Tell me your faves, hates, and dream plans for a barn/shed

[Chez J]

First, waving hello! New here. I like the look of this forum. Lots of interesting posts.

I am in need of building a new shed. Ours is old, rusty and just plain sad. City code will allow me to build two 120 sf accessory buildings without a permit. Also, the height restriction is 10 ft. So, it would be nice to stay under that size. However, I can have two, one of which is the coop.

Currently, the shed has a concrete pad that is 9x8. Next to it about 6 ft away is the chicken coop, which is about 4x8. The concrete pad is about 8 ft from the fence, so I cannot add on backward. I can add in front, though.

I have been collecting glass windows to use in adding a greenhouse. I have a riding mower with a leaf catcher and cart attachment. I need a place to store square hay bales, gardening tools, random fencing supplies, etc.

So, I could put the greenhouse along the front which faces south. I could make the ground to that gravel. I could rearrange the entry for the mower to enter from the west and park on the concrete pad with gravel in front of that. I think that I need to separate the coop from the shed by 5 ft to keep them from having the sf-age combined.

Or, I could design what I want and get a city permit.

What do you wish you had that you don't, would you change in what you have, or would build again because you love it?

[Yvonne's hubby]

I have pretty much always just built what I wanted. But then I dont have permits to deal with and gov burro crats to meddle in my affairs.

[rambler]

Bigger.

Whatever I make, in a couple years, it would be nice if it were a little bigger....

Paul

[coolrunnin]

Originally Posted by rambler

Bigger.

Whatever I make, in a couple years, it would be nice if it were a little bigger....

Paul

Yep i always try to build half again bigger than I think I need the extra space is filled unbelievably fast...lol

[Murramarang]

Make sure your coop has a load of doors and 'flaps' to make it easy to clan. You will pat yourself on the back for taking the time to get that right!

[jwal10]

I always (if I can) build without the permit. If built right they are not taxed. 200 sq. ft. here, then I can add as I want (as long as less than 200 sq. ft. I build without concrete (it can be/is added later. This keeps tax people off my property....James

[cowbelle]

My first thoughts are to think about the orientation of the shed or barn - what direction do the prevailing winds come from, do you want the sun to come in during the day or not, how close is the area you want to take the manure out to. Very important to make sure you have good access for whatever vehicles (hay truck, animal unloading/loading). I once knew a couple that built a fine looking barn, which the hay haulers couldn't get under so they had to hand unload hay and then move it into the barn! So think about what you will be using the building for and build to accomodate that. Will you have water available, - and plan so you don't have to carry it far. If you're in a climate that you will want to work with animals inside, build in space to do that. For horses, have something solid to tie them to. If cattle or small stock, arrange ways to move them easily - alleys or good gateways. Just think about the uses and how to include all of them - on paper first, before building. Good luck!

[Ernie]

I've always loved the old German barnhaus structures.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Housebarn

You had a living quarters and a barn combined, generally with a shared wall or the living quarters were located above the animal stalls. The body heat of the animals would rise through the floor all winter long.

In my climate it's not really worthwhile. Doesn't get that cold in winter and for the rest of the year we're entirely just trying to shed the heat away from us and our animals.

Digging into the side of a hill would be a much better option for me here, if I had any hills.

[MichaelZ]

I can tell you I hate a shed built on a floating slab that literally floats atop a wet area. I can at times poke a stick between two pieces of separated floor and it keeps going down!

Working on draining off this mess. If I were to do over, I would bring in a bulldozer to create good natural drainage and then bring in about 3 truckloads of fill. Then put sand and my slab over the top. Then build. I am still considering this - just tear down and put fill over the top of the "slab" I have.

The shed I have was originally just a pole-frame shelter for cattle, then an after-thought slab and siding to create a pole barn, if you would call it that. Created by previous owners. Anyway, it serves as a constant reminder - do it right or not at all.

[FarmboyBill]

I thought you were talking about a barn, in which I was going to suggest NOT building a gambrel roof on a barn, IF you live in a windy place like oKLA.. You want a steep roof, if its going to be way up there, BUT for a shed, that's different.

[motdaugrnds]

I LOVE my barn! I designed it myself and built 85% of it alone! Were I to do it over again, the only thing I would do differently is to place boards on all rafter "ends" prior to roofing it. Out of ignorance we roofed first, then had to go back and attach the boards to preserve the OSB.

Here is a picture.

[Chez J]

Thanks for the replies. I'll plan for bigger. Reg does not allow sleeping quarters in a barn/accessory building. So it is only a shed, barn or greenhouse.

[Ernie]

Originally Posted by motdaugrnds

I LOVE my barn! I designed it myself and built 85% of it alone! Were I to do it over again, the only thing I would do differently is to place boards on all rafter "ends" prior to roofing it. Out of ignorance we roofed first, then had to go back and attach the boards to preserve the OSB.

Here is a picture.

That is one fine-lookin' barn.

[joebill]

Build the primary structure as tall as is practical, because with plenty of height, you can add on the sides and still get enough pitch in the roof. If the peak of the primary structure is only 10 feet, you can only go so far sideways until your roof pitch dwindles to nothing.....Joe