Guide
Barndominium cost in North and East Texas
What a barndominium costs per square foot by finish level in DFW and East Texas, what the land costs on top of it, and where people get their budgets wrong.
Barndominiums
Barndominiums in North and East Texas
Open floor plans, high ceilings, attached shops, garage bays, covered porches. Every one is custom. Same engineering and same standard as the commercial work we do during the week.
Before anything else
The number that ruins budgets is the one nobody quotes
Not included in any number we quote. On rural East Texas land these routinely add $30,000 to $100,000 or more before we pour anything.
- Land
- Well or water tap
- Septic system or sewer tap
- Utility extension to the site
- Driveway and culvert
- Land clearing beyond one acre
- Rock excavation
- Retaining walls
- Detention and drainage improvements
- Impact and development fees
- Furniture, fixtures and equipment
What a barndominium actually is
A house with a steel frame instead of wood. That is the whole idea.
Inside, it has drywall, insulation, HVAC, plumbing, cabinets and flooring like any other house. It gets inspected like any other house. It is financed and insured like any other house, with a few lender quirks worth knowing about up front.
What is different is the shell. Clear span framing means you can put walls wherever the plan wants them instead of wherever the structure allows. It goes up faster. It does not rot or feed termites. And you can hang a 30-foot shop with three garage bays off the end of it for a fraction of what finished space costs.
What it is not
It is not a metal shed with a bed in it. It is not automatically cheap. And it is not a shortcut around engineering, permits or a real foundation. A barndo built on a slab that was not designed for the soil will crack the same as anything else.
What they look like
Pricing by finish level
| Finish level | What it is | Per SF |
|---|---|---|
| Shell, dried in | Slab, frame, roof, wall panels, windows, exterior doors. No interior. | $62 - $78 |
| Basic finish | Spray foam, HVAC, standard cabinets, LVP flooring, builder-grade fixtures. | $118 - $138 |
| Mid finish | Quality cabinets, mixed flooring, upgraded fixtures and trim. | $145 - $172 |
| High finish | Custom cabinets, stone counters, premium fixtures, custom features. | $185 - $225 |
Under 2,500 SF, add 10 percent. Fixed costs do not shrink with the house. Attached shop or garage space runs $48 - $62 per SF.
What the finish levels actually buy
| Item | Basic | Mid | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabinets and countertops | $18,000 | $34,000 | $62,000+ |
| Flooring | $5/SF | $9/SF | $16/SF |
| Plumbing fixtures | $6,000 | $12,000 | $25,000+ |
| Appliances | $7,000 | $14,000 | $30,000+ |
| Lighting and electrical trim | $5,000 | $9,000 | $18,000+ |
Examples of finishes
Timeline
1 to 2 months
Design and engineering
Plan, structural, foundation design, soils if needed.
1 to 2 months
Permits and site work
Submittal, approval, clearing, pad, utilities, septic.
1 to 2 months
Shell and dry-in
Slab, frame, roof, panels, windows, exterior doors.
3 to 5 months
Interior finish
Insulation, MEP rough, drywall, cabinets, flooring, trim.
Is this a fit
We're probably not your builder if
- You need a repair or a service call.
- You're looking at a shed, a carport, or a kit.
- You want the steel dropped and nothing else.
We're a fit if
- You're building a 2,000 SF or larger home on your land.
- You want one contractor from slab to final finish.
Questions
- What does a barndominium cost per square foot in Texas?
- A finished barndominium runs $118 - $225 per square foot of living area depending on finish level. A dried-in shell runs $62 - $78 per square foot. Under 2,500 SF, add about 10 percent, because fixed costs do not shrink with the house.
- What is not included in that number?
- Land, well or water tap, septic or sewer tap, utility extension to the site, driveway and culvert, clearing beyond one acre, rock excavation, retaining walls, drainage improvements and impact fees. On rural land these routinely add $30,000 to $100,000 or more before we pour.
- Is a barndominium cheaper than a stick-built house?
- At mid-range finish, usually 10 to 25 percent less per square foot than a comparable stick-built house in the same county. The savings come from the shell and the open plan. At premium finish the gap mostly disappears, because cabinets and stone cost the same regardless of what is holding up the roof.
- Can I finance a barndominium?
- Yes, though it works differently from a conventional mortgage. Most people use a construction-to-permanent loan through a local bank that has done barndos before, or a USDA rural development loan if the property qualifies. Appraisals can be the sticking point in areas without recent comparable sales, so line up your lender before you finalize a plan.
- How long does a barndominium take to build?
- Plan seven to eleven months from signed contract to move-in on a typical build. Design and engineering is one to two months, permitting and site work one to two, shell and dry-in one to two, and interior finish three to five.
- What is the smallest home you will build?
- 2,000 SF of living area. Below that the fixed costs make our price uncompetitive and you are better served by a kit and a local finish crew.
- Can I have a shop attached?
- Yes, and most people do. Unfinished attached shop or garage space runs $48 - $62 per square foot, well under living area cost, because it has no interior finish, no HVAC in most cases, and a simpler slab.
- Do you build on my land anywhere in East Texas?
- Anywhere in Dallas-Fort Worth or East Texas. Distance is not what decides whether we take a job, size is. What does change by location is the permitting authority, the soil, and whether the county enforces a residential code at all.
- Will a barndominium hold its value?
- In rural Texas markets where barndos are common, yes, they appraise and resell in line with comparable homes. In neighborhoods where they are unusual, appraisals can lag. That is a market question worth asking a local agent before you commit, not a construction question.
- Do you do shell only?
- Yes. A dried-in shell is a legitimate path if you have trades of your own or plan to finish it in phases. We will tell you honestly whether your plan for finishing it is realistic before we take the job.
Read before you buy
Guide
Barndominium financing in Texas
How construction-to-permanent loans work for a Texas barndominium, why appraisals are the sticking point, and what a lender wants to see before they fund.
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