Pole vs Stick built

[Highbeam]

Pole barns are very easy and cheap to finish inside. All you need to do, at your leisure, is to frame in the spaces between posts. This is not expensive to do, and does not make costs a wash between stick/pole.

I still don't like those commercial girts, I believe that they would sag. It's okay though, you can frame the post bays at 24" on center if you like since these walls are not structural.

What could be easier WRT wiring and plumbing than a studwall that is not structural?

Those plastic post end caps could just as easily create a water problem by not letting water escape. I think they are a gimmick. The only thing worth doing is keeping the wood completely out of the dirt but then it's not a pole building.

 

[mpire]

Couldn't you just dip the bottom of the wood posts into a bucket of oil paint to get the same kind of protection?

Maybe a few coats, but it would seal it.

 

[Old Gas Nut]

Well, i've enjoyed reading the comments. I'll have to say though that so far it's about as clear as mud. Lol. I was hoping there was a more clear cut answer, but there seems to be mixed feelings. If I could have a pole barn built and only spend about 1500 or so on labor putting the building up, then that might be worth going that route, just to save the time and hassle of trying to frame it up just working in the evenings. But if I'm paying somebody a decent amount of money to throw a pole barn up, I might be better off to frame it myself just to save the money. Yes, I'm a tight wad. I'm trying to build a nice looking garage that comfortable to work in, but not go all out and spend a lot of money. We probably wont be at this location for more than 8 to 10 years. Like I said before, we have no experience with pole barns, or putting sheet metal up, so I would rather pay to have that done, than mess around like bumbling idiots for 2 or 3 weeks trying to figure it all out. As far as the concrete goes, I could go either way. My lot is pretty flat, with just a very slight slope to it. The garage itself will be pretty simple. I want overhangs and wainscot to make it look nicer, but I'm only going to put 1 walk in door and a 18x8 overhead door. No windows means no snoopers. Here's a link for what I'm designing mine after. Picture is on the home page. http://blitzbuilders.com/

 

[mtwaterguy]

Pole barns are very easy and cheap to finish inside. All you need to do, at your leisure, is to frame in the spaces between posts. This is not expensive to do, and does not make costs a wash between stick/pole.

I still don't like those commercial girts, I believe that they would sag.

As I've stated before I've built 4 pole barns using the commercial girt construction. I've never had a problem with the 2x's sagging, or any problems with insects or rotting. The problem with this thread, as with a few others, is that there are people posting that are giving their thoughts of what might happen instead of using their experience to say what has or is happening. From the posts on this thread there are quite a few posters that have clearly never built a pole barn and some that appear to have never even been in one.

 

[ladderwell]

While we're talking Pole vs stick, does anybody worry about vapor barrier (felt or tyvek)? I'm particularly talking about on pole barns between the framing and the metal siding/roofing. As others have said, Pole prices are about 1/2 stick here in western Oregon. Oh, and you never have to paint the metal.

 

[jomobco]

If you look closely at the pictures of my horizontal girts you will see the outside girts tie into them to create an "L" shape. Then these are secured into the metal skin. No sagging problems that I could see here.

 

[Scott free]

Yep, we went commercial gert on a 32x40 w/ 6x8's 10' o.c. with breckenridge ply siding. Nail schedule on siding was 4" o.c. No sag at all, makes great insulation cavities or ladder for that matter. Only thing I would add is crown gerts on flat side prior to hanging and get siding up quickly. Once all fastened down thoes gerts don't move.

 

[Panz]

Well, i've enjoyed reading the comments. I'll have to say though that so far it's about as clear as mud. Lol. I was hoping there was a more clear cut answer, but there seems to be mixed feelings. If I could have a pole barn built and only spend about 1500 or so on labor putting the building up, then that might be worth going that route, just to save the time and hassle of trying to frame it up just working in the evenings. But if I'm paying somebody a decent amount of money to throw a pole barn up, I might be better off to frame it myself just to save the money. Yes, I'm a tight wad. I'm trying to build a nice looking garage that comfortable to work in, but not go all out and spend a lot of money. We probably wont be at this location for more than 8 to 10 years. Like I said before, we have no experience with pole barns, or putting sheet metal up, so I would rather pay to have that done, than mess around like bumbling idiots for 2 or 3 weeks trying to figure it all out. As far as the concrete goes, I could go either way. My lot is pretty flat, with just a very slight slope to it. The garage itself will be pretty simple. I want overhangs and wainscot to make it look nicer, but I'm only going to put 1 walk in door and a 18x8 overhead door. No windows means no snoopers. Here's a link for what I'm designing mine after. Picture is on the home page. http://blitzbuilders.com/

...you'll notice it all boils down it "it depends". You can certainly build a cheap post frame or a cheap stick frame building. Likewise premium materials designed to last a lifetime will drive up cost. For my 20x24' garage material costs were similar between stick (2x4 walls, 8' wall) and post frame (6" deep, 9.5' tall walls and a 12.5' vaulted ceiling), but the post frame building I designed was overbuilt and has additional features. My costs to get a basic post frame structure up were $5165 (this includes tools and permits), however I still need to complete concrete work, siding, windows, and electric. Realistically I have another $5k to put into the building before it's complete.

I'd urge you to work up some material lists for both options to get a feel for what your costs will be in either case. Your local weather conditions (snow load, wind etc...), code requirements, and building features will be different enough from everyone else that no one can guess which is best for your application.

 

[rieferman]

That is a good answer above by Panz. As a custom post-frame builder I know that "pole barns" can be anything from cheap agricultural buildings through high end homes and fire stations, incorporating either cheap materials and thin steel through Perma-columns and masonry. (etc.). My company focuses only on that high end, but there are many options along the spectrum.

Architects and engineers familiar with post-frame will tell you that it is often superior to stick frame (or at least equal). But, even my company will choose to stick frame in some cases. Both construction styles are valid and basically limitless.

In the OP's cases, I would recommend focusing on features and benefits (as opposed to which is cheapest) for starters.

PS - and as we have discussed many times before, pole barns needn't have wood contacting the ground. Cement is more permanent. Perma-columns. (I am not affiliated with that company but we exclusively build on their system as it is as permanent as q poured foundation.


For interior finishes in post-frame we simply re-girt the inside. Fast, easy, strong, and a nice cavity for insulation.

 

[rieferman]

That is a good answer above by Panz. As a custom post-frame builder I know that "pole barns" can be anything from cheap agricultural buildings through high end homes and fire stations, incorporating either cheap materials and thin steel through Perma-columns and masonry. (etc.). My company focuses only on that high end, but there are many options along the spectrum.

Architects and engineers familiar with post-frame will tell you that it is often superior to post- frame (or at least equal). But, even my company will choose to stick frame in some cases. Both construction styles are valid and basically limitless.

In the OP's cases, I would recommend focusing on features and benefits (as opposed to which is cheapest) for starters.

PS - and as we have discussed many times before, pole barns needn't have wood contacting the ground. Cement is more permanent. Perma-columns. (I am not affiliated with that company but we exclusively build on their system as it is as permanent as q poured foundation.


For interior finishes in post-frame we simply re-girt the inside and apply finishes as normal. Fast, easy, strong, and a nice cavity for insulation.

 

[terryo1965]

This is a really interesting thread. I am getting ready to pull the trigger on a 30 x 40 pole barn and I have been thinking about the best way to finish the inside. It seems like the commercial girts are the way to go. This may seem like a stupid question but how are the girts fastened to the poles? Are they toe nailed? If I went with commercial girts I was thinking I would Tyvek the outside under the metal then use batt insulation between the girts then seal it with a vapor barrier. Does make sense?

 

[RTcat]

OGN,

Take your stick built dimension to any quality lumber yard and have them price out all your materials (including the tin even if you don't put it up) needed to bulid the same size structure as the pole shed. At this point you should be cheaper than the pole shed quote. Next, decide what your time is worth to stick build it (cheapest route for you) or what a construction crew would charge for their labor to frame it. Get a separate quote from them to put on the final tin. Now you should have all info you need to see what is cheapest to get the structure up and enclosed.

Your question kind of hit home with me as I recently went though sort of the same delima. Back in '06 I had a 50 x 72 pole shed put up. Plan was to section off a corner down the road for a shop. Well, shed filled up more than I planned, combined with work needed to frame up the two outside walls so I decided to build a separate structure for a shop.

For me here in southern Wi it was cheaper for me to buy the materials for a stick built and hire an amish crew to frame it up than it was for Cleary/Morton/Wick to put up the same size pole shed with the same door count/size and vapior barrier under the roof tin. I actually got windows in my shop also that wern't in the pole shed quote.

Granted, when i add in my footer & 3'9" stem wall, my stick built cost now went a little above my pole shed qoute. However, I justified that to myslef by the fact I had 2x6 walls ready for me to work on rather than having to go buy materials and build "walls" in the pole shed to get to the same "starting point".

For point of refrence my stick built from the outside in is: tin, tyvek, 5/8 osb and 2x6 studs. Roof is tin, bubble wrap, perlins on 2' center trusses. Pole shed would have been tin, bubble wrap, perlins on 9' center trusses with just girts and tin on the side.

Hope this helps you out.

 

[Old Gas Nut]

As some have mentioned, I think I'm going to wait for my Dad to finish the drawings on the garage and go get a couple estimates on a pole barn and then price out lumber to frame it. The more I think about it, if I'm going to frame it out myself one way or the other, and I'm paying somebody to put the roof and siding on, about the only difference is that I would be paying somebody to set the poles. So I'll check around here in the next couple weeks and see what figures I can come up with, and I'll post it here (if I can remember) so if there is anybody else out there in the same boat, maybe they can gain from my experiences.

 

[larry_g]

While we're talking Pole vs stick, does anybody worry about vapor barrier (felt or tyvek)? I'm particularly talking about on pole barns between the framing and the metal siding/roofing. As others have said, Pole prices are about 1/2 stick here in western Oregon. Oh, and you never have to paint the metal.

I'm a few miles north of you and both of my buildings have had what the builder call 'insulated vapor barrier'. You can see it in my build below and at this site, http://metalbuildinginsulation.com/newconstruction.html . In my old shop I experienced no rust or moisture problems in it. The new shop I have had some near the open door which I assume was condensation due to having the door open on spring days.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[kert]

I'm still getting quotes for the foundation on my stick-built 30x60, so my opinion could change, but I priced pole barns at a few of the suppliers that give online quotes, and by the time you threw in higher pitch, post protection, overhang, insulation, interior liner, a few windows and doors, the materials didn't seem too much different than what I had figured for stick-built.

In the end, I'm planning to go stick-built if for no other reason than I'm more comfortable with it.

I don't think there is really a sqft threshold that makes post-frame cheaper than stick-built once you step outside the basic shell. As others have said, price it both ways and make your own decision.

 

[Dave Maxwell]

I must have gotten screwed on pricing for my stick built. Not alot of builders around here for that. 40,000 more for same options. Vented ridge 12 inch overhang.

 

[kert]

I must have gotten screwed on pricing for my stick built. Not alot of builders around here for that. 40,000 more for same options. Vented ridge 12 inch overhang.

Planning to do most of the work myself, so I can't comment on builders.

 

[extremesounds13]

I know this is an old thread but I am bringing it back to life. I too am debating on a pole vs stick built. It seems to me like it will come down to concrete costs. Either way I go I will finish them the same and pour a slab but how much more is a foundation and stem wall? I am planning a 40x60, up to this point materials are cheaper for stick built(because of how I would finish the pole built) but how much more will the concrete cost? Will I only be 5 grand more or are we talking ten plus? That could be the decision maker. The only other benefit would be the pole building would go up way faster and I could wait on concrete for a bit if needed, not so with the stick framed.

 

[Diesel Dan]

I am planning a 40x60, up to this point materials are cheaper for stick built(because of how I would finish the pole built) but how much more will the concrete cost?

Personally I would go with the stick built if this is where you are at now. Yes the footer and block work will cause the stick built to surpass the pole building in price. One thing I like about a stem wall is the building has a concrete perimeter at ground level.

How much more can only be determined by your local market. Get several quotes.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

I am getting ready to build a 28 x 32 workshop in Northern Michigan and after figuring in the cost of both pole barn and stick built they both ended up about the same. I am building a two story gambrel that will be fully heated...

That's what I found as well-same price. Seems pole barns got real popular, so price skyrocketed to meet with garages. Mine was easy, as my township doesn't allow pole barns, so stick-built was for me by default. Actually, my builder said he'd rather do a garage anyway, so I had a happy crew going for me also. Mine's 24X48 and I love it. Need to insulate the ceiling next.