As you begin looking into owning a pole barn house, the price will most likely be at the top of your list of things to look at. At this point, you have probably heard that pole barn houses are less expensive than traditional homes. While this is true, there are exceptions to every rule. Pole barn house costs can be attributed to a few different factors when you are building your home. Let’s start with some terms we are going to throw around interchangeably in this article.
- Pole Barn House
- Barndominium
- Pole Building Home
- Post Frame House
While some contractors or architects can point out very subtle differences between these terms, the truth is that they are going to be realistically the same. We are going to use these terms and more as we dive into the cost of pole barn homes.
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What Is The Cost To Build A Pole Barn House?
The average national cost to build a completely finished pole barn house is $245,000. This is the average cost when you start from nothing and do everything to make a liveable pole barn home, but does not include land costs or extra additions you may specifically want. You may see sites that quote a range from $2k-$100k, but those sites are not distinguishing pole barns from pole barn houses. While the average cost of a pole barn is around $15,000, pole barn homes are much more expensive because they require much more work. Let’s break it down by state.
| State: | Average Cost: |
| Pennsylvania | $165,000 |
| Maryland | $240,000 |
| Virginia | $230,000 |
| New Jersey | $250,000 |
| Kentucky | $145,000 |
| Indiana | $150,000 |
| Michigan | $150,000 |
| Oklahoma | $142,000 |
*Keep in mind the fluctuation of materials and their cost. These numbers are estimates from 2022. This does not count the price of the land.
Pole Barn Home Land Cost
Now that you know what the average cost of a pole barn home is, let’s take a look at the land you are going to put it on. Even though a fully finished pole barn home costs around the above amounts, we still need land to put our structure on. The average cost of 1 acre of residential homeland in the U.S is $110,000.
| State: | Average Cost (1 Acre): |
| Pennsylvania | $63,000 |
| Maryland | $105,000 |
| Virginia | $93,000 |
| New Jersey | $115,000 |
| Kentucky | $55,000 |
| Indiana | $60,000 |
| Michigan | $60,000 |
| Oklahoma | $50,000 |
To take PA as an example…the average cost of a pole barn home in PA would be approximately $230,000 in total (pole barn + land).
Pole Barn House Cost Per Square Foot
The average cost of a pole barn house is $120 per square foot. This is the average for the U.S and may differ depending on your area. Let’s break the cost down even further by looking at pole barn house sizes.
Pole Barn House Cost By Size
- Small Pole Barn Homes: We are categorizing these homes in the 1,200-square-foot range.
- 30×40: The average cost of a 30×40 pole barn house is $144,000.
- 30×50: The average cost of a 30×50 pole barn house is $180,000.
- Medium Pole Barn Homes: We are categorizing these homes in the 2,400 square foot range.
- 40×60: The average cost of a 40×60 pole barn house is $288,000
- Large Pole Barn Homes: These are anything larger than the previous sizes.
- 40×80: The average cost of a 40×80 pole barn house is $384,000
- 80×100: The average cost of an 80×100 pole barn house is $960,000
Keep in mind that these size prices are also based on other elements in the pole barn home.
Ex: An 8,000 square foot pole barn home is going to use more materials have more inner walls, more insulation, a bigger site, etc.
Can You Turn A Pole Barn Into A House?
Yes! However, most of the time, it is better to start from scratch. You will spend around the same amount of money converting an already built pole barn into a home because a home needs extra/different elements. If you like specific pole barn styles, we would recommend showing it to your builder to copy or taking a few pieces from the pole barn and using them in your new pole barn house.
Pole Barn House Pricing Breakdown
When it comes to the cost of your pole barn, here are some of the costs broken down into the different sections of what it takes to build it. Check out our blog on Pole Barn Prices for more information on pricing.
| Site Preparation/Foundation | A pole barn foundation is traditionally a concrete slab. These foundations generally cost $10 per square foot, depending on your area. |
| Shell | Depending on your design, a pole barn house shell can cost anywhere from $15,000 – $30,000. |
| Metal Siding | The metal siding of your pole barn will run approximately $4-$5 per square foot. |
| Insulation | Insulation will generally stay between the range of $1,700 – $3,500 |
| Doors + Windows | Again, this will depend on how many and what style you want. Plan on spending $2,500 – $5,500 for doors and windows. If you want garage doors, it will be on the upper side of this range. |
| HVAC | These systems can vary in price, but an average system will cost $10,000 |
| Plumbing | The first question we need to ask for plumbing is, “Are you building onto a location where there is a line?”. If not, it will cost more. We would recommend planning $5-$6 per square foot for plumbing and fixtures. |
| Septic | The average cost for a septic tank installation is around $6,000. |
| Electricity | This may be the toughest one to determine without knowing the details of your building. We recommend planning for $20,000 for all electrical work and pieces. |
| Interior Additions | (Cupboards, Drywall, Painting, Counters, etc) – Depending on the size and style of your pole barn house, plan on spending $4 per square foot to add your interior options. |
| Appliances | From a refrigerator to a washer and dryer, you can estimate spending $3,500 to $4,500 for the major appliances. This doesn’t include tvs or personal electronics. |
| Permits | Using PA as an example, a new pole barn permit would run around $1,500. |
*These are all rough estimates that do not include labor. Make sure you talk with your pole barn contractor about pricing before moving forward!
Pole Barn House With Basement Cost
You can add a basement to your pole barn (not exactly recommended). A pole barn house with a basement will add $25,000-$40,000 in cost to your pole barn.
Pole Barn House With Garage Cost
A garage is a very common element that is attached to a pole barn house. If your garage space is already figured into your pole barn square footage, it won’t be much cost. However, if you are adding another 400-600 square feet of space to your pole barn, plan on an additional cost of $40,000 when it is all said and done.
What Is The Life Expectancy Of A Pole Barn House?
A pole barn house can often outlast the traditional home. The life expectancy without any updating or renovations is 65 years.
Pole Barn House Cost Estimator
Take a look at the chart below to see the average costs per size of pole barn homes!
Interior Pole Barn Home Styles
If you are interested in seeing some of the interior options of your new pole barn house, check out our barndominium article.
Pole Barn Houses With Extreme Pole Buildings
If you are looking for a pole barn house in PA, NJ, MD, or VA, we would love to help. We have built thousands of pole barns over the last 20 years and have gained experience and knowledge of how to build them well. If you are interested in a pole barn house, just fill out the free pole barn quote form by clicking the button below! We look forward to hearing from you!
