What Is a Barndominium?
An affordable and easily customized home trend.
“Barndonium” (a combination of barn and condominium) may sound like nonsense—but it’s a word you’ll start hearing more and more. Barndominiums, or “barndos,” are a recent revolution in homebuilding that started as barn conversions combining living space with a workshop or garage. But thanks to a 2016 feature on HGTV, this style has taken off across the country and now includes a wide range of homes, from small cottages to sprawling luxury properties.
Barndominium Construction
Though you’ll occasionally find a wood barndo, the hallmark of the style is its use of metal. These homes are typically built on a steel shell with a metal roof and sheet metal siding—which while typically associated with garages and warehouses, are blank slates for homeowners. Pre-designed floorplans and kits comprising all of the necessary materials are popular, but they are increasingly being designed from scratch, including through Atmos.
Advantages of Steel
While steel may seem like an unconventional choice for home building, it comes with a number of advantages. For one, it’s far cheaper than lumber and requires less labor to build with, making steel buildings much more affordable per square foot than traditional construction.
Steel is also incredibly durable. Say goodbye to concerns about termites or ants—they don’t affect steel. Same with mold, mildew, and other damage from moisture. Ongoing maintenance is significantly reduced—you’ll never need to repaint. And the shell construction means it is easier to renovate than a traditionally built home since there aren’t as many concerns about moving or replacing load-bearing beams.
Your barndo will also weather the elements better than you think. Lightning storms are no issue because of the way steel conducts electricity, plus it’s much less susceptible to fire and better suited to riding out intense storms and even earthquakes than a typical home.
Other Building Considerations
Barndominiums are usually placed on concrete slabs, and often feature stained concrete floors for additional rustic, industrial style and durability. The simple concrete and steel construction means that barndominiums tend to come together much more quickly than traditional homes.
Barndos are also very energy efficient because builders typically use spray foam insulation and strategic window placement that keeps the space warm in the winter and cool in the summer—meaning low energy costs for the owners.
Layout of Barndominiums
One of the biggest selling points is its flexibility.
Since barndominiums are built around a steel shell, the interior can easily become whatever layout works best for the homebuilder. Walls can easily be added and removed, meaning that you can flex the space over the years as your family changes. Many barndominium owners take advantage of the buildings to emphasize high ceilings by building on lofts and large windows.
Best of all, these homes are well-suited to an indoor-outdoor lifestyle featuring wraparound porches and rolling doors to expand the living area and create transitional spaces. And don’t worry—despite the steel exterior, the interiors of these homes can be fully customized with all the finishings your heart desires.
Ready to design your own dream barndominium? Talk to Atmos. Our one-of-a-kind digital platform makes the process simple and manageable, giving you the ability to create the home of your dreams.
