Building a Barndominium in Tennessee | Best 2024 Guide

Barndominiums have been steadily gaining popularity across the country. If you are a person who is quite particular about your living space, you may have thought of building a custom home with every nook and cranny designed to your specifications. However, as with most people, you might have been put off by the huge expenses involved in such a project; this is why barndominiums are becoming a booming trend. This article will look into the logistics of building a barndo in Tennessee.

Can You Build a Barndominium in Tennessee?

You definitely can! Most of the land in Tennessee is considered rural; hence, many people are looking into building their homes in the state. With Tennessee’s vast open land and the ever-growing interest in barndo living, it is no wonder why barndominiums have become one of the top choices for people looking to build a custom home. 

If you are looking for inspiration and ideas on your future barndo build, you can follow our Facebook page, where new content is posted daily. You might also be interested in getting to know other barndominium owners for more information about barndo living. You are welcome to join our Facebook Group to be part of a community of current and spiring barndo owners and get a lot of helpful insight on the barndominium lifestyle.

Tennessee Barndominiums Overview

With the promise of being a low-cost housing alternative while being highly customizable, barndominiums are all the rage. What is a barndominium? Today’s barndominiums are defined as barn-type structures built on steel or post frame, sometimes both. The exterior aesthetic has the features of a barn; however, they are equipped with all the amenities of modern homes.

Tennessee is known for its country music, forgiving taxes, and low cost of living. There is much to be said about how the barndo lifestyle perfectly fits in the state. Barndo living in an area with so much to offer is undoubtedly an excellent idea. To learn more about how barndo living can provide much value to you, your family, and your business, check out our Ultimate Barndominium Guide, where we compiled everything you need to know about barndos in one convenient place.

Advantages and Disadvantages

We have covered some reasons why people in Tennessee would choose to live in barndominiums. Let us look into some of the advantages and disadvantages of barndo living. 

Advantages

• Quick to build – Barndominiums are known for being quick to erect. They generally take half the time to build compared to traditional homes. This is because barndos are made of metal frames and pre-fabricated materials. 
• Versatile – More than just a home, you can make space for other purposes. Perhaps you would want a workshop, an office space, a room for storage, or even just a space for your hobbies. 
• Easily customizable – Barndominium homes can be easily customized as the main standing structure is independent of whatever partitions or wall placements you choose in the interior. 
• Cost-effective – One of the main advantages of barndominiums is that they cost lower than traditional houses. With cheap, ready-made materials in Tennessee, you are guaranteed that barndos are less expensive. 
• Robust and easy to maintain – The durability of barndominiums is a huge advantage for Tennessee’s occasional harsh weather. You can save on potential maintenance costs due to barndos being built with materials that are resilient to things like mold, rot, and pests. 
• Energy efficient – Due to barndos being cladded mainly with corrugated metal sheets, they are excellent in regulating temperature when paired with suitable insulating material. By staying cool in the summer and warm in the winter, you wouldn’t have to spend a lot on cooling and heating your home.

Disadvantages

• Limited financing options – Generally, lenders prefer to finance traditional homes rather than unique housing alternatives like barndominiums. As a result, you may have to put more work into getting help with financing. 
• Restrictions in zoning – Looking for a location to build your barndominium in Tennessee may be challenging. Due to zoning regulations, building barndos in city centers might not be allowed. 
• Not easy to sell – Since barndos are custom-made to your preference, this may be challenging when trying to sell your home. Additionally, even though barndominiums are gaining popularity, it is still a pretty niche market. 

Regulations

There are several regulations to keep in mind when building a home in Tennessee. Once every two years, a property owner who is not a licensed contractor may build a single home for their private use, provided that it is not for resale, lease, or rent.

To acquire building permits, here is a list of Issuing Agents authorized by the state to issue permits. Permits may also be here. We highly advise consulting a contractor in Tennessee to ensure adherence to all necessary regulations.

Taxes 

It is well known that taxes vary from state to state and barndominium taxes aren’t any different. Barndominiums may be taxed differently, even if located in the same state. This is because a house will be taxed according to the purpose of each area. For example, your living space will be taxed differently compared to a space for a workshop.  It is always best to consult an expert tax assessor in Tennessee when looking into taxation to ensure the accuracy of the amount payable. 

Insurance

Since this construction project is a significant investment, it must be protected by barndominium insurance. There are several factors that would affect insurance premium payments. For example, insurance rates in Tennessee can be more expensive due to area-specific threats such as weather, wind and hail storms, tornadoes, floods, and wildfires. It is also necessary to cover the different areas of your barndo separately, such as the living and business areas of the house. The average cost of home insurance in Tennessee is $2,033 annually ($169 per month).

The factors affecting the insurance premium are not limited to the ones mentioned above. It would be best to have a professional insurer to make sure you go over all the necessary clauses to cover your barndominium in Tennessee fully.

Financing

Building your dream home involves massive financial firepower, which could cause stress when managing this project. This is where barndominium financing comes in. Securing adequate funding with a trusted institution is vital in assisting you with the financial burden of this undertaking. Below are the top recommendations for financing a barndominium in Tennessee.

First Century Bank

Located in Maryville, TN, First Century Bank is one of Tennessee’s top recommendations among barndo owners. They also have an office in Knoxville. This bank has a good reputation in financing barndo projects.

Farm Credit

Farm Credit supports rural communities and can help you finance your barndominium in Tennessee. They have also been suggested multiple times by barndo owners in the state.

Builders

The next item on the check box is finding a builder to help you build your dream home. The builders you select must be experienced in barndominium construction. Additionally, you need to look at reviews from past clients. Builders can also help you with other tasks, such as acquiring building permits and planning to take this project off the ground. Below is a list of builders we recommend.

Tennessee Barndominium Pros

This group of professionals focuses on creating unique metal frame homes. They are known for providing a wide range of exceptional services and can handle any size of residential or commercial construction.

Midsouth Barndominiums

Located in the beautiful state of Tennessee, their knowledgeable team is ready to assist you in creating the barndominium of your dreams. 

National Barn Company

Since 1992, the National Barn Company has built more than 18,000 structures across 27 states. The National Barn Company is a full-service company that offers customers construction, building kits, and custom building designs. 

Compass Construction Services

If you are planning to build your barndominium in Blountville or Johnson City, TN, Compass Construction Services LLC is capable of building guest houses and barndominiums from the ground to completion. 

Summertown Metals

Summertown Metals’ crew of pros will be available to help you plan and construct a lovely structure at a reasonable price, whether you’re building a residential, commercial, or agricultural property.

Barn Depot Trading

They have built a solid reputation for assisting their clients in building the barn homes of their dreams. They ensure that your opinion is considered at every stage, from the first ideas to the finishing touches.

We have also collated a bunch of barndominium builders that mostly build across the US, including Tennessee. They have lots of branches, and you should be able to find one near you.

Kit Providers 

Like any other endeavor, going the DIY route is cost-effective and provides more customization. There are numerous kit options available in different sizes, designs, and floor plans from the barndo kit providers listed below.

National Barn Company

National Barn Company provides kits to future homeowners and specializes in providing a complete building solution, from concept to finished construction.

Buildmax

Buildmax boasts thousands of kit designs. If you want a custom kit, they promise to create your new house plans entirely from scratch in as little as ten days.

To explore more options, we have compiled a list of the best barndominium kit providers in the country that can build and ship to most states. There is a vast selection to choose from, and we put it all in one place for you, so make sure to check it out.

Cost

The price to build a barndominium includes the various factors we discussed. According to Redfin, an average traditional house in Tennessee costs $198 per square foot. Barndos, on the other hand, range from $62 to $71 per square foot. Keep in mind that these are estimates and not exact figures. Our barndominium cost calculator can also help you determine the cost of building a barndo in Tennessee. 

Where Can You Build a Barndo in Tennessee?

The location where to build a barndo is a personal choice that may involve having a lot to factor in. Barndo owners tend to favor open spaces with more portions of land between their houses and the neighbors. However, you have to consider logistics in building your house, so you need to check with your contractor if they wouldn’t have any problem with the location of the building. The good thing is that there is a lot to choose from in Tennessee, so you are sure to find a plot of land to build your dream home on.

Things to Consider Before Building a Barndominium in Tennessee

An investment as significant as building a house requires careful deliberation before starting. Below is an outline of questions you should consider before starting your build.

Have you carefully thought out about the location?

Will the location of your home improve your quality of life? How about your family? Location is a huge factor and something that must be thoroughly thought of. 

What will your life be like in the next ten years?

Barndominiums are long-term investments. You have to make sure the living space and all other spaces support your lifestyle in the long term. Will you be adding another member to your family? Do you plan to build a single-story or a two-story home? Will your family enjoy country-style living?

Have you decided on a floor plan?

There are several floor plans to choose from. However, you must consider every detail when laying out the interior of your home. How spaces are partitioned and arranged cannot be done in haste.

While thinking of barndo inspiration, take a look at our Pinterest account and see alternative ideas that might spark new ideas of your own. The beauty of barndos is that they can be built according to your preference.

Is it Worth Building a Barndo in Tennessee?

Absolutely! Building your dream barndominium home in Tennessee has much potential to add significant value to your life. The barndo lifestyle in a state with so much to offer is hard to say no to, especially for barndominiums with so many possibilities of customization. Go ahead and take a look at this huge selection of floor plans to understand what is possible. Additionally, we also have various suggestions for your barndo exterior. When you finally decide to build a barndo in Tennessee, you can check out the process of building a barndominium, where the stages of construction are laid out from the ground up. So what are you waiting for? The world of barndo living is waiting for you!