What You Need to Know About Your Barndo Timeline

How Long Will the Actual Build Take?

One of the things excited homeowners always want to know about their project is: How long will it take? It is an important question to ask, of course, so you can make your plans. Will you hold off on selling your current house until the new one is complete? How will the timeline work with your lease if you rent? Will there be some gap time in between leaving your current home and moving into your new barndominium?


JJ of JJ’s Custom Builders, a builder of customized barndominiums, said that they tell their customers that it will take from three to six months from the time the ground is broken to the time they can move in. The timeline depends on a number of things such as how big the barndo is and the complexity of the building.If the building is a simple 1000 foot square home with a simple gable roof, the build will likely be closer to the three month mark. However if you upgrade to a 2000 square foot barndo, a home with twice the space, the time doesn’t automatically double. All of the same tradesmen still have to come through JJ said; it just adds a little bit of time to each person’s job. A 3-or-4000 square foot home will likely double the time to six months.


Building The Timeline

There are some features that will add time onto the project. With any feature you add on, like a wrap-around porch, or add up as in adding a second floor, time is added on. However these things will be included in the initial timeframe given.
In order to ensure that your timeline is realistic, it is important to be sure that you and the builder/contractor are on the same page. They need to know what level of quality components you are expecting, and every feature that you expect to be included in your home. The contract will be based on what the contractor believes you want. If, however, they think you are going for cheap materials to keep the cost down while you are expecting mid to high level of quality, this disconnect will likely result in disruption, time lost, perhaps money lost, unhappiness on your part as well as the builders’, and perhaps further ramifications such as loss of trust, lawsuits, and starting over with a new contractor.

Timeline Example. Courtesy of JJ’s Custom Builders

One common cause of lost time is indecision on the part of the homeowner. If the build is well underway and you decide you want more windows in the living room, that will add time on. If you decide after half the siding is done that you don’t like it, it is going to add on time to change it. One way this situation may be avoided is if you have a 3-D rendering created of your plan up front. This should help you to visualize and make better decisions during the planning stages. It is understandable that you want everything to be perfect, especially if you are creating a generational home that your children will inherit. Just know when you make these changes after the planning stage, time, it will add time on to the project.


Communication

Most people like to be kept up to date regarding what is happening on their house project. This is easy if the contractor has a portal on their website you can login to and see what is happening. That way you will get an update whenever you want and know if everything is moving along as it should; you can likely see when the electrician is coming and when the siding installers are scheduled, and every step along the way. If your builder does not have this software, you should set up a plan regarding how the project’s progress will be communicated to you. If the contractor says that he or she will call you if something goes wrong, you should still be able to call at least once a week to receive a progress report.
Timeline Disrupted
Some questions you should ask up front are what will happen if the timeline is not met? Who will pay for the extra labor time? Who will be responsible for your living expenses if your home is not move-in ready at the agreed-upon time?
Generally speaking, if the fault of a delay is solely the contractor’s, they will be on the hook for the extra time. However, in cases where you, the client, are responsible for the delay you are also likely to be held responsible for paying any extra labor costs and you should receive a revised timeline. Some delays cannot be laid at anyone’s door, such as natural disasters. In that case, the contractor will likely legally have the right to be allowed extra time to complete the task without it being considered a breach of contract. They may also be eligible for extra payments for labor. One way that some homeowners have resolved the issue of where to stay when delays happen, is moving an RV or tent onto the land and camping until the house is ready.

In Summary

It is very important that you work with a reputable builder. Do research online and see what people say about them. Talk to them and don’t be afraid to ask them if they can give you references of some of their recent clients. Builders who have good rapport with their clients may even take you to see a couple of the houses they built.
Start educating yourself a bit and thinking about what you really want in your new barndo.
Make a list of questions to ask and take it with you to see builders. Get answers to the important questions up front. Then ensure that everything is documented.
Don’t forget to enjoy the process. It’s not every day that you get to customize your own home.