I was told recently that the pole barn kits are over priced and that you would build it cheaper by purchasing the materials seperately? Said that they figure if you need to buy a kit you really don't know what your doing and can overcharge you for putting the kit and plan together for you? How true is this? Thx.
Pole Barn Kit or buy own materials?
- Thread starter locomike
- Start date
I have been thinking about getting a kit from Menard's. They are opening a new store not too far from me. Pretty confident I can build it myself. Only thing I plan on hiring out is the excavating, concrete and running the sub panel to the building. I will build it and wire it myself. Looking at kits at around $5000 and hope I can keep it all under $10k as opposed to someone coming in with a kit and erecting it for close to $10k. Plus I got a new framing gun coming i'm dying to try out LOL. Any thoughts?
Speargun
Well-known member
Figure out what you need to build your own.
Check with a local building supply for prices.
Add another thousand or so for all of the stuff you forgot in your original estimate.
Right now lumber is CHEAP!!! From what I hear, it's expected to stay that way for the next 6 months or so. I think you will save quite a bit of money by building it yourself.
Check with a local building supply for prices.
Add another thousand or so for all of the stuff you forgot in your original estimate.
Right now lumber is CHEAP!!! From what I hear, it's expected to stay that way for the next 6 months or so. I think you will save quite a bit of money by building it yourself.
A kit should contain all the little, often forgotten, stuff.
So if you do go the DIY route be sure to get a detailed list of everything you need along with detailed drawings showing some of the critical framing joints.
You can save money, but the flip side is time.
You have to do over the planing the kit guys have already done.
So if you do go the DIY route be sure to get a detailed list of everything you need along with detailed drawings showing some of the critical framing joints.
You can save money, but the flip side is time.
You have to do over the planing the kit guys have already done.
Northstar9126
Well-known member
If you have a Menards near you, go there, tell them what you want to build and they will print a list of what you need. The prices on the list will be for whatever the price of the item is at the moment, meaning that if it is on sale you will get the sale price, if not you will get the regular price. They don't cut you any deal for buying the package. Take the list with you and call around to see if you can do better pricewise on anything on the list, if you can, buy the item elsewhere and have Menards delete the item from their list.
Yeah I know pretty much how to do it but will definitel need a set of plans and a guide to follow so I think I will just go with a kit. I don't feel like messing with fascia and soffit so I am gonna go with no overhang and will also save a little money also. I was looking at Menards plans and they go there own system for building. On the roof purlins it looks as if they lay the 2x4's vertical instead of flat. I do like how they say to notch the posts and the truss rests on the post as you secure it. I have never done any roof/truss work but don't see why it should be any problem with a helper.
I mentioned I am getting a framing gun. Do I have to use the 4 1/2" ring shanks that come with the kit or could I use some 3 1/2" galvanized ring shanks in the gun? Thx.
I mentioned I am getting a framing gun. Do I have to use the 4 1/2" ring shanks that come with the kit or could I use some 3 1/2" galvanized ring shanks in the gun? Thx.
carcruse
Well-known member
If there is a Certer lumber nearby, check thier prices. They had the cheapest package prices when I did my first one. for the second one, what I wanted didn't fit any of their packages so I bought thing individually. I got three quotes for each part (lumber, windows, doors, siding, etc.) then went with the lowest quote. Ended up buying things from three different lumber yards.
must8657
Banned
we don't have a menards in my area (illinois side next to st. louis). i do go to Springfield illinois once a month for guard duty and they have a super menards. i love that store. i have even driven there to get things for big projects instead of going to lowes or hd. lowes and hd are 20mins away and menards is 90mins. so that should tell you what i think of them.
jason
jason
I priced all the materials for mine and a company would come and build it for $500 more than I could buy the materials for. The difference was in the concrete. They would do the concrete for $2.00 a square foot cheaper than I could find anywhere. With it 103* this summer, needless to say I let them do it and hand me the key.
kesselect
Member
Just about any handy person can build a pole barn. The style of building was first used during the Roman Empire. If you know how to do take-offs and material counts, I would say go for it and get your own materials.
Most of us aren't experienced enough to do the take-offs which means countless trips to the building supply store to get one more 2x6 or some other obscure part to the building. More headache and gas use than its worth. If you have a reputable company that can provide a complete kit they will ship you everything that you need to your site and include drawings and engineering if you need it. If they are really good they will take a call or two to answer questions during your build. If you don't want to build it they will have a crew to build it for you.
We recently had a good snow in the Willamette Valley and our company took more that 40 calls for buildings that failed. All of the buildings were agricultural buildings built on the cheap. Now they get to build them again. None of my companies buildings has come down in the 28 years of providing kits. There are many good reasons why the extra dollars for a complete kit might save you a lot of dollars down the road.
steve.
Most of us aren't experienced enough to do the take-offs which means countless trips to the building supply store to get one more 2x6 or some other obscure part to the building. More headache and gas use than its worth. If you have a reputable company that can provide a complete kit they will ship you everything that you need to your site and include drawings and engineering if you need it. If they are really good they will take a call or two to answer questions during your build. If you don't want to build it they will have a crew to build it for you.
We recently had a good snow in the Willamette Valley and our company took more that 40 calls for buildings that failed. All of the buildings were agricultural buildings built on the cheap. Now they get to build them again. None of my companies buildings has come down in the 28 years of providing kits. There are many good reasons why the extra dollars for a complete kit might save you a lot of dollars down the road.
steve.
kesselect
Member
Toys are always fun to have. If you buy a nail gun to build your pole barn/garage, make sure you check on the nails needed to resist corossion in the pressure treated wood. Your gun will probably need to drive a hot dipped galvanized nail at least a 16 penny and maybe even a 20 penny nail. That translates to a honkin nail gun!!
steve.
steve.
It is a DeWalt 51845. It will shoot a 3.5" nail. I did find some electro galvanized for it. Wouldn't that work out just fine? Are the large nails used pretty much on the whole building? Or are like 10d's used for the purlins and wall girts?
kesselect
Member
Our company uses 20s hot dipped through the entire framing. I think that there are only two guns made for that size. Our crews are animals and they use hammers. Ow.... Before you get a gun I would decide it you are going to buy a kit or do your own material list. The kit will come with a particular size of nail and you can buy your gun accordingly. If you do your own take-offs then the size of the nails and gun are up to you.
steve.
steve.
kesselect
Member
locomike,
the take-offs are the material lists you need to do if you don't buy a kit.
the take-offs are the material lists you need to do if you don't buy a kit.
rcleaver
Well-known member
I've thought about this a lot and I still haven't decided, but I'm leaning toward stick built. If you want to heat and plumb and wire the building, I think stick built is easier. I don't see the price advantage of a pole building either, but that depends on how you build it (pole, girt, rafter and purlin spacing vs. stud and truss spacing for example).
Personally I wouldn't trust hot dipped galvanized fasteners, based on some things I've read but it depends on your location. I would prefer stainless fasteners. Also, I think I would use screws instead of nails and hurricane straps.
There's no solution that fits everyone -- or else we would have only one.
Personally I wouldn't trust hot dipped galvanized fasteners, based on some things I've read but it depends on your location. I would prefer stainless fasteners. Also, I think I would use screws instead of nails and hurricane straps.
There's no solution that fits everyone -- or else we would have only one.
kesselect
Member
Oddly, post frame construction on the east coast is not the same as on the west coast. Post/truss spacing is different. We can usually provide a kit building for less that $10 a sq. ft. depending on options, with labor somewhere around $3. Slab runs a little over $3 a square foot. The most expensive that I have been involved with was a horse barn at a little over $27 a square foot plus some finish work that the customer added afterward. At that price it won a national NFBA award. I am not sure how post frame prices out with the east coast style. Here a stick built garage shell starts about $50 a sq.ft. with footing and floor. Either way the buildings can be insulated and dry walled with plumbing heating and electrical on top of those prices. I have a customer prepping his building right now for heating in the concrete slab.
The hot dipped nails are per engineers and code. With almost three decades of building we have not had any problems with them as fasteners.
steve.
The hot dipped nails are per engineers and code. With almost three decades of building we have not had any problems with them as fasteners.
steve.
I recently purchased from Hansen and I'm not happy with their service. Material delivery has been a nightmare for me. The delivery of the barn doors were weeks overdue, and when they arrived they were missing parts. I still haven't received all the parts, and my builder has moved on to new jobs as my barn stands unfinished. If I were to do this barn over again, I would just order all the lumber and parts myself and save myself the money that Hansen charged!
Buyer beware!
DIRTY DEEDS
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2010
- Messages
- 45
I did tons of research before i purchased mine. and found the kit to be cheaper over all compared to buying everything individually. I purchased from a reputable barn builder here in Okla. that delivered on time with quality components and didnt miss a thing. even had some stuff left over ( they said they would send more than I need). not a thing was missed, even colored screws. and came with a DVD to show assy. I looked at kits from Hardware stores etc. and found them to not be best choice. check with local barn builders that design and build their own kits. they usually have better service after the sale..
RPH
Well-known member
Better check code on the overhangs, 1 foot mandatory all the way around in my area. That surprised me. Also stamped truss drawing. DIY polebarns out of Ohio sold me my kit. Well worth the cost, excellent materials, even inspector remarked on the quality.