Barndominium Cost Calculator Overview
One of the most challenging aspects of building your own home is figuring out how much it’s going to cost. While no one likes to think about this part of a home build, it’s actually one of the things that enter into the equation the most. After all, if you can’t afford to get something done, there really isn’t any reason to start planning for it in the first place. Because of this, the barndominium cost is more important than you might want to admit.
When you are figuring out your barndominium cost, one of the ways you can do it is by learning what the average cost per square foot is for your state. With this information, you can then start planning out for your barndominium and all the things you want to include. However, one of the flaws with this way of doing things is that the listed cost per square foot generally doesn’t include many of the things that you would probably want for a custom home.
For example, most listed costs per square foot don’t take countertops or porches into consideration. They are usually just including the livable space like bedrooms and living rooms. Because of this, it can often be difficult to really nail down how much your barndominium cost is going to be.
To help you with this, we here at Barndominium Life have put together a barndominium cost calculator. Not only will this make it easier for you to figure out your total barndominium cost, but it will also make it much easier to adjust things and let you design a barndominium that will fit into your budget. This takes the math out of the equation for you and can allow you to let your creativity flow.
In this article, we have laid out how the barndominium cost calculator works and all the different ways you can adjust it to fit your needs and requirements for a barndominium build.
What the Calculator Considers
In order for you to properly use the barndominium cost calculator, you should understand what it takes into consideration. By having a good idea of this, you can make adjustments for your particular situation and the specifics of your barndominium build. Then, you can get a fairly accurate idea of what your barndominium cost is going to be.
The barndominium cost calculator has a built-in price per square foot for the main areas like the living area and the shop area. For the living area, it places the cost at $120 per square foot. This is a fairly accurate national average for barndominium cost per square foot and will be a pretty good indicator of how much a barndominium will cost to build no matter where you are in the country. It also takes shop cost into consideration and places that at $55 per square foot. Shops are usually less expensive than living areas because they require less insulation and furnishing than the main living areas of a home.
It also takes porches into consideration and lets you adjust your total porch space. Most people will want some kind of a porch for their barndominium since it can add a lot of livable space to the home without adding a lot to the total barndominium cost. This is because porch space is generally much cheaper than living space. For example, this barndominium cost calculator places covered porch space at $30 per square foot and uncovered porch space at $20 per square foot. By adding these areas and counting them towards your total living space, you can end up saving yourself quite a bit of money in the long run.
The barndominium cost calculator also allows you to choose different grades of countertop and cabinets. The grading system is set up to mean different types.
The grades for cabinets are:
- Grade 1: Ready to assemble
- Grade 2: Stock
- Grade 3: Semi-Custom
- Grade 4: Custom
As you go up in grade, the cabinetry will get more expensive. Of course, these things will all depend on factors like where you buy your cabinetry and where you are located.
The grades for countertops are:
- Grade 1: Laminate or tile
- Grade 2: Porcelain, wood or concrete
- Grade 3: Stainless steel, quartz or limestone
- Grade 4: Granite or marble
Being able to adjust these different furnishing types for your barndominium cost is a great way to decide how you can balance your budget with your own personal taste. Click through them and see how they affect your total barndominium cost and whether or not you like those particular options for your custom home.
What is Not Included
While the barndominium cost calculator takes a lot of things into consideration, there are going to be other costs associated with building your barndominium. It’s important that you know what these things are so you can be prepared to adjust them accordingly when the time comes to actually start building.
When it comes to the outside of your barndominium, there are some important things that the barndominium cost calculator doesn’t take into consideration. The type of siding and the roof type you choose will affect your total cost if you decide that you want something other than the stock steel corrugated metal that comes with your barndominium kit or your post-frame structure. Because of this, you may want to consider what it is you really want for your home’s aesthetic and if you should plan on including some extra money in the budget to change this up.
Your foundation type will also have a big impact on your total barndominium cost. Almost all barndominiums are built on a concrete slab, but you may decide that you want a basement to be included, which is a lot of extra space. If your barndominium is going to have a crawl space, this could also affect the total barndominium cost and is not something that is taken into consideration with the barndominium cost calculator.
The number of bedrooms and bathrooms will also affect your barndominium cost outside of what is considered in the barndominium cost calculator. While the square footage is included, what you actually end up putting into that space will either increase or decrease the cost. Putting up the framing and electrical work to make those rooms livable will cost extra money, so it is important to have that set aside for your final barndominium budget.
Location
Where you choose to build your barndominium will have a major effect on how much the barndominium cost ends up being. This calculator assumes that you are building in the most average region possible, so it has that cost built-in. This is a good estimate of your cost since it is the average, but it will change depending on your location.
As with anything the location of your barndominium will affect the final price. If you are building in a high-dollar area like central Texas, Massachusetts, or California, this will be much more expensive. This is due to a few different factors that change with the region. In more expensive areas, labor and materials are going to be more expensive and this will drive up your barndominium cost.
However, this also works conversely. If you are planning on building in a less expensive area, you will end up paying less for those things. Taking the barndominium cost calculator as a baseline average is your best bet and you can adjust from there.
Additional Cost Considerations
There are some things that are not going to be included in any kind of barndominium cost estimate but should be taken into consideration. Things like furniture, electronics, and interior design will all be extra money that you should be including in your budget. If you are building a custom home, you will want to have these things since they make the effort of building a home from scratch worth it. Plus, they will make your home more specific to you and your family.
You will also have to consider things like barndominium taxes and insurance. These are true costs of ownership and if you don’t include them in your total budget, you could end up being very surprised when they start to add up. Work with your local tax assessor and insurance agent to find out what these things are going to add to your total barndominium cost.
Getting an Accurate Cost Estimate
While the barndominium cost calculator is a useful tool, it won’t be able to give you a 100% accurate estimate on your total barndominium cost. There are many factors that come into play when building your own home and before you start building, you should have accurate quotes from all the major players in your construction project.
One of the best ways to get an accurate estimate is to have a professional plan drawn up by a draftsman. You can take all of the ideas and needs you have for your barndominium and a draftsman can turn them into a professional and accurate floor plan. Then, you can take this to various builders that you are interested in working with and use it to get your barndominium cost estimate. This will also be a great way to find out what builders are going to give you the best quote on the same plan.
Conclusion
By using this barndominium cost calculator, you can give yourself a good initial idea of how much your dream barndominium is going to cost. Having this understanding can give you a baseline, average goal when you are looking for financing or saving to get your construction underway. Being informed is one of the best ways to ensure that your barndominium build will be successful.
If you would like even more tips and tricks from the pros, check out the Barndominium Life Program. Learn lots of in-depth guides to building a barndominium that can give you some inspiration. Then, you can put together your plan and get started building the home that you have been dreaming about.
