It’s easy to be overwhelmed as a first-time horse barn buyer by the enormous number of choices from which to select the new structure to house your beloved equines. This time of true excitement is one to be enjoyed and revered and moderating this enthusiasm can be difficult to manage for even the most stoic horse aficionado. So don’t feel bad if you feel yourself getting carried away with excitement during the process. The main thing is to ensure you make a wise choice, one that you will be happy to live with both now and in future years.
Experience doing anything is always a great way to garner knowledge of what something entails, and the barn buying process is no different. But we all start somewhere. If you are a first-time horse barn buyer, follow these top ten tips to help avoid pitfalls and nuisances during the buying process. Your final barn purchase result should be a happy and pleasurable experience. Cash-in on this quick read – it will have you trotting down the right track to achieving the best result for your individual needs.
1. Cut Your Coat According to Your Cloth
It’s an old adage but it still holds true today – stay within your financial means.
The lure of building a large fancy horse barn is very real, with its promises of a possible income stream for boarders – just one of two you tell yourself to make ends meet, or its appeal to show your friends how serious and professional you are as an equestrian. But remember you can always add to it later if the need arises.
In fact, the more barns you look at the harder you will find it to keep your feet solidly planted on the ground well-earthed to your budget constraints.
When you make plans based on what you have versus what you would like to have, you will be comfortable with the level of financial pressure you have placed upon yourself. Notwithstanding, a good financing deal that can leverage the expenditure and help manage the cash flow should not be overlooked. But tailor the barn to be of the best quality you can afford and that will do the job required without going ‘barn mad.’
2. Choose A Sturdy Well-Crafted Barn
Design of the barn should address key points of safety for both horse and human use and be composed of good quality materials crafted with care and craftsmanship.
A talented team of carpenters that exhibit due care and attention to the details of the build and have high quality materials with which to work, together with a properly drafted and executed building plan that they follow, will produce a durable horse barn that will stand up to the abuse that Mother Nature and the horses themselves dish up.
Express and implied warranties should be documented by the construction company in hard print and evidenced clearly in the purchase contract.
Select a construction company to work with that has a solid history of professional experience within the equine industry and one that offers transparency including references and testimonials that you can approach personally to verify. Consider the selection of a construction partner the same way you would about buying a horse; never get on one you haven’t seen ridden that behaves well and as expected and promised!
3. Know The Real Cost
Modular construction building offers huge advantages over a site build in many aspects of barn building. Aside from the obvious ones of factory-controlled environment for the building process resulting in a better overall job and known timeline, the less mess no stress factor should not be overlooked.
But its major pivotal play is the ‘to the penny’ quote that will include freight/delivery charges and full set up.
Don’t get scammed into accepting ‘estimates’ especially those quoted as ‘time and labor,’ as you might as well sign a blank check and hand it over if you fall into this construction jungle. Do get a detailed list of all materials and set of plans as part of the contract and do read the terms of the contract and make sure you understand them. And of course, do get a contract!
4. Get What You Pay For
Don’t part with any monetary deposits or sign on any dotted lines until you are happy that you have successfully compared like to like and that these ‘known’ ingredients that compose the structure are listed and documented accurately.
For example, if an on-site builder promises you a 20-year warranty shingle roof and you keenly choose the color, don’t compare that against the price of a metal roofed barn of the same size, even though the floor plan may be the same. Do not accept clauses in a contract that denote the builder may substitute materials and assure yourself that all material components are of same or similar quality.
Be aware that dimensions detailed on the plans (and make sure you get plans!) are exterior dimensions so actual usable space within the building will be slightly smaller to allow for walls, pillars and interior kickwalls.
5. Put It in The Right Place
Where the barn is sited is almost as important as how the barn is built. How that site is prepared is also an essential part of the equation.
If the barn is sited in an area of poor drainage, its constitution will be severely impacted over time as it will be inherently flawed by its poor site.
Enjoy these ‘tongue-in cheek’ notes in this quick read on critical mistakes to avoid when choosing your building spot.
How that site is prepared is also an essential part of the equation. The integrity of any building is only as good as the ground on which it stands. So, follow the builder’s guidelines for site requirements and research the best site carefully, taking professional advice if necessary.
Before you buy a barn or start your building plans do address any local building codes, permits required or variances that may be needed. Your local Building Inspector can be very helpful in this respect, and even if an agricultural exemption applies to your property, it is smart to touch base and discuss your plans before they are finalized.
6. Don’t Forget the Overhang
The addition of an overhang can add presence to the structure and ground it to the landscape, but more importantly are the functional benefits this relatively inexpensive upgrade provides for daily use.
7. Little Things Make a Big Difference
From high-quality hardware to functional accent pieces like cupolas, the seemingly smaller parts of the horse barn build make a major difference in the use of the barn.
Make yourself a list of needs and wants and scan the list of upgrades with a keen eye to the real life benefits they may provide. A window box for example may look lovely, but will you be too busy to tend the flowers you purchase each year to plant in it. While on the other hand choosing windows that include screens will definitely improve life in the barn for both horse and human.
Be certain to review all the Standard Features when you are comparing prices between modular construction companies.
8. Time Is Money
Busy horse owners don’t want to be faffing about for endless weeks and months waiting for their horse barn to be completed. This is particularly true if the property has recently been acquired and a move of home is involved, or horse boarding expenses and livery facility timelines are a factor.
Large modular building companies address this problem with great competence by offering ‘in stock’ often discounted barn options in various styles, available for immediate purchase, delivery and set up. As the leading modular barn building companies also have a nationwide footprint, there is no reason to settle for what is on offer locally either. You can even put down a deposit and request a ‘hold date’ pending your site being readied and, in some instances, the modular company will help you navigate site preparation and permits too.
9. Avoid Last Minute Changes
Once you have set your plans into action and the barn construction has begun, try to avoid last-minute changes. The ‘work order’ changes can be expensive, and these are good ways to get off budget track and spend more than you anticipated.
10. Remember To Enjoy the Process
You don’t have to do a deep dive into construction processes to buy a barn, but it can be rewarding to garner a good understanding of the basics involved. Knowledge is power, and doing some due diligence will not only help satisfy your emotional contentment with the purchasing process but also yield ideas to inspire you on what to put where, how and why, and what you can expect from the end result.
Never be shy to ask the construction company staff, especially a modular firm with an experienced and professional team on hand, for ideas on where you can save money or for ideas to solve issues you may have with the site or to customize the design.
Buying a horse barn is a fun and exciting time. Remember to enjoy the ride, something easily accomplished if you don’t get on the wrong horse.
