The barndominium has grown from a regional building trend into a nationally recognized housing category that appeals to homeowners seeking space, flexibility, and cost efficiency. At 1,474 square feet with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a five-car garage sized for recreational vehicles, this country-style barndominium demonstrates how agricultural building forms can translate into comfortable residential living. Country craftsman house plans with verandas share a similar rural aesthetic, but the barndominium offers distinct advantages in construction speed and garage integration. The brick exterior, gable rooflines, and wraparound porch bordered by brick base pillars give this plan a traditional farmhouse character that belies its efficient metal-building construction core.
The Barndominium Concept: Rural Versatility Meets Modern Comfort
A barndominium combines a residential living space with a large shop or garage under a single roof structure. The building form evolved from the practical need to house equipment and livestock alongside living quarters on rural properties. Modern barndominiums shed the agricultural associations while keeping the structural efficiency of post-frame or steel-frame construction. Single-story country craftsman plans with lodge rooms follow a similar philosophy of combining living and utility spaces, but the barndominium typically offers larger uninterrupted floor plates suitable for vehicle storage and workshop activities.
Construction Methods and Cost Comparison
Barndominiums are built using either post-frame (pole barn) or steel-frame construction. Each method has distinct cost and performance profiles:
| Construction Method | Cost per Square Foot | Typical Span | Insulation Method | Construction Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Post-frame (pole barn) | $80 – $120 | 40 – 60 ft clear span | Spray foam between posts | 8 – 12 weeks |
| Steel-frame | $100 – $150 | 40 – 80 ft clear span | Insulated metal panels | 10 – 16 weeks |
| Conventional stick-frame | $130 – $180 | 20 – 30 ft clear span | Fiberglass batts | 16 – 24 weeks |
The brick exterior cladding on this barndominium represents a departure from the metal siding typically associated with the category. Adding a brick veneer to a post-frame or steel building requires a foundation ledge and wall ties at 16-inch intervals, adding 20 to 30 percent to the exterior wall cost compared to metal siding. The result gives the structure a permanent, traditional appearance that blends well with rural settings.
Foundation Requirements for Post-Frame Construction
Post-frame barndominiums use treated wood columns embedded in the ground or set on concrete piers. Column spacing of 8 to 12 feet transfers roof and wall loads directly to the foundation. For a building with a brick veneer, a continuous concrete footing at least 8 inches wide and 12 inches deep must support the brick weight, while interior columns carry the structural load independently. Frost depth in colder climates requires pier depths of 36 to 48 inches below grade.
Open-Concept Main Level with Integrated Garage Space
The main level of this 1,474-square-foot barndominium is divided between an open-concept living area and a massive five-car garage. The combined living room and kitchen features a prep island with oversized sliding glass doors that create seamless indoor-outdoor living. This configuration puts 100 percent of the living space on one level, making the floor plan accessible without stairs.
Living Area Dimensions and Layout
The open-concept living space in this barndominium covers approximately 700 to 800 square feet. Within this area, the kitchen, dining, and living functions are defined by furniture placement and ceiling treatment rather than walls.
- Kitchen zone: 12 ft x 14 ft with prep island in the center, clear aisle of 42 inches on all sides
- Dining zone: 10 ft x 12 ft adjacent to sliding glass doors for outdoor dining access
- Living zone: 14 ft x 18 ft oriented toward the garage or exterior wall for windows
- Prep island: minimum 6 ft x 3 ft with overhang for 3 stools, counter-depth sink and dishwasher
Oversized sliding glass doors in the living area present both an opportunity and a structural consideration. Door panels measuring 8 to 12 feet wide require reinforced headers capable of supporting roof loads above the opening. A typical header for a 12-foot opening in a post-frame building uses a triple 2×12 or a 5×12 engineered beam, with bearing at each end extending onto the posts or cripple studs.
Summer Kitchen and Wraparound Porch Design
The covered wraparound porch includes a summer kitchen, making outdoor cooking and entertaining a central feature of the floor plan. The porch, bordered by brick base pillars, wraps around the front and side of the barndominium to provide shaded circulation and multiple outdoor seating zones. Farmhouse plans with bonus rooms often include covered porches as well, but the integration of a dedicated summer kitchen takes this outdoor space from decorative to functional.
A summer kitchen installation on a wraparound porch must address several code and practical requirements:
- A gas grill or cooktop requires a dedicated natural gas or propane line run underground to the porch location
- A sink requires hot and cold water supply lines with a drain line that connects to the home’s DWV system
- A minimum 30-inch clearance around cooking appliances for fire safety
- A fire-rated ceiling assembly under the porch roof when cooking appliances produce grease-laden vapors
- A ventilation hood rated for outdoor use, ducted to the exterior, with a minimum 400 CFM rating
Porch Structural Design and Pillar Construction
The brick base pillars supporting the porch roof must be designed for lateral wind loads and vertical roof loads. A typical brick pillar on a wraparound porch is constructed as a 16-inch by 16-inch column with a hollow center, reinforced with vertical rebar and filled with grout. The brick wythe is bonded to the core with metal ties at 16-inch intervals vertically and 24-inch intervals horizontally. The porch roof, typically a shed or gable configuration matching the main roofline, slopes at 3:12 or 4:12 and ties into the main structure at the wall ledger.
Main-Level Bedroom and Second-Story Guest Suite
The main-level bedroom sits at the back of the plan, equipped with a walk-in closet and an ensuite full bath. This bedroom placement works well as a primary suite for the homeowners, keeping all daily living functions on one level. The second bedroom lies upstairs with its own bathroom, making it suitable for guests, older children, or a home office that benefits from separation from the main living area. Barndominium floor plans with four-season rooms similarly balance private and shared zones under one roof.
Ensuite Bathroom Plumbing Rough-In
A full bathroom on the main level requires three drain connections: a 1.5-inch line for the sink, a 1.5-inch line for the shower or tub, and a 3-inch line for the toilet. All three connect to a 3-inch or 4-inch main drain line that slopes at 1/4 inch per foot toward the septic system or municipal connection. Wet wall placement directly behind the bathroom group minimizes pipe runs and reduces the number of 90-degree turns, improving drainage velocity and reducing clog risk.
| Bathroom Fixture | Drain Line Size | Water Supply | Minimum Vent Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toilet | 3 inch | 1/2 inch | 2 inch |
| Shower | 2 inch | 1/2 inch (hot and cold) | 1.5 inch |
| Lavatory sink | 1.25 – 1.5 inch | 3/8 inch (hot and cold) | 1.25 inch |
RV Garage Configurations and Storage Solutions
The five-car garage in this barndominium is its defining feature. At this size, the garage comfortably fits one or two recreational vehicles, several cars, a workshop area, and bulk storage. The 5-car designation typically means a garage door width of 16 to 18 feet for the RV bay plus standard 9- to 10-foot doors for vehicle access. Total garage square footage in a plan of this size is approximately 700 to 900 square feet.
RV Garage Door and Clearance Requirements
Accommodating recreational vehicles requires specific dimensional planning beyond standard garage design:
- Minimum garage door height: 14 feet for most RVs, 16 feet for taller motorhomes and fifth-wheel trailers
- Minimum garage door width: 14 feet for a single RV, 18 feet for larger coaches
- Minimum garage depth: 40 feet to accommodate a 30-foot RV plus bumper clearance and work space
- Steel or insulated commercial-grade door track rated for wind loads in the 100 to 140 mph range
- A 50-amp RV electrical hookup with a NEMA 14-50R receptacle for shore power connection
Garage floor drainage is a critical detail in RV storage spaces. RVs drip water, ice, and debris from their undercarriages, so the garage floor should slope at 1/8 to 1/4 inch per foot toward a floor drain connected to a drywell or the home’s drainage system. A floor trench drain spanning the full width of the garage door opening captures runoff before it reaches the driveway. Country craftsman plans with open-concept living address similar indoor-outdoor transitions but rarely need the heavy-duty drainage infrastructure that RV garages require.
The upper-level bedroom in the barndominium sits above the main living area, accessed by a staircase positioned to minimize conflict with the open-concept floor plan. Building codes require stair treads of at least 10 inches deep and risers no taller than 7.75 inches. For a 9-foot ceiling height on the main level, the staircase needs approximately 14 treads at 7.5 inches each, consuming about 12 feet of floor space. A guardrail at least 36 inches high is required on the open side of the stairs, with balusters spaced so that a 4-inch sphere cannot pass between them. Single-story ranch homes with open floor plans eliminate the staircase entirely, but the two-story barndominium configuration allows the compact 1,474-square-foot footprint to include dedicated private sleeping quarters without expanding the building’s ground coverage.