Barndominium lifestyle makes better sense than ever before due to the modern-day advantages available in construction techniques and materials. Sure, living with horses isn’t for everyone. But for many the reasonably large space that sits above the horse stall area as a result of how much room it takes to house equines safely, offers an inviting and cost-friendly human residence.
Even for the non-horsey folks the generous nature of the sizeable upstairs level can offer a completely independent living area that emulates any condominium or town house build.
Today’s “Barndos,” are replete with every necessity for a comfortable habitation experience. Their gain in popularity is not surprising because of the substantial advantages they offer financially that apply across a myriad of circumstances plus their eco-friendly nature with a single footprint that combines both residential living for humans and horse housing.
Learn By Looking Back
Gone are the days of yore when the odors and noise that emanated from the animals within the barn pervaded the entire structure. It used to be commonplace for farmers to shelter and secure their livestock alongside their own living accommodations. All structures were basic in build, usually their height was limited by the height a man could reach to stack logs hewn from local forests and crudely assembled to protect occupants from adverse weather.
Cattle rustling, predatorial activity by wildlife and extremes of weather were just some of the reasons that the valuable domesticated animals were bought inside at night. The farmers’ families depended on the milk, meat, and eggs their livestock could produce. And when it came to the family horse, the ‘do it all’ four-legged noble beast of burden that could help plow a field and pull a rudimentary wagon from A to B, was an extremely important asset for survival. Horses were used for hunting, as well as for traversing huge distances to carry home-produced fare to market or to chase off nefarious activity around the farm from both human and animal intruders.
A lesser-known reason farmers brought their animals in to live alongside them was for the warmth they created simply by their presence. While the aroma of warm piles of manure (often used to fuel the fire when dried in the sun), and the night noises of large beasts bumping and rolling about during the night, and of course the animal smell in general might not be appreciated by the average human today, back then it was a welcome addition to the family life. Smoke from open fires set in rudimentary chimney designs that were often no more than glorified holes in the roof, added to the ambience. And of course, posed a real fire risk to the building.
Horse aficionados, especially horse breeders and advanced performance horse competitors, know firsthand the pleasures/pluses and minuses of sleeping alongside horses. I’ve personally spent many nights on a cot in the barn on foal watch, as well as dozed on and off overnight alongside horses being transported by plane for competition. At times of equine malady or illness when at competition venues I’ve slept in front of the stall on a cot to tend to the needs of the sick horse through the night hours. There is no glamor in these activities! And let’s face it, the idea of sleeping in a barn is not one many people relish outside of necessity.
Combat Strategies for Condo Living
The Barndo build today does not need to depend on the heat energy source of the horse to produce a warm and comfortable living arrangement. Installation of spray-foam R-21 insulation takes care of keeping energy costs down in modern modular Barndo builds. This insulation method provides the additional benefits of sealing out both noise and vermin intrusion. Special sound insulation can also be used between floors to mitigate any noise factor at all between living spaces, horse and human.
The advent of second story builds has of course been around a long time. But simply converting the second floor of a horse barn from a hay loft to a living space is not an ideal living space solution.
Consider that when a structure is factory built to the specifications of a residential construction as a modular barndominium is, then throughout the process each stage of the build is quality controlled. Inspections and stamps of certifications ensure that all the regular fire protection aspects such as fire-rated pillars for support members, and the methods of joinery and wind/snow load factors, window/door and energy ratings etc., electrical and plumbing specs are all on point. If you renovate an existing structure that was not originally designed for human habitation, it is difficult to address these important issues retroactively with any degree of success. And even, when possible, it is an expensive and time-consuming enterprise.
Exterior access only to the second floor is the best design to ensure no permeation from horse areas to human areas, of dust, flies and biting insects, vermin, odors, or noise from the animals. Similarly, from the horses’ point of view, they won’t be spooked by noises above their heads. If you’ve ever stayed in a poorly built hotel or lived in an apartment building, you have probably experienced the negative impacts of someone vacuuming their apartment at 7 a.m. or playing music loudly into the wee hours or even arguing in raised voices. All disconcerting stuff for the delicate hearing that is innate in the horse, and unsettling at best for their own level of relaxation.
The room with a view from the second floor of a horse barn will usually unfold into parcels of land ribboned with fences or walls, distant vistas of sunsets and sunrises with horses contentedly grazing grass in the paddocks close to the building. With the availability of large windows in a variety of designs, all screened from insect intruders and energy rated against winter weather and glazed against noise, the view can be enjoyed from the interior of the structure. Light, airy space offers a feeling of luxury to the living area.
The exterior staircase also offers an opportunity to add decking, covered and screened or open, where the great outdoors can be enjoyed for dining and relaxation.
Within the walls of the second level, options for interior design include the traditional pine wall natural wood warmth, an appealing environment in colder climates. Or you can upgrade to a birchwood panel finish that successfully emulates a sheetrock finish and can be painted any color you choose. Birchwood has a low wood grain pattern, so it is very attractive as a chic residential-feel wall finish. Other benefits of a wood clad wall are not just its obvious natural insulation factor, but also its ability not to crack or show impact damage from furniture mishaps. It is also easy to attach everything to for finish features in interior design such as mirrors, artwork or cabinets.
The Business Side of Barndominium Benefits
Money does matter, and building up is always more cost effective than building out. The cost advantage for the combination use purchase may be obvious, but financial benefits extend to a well-managed timeline for the build as well as the future functional ones. Factory built modular Barndominimums not only come with a known timeline for build as no weather delays can impact either the quality of the work or the timeframe for completion due to rain/snow events or material shortages on site. The factory build also offers a known ‘to the penny’ price point that includes freight/delivery and set-up on site. To make that pot even sweeter, many larger modular builders also offer financing options.
If you’ve bought an open piece of land with plans to keep horses at home or wish to develop a business as a horse facility or Agri-tourism location, then the Barndominium offers an effective immediate solution to housing both horse and human.
Permanent living on the second floor by a family or staff member, or a short-term rental activity can both save money and make money.
Even if a separate residence is built later on the property (which can be a good idea as it improves the property value and salability factor down the road), it may be a more modest affair suitable for retirement. The barn living area can then be utilized to supplement a fixed income or develop a business enterprise.
Everyone has a different budget when building, so it’s smart to not just have a hard number to work with but also collaborate with a company that has more than one option in both design and price point from which you can select what suits your needs best.
Don’t Forget the Horses
As exciting as barndominium living options are, it is also important not to overlook the horse stabling below in its own right. This entity requires some specialist knowledge to build, and home builders do not necessarily know the factors that make a horse stall secure and safe, or figure on the sturdiness the downstairs area needs to involve building and design-wise to accommodate something as large as a horse.
If you can collaborate with a company that understands both sides of that particular fence, and can design proper stabling, tack and storage areas, size everything appropriately and offer a high level of known craftsmanship you can trot on with your barndominium purchase with confidence.
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