How much does it cost to build a small barn

Save an Average of 18% on General Contractors

Enter Your Zip Code and Get Free Price Quotes From Local Contractors. You Are Never Pressured to Hire Services or Purchase Anything!

Barn Costs #

The cost to build a barn depends on the type of barn you are looking for and the size of the barn. Barns are typically built to house horses or other farm animals, workspace, storage, or even extra living space. There are several different construction methods available to build your barn. A wood barn can be built using traditional framing methods or you can use post-and-beam construction to give your barn an antique look. You can build a barn using metal I-beams, girders and trusses. Alternatively, you can build a pole barn. Metal framed barns and pole barns are relatively inexpensive and very easy to assemble. Wood barns are expensive but look fantastic!

Traditional Wood Barns #

Using wood to build a barn is the expensive way to go but is the only choice if you are going for the classic barn look. A traditional wood barn typically costs $45 to $65 per square foot. These costs do not include electrical or plumbing. Every barn needs its own unique plumbing and electrical so it is impossible to give a cost range for what your specific setup. Talk to a contractor about your specific electrical and plumbing needs.

Antique Wood Barns #

Post and beam construction can get rather expensive. There are very few old-growth timbers still available for purchase. Most of them come from older homes and barns that have been torn down and salvaged. Expect to pay a large premium for this type of lumber. The labor costs are a bit more expensive, as well. Each beam has to be carefully placed and fastened according to an engineered plan. This type of barn usually costs $65 to $75 per square foot.

A metal barn is erected with steel columns for support, steel studs in between for fastening purposes, steel trusses for wall and roof support, and sheet metal for the protective exterior layer. Metal barns do require a concrete slab, however. These typically cost between $25 and $35 per square foot. You can also buy premade metal barn kits that are ready to assemble.

Pole Barns #

Pole barns differ from other types of barns simply because their main structural element is wooden poles (think of telephone poles). The skin and the roof of the building is usually sheet metal. These are less labor intensive than other barns. Expect to pay anywhere from $20 to $30 per square foot to build one of these.

Depending on the size of the barn you are building you are going to have to get engineer-stamped plans to apply for a permit. A small barn, not much bigger than a shed, may not require plans (depending on what you are keeping inside). Hiring an architect to draw up plans and having an engineer approve them can be expensive. You can also buy pre-approved plans from architectural firms that can take some of the cost and the headache away from custom plans. A permit from your town or city may be quite expensive as well. All of the above figures do not include pricing for an overhead door. An overhead door will be a significant cost. Moreover, motorized doors usually require a specialty contractor. Keep that in mind.

Fill out the form to get free quotes from local barn building contractors. Compare companies and prices to make sure you get the barn you want at the price you want. It's fast, easy, and free! Start now!

Use Our Free Service and Find Barn Building Companies Near You #

Save an Average of 18% on General Contractors

Enter Your Zip Code and Get Free Price Quotes From Local Contractors. You Are Never Pressured to Hire Services or Purchase Anything!

Pole Barn Prices

The cost to build a pole barn house runs $15,000 to $35,000 on average with most spending $10 to $30 per square foot. Exact prices depend on the size. A small pole building costs $4,000, while a large residential or retail building runs $100,000 or more.

How much does it cost to build a small barn

Pole barns are built on supporting poles, durable, and easy to maintain. Pole building prices will largely depend upon its size and intended use. Many homeowners and farmers are installing pole barns for sheds, barns, commercial buildings, and homes because of the speed of installation and lower cost.

Pole Barn Cost
National Average Cost $22,000
Minimum Cost $4,000
Maximum Cost $120,000
Average Range $15,000 to $35,000

Metal pole barns are cheaper than wood, won’t rot or warp, and termites won’t find the metal at all edible. Most pole barn kits come with high-quality metal roofing and siding although it's optional to be fully functional.

Table of Contents

  1. Pole Barn Prices
  2. Pole Barn Cost Estimator
    • Pole Barn Sizes & Prices
    • Cost Per Square Foot
    • Labor & Materials Cost
    • Garages, Sheds, and Homes
  3. Cost to Build a Pole Barn House
    • Loft & Living Quarters
    • Insulation
    • Roofing
    • Siding
    • Flooring
    • Doors and Windows
    • Painting
  4. Pole Barn Kit Prices
    • House Kits Prices
    • Morton Pole Barn Prices
  5. Metal Building Homes Cost
    • Pole Barn vs. Metal Building
  6. DIY Pole Barns
  7. Frequently Asked Questions
  8. Barn Builders Near Me

Pole Barn Cost Estimator

An estimate for a 1,800 square feet 12-horse pole barn runs anywhere from $15,000 to $35,000, while a 40x60 pole barn cost will average $20,000 to $40,000. Pole barns have many versatile uses for farms and can add space and convenience. Pricing will fluctuate from $10 to 30 per square foot the more customized the pole barn becomes.

How much does it cost to build a small barn

Pole Barn Sizes & Prices

Below are the typical pole barn sizes and typical uses based on square footage. A barn will approximately hold 100 bales of hay per 1,200 square feet, and one horse stall per 144 square feet.

Pole Barn Sizes & Prices
SizeSquare FeetAverage CostTypical Use
16x16 256 $4,000 – $8,000 1 garage, 1 horse barn
20x20 400 $4,500 – $12,000 1 or 2-car garage, 2 horse barn, 30 bales of hay
20x30 600 $5,000 – $15,000 1 or 2-car garage, 2 horse barn, 50 bales of hay
24x24 576 $5,000 – $15,000 1 or 2-car garage, 2 horse barn
30x30 900 $7,000 – $20,000 3-car garage, small retail space, 4 horse barn
30x40 1,200 $10,000 – $25,000 8 horse stall, small retail space, 100 bales of hay
30x50 1,500 $12,000 – $30,000 4-car garage, 125 bales of hay, 10 horse stable
30x60 1,800 $15,000 – $35,000 6-car garage, machine shop, 12 horse barn
36x36 1,296 $10,000 – $25,000 100 bales of hay, 8 horse stable
36x50 1,800 $15,000 – $35,000 Multi-office unit, auto or tractor workshop
40x40 1,600 $13,000 – $32,000 10 horse stall, 130 bales of hay
40x50 2,000 $16,000 – $40,000 150 bales of hay, 12 horse barn
40x60 2,400 $20,000 – $40,000 200 bales of hay, industrial workshop
40x80 3,200 $25,000 – $55,000 250 bales of hay, 20 horse barn, 2 bedroom house
50x80 4,000 $30,000 – $60,000 12-car garage, 2 or 3-bedroom house
50x100 5,000 $40,000 – $75,000 3 bedroom house, 400 bales of hay
60x80 4,800 $40,000 – $75,000 Industrial machine shop or warehouse
60x90 5,400 $45,000 – $80,000 450 bales of hay, 4 bedroom house, 35 horse barn
60x100 6,000 $50,000 – $100,000 Commercial warehouse or storage

Labor, location, and construction all play a role in getting an estimate. Having a basic pole barn with just support beams and walls or one with a foundation and other features, can affect the pricing greatly.

How much does it cost to build a small barn

The walls for a pole barn require no inner support, making it great for large livestock that needs space to move around in or for various agricultural needs like hay storage. These post-frame buildings are customizable to fit horses and cows or tractors and feed. You can also buy a green pole barn made of recycled steel.

Pole Barn Cost Per Square Foot

The cost to build a pole barn runs $10 to $30 per square foot but adding additional features will influence pricing. Roll-up or overhead doors are great options for access, making it perfect for maneuvering livestock or loading and unloading materials. Lean-to's, Garage doors, entry doors, sliding doors, skylights, and dormer windows are accents that can drive the square footage prices up.

How much does it cost to build a small barn

Labor Cost to Build a Pole Barn

The labor cost to build a pole barn is $5 to $10 per square foot. Expect to pay more for any added features, like electricity, carpentry, or plumbing installation. The average cost per hour in the US for these professionals is $40 to $70 per hour or more.

Pole Barn Material Prices

Pole barn materials alone cost about $5 to $20 per square foot. Consider what you are trying to accomplish with your space before hiring barn builders. From building a single-car garage to starting a small retail space, the right post-frame structure will help achieve what you have in mind. An expert pole barn contractor will figure out the best design for your needs and will not stop until you are satisfied.

How much does it cost to build a small barn

Pole Building Costs for Garages, Sheds, and Homes

For residential or retail use, a pole barn can run up to $100,000. Sheds, garages, hay and horse barns cost $4,000 to $50,000 to build. If your house is too small to store extra belongings, a pole barn is a perfect extra-storage solution. It can also be great to use as a workshop, tool shed, small home, or party venue. Prices below are pole barn kits from Home Depot.

  • Pole Garage: Whether you want a stand-alone garage or a second one, a pole barn is great for protecting your investments from the elements, costing $4,500 to $6,500.
  • Pole Shed or Office Space: Add the luxury of insulation and electricity, and you have yourself a great work-from-home office that costs $9,300 to $15,300.
  • Pole Workshop: Costing about $19,000, fabrication, woodworking, and welding a pole barn is an excellent alternative to working in a basement or rental shop space.
  • Pole Barn Home: A pole barn building will provide the shell you need to start with for $35,000 to $42,000. You’ll have to cover the cost of the foundation and internal framing, and you can finish out the interior with flooring and insulation as you wish.

Return to Top

Cost to Build a Pole Barn House

The cost to build a 40x60 pole barn house is $35,000 to $70,000 or $15 to $30 per square foot. The larger and more complex pole barn designs cost $45 per square foot, or $100,000 plus when fully finished out. A concrete slab costs an additional $6 per square foot to pour.

Since post frame builds rely on vertical poles for stability instead of a foundation, they come at a low cost, are easy to construct, and can be adapted for many needs. Pole barns are particularly popular as storage units, barns, and sheds, but you’ll at least double or triple your cost once you want to turn it into livable space like a home or apartment.

How much does it cost to build a small barn

Cost of Pole Barn Loft Apartment & Living Quarters

You can finish out and add living quarters to any pole barn for about $25 per square foot of apartment space, but there are several factors to consider for budgeting if you want the entire barn to be liveable. Prices below are for a 2,776 square foot pole barn home finished-out.

Pole Barn House Cost Factors
FactorsAverage Cost% of Budget
Site & Prep Work $3,000 6
Concrete Foundation $15,300 6
Major Systems $35,000 15
Interior Finishes $70,000 29
Total $123,000 56

How much does it cost to build a small barn

  • Landscape and Location – Land clearing costs $1,200 to $4,500 for leveling and preparing your property for installation.
  • Construction Manager – A building manager costs $3,000 to $41,000 depending on the complexity of the project. Construction managers or overseers usually charge $15%–20% of the total cost as their fee.
  • Siding Material$5,000 to $10,000 for wood and $10,000 to $15,000 for aluminum
  • Insulation$800 to $2,000 for housing livestock or building a home
  • Drywall – Drywall costs $1,200 to $2,500, or about $1.60 to $2.35 per square foot to install.
  • Roofing – Metal roofing costs $5,000 to $25,000 for aluminum or steel with labor included.
  • Electricity, Carpentry, or Plumbing$37–$43/hour or double, if you live in an area with high labor costs. Individually, in a 3-bed, 2-bath pole barn home, rough-in plumbing costs about $11,000, electrical work $10,000, and your HVAC system $11,000.

Pole Building Insulation

Blown-in insulation costs $800 to $2,000 for your pole barn. Having siding with built-in insulation will lower your price point long term. If you plan on living in your pole barn or housing livestock, then installing insulation is necessary to make it habitable. “Use the Home Energy Saver tool to determine where you need to insulate and the recommended R-values based on your climate, type of heating and cooling system, etc.” (energy.gov).

Roofing

Roofing costs will range from $5,000 to $10,000 and can reach up to $25,000 when labor is added. Metal roofs are easier to install than shingle roofs and more commonly installed on pole barns. The most common roofing materials are aluminum and steel.

Siding

Adding siding to your pole barn can cost from $5,000 to $15,000 depending on if you want to use wood, vinyl, steel, or aluminum. You don’t necessarily need siding, but it can make the barn look like more of a regular home, and siding further protects the interior of the pole barn from outside wear and tear. Most materials can be installed within just a day or two.

How much does it cost to build a small barn

At best, vinyl siding is aesthetically pleasing, but it's only plastic. Wood siding adds a great look, but it is not as durable as the metal options. Aluminum and steel siding will protect the pole barn from more extreme elements and last longer.

Flooring

The most common floor type for pole barns is concrete, which costs $1,000 to $5,000. Flooring installation costs range from $6 to $20 per square foot on average with the cheapest being laminate flooring at $3 to $8 per sqft. If you're going to house livestock, leaving the floor as dirt is a common, inexpensive option. Sawdust is spread out over the dirt floor to collect moisture. Add rubber mats underneath a dirt floor for a softer surface to alleviate joint problems. Those run around $90 for a 4 x 6.

Foundation

Foundation for a pole barn home will cost about $26,000 for excavation, foundation, concrete, retaining walls, and backfill. Another option is pole barn floor plates you can install over a pier and beam setup.

Doors and Windows

Windows run $2,500 to $7,500 or $500–$1,000 per window and can add natural lighting and keep energy costs down. Doors are $700 to $2,000, and if you would like an electric garage-style door, the cost will go up. As with any project, the more complex the parts, the higher the price. When it comes to added features, go for function over looks if you're looking to keep costs down.

Painting

Exterior painting costs $400 to $1,500 for metal siding, and wood will cost $700 to $2,000. Interior painting your installed drywall will cost about $3,000–$5,000 or $1.50+ per square foot. The final cost of painting depends on the materials used to make your pole barn. The benefit of painting wood siding is it will help to add longevity. Painting will help metal siding to look more natural and less of an eyesore.

Return to Top

Pole Barn Kit Prices

Pole barn kit prices range from $4,000 to $50,000 depending on the size, quality, and accessories. For residential uses, a pole barn kit can go up to $100,000. You’ll pay more for doors, windows, insulation, roofing, trim, skylights, and gutters, and downspouts.

A pole barn kit usually includes the outer and inner framing and sheeting, and you can choose your color scheme for the exterior. It should also include a 30- to 40- year warranty on manufacturing, certification, engineers’ drawings (for permits), and anchor bolt drawings.

Pole Barn House Kits Prices

Pole Barn Kit Prices
SizeBase Price RangeTypical Use
Small
24’ x 24’ x 8’ – 36’ x 48’ x 10’
$2,400 – $10,700 Garage
Medium
36’ x 36’ x 12’ – 40’ x 80’ x 14’
$7,000 – $21,000 Storage
Large
40’ x 60’ x 16’ – 60’ x 120’ x 16’
$14,400 – $51,000 Workshop
Extra Large $49,000 – $100,000 Residential & Commercial

Most customers choose to pay for the kit company’s installation team, and they can put the pole barn up in about six weeks from start to finish if you want a concrete foundation. If all you want is a simple garage, it can go up in a day with deep anchors.

How much does it cost to build a small barn

Another benefit of buying one of these kits is that with some building experience, you can do the basic installation work yourself. You can save about 50% on your total costs, although you’ll need to rent a lift or forklift if you’re raising the barn yourself at the expense of $500–$1,000.

When you’ve narrowed down your pole barn kit companies, their costs should include:

  • Free estimates & quotes.
  • Steel frame, not wood.
  • Manufacturers’ warranties.
  • Shipping

Morton Pole Barn Prices

Morton pole barn prices range from $79,000 for a 36x50 (1,800 square foot) building to $134,000 for a two-story 30x50 3,000 square foot living area. Building shells come fully erected with a full Morton warranty and finishing costs can range anywhere from $50 to $100 per square foot.

Morton is one of the most trusted names in pole barn construction. They offer a wide range of pole barn types, from equestrian to commercial. Morton’s prices vary significantly on the different models of pole barns since there are so many modifications that can be made.

The Morton brand is popular despite its price point because of the guarantees offered. Many of their warranties depend on materials used, but generally speaking, most buildings come with a 35- to 50-year warranty on snow load, decay, and building materials.

Return to Top

Metal houses complete with roof, frames, and siding start at $5,000 and can cost up to $30,000 just for the shell. They are a great alternative if you are unable to build a home from the ground up. These prefab homes are cost-efficient and come in many styles to suit your needs.

Metal Building Homes Cost
Building TypeCost Per Square Foot
Quonset Hut $12 – $16
Pole Barn $10 – $30
Modular $35 – $42
I-Beam Metal Building $9 – $18
C-Channel Building $15 – $20
Block Building $9 – $12

How much does it cost to build a small barn

Pole Barn vs. Metal Building

A metal building can last a lot longer than one built with wood. Strong elemental forces, such as wind and rain, cannot wear metal down as fast as they can other materials. Because metal structures make the external walls load-bearing, they are easier to remodel for future additions.

Insurance costs are lower for metal buildings because they are mostly fire resistant. Another great benefit to metal buildings is the low-maintenance costs, and metal results in savings of about $100 per month in utility bills over wood. These metal structures will save you a significant amount of money in the long run.

Return to Top

DIY Pole Barns

For those looking to DIY and create a custom pole barn, there are plenty of complete building kits to choose from. If you have the skills and time to build a new pole barn, then expect to save on labor at a price point of $5 to $10 per square foot apart from additional add-ons you have chosen to pay for.

Building materials such as wood and metal for interior framing, roof joints, etc., will cost between $5 and $15 per square foot. If you want a concrete foundation for added security, then add an extra $6+ per square foot. The cost will go up the more features you add.

How much does it cost to build a small barn

Building a pole barn yourself is not always the best option. If your pole barn is constructed incorrectly or with low-quality materials, then you could be taking the chance of running into expensive repairs in the future. By hiring a professional contractor, they are familiar with the building process, building permits, and local building codes required for new structures.

Return to Top

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to build a pole barn house?

Building a barn home on your property is cheaper than building a custom home. The construction process of a pole barn home is less complicated, and you still get the same amount of control. However, they will depreciate over time quicker if they are mostly made of wood rather than metal. Wood will deteriorate over time and will require more maintenance.

How much does it cost to build a barndominium?

Most barndominium builders will charge $80 to $100 per square foot or $20 per square foot for a barndominium kit which you will then install yourself. Calculating the cost for a barndominium is not an easy task; be aware these types of structures can sometimes cost more than a traditionally built home when you factor in all the special features. The overall average cost is $150,000 to $220,000.

Get free estimates on HomeGuide from trusted pole barn builders:

Get free estimates

  • https://www.bigbuildingsdirect.com/product/the-rogue-commercial-garage-kit-w-office-space-55x120x17/
  • https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/pole-barn-prices/
  • https://metalbuildinghomes.org/olympia-steel-buildings-review/
  • https://metalbuildinghomes.org/arco-buildings/
  • https://metalbuildinghomes.org/arched-cabins/

How long does it take to build a small barn?

A barn kit will typically take six to 12 weeks to build. That said, the amount of time required for construction will depend heavily on the overall scope of the project.

Is it hard to build a barn?

Building a barn may seem like an imposing task, but it's a project that anyone can do provided they have a solid plan, the right materials, and some basic construction knowledge. Start by choosing a site for your barn that takes factors like drainage, wind direction, and the position of the sun into consideration.

What is the average square footage of a barn?

A traditional hay barn of about 1,200 square feet that can house livestock, feed and equipment typically starts at about $45,000 and can cost much more depending on the features needed.

How much space do you need for a barn?

A standard 24' x 24' barn can be enough to start, but if you expand, you'll need more space. Many of our clients who use their barns strictly as shops, woodworking, welding, cnc, etc. find it beneficial to go with a 30' x 40' or slightly larger.