December 31, 2021
Wintertime in Michigan is upon us at last, and it’s time to watch the snow fluttering outside while you curl up with a cup of hot cocoa and a book. All you need to make the perfect winter getaway is your own castle in the forest- and that’s where your very own barndominium comes in! The word “barndominium” may be enough to make you do a double take, but this new trend in home ownership and its rise in popularity lately is well understood. What is a barndominium? Why are they suddenly so popular? Check out the answers to these questions, learn how to start your own and more below!
What is a Barndominium?
Combining the words “barn” and “condominium”, these structures are repurposed barns that have been transformed to be modern homes. These homes are highly customizable and built to your exact specifications for a unique look.
Most of these “Barndos” look like a traditional barn on the outside, but are made mostly of metal instead of wood. This typically lowers the price of construction and materials, making it a popular home choice.
The barndominium started to gain traction after it was featured on an episode of the HGTV show, Fixer Upper. As of June 2021, barndominiums were searched for on Google over 200,000 times and the hashtag #barndominium has over 85 million views on TikTok and with over 63 thousand posts on Instagram.
Benefits of the Barn
There are plenty of benefits for building your own barndominium. According to HomeAdvisor, the price per square foot is $30 to $40 compared to $100 to $200 per square foot to build a house. Many barndominiums are built using kits or existing barns, rather than starting from square one like other homes.
This low building cost results in a lower mortgage payment, making it a worthwhile investment. Barndominium owners also tend to spend less on repairs, which helps to bolster your savings and save more.
Another benefit to owning a barndominium is that each individual home is unique. Each contractor will offer different ways to build your home and can help you bring your barndominium dream to life. Once you have the ideas in mind, contractors can have your new home ready in as little as two weeks, depending on the area. A majority of time spent in construction is for the internal finishing work.
No builder? No problem! You can purchase DIY barndominium kits to make your very own barndominium. You can learn about DIY kits here.
How to Get Started
If you are ready to start building your dream barndominium but don’t know where to start, there are plenty of resources available to help you out. The book Build Your Dream Barndominium by Don Howe and Barndominium On A Budget: Building A Barno Without Going Broke by Michael Chapman are both great resources to help get you started.
The first step to building a barndominium in Michigan is to acquire land. This can be one of the more challenging steps. Contact one of our real estate agents to begin your search or shop for land today on our “Michigan Real Estate Search” app found on the App Store and Google Play!
When you acquire land to build on, the next step would be to find a builder. Thankfully, Michigan is not short on builders. If you need help looking for your perfect Michigan builder, reach out to other barndominium enthusiasts! With nearly five thousand members, Michigan Barndominium Life on Facebook is a good resource to ask questions and learn from others in the community.
Knowing what you want out of your barndominium is a good next step. Design or download a blueprint of your ideal home to show your chosen builder. Then you can discuss the details:
- Know your budget- how much can you spend on construction?
- Brush up on the building codes for where you live- and if you don’t know, ask!
- Make a list of what you want and need- make a detailed list of features. Do you want a doorwall? A bay window? Central heating?
After the key details are listed out, it’s up to you and your contractor to decide on what materials and supplies are needed, along with floor plans, subcontractors and a timeline for completion. Cost estimates are one of the last pieces to this living puzzle, which can be discussed with your contractor, and voilà! Once the building process is complete, you now have your new unique home!
