Learn More About the Home Style Sweeping The Country

Thinking about building a barndominium but not sure where to start? You're not alone. Every day, people visit My Barndo Plans with questions like:

What is a barndominium?
How is it different from a regular house?
Can I get a loan for one?
How do your kits and plans actually work?

Let’s break it all down.

What Is a Barndominium?

A barndominium (or barndo for short) is a home built using Post Frame Construction, Metal Framing, or SIPs, usually Red Iron Steel, Cold-Formed Steel, or Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs). These aren’t barns turned into houses, they’re new construction homes built to look like modern farmhouses or rugged shop homes.

They’re faster to build, stronger than stick-built homes, and often more affordable.

At My Barndo Plans, we sell floor plans and home kits to help you build the home you want — engineered, customizable, and ready to ship across the U.S.

Barndo vs. Traditional Home

What’s different?

Feature	Barndominium	Traditional Home
Structure	Steel Frame or SIPs	Wood Framing
Build Speed	Faster	Slower
Cost	Often Lower	Can Be Higher
Interior	Open Layouts, High Ceilings	Standard Rooms
Exterior	Metal Siding/Roofing, Hardie Plank	Brick, Stucco, etc.

In plain English: Barndos are tough, efficient, and easier to customize. They don’t come with wasted space or extra fluff. Just brilliant, solid design.

Can I Finance a Barndo?

Yes, but not all lenders understand barndominiums.

We’ve seen clients get loans using:

Construction Loans (then convert to mortgage)
DSCR Loans (for rentals)
Conventional Financing with appraisals based on engineered plans

Need help? We’ve worked with lenders who know how to finance barndos. Reach out and we’ll point you in the right direction.

What Comes in a Kit?

We offer multiple kit types:

Red Iron Steel Kits - I-Beam frame, ready for weld-up with some on-site fabrication
Cold Formed Steel Kits - Bolt-together cold-formed steel framing, Zip System wall sheathing, roof decking, siding, roofing, interior framing, windows, and exterior doors.
SIPs Kits - Energy efficient, fast to build - a lot of the work done in the factory. 2.5x stronger than stick-built. Includes insulated structure, internal framing, house wrap, siding, roofing, windows, and exterior doors.

All kits are engineered for your ZIP code and CAN include stamped drawings. Most of our clients start with a plan and then get a kit matched to that layout.

Structure	Red Iron	Cold Formed Steel	SIPs
Internal Framing	Not Included	Included	Included (integrated into panel)
Windows	Not Included	Included	Included
Exterior Doors	Not Included	Included	Included
Best For	Wide Open Spaces, Clean Look, Larger Spans	DIY Builds, Fast Assembly, Smaller Homes	Energy Efficiency, Large Spans, Speed, Modern Homes, Resale Value

Why My Barndo Plans?

We don’t just sell paper. We help people build real homes.

✅ Plans designed to be built
✅ Kits engineered to code
✅ Support before and after you buy
✅ Built-in cost efficiency
✅ Barndos going up in 20+ states

We know what it takes to get a barndo off paper and onto your land — because we’ve done it, over and over.

Common Questions

Can I customize your plans?
Yes. Most clients tweak layouts or finishes.

Do I need a kit to use your plans?
No, but our kits make it easier to build.

Will my local builder understand barndos?
If they’ve built a house, they can build a barndo. We provide engineered plans and support.

How long does it take to build?
Many barndos are dried-in in under 2 weeks using steel kits. The full move-in ready timeline depends on your contractor.