How to Cut Costs on a Pole Barn

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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If you need a durable and economical out building, then a pole barn is the way to go. They can be built just about anywhere, including uneven land, for much less work than traditional construction. Their simplicity and versatility is hard to beat, but like any other construction project, the costs can quickly escalate if you're not careful. To help you keep those costs under control, try some of these money saving ideas.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step1

Use old telephone poles instead of buying new poles. They can easily sustain the pressure required for pole construction of this type.

Step2

Design your pole barn in 8-foot sections. Standard building lumber is typically sold in 8-foot sheets so this will save you from buying custom cut lumber.

Step3

Attend auctions to watch for windows, doors and other items you can recycle instead of buying new.

Step4

Consider using trusses from old buildings rather than having new ones made. Just make sure they are not only the right size but uniform in size.

Step5

Hold an old fashioned barn raising and invite friends to help. Provide some good food and beverages and you'll save a bundle on labor.

Step6

Build the pole barn in stages. After the initial structure is completed, add stalls, lofts or additional space later as time and money allows. That will give you more time to look for recycled building materials and you won't have to pay for everything all at once.

Tips & Warnings

Before you buy anything, check with your county building inspector for building code requirements. Agricultural buildings generally has less regulations than houses, so be clear about the intended use of the barn.