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Written By Eisla Sebastian
Pole barns can be great as an outbuilding for your business's storage needs. However, there is more to building a pole barn then simply ordering a pole barn kit. There are many factors to consider and questions to ask your supplier before you write a check or hand over a credit card.
Uses of pole barns
Pole barns are simple post-and-beam buildings that have traditionally been used for storage. However, these outbuildings can also be used as a garage or as office space. Even some coffee stands have utilized pole barns for their drive-up operations.
Advantages of pole barns over traditional construction
The main advantage of using a kit to build steel pole barns or wooden pole barns is that they are prefabricated for quick assembly. In most cases you can put pole barns together with a small crew in a weekend with a little carpentry experience. Another advantage of pole barns is that they tend to cost less per square foot. Keep in mind that the kit price most likely only includes the shell cost and not the interior, tools or construction costs.
Questions to ask before buying pole barn kits
Like other real estate, you need the facts before buying a pole barn kit. First is to understand what the purchase price includes. Most quoted prices only cover material costs for the shell. You need to figure out the construction, wiring, hookups, foundation and other costs so you can put together a budget. Next, you will need to know the project's interior and exterior size, which impact the usability of the pole barn. Finally, you need to ask if additional tools or supplies are needed to complete your pole barn project; vendors of pole barns may sell an assembly package separately from the shell kits.
DIY vs. contractor
The final question about pole barns is whether they should do it yourself or hire a contractor. The answer is that "it depends." The pole barn kit size, your carpentry experience, access to help and local building codes all impact whether your pole barn is a DIY project or a hire-out one.
Before committing either way, we recommend that you talk to several steel building suppliers who can assess your specific situation and skills, guiding you towards a DIY or contractor decision. Use our fast and easy free quote request service to find reputable pole barn suppliers for your project.
