pole barns

I have a neighbor that wanted a building to store hay, machinery and a workshop. He is related to a guy at the lumber yard. They printed out a materials sheet with discount prices. They checked with Morton. Morton could build the building for less than buying the materials locally.
How can they do that? The design they use has a lot less wood in it. Instead of 6x6 treated posts, they used three 2x4 boards nailed together. The bottoms were treated boards and the upper parts were untreated. Nailed together so the joints didn't come at the same place. Then at the top of these "posts" the middle 2x6 was 6 inches shorter than the boards on each side. The posts were set 8 feet apart and the heavy duty truss was set into each post. This way they didn't need to use a heavy 2x12 along the top to carry the truss. But with the trusses 8 feet apart instead of the normal 4 feet, they laid the 2x4s on edge instead of on the flat. This way the roof could be supported with the same number of 2x4s and only half the trusses. Instead of 2x4s running at an angle in the corners, they used metal strips. When the building was ready for steel, it had to be straightened and held in place with many, many chains, cables and come-alongs. It was quite "floppy". I guess they figured the steel would hold it in place once it was screwed down.

Well, they were right. 25 years later, that barn is as straight and sound as any other. I like the idea of more wood, but it doesn't seem to make a difference.

Morton and National are companies that have their own designs and drafting team and contractors that have experience in each company's methods. Any local carpenter can figure it out after a few buildings, but I don't want to be a part of his learning curve.

Do it yourself with a local design or have Morton do it, same money.

Amish are not clones of each other. There are some good ones and not so good ones. Check out several jobs they have done and treat them like the individuals that they are.

If I was rich I would love to just pick up the phone and order a barn like a pizza.
I just finished a cut on a mans barn(I saw the logs)
30X48 open on one side sloped roof 14 in front 12 in the back with center poles.
The contractor was excellant and the cost was
My Charge for sawing $875.00
Logs if you purchased them. $750.00
Contractor using your labor also $3000.00
Metal and insulation $3000.00
Misc $1000.00
I am always impressed with the barn companies because their plans are great. I just can't afford $20K fro the same barn.

Speaking of labor: I also went with Wick because I knew a family that had the same foreman and crew build a similar barn two years earlier nearby...experience counts in construction...they were quick, efficient and went the extra length to please me...

I had bird screen added to the inside of the eave venting and across the ridge line vent...so birds have few places to nest on the inside of the barn. The ceiling insulation being thin sheet foam does not make good nest material...fiberglass batts are know to have this problem.

We just built a 84x120 pole shed for loose housing for our goats. Five years ago we had Wick build a 38x80. I would never have another shed built by Wick. We got a total of 11 bids when we built the new shed, but the craftsmanship in the amish built is by far a better deal. Everybody who has looked at our new shed raves about the way it is built compared to our wick shed.

I just had a pole barn put up in Sept. You live in PA get a copy of the Lancaster Farming magazine there is a ton of pole barn ads in there, all over the commonwealth......

Lancaster farming webite www.lancasterfarming.com
Where I work we have had 2 new pole barns built in the last couple years by an Amish crew. Very fast and high quality buildings. Not sure of the cost but our company can squeeze a buck.
When I built my shop/storage/office I did it myself. Its a 12X40 2 story add on to an existing garage. The bottom is a pole barn and the top floor is framed just like a house 16in centers. My poles are on 8ft centers and the floor joists for the 2nd floor are 2X12, 16in centers.
Tom

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Tom Lavalette, Garden Farmer
Owner Toms Tractors, Buy, Sell, Trade Garden Tractors and Implements. Custom Built machinery by order.


If Farms were Smaller, Communities would be Closer.