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Does the house plan change between options 1 and 2? Will it have an attached garage either way? I always lean towards an attached garage being a higher priority than a detached. It will get more use, appeal to more buyers, and gives flexibility if it needs to be converted to living space in the...

The concern isn't just the building displacing water. It's the fact that the building is likely elevated above the surrounding ground, creates water runoff, and won't allow water to soak into the ground beneath it as easily. Maybe possible, but I wouldn't want to pay the premiums for it. I agree.

I'd have a discussion with any prospective builders that you're considering and see what they advise. The blown in cellulose is often the most budget friendly way to achieve a specific R Value. As a bit of an aside, I'd also strongly suggest putting a moisture barrier like Tyvek on the...

I'd be far more concerned about the ladder slipping off of the 1.5 inches of purlin at the very end of it's extension than I would be about the purlin moving on it's own. Are there trusses or rafters or anything else close enough that you can secure the ladder to on the way up?

You're probably in climate zone 5: https://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home_sealing.hm_improvement_insulation_table So the recommended goal for attic insulation would be R50 or better. Since the building isn't built yet, something like SIPS might be a good option. If you're doing spray foam...

I think this is definitely something to consider. It could be much cheaper to simply add onto your home instead of building a detached structure. Increasing the square footage of your home, and increasing the number of beds/baths in the process is more likely to improve the value of your home...

Any idea what your spray foam cost would break down into per board foot?

A .75-1 acre lot isn't very big if your plan is to have a house, a 16x 30, and a larger pole barn sometime down the road. It could get pretty cluttered looking. I'd try and find a way to atleast get it wide enough for 2 vehicles side by side. That's going to have a lot more functionality while...

Google: "garage door window inserts" You'll get a million results with various styles and sizes. If you know the manufacturer of your doors, that might be helpful in narrowing your search.

For me, it's time and money. Initial building goes up much faster and cheaper with pole barn construction. Mine went from being a not-so-flat lot to having a finished building in 5 or 6 days. That's not happening with stick built. This allows me to store my stuff, and use the building while I...

Foam and moisture don't typically go well together do they? Id imagine humidity is a concern in AL. I'd add a moisture barrier like some Tyvek/house wrap between the girts and the metal. Probably a good idea to do something for the roof too. Double bubble radiant barrier is what is typically...

What wall material are you planning? Most wall materials will need more support than what you'd have with 8' OC poles. If you ever want to mount anything to the walls, or have outlets, switches, etc between the posts then some type of framing is pretty much required. My personal plan is similar...

You can go to the following link, click on your state and see how many kWh/m2 the US Government thinks you can get in your specific area. Looks like AR averages 4.5-5 kWH/M2 of panel. It might be helpful in determining what size panel you'd need, which will go a long way in determining your ROI...

I don't mind the dormer, especially if the big tree is staying. But ask my wife how good my sense of style is. It was evident from your post that you didn't really care for it as-is, so I was trying to offer another option that might also have some additional benefits besides looking a bit more...

Aesthetics are personal, but it might be nice to consider an option with the dormer widened to extend over the lift bay. Basically so that it would run most of the width of the building. That could give you additional height over the lift/work area, and more natural light from the high windows...

You'll need to look closely at the specs of any lift you're considering to make sure that it will lift high enough for you. Most manufacturers will call it "rise" on the spec sheet. A quick googling found this Challenger with a 12 ft overall height, and 75.75" rise...

Using scissor trusses in the lift bay will give you added height where you need it, but allow you to have a lower ceiling (less material cost, less to heat, etc). What kind of lift are you planning? Most lifts have a max-lifting height in their specs. Most 2 post lifts that I've seen max...

I'm not a building scientist, but I think I understand some of what is going on here. Your original preference of 1.5-2 inches of foam, followed by blown fiberglass should be fine, provided the foam is closed cell (spray foam or polyiso panels). Other options get more complex, but the idea is...

If you're going to do rigid foam as well as the blown in, then you're right. But I didn't see that mentioned anywhere. Trashing the R13 seems expensive and wasteful, but I don't see a problem chasing a bit higher R value. It's your money and your building. Just so you know, XPS can lose R value...

I'd fur out the studs to the desired depth, and then flash/batt the walls with a foam/ fiberglass combo. An inch or 2 of spray foam will seal everything up, and then you reuse the existing insulation on top. Since closed cell spray foam gets really expensive, Rigid foam boards properly sealed...