Fast Eddie & Kool Karen's (excellent?) Pole Barn Adventure

Dav8or said:
I don't get this whole "pole barn" terminology. It must be an east of the Rockies kind of thing. What makes a pole barn any different from any other commercial/industrial/barn/garage/storage building? From the construction I have seen so far in these pictures, it looks like pretty standard garage/hangar construction. What am I missing?

The work looks great by the way! I'm sure you'll love it. Do you think there will be any drainage problems with it built into the hillside like that? I would hate to spend what you are spending on the hangar of your dreams and have puddles all over the floor in the rainy season. I'm sure you have this covered.
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From the opening post:

“We say pole barn since due to zoning restrictions, that's the easiest thing to get approved with the least permitting.”​

Consequently, it isn’t a hangar, it’s a (cough cough) “pole barn.” Eddie is paying all the forum members $100 a piece to refrain from calling it a hangar or garage or house or meth lab or brothel or anything besides a pole barn.

Right Eddie? :)
 
Half Fast said:
Consequently, it isn’t a hangar, it’s a (cough cough) “pole barn.” Eddie is paying all the forum members $100 a piece to refrain from calling it a hangar or garage or house or meth lab or brothel or anything besides a pole barn.

Right Eddie? :)
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1) Being a reformed city boy, I had no idea what a pole barn was. It’s grown to be a rather flexible building class.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pole_building_framing

2) The $100 payout is legitimate. However, somewhere on the internet is a legally binding document every forum member has clicked on at one time or the other. Buried in the boilerplate is an agreement to pay me $100 for the right to enjoy this thread. Hence the two cancel each other out.

So enjoy!
 
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Dav8or said:
Do you think there will be any drainage problems with it built into the hillside like that? I would hate to spend what you are spending on the hangar of your dreams and have puddles all over the floor in the rainy season. I'm sure you have this covered.
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I hope we do!

The contractor has pointed out to me all the steps taken to assist with drainage. Mainly gravel between the walls and the hillside, and large diameter “French drains” at the bottom, leading to a natural runoff that flows under the runway in an existing culvert.
 
Well, I normally don't classify buildings using red iron/steel supports and trusses as pole barns, but I think they are subject to the same building codes in most areas. To me, a pole barn uses real wood posts for the walls at a minimum. There's a pretty big jump in construction cost for going with steel over wood for the supporting structure.
 
Half Fast said:
What we have here is a failure to communicate.

Here's what most of us mean by "pole barn:"

View attachment 60906
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What you have there is a tractor shed. By definition, "barns" have both "sides" (some more broad than others ) and "doors." They are often open on the inside, without poles or walls holding up the ceiling. Makes them very versatile.

See also "barndominium" as in Texas . . .
 
Pole barns are constructed with set corner “poles” and sometimes sides, that provide the structure for the building. As opposed to framed sides used in other construction. The hangar being built here doesn’t fit the definition.
 
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Cooter said:
Pole barns are constructed with set corner “poles” and sometimes sides, that provide the structure for the building. As opposed to framed sides used in other construction. The hangar being built here doesn’t fit the definition.
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It fits the definition on one of the walls. The exterior walls are framed but one interior load bearing wall is made up of "poles" and they support a load carrying beam which in turn supports the roof trusses.
 
When I was growing up this was a barn......

d0f64b4d72641cfc5e493c74b053aa5f.jpg


And this was called a pole barn....
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But now this is called a pole barn......

DanicaKus_Barnhouse4.png
 
Zeldman said:
When I was growing up this was a barn......

d0f64b4d72641cfc5e493c74b053aa5f.jpg


And this was called a pole barn....
7230612418_d048938561_z.jpg


But now this is called a pole barn......

DanicaKus_Barnhouse4.png
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Well, the times there are a changing'... It looks like to me that people are getting sick of building things that start rotting into the ground in just ten years.
 
Wow, on that back wall that butts up against the hill, wouldn't it be cool if you could put glass in there instead of closing it up? Just looking at your bottom picture and it reminds me of some vintage hangars I've been in. What I'm saying is, leave it just like this photo, with glass up there. I know, not very practical or cost effective, but it sure would be cool.
 
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Nice idea.

Right now, the costs have already escalated into nosebleed territory. We’re not “cheaping out” going forward, but we need to keep our sanity.

But in the future, some large windows up there could be a thought.
 
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I don’t like windows in my garage. Dirty all the time. Attract critters and flying things at night when the lights shine out. Critters and flying things that fly in beat themselves to death on them trying to get out. Any window coverings to keep prying eyeballs from eyeballing the tools and stuff get hella dirty. It also has dormers with windows in those and all that does is attract wasps to go live up there near the nice warm windows in the rafters. Nope. No windows for me in anything garage or hangar like that I build. Translucent panels maybe, like our current hangar, for a little light, maybe. But I’d rather just light the space with a crap ton of LEDs if building today.
 
Good points.

We had considered skylights and decided we didn’t need them.

The only windows planned are 4 rectangular ones in a row in the sitting area. The door into that will be a sliding glass door with a roll up panel for security.
 
Wrong door, but maybe windows above the door to let in light? Sort of like skylights but no hole in the roof plus high enough so no one looks in.

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Or solar power lights.
 
Slow progress.

In the interim, we were pointed to a show on Netflix called “Grand Designs”.

If you are so inclined, check out Season 11, Episode 5, titled “Strathaven”.

It about building an airport home, and we can sympathize! Gave us some ideas. Highly recommended.
 
FastEddieB said:
Good points.

We had considered skylights and decided we didn’t need them.

The only windows planned are 4 rectangular ones in a row in the sitting area. The door into that will be a sliding glass door with a roll up panel for security.
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Downside it no ability to have just a little bit of ventilation without opening the big doors. We have 3 small windows across the back of our shop (under a lean-to) which are probably 3'x1' which can be opened up to allow the breeze in. If we open the walk-through door on the other side it allows a decent breeze to flow through in the summer. Windows are too small to be used for a break-in, and high enough up that you'd need a step stool to even peek inside. Allows enough ambient light in that you could walk in and see obstacles without tripping over anything, but that's of minor consequence.
 
Well, there's been a bit of a change in plans.

What we have here is no longer a pole barn.

Backstory is that the property we bought is in fact zoned agricultural. Hence, both the seller of the property (and owner of the airport) and my contractor assured us we could build a pole barn with no permitting required.

Well, last week a building inspector stopped by the property and told the contractor to stop work and not continue until a permit was in hand. Something about the land being zoned agricultural but not being used for an agricultural purpose, or something like that.

Both the airport owner and the contractor say we could fight this and likely win - but that would take time, and even at that we'd have teed-off building inspector to make our lives miserable.

So, as of last Thursday, what we're building is a two-story, 3 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath residence with attached garage. And here's our building permit:

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Yay!

Some hurdles remain. Normally there would have been 3 inspections up to this point: footers, foundation and plumbing. But apparently our situation is not unique, and there's a procedure to have an engineer look at pictures of each stage and certify things were done to code. That's in progress. In addition, we have to have an architect look at the work done so far and draw up plans for that and the proposed work to submit to the county. Also getting started on that.

In the bigger picture, we had agreed to build a 1,200 sq ft (minimum) house on the property. Our original plan was to "throw up" a quick pole barn, then later build a house. As it turns out there's plenty of room within our structure for 1,200 sq ft of living space in 2 stories, and that's going to be our airport home. And the airport owner says that's fine.

No doubt other hurdles will present themselves, but those too shall pass.

Are we having fun yet?
 
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Sorry Eddie, that is disappointing for y'all. Can they still have a runway there & airport?
 
mscard88 said:
Sorry Eddie, that is disappointing for y'all. Can they still have a runway there & airport?
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A little disappointing, but maybe for the best in the long run.

The airport and runway are not an issue - its a charted private strip. Nothing is forever but the seller agreed to maintain it as an airport for a minimum of 20 years.
 
Everything happens for a reason. All that's left now is for you to move lock, stock, and barrel to TN!
 
FastEddieB said:
A little disappointing, but maybe for the best in the long run.

The airport and runway are not an issue - its a charted private strip. Nothing is forever but the seller agreed to maintain it as an airport for a minimum of 20 years.
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Well you sound resigned to the situation and making the best of it. Hopefully no more surprises.
 
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So would it fix this if you were indeed using the land for some agricultural purpose? Maybe you could plant half an acre in corn or marijuana or something....

Or open the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm!
 
Half Fast said:
So would it fix this if you were indeed using the land for some agricultural purpose? Maybe you could plant half an acre in corn or marijuana or something....

Or open the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm!
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Karen suggested just getting a goat!

And a puppy farm is what's going on at our house right now, fostering these 8 little monsters (until Wednesday):

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FastEddieB said:
Karen suggested just getting a goat!

And a puppy farm is what's going on at our house right now, fostering these 8 little monsters (until Wednesday):

40998240622_6aa5d46a64_z.jpg
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Got a Doberman in that bunch? I’ll trade you a rescued kitten for it! Barb is trying to find a home for the thing. I’m considering mailing it to Sheryl....
 
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