One of the major benefits of building a pole barn is how straight-forward the process can be. Especially when you order from DIY Pole Barns, where we ship all the major pieces to you in a way that’s easy to work with. But like any big project, it’s important to plan properly. If you skip a step or rush through the process, you could run into a few common pole barn problems.
Read on to learn tips when you’re still in the planning stages of your pole barn!
Incorrect Size
Pole barns can be designed in many sizes – with variations in length, width and height. Plan for a pole barn that gives you plenty of room for your needs, without being too big for the property.
Too Small
One great tip for building your pole barn is to always err on the side of making it bigger than you need. A pole barn that’s too small for its intended use will always be sore spot for you. If you can’t fit your RV inside, can’t maneuver around your workshop tools or can’t house your livestock, it won’t be any help at all!
The best way to avoid creating a pole barn that’s too small is to spend time imagining everything you want to store inside. Even if you don’t intend to store it all there, make sure there’s room in case you need to. Your needs change, and it’s much better to have too much room than too little.
Too Big
On the other hand, it’s possible that as you go to build your pole barn, you realize it’s a bit big for your location. While you’re unlikely to run into an issue of it not fitting on your property, it is possible that you may find a large pole barn to be too visually obstructive.
When you’re outlining your pole barn design, take the time to go to your building site and measure the area it will take. Similar to avoiding an undersized barn, you’ll want to take stock of everything that needs to fit inside – plus the space you want to have outside.
If your pole barn isn’t big enough to keep everything inside, you may need to make it larger. If it’s too large for your property, however, you may need to reconsider what you’ll be using it for.
These considerations are much easier to deal with during the planning process. Don’t wait until you order or receive your pole barn materials to think seriously about your intended use and building site!
Poor Site Planning
The size of your pole barn isn’t the only major step to planning your building site. You also need to consider things like drainage, airflow, sunlight and accessibility. Pole barns make excellent garages – but not if it’s near a copse of trees that makes pulling larger vehicles up to the door difficult!
Likewise, if you’re planning to use your pole barn for livestock, you want to make sure that they get adequate airflow through the barn. While this is partly the responsibility of your pole barn’s ventilation, you also want to ensure that the doors and windows are angled in a way that doesn’t completely shut down the movement air.
Do you live in an area with a lot of rain? Don’t forget to think about grading. You don’t want to build a pole barn at the bottom of a hill that may easily flood during the oncoming spring rains.
Not Hiring Professional Builders If You Need Them
Our pole barns are designed and shipped to be built by you if you have the experience and tools required. However, not every homeowner has the skills or patience to build their pole barn correctly. Don’t be hesitant to reach out for help or to use our network of trusted builders.
The most critical part of building a pole barn, or any structure, is to guarantee that it’s built safely. While a pole barn can be considerably easier to construct than most other types of large buildings, you want to know it’s safe.
Properly built and maintained pole barns can last for ages. If you aren’t sure – hire professional help!
Deciding on Plumbing or Electrical After the Build
Certain parts of building your pole barn are far easier to do before it’s complete. When you need to run plumbing or electrical wiring in a finished pole barn, you’ll need to take extra steps to maneuver around any interior walling you may have put up, along with insulation.
These types of items are easily decided in the earliest planning phases of your pole barn, so don’t procrastinate on them! If you plan to build a man cave or hobby shop to spend most of your time, you’ll want electricity for TVs, lights or power tools. In many cases, you’ll also want plumbing for these to prevent the need to run back and forth between your house.
Not Learning Local Codes
Are you planning on running power to your pole barn after all? That’s not the only important step – you will also want to consult with an inspector that can advise you on local codes, for two reasons:
#1. Safety
Electrical codes are designed to minimize risk and encourage safe practices that will protect you, your family and your neighbors. Wiring is tricky and dangerous. Faulty wiring can lead to small issues like loss of power to major ones such as fires or electrocution.
#2. Avoid Resale Issues
Do you plan to live on your property forever? Safety isn’t your only concern! When you move to sell your property, homebuyers will likely schedule an inspection. Not only will this inspection turn up code violations and cost you buyers, it can lead to your local government intervening until the issues are brought up to code.
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Thinking of building your own pole barn? Call our knowledgeable staff at (937) 547-9100. If you’re ready to build your pole barn, lock in a quote with DIY Pole Barns using our Instant Quote tool!
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