Pole Barn questions

[jbbies]

Ok guys, Im purchases a new home and looking to soon put up a pole building. Im planning on doing 90 percent of the work. I was wondering how many of you have done this and what challenges you came across. I will probably poor concrete at a later date. Did most of you had pre built trusses or build your own rafters? I have access to all tools, loaders, bulldozers everything I need. Im just at the beginning stages and my goal is to have all my bases covered. Thanks for any information.

B

 

[draglink]

I bought a pole barn 'kit' from the local lumber yard (30x32), it included everything from roof to poles....all doors etc. The trusses were pre-made and delivered to my site. Paid $5010 and did ALL labor by myself, even set the trusses solo by hand...that was tricky!

 

[jbbies]

I was looking into some "kits" and was thinking that could be a good way to go. Im building in rural Adams county Colorado and noticed that they actually have a hand out on permit process for building a pole building. I can imagine putting the trusses up by hand would be hard without some kind of loader.

 

[Half Baked]

Click on the link and it will take you to my pole barn/shop build.
If you have any questions just ask.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83650&highlight=xpr-10acx

 

[carcruse]

I was looking into some "kits" and was thinking that could be a good way to go. Im building in rural Adams county Colorado and noticed that they actually have a hand out on permit process for building a pole building. I can imagine putting the trusses up by hand would be hard without some kind of loader.

If you aren't going over 30' wide, putting up the trusses by hand is pretty easy if you have four guys. My 30' was done that way, but I got a crane for the 40' wide one.

 

[larry_g]

There are a few different ways to build a pole building. If you search areound you will find them with poles on 8 or 10 or 12 pitch. Some with solid poles and some with built up poles and some where the pole bolts onto a footing poured in the ground. There are metal sides or sheet goods.

How you build the building somewhat depends on what your intended use is. Storing some hay and a tractor or a full fledged machine shop with climate control. So give us a better idea of what your thinking for use, climate control, restrictions provided by the local building codes.

You can se my build linked below. It was a kit and we erected it. I too have dozers and backhoe and did all the site prep. Rented an auger for the holes. Looking back I should have had it erected as the job extended to long and I spent quite a bit on help and rented tools.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Deltarat]

The company that built mine did it for $1000 more than I could buy the materials for. The biggest savings was they would pour the concrete for $2.65/sq ft and $4.50 was the cheapest I could get it done. It was 105-106* when they built it. It ended up being the best $1000 I spent.
They built it in a week and it would have taken me 2 months.`

 

[Rickstir]

If you are confident in your abilities then consider doing it yourself. It looks easy, until you stand on the wall 10 feet off the ground and have to work on the purlins, etc. I got up on the ladder, took a look, and hired out the high work. Scafolding was a God send, look for some on Craigslist if you don't have access to some.

 

[John in OH]

Larry_g and Deltarat speak words of wisdom .... consider having it erected.

There are many pole barn companies out there that sell a complete pole barn package and do the erection on your site with their crew. You should definitely check them out before you undertake the job of doing it all yourself.

They can show up at your site on Monday morning with a truck load of material and tools and when they drive away on Thursday or Friday you have a complete building (or as much of one as you want). They have everything pre-cut and they know what they are doing.

You will spend countless hours pondering how to do some simple task, spend lots of $$ on renting equipment, hours messing around with getting concrete deliveries scheduled, hours squabbling with the wife about where and how you are spending all of your free time, and who knows how many cases of beer for your buddies that will lend you a hand. Then, 6 months later you'll have your barn up vs. having your barn in one week from the pros.

This is not to say you can't do it yourself and maybe that's the way it works best for you, but give this lots of thought ....

 

[ibedayank]

jbbies depends on where you live on the rafters .... snowload/windload very greatly from the north to the south
mine came in 4 pieces 2 2ofoot 1 16 foot and a cross piece to connect the 2 20s at the bottom... same design won't be able to be used in nothern minnesota...wont hold up the weight of a good snowstorm

 

[Deltarat]

If they would have charged 3-5k to erect it,I would have done it myself, but for 1k, it just wasn't worth it. I have trouble paying for something that I can do, but I do know a good deal when I see it.
I'm not trying to talk you out of doing it yourself. I just saying price it both ways and weigh the costs.

 

[Clinton_FL]

I will ask a question. I have been looking and see that most people who have stringers attach them to the outside of the pole. Would there be any disadvantage to notching the top of the pole to accept the 2 2x12's I would use for my stringers? Poles would be 12ft apart. I would either sandwich them stringers together, or stagger the joints and use a whole bunch of lag bolts.

My second question would be, what size are your poles 6x6? 8x8?

 

[Nighttrain]

You would not want to notch the outside 2x12 into your upright pole. If you did then it would not line up with all the 2x4 purlins down the side unless those were notched also. As for the inside one I don't see a reason not to. I did this on my horse pole barn (24x32) see my garage build.

I will ask a question. I have been looking and see that most people who have stringers attach them to the outside of the pole. Would there be any disadvantage to notching the top of the pole to accept the 2 2x12's I would use for my stringers? Poles would be 12ft apart. I would either sandwich them stringers together, or stagger the joints and use a whole bunch of lag bolts.

My second question would be, what size are your poles 6x6? 8x8?

 

[mrobins297aaa]

I will ask a question. I have been looking and see that most people who have stringers attach them to the outside of the pole. Would there be any disadvantage to notching the top of the pole to accept the 2 2x12's I would use for my stringers? Poles would be 12ft apart. I would either sandwich them stringers together, or stagger the joints and use a whole bunch of lag bolts.

My second question would be, what size are your poles 6x6? 8x8?

My poles are 6x6 8' on center......my barn is 36x64x14'

 

[mrobins297aaa]

unless you have a lot of free time have it done.
I had mine built last October, it took them 8 days from start to finish. If I had been doing it it still wouldn't be finished..........It was only 3k more and well worth it.

 

[paris_tj]

I had a 30x40 built last year, it was about $6000 for the kit, $4000 for concrete, or $10,500 for them to come do it all. For $500 more, you can guess what I did....Simple choice really.

 

[Cuda]

I'm all for doing it myself if possible. But I enjoy building things.
I think the biggest concern you'll have is the layout when you set your poles. Getting them set square and spot on are critical. I would suggest that you spend a lot of time in measuring, remeasuring, and measuring again until you know you are dead on before pouring concrete in the holes. If you have it right, the rest of the build should go smooth. If not, it'll be a big pain in the ****!
Good luck, and post some pics as the project moves along.

 

[c/o say]

I built my 30x40 did all the framing me and dad I dug every post by hand 4 feet deep put all the metal on. Had some contractor buddys help with the trusses and payed someone to do concrete. LOVED doing it but if I did it over Id pay for a post hole auger! But it was that or no shop isnt life grand. O to be rich instead of handsome

 

[Clinton_FL]

Next question: Would putting poles 12' on center be to much of a span for a 60ft long wall?

 

[Clinton_FL]

Ttt.....

 

[Crazy Car Guy]

Next question: Would putting poles 12' on center be to much of a span for a 60ft long wall?

here in ky 10 ft is max but we get some snow. on my pole barn 28x36x16 2 posts got the 10' treatment the rest are 8 ft its just how it worked out.

 

[larry_g]

Next question: Would putting poles 12' on center be to much of a span for a 60ft long wall?

12" on center is allowed here. However we have good Doug Fir 6x6 posts 4' in the ground with concrete in the post hole. You have to determine if your soil and post material will do 12' in your location.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[kbs2244]

Two of the best sites for pole construction.

http://www.easybuildings.com/

http://www.pole-barn.info/pole-building-construction.html

 

[ibedayank]

12" on center is allowed here. However we have good Doug Fir 6x6 posts 4' in the ground with concrete in the post hole. You have to determine if your soil and post material will do 12' in your location.

lg
no neat sig line

12 INCHES on center... i would have to have to buy all that material

 

[ibedayank]

Next question: Would putting poles 12' on center be to much of a span for a 60ft long wall?

thats what mine are and i am 80 long 56 wide

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=97544
front door is 20 wide 12 high split sliding

 

[NUTTSGT]

The company that built mine did it for $1000 more than I could buy the materials for. The biggest savings was they would pour the concrete for $2.65/sq ft and $4.50 was the cheapest I could get it done. It was 105-106* when they built it. It ended up being the best $1000 I spent.
They built it in a week and it would have taken me 2 months.`

I'd say that's a 1k well spent.

 

[jbbies]

Thanks for all the input, I am trying to gather as much info as possible. One of the big deals with doing it myself is that I feel like some of the pole barns I have seen have been put up so fast and are sloppy. I have seen some that are not even square, So my thought is sometimes as you all know if you want it done right do it yourself. But it sounds like many of you have had good luck with builders. I agree if they do a good job and I have to pay them 1k to have it done in a week and it would take me months... Ill gladly give up the 1k.

 

[ibedayank]

jbbies


quality is like with everything else it depends who is doing the work
a pro is a pro and a hack is a hack...
if done right it will be plomb and square..done halfass well.... you have seen the results

before hiring anyone make sure you see other work they have done and talk to some that have hired them