How Long Does it Take to Build a Barndominium?

An unstable housing market in the U.S. has led to a number of unusual trends, particularly housing made of pre-existing structures, such as tiny homes, homes made from shipping containers and homes built in silos. One of these housing styles is the barndominium, or barndo, which is an open floor plan home that typically consists of a barn that’s been converted into a living space. While the name is self-explanatory, here we’ll dive into what exactly makes a barndominium, how long it’ll take to build one, and the factors involved in doing so.

What Is a Barndominium?

Barndominium is a portmanteau of the words “barn” and “condominium," though the word suggests limitations that are not the reality of how these homes are being built. While most barndos do consist of a barn that’s been converted into a home, the term can also apply to an open-floor plan home that’s made of wood or metal with the same general shape as a barn. Wood and steel are the most common kinds of siding used when building or renovating one of these homes. The wooden variety is more common in the American Midwest, while their metal counterparts have more notoriety in the South and Southeastern parts of the country.

The idea behind barndominiums isn’t a new concept; people have been repurposing existing structures into homes for thousands of years. While barndos in concept are converted barns, it’s not uncommon for them to be built from the ground up as a new structure. They’re typically comprised of two parts: a living area and a work area. The living area can feature the typical amenities of a home: electricity, plumbing, a living room, kitchen area, bedroom, etc. The work area, if there is one, can be anything from a small storage space to a large workshop.

To learn more about barndominiums, check out this guide to see if they’re right for you.

How Long Does It Take to Build a Barndominium?

As with any home construction project, there are several important factors involved in building a barndominium that will affect the total time needed to complete it.

First and foremost is whether the barndominium is going to be a converted barn, or a new structure built from scratch. Converting a preexisting barn into a home has the potential to be relatively quick (as far as home construction goes), given there is no need to, well, build it.

Building a new structure is naturally going to take longer and follows a similar timeline that a traditional home would, though they tend to be quicker, on average. To learn more about that process, check out our guide to the 6 steps to building a custom home.

New and Improved

That said, a strong appeal of the barndominium is that typically there’s no need to worry about building it. Converting a barn into a living space means that construction, zoning, landscaping and financing costs are either greatly reduced or eliminated entirely. The process can take anywhere from 3 months to 1 year depending on the complexity of the project.

Getting in touch with experienced builders is going to help the process along as well. You’ll be working with them for quite some time, so it’ll be worth it to do your homework and find the right builder for you and your project. Check out our handy guide for comparing builders here.

From the Ground Up

It’s tricky to pin down construction time for any kind of new home, and barndos are no different in that regard. While the process isn’t too different from building a traditional home, however, there are a few key differences.

Financing, like with traditional homes, is an important and time-consuming part of building a barndominium. Securing bids from contractors and having a solid plan in place before applying for a loan will go a long way in helping to secure financing for your barndo. As a part of the planning phase, financing will typically only take a few weeks, based on where you’re looking to obtain financing from. Designing the barndo and finding a builder is subject to the complexity of the project, but generally takes anywhere from two weeks to three months.

Barndos can be any size, but are commonly 1,000 to 5,000 square feet, depending on specifications and location. The size and structure of them means that if you want to build one from scratch, you’ll have to plan carefully where you want your barndo built. Land with lots of open, flat space is going to be ideal; the less time needed for clearing land means less total build time. The process of buying land and building the structure can take around 2-6 months total, while the interior can take 1-3 months depending on the complexity.

Zoning is important to consider as well. To build a residential barndominium or renovate an existing barn into one, you’re going to need to get your hands on building permits. The cost can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars depending on where you plan to build. If you’re renovating an existing barn rather than building from scratch, don’t assume that it’s built to code either. Make sure you take the necessary steps to ensure your planned changes will pass muster. Obtaining permits can take several months depending on the county office.