Nov 15 2021
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Post Frame Construction
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Nothing in life ever seems to get less expensive. That’s especially true of housing costs, with the Sioux City area experiencing the same market forces — a spike in demand, running head-on into a housing shortage — like the rest of the country. If you’re eyeing a custom barndominium in Sioux City or any other kind of commercial structure or outbuilding, cost considerations are likely to weigh heavily in your decision-making. Here’s why your first call should be to Koskovich and Murphy Developments if you’re trying to find a smarter way to save money.
Save Your Cash AND Your Sanity.
Why Post-Frame Buildings are More Cost-Effective
There are some ways in which a pole barn or post-frame building works out less expensive than a comparable stick-built structure.
Less Site Preparation
Most buildings require one degree or another of site preparation, from leveling and grading to drainage. This, in turn, is followed by the laying of a foundation that can account for up to 15% of a structure’s cost. Because a post-frame building requires less site prep and doesn’t require a conventional foundation, these costs are lower.
Lower Materials Costs
The framing of a conventional structure is complex and material-intensive. This complexity, in turn, leads to a higher cost per square foot than you’d find in a comparable post-frame structure. That leaves you with more money for finishing touches!
Lower Labor Costs
One thing both building types have in common is that their construction is best left to professionals. That expertise comes at a cost that’s often higher than the cost of materials. But a post-frame building can be put up faster, with fewer people, which translates to savings on labor.
Lower Energy Costs
Post-frame buildings can use much wider spaces between posts than you’d find in the same square footage of a stick-built structure. That means fewer thermal breaks and better insulation, which in turn adds up to a more energy-efficient structure.
Increased Versatility
As a rule, anything a stick-frame building can do can also be done by a pole barn; the reverse, however, isn’t necessarily the case. You could not, for instance, build an aircraft hangar using the same construction principles you’d use for a split-level ranch. Even comparing the same type of building, the architectural and structural constraints of conventional building methods add costs that wouldn’t be present in an equivalent residential or commercial post-frame building.
Other Post-Frame Construction Considerations
As important as cost is, it’s only one of the many things you’ll need to consider when designing and building a post-frame building, not to mention choosing the post-frame building contractor who will complete the work and take care of post-frame building maintenance well into the future.
Permitting
Nobody enjoys the endless regulatory and logistical hassles that go with any kind of Siouxland construction project. But making sure your ducks are in order — starting with an understanding of what’s permissible under local building codes, and getting the right permits to match — is vital, and a good contractor will smooth the way.
Financing
Stick-built buildings do have one advantage over post-frame construction: for reasons known only to themselves, banks are much faster to finance a conventional structure than they would be for certain types of construction like a stick-built home versus a residential post-frame building.
Responsiveness
Many builders will place a warranty on their work. Not all of them, however, are easy to reach once that warranty runs out. Koskovich & Murphy Developments does things differently: we’re always a call or click away for any questions, maintenance concerns, or pole barn repairs that may arise. To see the difference our approach makes for your project, get in touch with us today!