Barndominium/Shop or "real" House?

[MossRoad]

Equals stairs.

But it sounds like stairs doesn't bother the OP.

Stairs that you don't have to climb on a daily basis VS stairs you have to use multiple times per day. Big difference.

 

[ovrszd]

This is very true.

The attached renders is what I had in mind when I first designed the ICF house. I soon realized all the "fancy" stuff like natural stone veneer, clear span floor diaphragm via the floor trusses etc, caused the build cost to skyrocket. The faux A-Frame was another feature that cause builders to freak out. So I'm thinking, be it ICF or stick frame, that design while only being 1243 sq-ft is very expensive to build due to the way I designed the home. So I'm very curious to hear what this latest builder has to say for the build cost of that design. I've only had one builder give me an estimate on that ICF design and he came in at $460/sq-ft! All the other builders at the time no-quoted the build...

We were lucky to get ours built before things started going up. I'm going to guess that our cost would be double today. So $240/sq-ft for the house and $80/sq-ft for the shop.

I did all of the outside dirt work, buried all the services and wired both buildings to try to cut some cost.

Since our shop was going to be all weather on a heated concrete floor the builder said he could do it stick built a little cheaper than pole barn design.

 

[MossRoad]

Plus in my state basements are not taxable square footage.

Well, kinda. If you finish the basement off, or a portion of it, it might. You can't put bedrooms down there either, unless there's egress windows for fire escape. Once you do that, then it's taxable, at least here it is. Your location may not.

 

[tom3]

For that taxing rate I'd build the big garage and put a house trailer behind it under a car port type deal. Trailer taxes are dirt cheap (in my area). If I won a lottery at some point then I'd build a nice house beside it.

 

[ovrszd]

Stairs that you don't have to climb on a daily basis VS stairs you have to use multiple times per day. Big difference.

Then we get into cost effectiveness. What's a basement or upstairs worth that you don't need regularly?

 

[MossRoad]

Stairs do not bother me no. My father just passed away at 88 years of age and used stairs to the end.

Now that doesn't mean I won't have issues at that age.

I guess I should also say I am a life long bachelor and plan to stay that way. I suppose the Barndominium design reflects that more than the ICF design.

Ahhh, that changes some things.

I've told my kids if anything happens to their mom, death or divorce, they can find me living on our remote property in a shipping container with an old orange cat!

 

[ETD66SS]

We were lucky to get ours built before things started going up. I'm going to guess that our cost would be double today. So $240/sq-ft for the house and $80/sq-ft for the shop.

I did all of the outside dirt work, buried all the services and wired both buildings to try to cut some cost.

Since our shop was going to be all weather on a heated concrete floor the builder said he could do it stick built a little cheaper than pole barn design.

My shop design has 18ft walls partly due to needing the headroom in the second story living space, but also due to my desire to have a bridge crane. Most of the builders are recommending 4 ply 2X6 columns, one of them recommending 3 ply 2X8 columns. None of them said stick frame, maybe due to wall height...

 

[ETD66SS]

Well, kinda. If you finish the basement off, or a portion of it, it might. You can't put bedrooms down there either, unless there's egress windows for fire escape. Once you do that, then it's taxable, at least here it is. Your location may not.

Actually, in my state the basement egress window is now required whether or not the basement is ever finished.

 

[MossRoad]

Then we get into cost effectiveness. What's a basement or upstairs worth that you don't need regularly?

The cost is minimal for a basement VS a crawl space. I'm guessing in NY you have to put in a foundation that's below frost level. That'll be around 4' deep. I'm also guessing you have to put in a concreted floor with radon remediation. At the least, a vapor barrier would be required. The only added cost at that point is an additional 4-5' of concrete wall and maybe a 3-4" floor. It's very cost effective to basically add an additional footprint the same size as the 1st floor.

 

[ovrszd]

My shop design has 18ft walls partly due to needing the headroom in the second story living space, but also due to my desire to have a bridge crane. Most of the builders are recommending 4 ply 2X6 columns, one of them recommending 3 ply 2X8 columns. None of them said stick frame, maybe due to wall height...

Probably. My shop is 14ft eaves. My Son's shop is 16ft eaves, stick built.

I can't evaluate 18ft, no experience at that height. I'd surely listen to the builders in that regard!!!