Dpes anyone have there main barn attached to their house

FarmboyBill · #1 01/20/08, 05:36 PM

As in the New England area where some old farmsteads are built this way? What, if so do you think of it now that its been built and youve lived thusly for some years.

ripcat-ranch · #2 01/20/08, 06:01 PM

When we first moved to Maine that is one of the first things we noticed about the area. My wife and I have been talking about our ultimate retirement housing and that is one thing that we both want.

We lived in an old cape with a barn attached and though we never used it for animals(because we didn't have any in Maine) I always thought it would work out great especially when a Nor'easter hit!

Spinner · #3 01/20/08, 06:18 PM

I wish mine was. It would be so great during cold weather to not have to cross the back yard to get to the barn. It would not be near so nice in the summer heat with the smells being that close to the house.

I have several outbuildings between the house and the barn. Someday I might end up with a series of halls so I can get to the barn without going out in the rain and cold.

greeneyedgirl70 · #4 01/20/08, 08:18 PM

The winters are so long and the weather so cold that is why that they build the barn attached to the house, kinda made since.

Now I'm living in Virginia and you dont see that here at all. My husband was actually surprised to see houses with barns attached the first time he saw them in the New England States.

RichieC · #5 01/20/08, 10:06 PM

They used to do that a lot in New England. But not anymore, and you don't even see many old houses with attached barns.

Because they burned down.

Think twice about the price of that convenience.

BlueHeronFarm · #6 01/21/08, 07:15 AM

In this area, MANY people build what they call "barndominiums". They erect a steel building that is both. Our neighbors have one - they keep horses...about 1200-1400 square feet are the "house" (2 bedrooms, 2 bath) and the rest is stables. There is sound-proofing so they don't hear the animals all night through the common wall.

michiganfarmer · #7 01/21/08, 08:14 AM

I think its a FANTASTIC idea. I have contemplated doing the same thing here.

minnikin1 · #8 01/21/08, 08:52 AM

If you want to know more about the idea, look up the terms
"connected farms" and "continuous architecture".

In Europe, it was sometimes called a "longhouse". (this can be confusing because native americans built longhouses also but not quite the same thing).

There is a good book about it called "Big house, Little house, Back house, Barn"
(That used to be a rhyme that kids would sing.) It describes how these farms were set up and used - very good book.

We live in a long dairy barn, which is laid out in much the same way those farms were. This morning it's quite cold and windy outside, I think. Not really sure, though, I did all my animal chores but haven't been outside yet...

The critters think it's great. When I open the doors on a crummy day, they look out, turn around and come back in to munch hay.

Using earthen plaster as part of your construction method will seriously decrease the fire hazards, BTW. You can do cob, straw bale, or a hybrid.

We are making traditional wooden lath walls with earthen plaster right now, because wood scrap for making the lath is very available to us locally.

Soon we will be experimenting with making a straw and chicken wire sandwich to plaster on. We'll also be trying foam board and with a purchased metal lath.

Jim S. · #9 01/21/08, 08:54 AM

That is exactly how my in-laws lost their barn and home to fire in Connecticut. They never again had a barn connected directly to the house.

michiganfarmer · #10 01/21/08, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim S.

That is exactly how my in-laws lost their barn and home to fire in Connecticut. They never again had a barn connected directly to the house.

I dont get it. Why the fear about fire? My house has never burnt. My barn has never burnt, and that is 100 years old.

mwhit · #11 01/21/08, 09:08 AM

I think the fear is that both will burn at the same time leaving you nothing if the worst should happen?

Michelle

michiganfarmer · #12 01/21/08, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwhit

I think the fear is that both will burn at the same time leaving you nothing if the worst should happen?

Michelle

Mabey. Sure, I can see that

sidepasser · #13 01/21/08, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FarmBoyBill

As in the New England area where some old farmsteads are built this way? What, if so do you think of it now that its been built and youve lived thusly for some years.

I do. I am not in New England, but my house and barn are one unit. I like my harn (that is what I call it anyway - house + barn = harn).

I have 2500 square feet for me, about 12-1500 square feet for the horses, feed room, tack room, storage, and indoor washrack.

Never worry about anything burning down..it's all concrete block covered with stucco on the back side and am putting Hardee board on the remaining three sides. Will top off with a metal roof..and be sort of finished for awhile - one never really gets "finished" with any place though.

It is less expensive that two structures, I have insurance on it and it is easy to maintain. I keep the barn very clean, use circulating fans in the summer and a misting system for the horses..feed horses "feed thru" fly control along with use of fly strips (you do not want to use baits around a set up like this unless you do it away from the house - like out in the paddocks). hay is NOT stored in the barn, but is located in metal sheds several hundred feet away. Enough is brought to the barn to feed one day (morning and night).

Clean stalls twice a day and use stall fresh and most people never know there are horses around.

I like it because it cost less than 2 separate structures, insurance is actually less, and if the weather is rotten, I walk out of the house right into the barn and feed and never get wet if it's raining. I can also keep an eye on a sick horse easier.

Won't work for a neat freak fanatic or germaphobe though..but then neither would having a dog in the house - lol..but just warning those that "can't stand" dirt, hay, clutter, - this arrangement may not be for you. Frequently I drag tack into the house to clean (clutter), may forget to take off my coat (hay or horse snot may be on it) or forget to take off my barn boots in the breeze way..dirt.

But if you are able to deal with it, it can save thousands in building costs. You could always build a separate house later..and rent the harn house out to a trainer or college student in exchange for work/chores.

Many, many people do this - especially horse people, but then again..we like to be "right there" and spend more time in our barns than in our houses anyway. When I had a separate house - I was never in it except after 8-9 at night and before 6:00 am in the morning..never was in the house much anyway except to bathe, sleep, and cook meals.

Most horse people I know can always be found "down at the barn"..might as well live there - lol.

Don't know about cow, sheep and goat people. Maybe it's just us horse people are that strange like this...

mwhit · #14 01/21/08, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sidepasser

Won't work for a neat freak fanatic or germaphobe though..but then neither would having a dog in the house - lol..but just warning those that "can't stand" dirt, hay, clutter, - this arrangement may not be for you. Frequently I drag tack into the house to clean (clutter), may forget to take off my coat (hay or horse snot may be on it) or forget to take off my barn boots in the breeze way..dirt.

Don't know about cow, sheep and goat people. Maybe it's just us horse people are that strange like this...

It wouldn't bother me. I'd love to have my goats in my harn

They do occassionally sneak inside the house when I'm carrying in wood or one of the little kids doesn't shut the door. They love to watch tv!

Michelle

DamnearaFarm · #15 01/21/08, 11:27 AM

I would think as long as hay is stored in another barn and the barn were wired properly and the wiring not accessible to the beasties it wouldn't be a problem. I had a site bookmarked a while back that had plans combining the two. I'll look for it when I get home.....

DaleK · #16 01/21/08, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michiganfarmer

I dont get it. Why the fear about fire? My house has never burnt. My barn has never burnt, and that is 100 years old.

Your barn and house are still standing because they never burned. That just means your buildings were the lucky ones. Our farm is made up of 13 smaller farms. We have two old houses with barns, another 3 have been severed off and sold over the years. The other 8 all burned at one time or another and the owners moved on.

DaleK · #17 01/21/08, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RamblinRoseRanc

I would think as long as hay is stored in another barn and the barn were wired properly and the wiring not accessible to the beasties it wouldn't be a problem. I had a site bookmarked a while back that had plans combining the two. I'll look for it when I get home.....

If the hay and straw are stored in an unattached barn, most of the "convenience" pretty much goes out the window.

quietstar · #18 01/21/08, 11:59 AM

They are common in Europe, most appear to be pretty old and usually built with stone/timber frame. In Spain, I hunted near a rural village and was invited inside a combined family home/barn. The home extended above the barn which was used for sheep during winter. I understood that warmth from the flock warmed the sleeping quarters above. Being a polite guest, I didn't inquire about smells. Built of large local stone, I don't believe fire was a big concern...Glen

minnikin1 · #19 01/21/08, 01:03 PM

Our diary barn is concrete, with metal roof. All the interior walls are non-flammable earth plaster or stucco of some kind .. low risk.

Right now we keep our hay in the traditional hay mow, and we have to very careful. We let fresh bales rest a few weeks in the wagons, in the machine barn before we bring it in but...
Our future plan for hay is to have a dutch style hay barn (cheap to build) far from the barn. We will park a series of full hay wagons in there like a train.
(I hate unloading and stacking hay).

One wagon load at a time will be brought to the main barn. It will be stored in a lean-to structure.
The trusses of the lean-to roof is connected to a concrete wall of our barn - there is no wood to wood contact between the structures.

We don't allow smoking in the barn. All the wiring was replaced with brand new, and it is very minimal. - We use only cool bulbs for light and there are only 2 outlets for plugging in - both GFI's.
There are lightening rods on the roof.

For smells -
We divided the barn with a section that remains open, like a "breezeway" between the animals and the residence. The floor plan placed a pantry, storage and a milk room between us and them.

In winter we use deep bedding, no flies or smells when the world is frozen.
In summer we kick the critters out. When it's necessary that they do come in, they are given small bedded resting spaces - so the bedding can be changed daily.

The chicken coop is a lean-to on the outside of another lean-to. I can get to it without going outside, but it's well away from our living space.

If the benefits of this type of arrangement are important to you, there are ways to reduce the risks.

MomOf4 · #20 01/21/08, 01:53 PM

We have been watching a house close to us for a few years now.

They sold off land, and kept the old farmhouse. They had the barn moved to directly behind the house. They have now remodeled the barn to look like the farmhouse (same siding, same roof, same colors, etc.).

We are not sure what they are doing for sure, but it looks like it's a large "addition" rather than use for anmials, but it's interesting to us.