Used pole barn gotchas ?

[bcarwell]

I am looking at possibly purchasing a used pole barn and had a few questions. It can be found at ----->BARN FOR SALE<-------- and asking price is $5,000 (30x80 plus 10 ft overhang along the 80 and 20 ft overhang x 40 at end). Pipe and skin appears to be in fairly good shape.

Questions:
1) Sound like a reasonable price ?
2) What to watch for generally in buying pole barn being dismantled. My brother in law already warned to determine if they're just taking it down quick or to be re-assembly friendly. What should I try to get done in manner its being taken down ?
3) I'm assuming vertical poles will be cut off at slab. If they are to be embedded in new slab, the sides will have to be cut everywhere at bottom since they'll be too long. What's the work around ? Embed short poles in new slab maybe with a footing plate and having o.d. slightly smaller than i.d. of vertical poles and slide them onto the short poles and weld to plate ?
4) Best way to weld on new site with no electricity. Is amount of reassembly welding small enough that oxy-acet is feasible. Or would it make sense to buy a 5KW generator or so and a tombstone stick welder ? Or can I more feasibly fab whatever is needed (drilled plates, etc.) to connect trusses, etc. by bolting on site ?
5) Any suggestion on how to structure payment like in installments to insure the more careful disassembly initially doesn't turn into a hatchet job yet they've got all my money upfront ? They may not like committing to taking it down with only 1/3 up front.
As an aside, I plan on taking lots of pictures for reassembly. I also thought, given price of steel, I could make something smaller and sell off what's left. I put up a Metal Mart 30x30 and saw the price double inside of a year complements of the Chinese buying up steel.
Any other observations, tips ?

Thanks, Bob

 

[deereguy]

$5K sounds high to me, unless they dis-assemble and re-assemble on your level site. Are the skins nailed or screwed? If they dis-assemble, are they numbering pieces or just stacking them on provided trailer? I am not sure about the posts- I don't have knowledge on steel posts being reused for structures.

I would contact an attorney and draw up a contract on this purchase so each party knows what is expected and how payment will follow.

Good Luck!

 

[bcarwell]

They are just disassembling. Haven't discussed if he's numbering but good point and I'd plan on taking lots of pictures. And I'll check on how skins are attached. Horizontals are 2x4s between vertical posts and I believe are screwed but I'll look.

A little surprised you thought it was a little high, especially considering the 10x80 and 20x40 overhangs are in addition to the 30x80 building. I ran the numbers on equivalent pipe and skin figuring $1.50/ft. on pipe and $20 a skin panel (10x3) and it came to about $6500-$7000 and that's without any labor cutting, fashioning trusses from it, etc. (admittedly new). And I called Metal Mart and they are quoting $6,000 for just a 30x30 (and $15K for a 30x80 with no overhangs).

Anyway, I'll continue to investigate. Thanks for your input.

 

[tommu56]

what about pulling the pipes out of the ground and chipping concrete (if it's there) off
tom

 

[bcarwell]

I'll have to check but I think ALL of the posts are embedded in the slab, e.g. not just in holes filled with concrete. If true, I assume a jack hammer and alot of work would be required, but I need to ask the guy how he intended to get them out.

Bob

 

[rural2]

From the pics the "poles" look to be round metal tubing. If so, they probably have base plates at the bottom of the tubing and are anchored w/bolts or weld plates to a footing somewhere about bottom of slab elevation and surrounded with concrete from the slab pour. I wouldn't think they are just embedded in the dirt??? I would also think the seller will cut the tubing off at slab height unless the slab will be demoed as well??? I would be sure to ask about it in addition to the original or copies of erection drawings, slab plan, engineering specs/calcs, etc.! If drawings are not included I would seriously consider not purchasing. Do you need a building permit... Building inspections... Insurance... At any rate, you will probably want to re-assemble w/similar attachment method: Footings w/anchor bolts incorporated into the slab, at finish slab elevation, extend cut off tubing (not a preffered method) and anchor below finish slab elevation, pour concrete piers and anchor above finish slab elevation.
Hope this helps, good luck.
BTW, price doesn't sound bad to me if the structure is sound, not around here right now anyway!

 

[charlz]

Do you need a 'moving' permit from your county? Here you are required to get one when moving an existing structure.

 

[EddieWalker]

It's a big building for a good price, but I wouldn't touch it for half that amount, and probably wouldn't be interested even if it was free. I think the building has very little value and you are paying them their labor to get rid of it.

Old tin does not make for good buildings. It is very, very dificult to take off in good shape and then be able to install it so it won't leak. My guess is it's already in marginal condition and by the time it gets reused, it will be in worse shape.

The poles are only valuable if you get them full lenght. If you cut them off at the slab, what good are they? Will you weld plates to the bottom and bolt them to a slab? This will cost you more then just getting full length poles.

How is the rest of it put together? Most metal pole barns are welded together. Are they cutting it apart? If so, where will the cuts be? If they are not at the weld, then you will have allo of metal that needs to be rewelded at the worse place possible. Again, it would be cheaper to just buy new material then try to weld it all back together when cut in the middle, or just away from the ends.

Is this something that you plan on putting up yourself? Do you have to move it to your place after it's down?

My guess is that your $5,000 building will easily cost three times that by the time you get it done, if you ever get it built. Again, I'd walk away from it. If you have $5,000 to spend on a building plus all the other money you will need to build a pad, pour a foundation and have it built, then you can afford to buy new and avoid all the headaches of trying to build with old scrap that's in questionable condition.

Do a search here on "Moving Pole Barns", "Taking Down a Pole Barn", and "Building a Pole Barn". Also add some other variations to the search and spend some time reading up on some of the absolute disasters people have run into trying to do this. Some buildings are not meant to be moved. Some buildings are not meant to be re-built.

If you are serious about this and decide to go forward with it, then you can put the full amount in escrow that is held by a third party, (Lawyer) and only allow it to be paid out after the work is done to your satisfaction. Never, ever pay up front for work that is not done. Once they are paid, they lose interest in doing a good job, or taking the time to do it right.

Eddie

 

[ahvatsa]

I just had a 30x40 14' sloped to 13' roof with gutters and a 3000gal. holding tank (water storage)50x80 6" based (limestone) pad completed in Wilson Co. for 11K. Felux Metal (Poth, Tx) put it up in 2 days! They set the poles and showed with 7 welders/ workers and in 48 hrs. done. I am very impressed with the quality. A jeep Kubota m6040 and 30' motorhome FILLED IT! I built too small.

 

[RichNJKubota]

I'd price a new building in your area.
If you are going to put it back up yourself, why not use new materials?
From my point of view I might be interested if it were free. I suspect there will be many, many headaches and time delays in trying to use old used materials.
Do you need a building permit in your area? In that case the old materials and barn design may not meet current codes.