How Much Does a Barndominium Cost? [2025 Cost]
Building a barndominium costs $230,000 on average, but you could spend between $112,800 and $504,000. Actual costs depend on the size of the barndominium, the cost of materials, and labor expenses.
A barndominium costs $230,000 on average, though your actual cost will vary depending on the size and features. For a small, simple barndominium, costs may be as low as $112,800. But if you want to turn a hayloft into a high-end loft, luxury barndominiums can cost upwards of $504,000.
Often referred to as “barndos” or barn houses, these unique dwellings are metal homes resembling barns. Some even double as living space and a working barn, including stables, riding arenas, and tractor supply storage.
Barndominium Cost by Build Type
If you’re looking for curb appeal with a side of country charm, a barndominium may be just the right fit. To better understand your project costs, decide whether you want to use a barndominium kit or go with a custom build. Let’s look at the three main options.
| Barndominium Type | Materials Cost | Labor Costs |
|---|---|---|
| Build From Scratch | $25,450–$102,700 | $29,000–$58,000 |
| DIY Barndominium Kit | $20,000–$90,000+ | $85–$95 per square foot for specialized work |
| Barndominium Kit With Professional Assembly | $20,000–$90,000+ | $25,000–$50,000 |
Option 1: Build From Scratch
For a farmhouse feel done right, consider a custom build. Building a barndominium from scratch involves multiple steps, including securing your own blueprint, sourcing all building materials, and hiring a local general contractor.
Barndominium blueprint cost: $50–$2,000
A barndominium blueprint is a detailed design plan from a professional architecture company. You will need a blueprint if you decide to build your barndo from scratch. Blueprint costs vary depending on the size and the level of customization you request.
Materials cost: $25,400–$100,700
Materials for a barndominium construction project include siding, roofing, structural elements, etc.
Contractor cost: $29,000–$58,000
A general contractor oversees the entire building process. They use their knowledge and network to hire the best builders and construction professionals in your price range while ensuring everything goes according to the project plan. Expect to pay a contractor an additional 10% to 20% percent of the project total.
Option 2: DIY Barndominium Kit
Consider DIY kits if you want to build a barndo without horsing around. They involve fewer steps than building one from scratch and tend to be less expensive, especially if you do the build yourself instead of hiring installers.
DIY barndominium kit: $20,000–$90,000+
So, how much does it cost to build a barndominium from a kit? Costs vary depending on the barndominium size and complexity. Location and delivery distance can cause the price to fluctuate as well.
Option 3: Barndominium Kit With Professional Assembly
For cost-effective country chic that you won’t have to DIY, consider hiring an installation service to do the assembly.
Barndominium kit: $20,000–$90,000+
Barndominium kit prices tend to be much less expensive than other new-build options. Small barndominiums can start as low as $20,000 and increase in price with size and complexity.
Professional assembly: $25,000–$50,000 extra
While kits provide all the materials needed to build the barndominium shell, they still require time, tools, and construction skills. If you hire a professional to build your barndominium kit, you can expect to spend $25,000 to $50,000 on labor in addition to the cost of materials.
Size
Ready to raise the roof on rustic living? Barndominiums often come in kits that provide the metal shell. These kits come in various sizes that increase in price as the square footage increases. Below, we look at average price ranges for standard kit sizes.
| Dimensions | Square Footage | Average Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| 30 ft. x 40 ft. | 1,200 sq. ft. | $112,800 – $144,000 |
| 40 ft. x 60 ft. | 2,400 sq. ft. | $225,600 – $288,000 |
| 40 ft. x 75 ft. | 3,000 sq. ft. | $282,000 – $360,000 |
| 60 ft. x 60 ft. | 3,600 sq. ft. | $338,400 – $432,000 |
| 60 ft. x 70 ft. | 4,200 sq. ft. | $394,800 – $504,000 |
Materials
There’s a dual reason so many people decide to build barndos—they’re barnyard-bold and budget-friendly. Building material costs for barndominiums are less than for most new homes, thanks to the availability of kits. Standard kits cost between $5,000 and $350,000, and you can assemble them in as few as 10 days. Everything for the home’s exterior is included, including walls, roof, framed openings for windows and doors, siding, structural elements like steel columns, and hardware.
Even with a kit, you still need to buy the materials to finish the interior. These can cost anywhere from $25,400 to $100,700 or more if you buy high-end finishes. You will also pay separately for custom doors and windows.
| Construction Task | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Foundation | $4,000–$12,500 |
| Insulation | $1,100–$2,400 |
| Plumbing | $400–$1,900 |
| Sewer and Septic | $2,000–$9,500 |
| Electrical | $600–$2,200 |
| HVAC | $2,600–$13,500 |
| Roofing | $5,400–$10,700 |
| Flooring | $7,000–$28,500 |
| Drywall and Interior | $5,000–$30,000 |
| Total | $32,000–$266,200 |
Contractor Fees
Hiring a general contractor to oversee your barndominium project can help you get quality professional labor and stick to your timeline. Expect to pay a contractor 10% to 20% on top of the project total.
Additional Labor Costs
Even if you do much of the interior work yourself, several parts of a barndominium build require licensed professional labor. Exact prices vary depending on where you live, but we outline average cost ranges for each subcontractor below.
General contractor costs: 10% to 20% of total project cost
Architect cost: $125–$250 per hour
Interior designer cost: $50–$200 per hour
Landscape designer cost: $50–$150 per hour
Electrician cost: $50–$100 per hour
Plumber cost: $180–$500 per hour
Additional Cost Factors to Consider
Along with building costs, your budget must reflect where you build. If you already have the land or are renovating an existing structure, this may not apply to you. But if you’re starting from scratch, consider these likely additional costs.
Land
Homestead heaven comes at a cost. Land prices range widely depending on the lot size and location. On average, it costs $75,000 to buy a piece of land, but budget to spend between $2,000 to $500,000 or more. When looking at land to buy for your new barndominium, consider things like road access, property zoning, and land topography. Additionally, monitor public utilities, land taxes, easements, and mineral rights.
Land Clearing
Before you start building, you may need to clear the land. You won’t have this added expense if your lot is already vacant. Otherwise, expect to pay an average of $3,000.
Permits
Residential zoning rules in your city or county may require specific building permits for a large metal structure like a barndominium, to add a new building to a property, to excavate or pour a concrete foundation, or to install plumbing. Permit prices are usually based on square footage or estimated building costs and range from $1,200 to $2,000.
Location and Access
Before your post-and-beam dreams come true, part of the barndominium building process is choosing where to build. Due to zoning laws, erecting large metal structures in developed residential areas can be difficult, so you may wish to purchase land. If you buy land without roads, you must build one for your home. Asphalt roads cost $70 to $170 per foot, while gravel roads cost only $14 to $25 per foot.
Pros and Cons of Building a Barndominium
Barndominiums let you live like a rancher without the roundup. But that’s not the life for everyone. Here, we discuss the pros and cons of building a barndo so you can decide if you want to open the barn doors to this rustic-but-modern home or go more traditional.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Cost-effective | May not appeal to all homeowners |
| Durable construction | Lenders may be hesitant to finance |
| Very customizable | Limited resale market |
| Easier to maintain than standard homes | Interiors can echo and be loud |
| Kits allow for faster construction | Challenging to insulate properly |
Pre-engineered building kits, steel beams, and metal siding mean many barndominiums are more cost-effective and durable than other homes. They’re also exceedingly customizable, with options ranging from fully custom home designs to modular, pre-assembled buildings that go up in a snap. The metal siding and structure make them easier to keep up than homes with more fragile materials.
But the grass isn’t always greener on the barndo side of the fence. The barndominium style doesn’t appeal to everyone, so even if you like it, you could be fencing yourself in when it comes to a wider resale market. Likewise, the unique construction of these homes means they can be echoey and louder inside, and insulating their metal walls can be complicated for those without experience. Lenders can also be less familiar with and, therefore, less willing to finance barndominium projects.
Cost to Build a Barndominium Yourself vs. Hiring a Pro
If the cost to build a barn or barn-style dwelling is more than you were hoping for, you can save on labor costs by going the DIY route. Buying a barndominium kit that’s pre-engineered with instructions lets you assemble the shell like a jigsaw puzzle. If you have the proper skills and tools, you can also do many finishing tasks, such as laying floors, tiling, painting walls, and installing cabinets.
You will still need to hire licensed professionals for electrical, HVAC, and plumbing work, though. A skilled local contractor can help you coordinate service providers and meet local building codes, structural regulations, and safety standards. Expect to pay $85 to $95 per square foot for the help of a licensed pro. It will cost an additional $150 to $190 per square foot to hire a general contractor to get your barndominium move-in ready.
Building a barndominium requires a lot of work and different skill sets, so it’s usually best left to the pros.
Do Barndominiums Hold Resale Value?
Barndominiums are the ultimate live-work-play space, so they can hold their resale value. Whether they do, though, depends on location, market demand, and how they’re built.
Barndominiums hold and increase in value in rural or less densely populated areas, especially when they’re on larger plots of land. In country locations, buyers often want affordable homes with enough space for workshops, garage storage, gardens, and room to roam and recreate.
Market demand also matters. Barndominiums are more popular in regions that align with their overall style and feel—for example, rural living that prizes rustic or sustainable homes. In areas where buyers favor more upscale or traditional homes, barndominiums may be in less demand, which can hurt resale value.
Don’t overlook quality construction. A well-built barndominium with high-quality materials, energy-efficient systems, good insulation against weather and noise, and an attractive design inside and out is much more likely to hold value over time. Modern finishes and amenities will appeal to a broader audience and increase sales value.
Frequently Asked Questions
Average barndominiums last between 50 and 150 years depending on the materials they are made from, how well they are maintained, and the environment they are built in. Barndominiums are very durable and have a much longer lifespan than traditional wood homes. With proper care and maintenance, well-built barndominium homes can last generations.
Yes, barndominiums can be two stories. Blueprints for barndominiums can safely support multiple stories or vaulted ceiling heights of 14 feet or more. Barndominiums are prized for their ability to be modified and customized to suit the builder’s preferences, and many barndominium construction companies offer a variety of different floor plans to choose from.
Yes, barndominiums can have basements. Barndominiums are typically built over concrete slabs, so barndo basements are not very common. However, it is possible to include a basement in a barndominium blueprint as long as you’re building completely from scratch. Barndos can have the same types of basements as traditional homes, including full or walk-out basements.
Yes, barndominiums are designed to withstand strong weather and severe storms if they are built properly by trained professionals. Most barndominiums are made up of a steel structure that can protect a building from winds of up to 150 miles per hour and resist a variety of weather conditions without a major risk of structural damage to the exterior, foundation, or frame.
Yes, barndominiums are energy-efficient as long as insulation professionals properly install quality insulation, windows, and doors. Utility bills for barndo living can be up to 50% lower than those for a traditional home. Make your barndo more energy efficient by working with contractors and HVAC professionals to strategically place windows, doors, and heating/cooling systems.
