When researching and planning our Barndominium build, several resources helped build our confidence to take on the role of general contractor and builder.
Floor plan creation
When in the design phase, we must have drawn a dozen iterations of what is now our home. We wanted a program that was CAD meets Sims and landed on Florrplanner.com. The program has been around long enough that a multitude of youtube instructional videos exist guiding you through most all scenarios you are designing for. They have a free version that allows you to design a basic single story plan as well as a premium version that opens up multiple levels and options. Our plan ended up being a two-story so we opted for the premium version for the year.
For inspiration we highly recommend sites such as buildmax and barndominium life. For plans and designs services we also recommend taking a look at Back Forty Buildings which was acquired by Paul and Emily Marshall of Mr Post Frame in 2024.
Building Education
Before taking on building a home whether acting as your own general contractor or paying someone to act as one on your behalf, it is vital to educate yourself on as many aspects of your build as possible. You will never reach expert status, however, I do believe you can learn a lot from watching videos from trusted sources online and voracious reading.
- Mr Post Frame – We stumbled across Paul and Emily Marshall’s youtube channel was an absolute inspiration to us. So much so that we made a trip to Iowa to tour their home in the spring of 2023. You can spend hours watching videos on every aspect of their home build as well as client builds and really learn a ton. They also have a Patreon that grants users access to live webinars, more direct communication, and additional content.
Mr Post Frame Mad County Build – Iowa - Rural Renovators – Another great builder with extensive youtube content. Like Paul, Kyle specializes in post frame construction and offers some varying takes on the build process and additional content to consume.
- The Build Show Network – If you want a treasure trove of diy and nerdy build science, this is the spot for you. Matt Risinger has loads of content on his youtube channel, podcasts, and website to dive into.
Barndominium Loans
Ask around and most folks will tell you that obtaining a loan for a barndominium is a challenge. While this is true, do not mistake “challenge” for “impossible”. Like any loan, you need to have solid credit history and income to gain approval from your lender. The term Barndo tends to scare some lenders away as they can be difficult to appraise and encompasses many different levels of construction and quality. Barndo leads folks to wonder if you are converting an old barn.
What we found is to focus on the structure itself, and not the name. Several local banks and credit unions that would work with us to get a construction loan in place for a custom home build which is the exact description of what we are doing. We are building a structure that will last generations using methods and materials that are rock solid and proven.
If you have no idea where to start, I recommend starting with a licensed lender. They should be able to guide you to programs they offer or lenders who offer programs to achieve your goals. Mortgage Research Center has a trove of articles and a form to connect you with a lender in your area to answer questions. Full disclaimer, Patrick works for the company that owns the Mortgage Research Center site but receive no compensation for the referral.