I am planning on having a house built, but I need some advice. I want a 1200-1500 sqft house with a 1500-2000 sqft shop. What is the most economical way to build this? One building? Two buildings and attach them with a carport? I want it to have very simple roof lines for economy and to reduce chances of leaks.

No advice to offer but following as I'm looking to do something similar.

I would think economically a Barndominium would make the most sense..

1 slab pour, 1 electrical plan, 1 plumbing plan, etc.

Think about the cost of the trades.

You want to have a bathroom in the shop and you're connecting it to the existing drain line to the residential area in a barndo. In a separate building the distance to tie in will be longer.

Electrical - separate structures would more than likely require burying a line between the house and shop. The barndo would be a run in the open cavity of the structure.

insert sarcasm emoji ------

Being alone in your shop in a separate building away from other people. priceless!

Agree. Single structure will be cheaper.

I browse this website occasionally to look at ideas for house plans.
They have some good barndominium ideas.

https://www.houseplans.net/

The build costs shared with me suggest strongly this:

House stick build conventionally w/low-no maintenance exteriors is most efficient with 1st-costs, energy costs, resell, lifestyle plan options and comfort dollars since "clear spans" not usually required.

Shop with clear spans best via Morton or Mueller prefabs, so long as an architect/engineer only provides the foundation (small builds might entertain pole-frame, then flatwork floors).

The only exception has been house+shop+garage over 7000sf forced into a rectagular shape does save money, even with an engineered foundation and NO curb appeal.

In the past, the metal blgds Paid for the over-eng steel framing by cutting foundation expenses to the bone. The consequencves of such led a neighbor city to require all metal buidings needing a loan MUST have an architect/engineered foundation.

search for the post in the Outdoors board by LocoGringo....It's a great follow from a couple of years ago where he details his building start to finish.

https://texags.com/forums/34/topics/2924403/replies/50957836

SA_Ag93 said:

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search for the post in the Outdoors board by CasaGringo....It's a great follow from a couple of years ago where he details his building start to finish.

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Trying to find this, but can only search within the past year.

Curb appeal and resale value are a non issue. I am single and it will be my forever home. I an not looking at getting a loan for this.

I'm currently building a 45'x80' two-story bardominium. I split it down the middle and one half is a house the other shop and garage. To me there were a number of benefits to going this route - one poured slab, combined plumbing and electrical, all my building materials are stored in a dried-in barn during house construction, barn on West side to block heat from setting sun, one roof to catch as much rainwater as possible, one trip out to spray foam entire structure. I've kept track of all my expenses but I can't say if it has saved me money because I'm not sure what it would have cost had I gone another route.

I did have a difficult time getting a construction loan because it was "non-traditional" construction and few similar structures locally to compare it to.

ElGoatarod said:

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I'm currently building a 45'x80' two-story bardominium. I split it down the middle and one half is a house the other shop and garage. To me there were a number of benefits to going this route - one poured slab, combined plumbing and electrical, all my building materials are stored in a dried-in barn during house construction, barn on West side to block heat from setting sun, one roof to catch as much rainwater as possible, one trip out to spray foam entire structure. I've kept track of all my expenses but I can't say if it has saved me money because I'm not sure what it would have cost had I gone another route.

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I'd be interested in knowing where you finish in terms of cost per square foot. I am wanting to do a 90'x100' with house in part of it and indoor basketball court/batting cage in the other part.

Was spray foam cheaper than doing the batt insulation with the white plastic backing?

I have heard that it is difficult to get financing. Were you able to get something in place?

Rural 1st (Farm Credit of America) is the solution for financing these rural structures. They will use similar structures from several hours away to go through underwriting. Single close with rate locked on day one.

I was able to secure financing. It took going to a few different local banks. The hang up for the banks was that the build was rural and what they considered non-traditional construction. The first two banks to shoot me down were willing to finance a barn OR a house, but not a Barndominium that was half house half barn.

My build will end up being 3600 sq.ft. of living space, 1800 sq. ft. of shop, and 1500 sq. ft. of covered porch.

I intended to go spray foam from the beginning so I did not even price batt insulation. I'm using open cell in the house portion and closed in the barn.