+ per square foot for a high end finish, which is more or less in line with the numbers quoted by such pole buildings makers as Morton Buildings and FBi Buildings.
What’s the average cost per square foot for a barn house?
Barn houses already built and ready for use cost around $120-$240 per square foot total in the United States. With $180-$240 per square foot being quoted as a rough average nationally by various builders. A 2,400-square foot pole-barn house that is finished would cost $120,000-$360,000 and a 2,400-square foot steel-framed barndominium house would cost $150,000-$315,000 — fairly broad ranges. But they show the true variations rather than just poor estimates.
Pole barn vs. steel frame vs. timber frame: which is cheapest?
Building a pole barn will almost always be the least expensive choice for a structure followed by steel framed buildings which are more expensive than pole barns but less costly than the timber frame. With budget being your top priority, then choosing either a post frame building or pole barn with a 40-80 feet clear span will get you an open interior without spending money on timber joinery.
Where to Find Barn House Plans and Architects
You don’t have to design a barn house from scratch and honestly, most people shouldn’t. Stock plan libraries like Houseplans.com list tens of thousands of house plans, including dozens of dedicated barn and barndominium designs you can buy and modify for a fraction of full custom-architecture fees.
Where can you buy barn house plans online?
Houseplans.com, The Plan Collection, Dream Home Source, and Barndominium Life all sell downloadable barn house and barndominium plans, typically with options to customize room layouts before you buy. Stock plan pricing runs far below hiring an architect from scratch, which makes it the practical starting point for most budgets.
Should you hire an architect or use a stock plan?
For a relatively flat property with little distinction, you should go for a stock plan, but if your property has slopes, special view or zoning requirements, an architect would be the right choice for your needs. In most cases, a stock plan modified to account for site-specific conditions by a local architect is more affordable than a completely customized design.
Practical Design Choices That Affect Livability
Beyond style and budget, a handful of practical decisions determine whether a barn house actually feels good to live in day to day, and these get skipped constantly in design blogs chasing pretty photos.
How much natural light should a barn house have?
More than a traditional home, generally — tall, evenly spaced windows along the gable ends are what make barn interiors feel bright rather than cavernous. Without generous glazing, that dramatic open volume can start to feel more like a warehouse than a home, especially in winter months with shorter daylight hours.
What roof pitch works best for a barn house design?
The greater slope, usually in the range of 8/12 up to 12/12, is more of an authentic “barn” and has more capability to shed the snow in colder areas, whereas the lesser slope of 3/12 up to 4/12 looks modern and is good enough for milder weather conditions. Ultimately, the choice would be made by your snow loads and local codes anyway, so do not get carried away with your favorite style.
Barn House Design Conclusion
Three main considerations will go into creating a successful barn house design. Choose a structural system based on your budget, make your floor plan suitable to your family’s lifestyle, and don’t underestimate windows and roof pitch for your particular climate. While everyone is surrounded by pictures of styles, it takes some effort and knowledge – such as comparison of pole-barn, steel, and timber-frame structures’ prices, selection of stock versus fully customized plans, and loft sizing – to create an amazing barn house instead of just having beautiful pictures.
FAQs
What is the price to construct a barn home on a per square foot basis?
The completed barn homes tend to cost between $50-$150 per square foot for a basic construction and $120-$250 and above for a luxury construction, with a national average of $180-$240 quoted. It should be noted that the actual costs vary significantly depending on location and other factors, so make sure to contact local contractors.
How do the barndominium and barn house differ?
A barndominium has a shop, garage, or storage bay in its structure, whereas the barn house is residential only. In case you want to have space for a workshop or equipment, you will need an extra 600 to 1,800 square feet in addition to the living area.
Is a pole barn house cheaper than a traditional house?
Yes, generally — pole-barn and post-frame construction typically costs less per square foot than traditional stick-frame building, mainly due to simpler framing and fewer interior load-bearing walls. The clear-span structure also makes open floor plans easier and cheaper to achieve than in a conventionally framed home.
Is there any resale value for barn houses?
There has been an increasing trend in the popularity of barn houses and barndominiums over the last few years, and good-quality ones located in regions that already have a market for rural and semi-rural homes tend to hold value quite well. It is best to consult a real estate agent in your locality who deals with barn houses in particular before making any assumptions about appreciation.