Apr 15 2021
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Buyer's Guide
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What do homes, storage sheds, retail spaces, and horse barns have in common? Believe it or not, that’s not a trick question; these diverse structures, and many others, are well-suited to post-frame construction, or what’s commonly known as a pole barn (even when it’s not a barn). But what is post-frame construction? How does it differ from the other more common type of construction? What are its pros, cons, and costs? Those are all great questions, and Koskovich and Murphy has answers.
What Is a Post-Frame Building?
From churches to carports, every built structure has to accomplish two things. First of all, it needs to create a barrier between its contents and the elements so the outside (air, temperature fluctuations, climate, allergens) stays out, and what’s inside stays protected. Second, and just as importantly, the structure needs to transfer the weight of things like the roof, walls, flooring, and furnishings safely to the ground.
A post-frame building and a stick-built building each have the same job, but they do it differently. In a stick-built structure, much of the load transfer is borne by the interior walls (which you may have found out the hard way if your renovations were thwarted by a load-bearing wall in a traditional home). A post-frame building uses trusses to transfer the load to the outer walls, allowing for much more uninterrupted space inside; when additional support is needed, a column or post is often sufficient.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Post-Frame Buildings?
What do you need to weigh when you’re considering a pole barn? Quite a bit, it turns out.
Post-Frame Buildings in the Tri-State Area: The Pros
Let’s examine the benefits of a post-frame building first.
- Durability: With proper maintenance, a post-frame building can last for decades.
- Flexibility: Because of their unique architecture, post-frame buildings are easy to adapt for a wide range of uses, and they’re also easy to add to if you decide you need more space. This style also lends itself to open plan construction, making the interior equally flexible.
- Efficiency: A pole barn has fewer thermal breaks, making it easier to insulate against the elements and saving you money on utilities.
- Speed: Given the relative simplicity and the ease to site a pole building, pole barns are quicker, and often cheaper, to build than a stick-built structure, or even a comparable steel building.
Post-Frame Buildings in the Tri-State Area: The Cons
Now that we’ve looked at the many advantages, we’d be remiss if we didn’t also address some potential drawbacks.
- If you want a basement, a post-frame building isn’t the best choice.
- Some jurisdictions won’t allow for certain types of post-frame construction.
- Likewise, certain lenders haven’t gotten their heads around lending and financing for post-frame buildings.
- Depending on the post-frame building contractor you choose, you may not get a structure in move-in condition; we’ll have more to say about this below.
What Does a Post-Frame Building Cost in the Sioux City Area?
Good question and the best one-size-fits-all answer we can give you is, “It depends.” Even for the same type of post frame building—say, a post-frame home—costs vary widely based on factors like home size, site preparation, your finish options, materials, and more. That brings us to your next probable question.
What is the Post-Frame Building Process?
Rather than just relying on kits (though we’re fully capable of doing that), Koskovich and Murphy is a full-service post frame building company. That means we’re capable of custom post-frame building designs, and also means that we handle every phase of construction, from permits to the finishing touches. Unlike some of our competitors, who will deliver a completed shell, we deliver a turnkey building, meaning you’re ready for the move into your new home or business on the very first day. For answers to any questions we haven’t covered here, call us today!