Building a Barndominium in Washington | Best 2024 Guide

You should look into barndominiums if you are planning on building your dream home, but you’re held back by the expenses involved. Barndominiums are a type of alternative housing solution that has been growing in popularity among new homeowners in recent years due to their versatility and customizability while remaining reasonably priced. Building a barndominium in Washington could be ideal for actualizing your dream home.

Can You Build a Barndominium in Washington?

Yes! Barndominiums use fewer materials and are energy efficient. That is perfect for an environmentally friendly state like Washington. The state also features breathtaking outdoor scenery and state parks that are attractive to barndo enthusiasts. For design ideas and inspiration for your barndominium in Washington, you can check out our Facebook page, where we post barndominium content daily!

Washington Barndominiums Overview

Barndominium is a recent buzzword that has been non-existent in the not-so-distant past. Barndominiums are houses built from metal frames, sometimes wood, or a combination of both. In the past, barndominiums were barns transformed into living spaces. Today it is a term used to refer to houses that resemble barns on the outside. On the interior, however, they can have all the home necessities.

Take a look at our Barndominium 101 Guide to learn more about these kinds of houses.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages

• Energy Efficient – Metal buildings like barndos are great at retaining heat. Paired with good insulation like spray foam, they are also great at keeping heat outside in warmer climates. This means you don’t have to spend as much on heating and cooling your home. 
• Low Cost – Barndominiums cost less than traditional houses. This is because they use fewer materials and are a lot easier to build. You can also go the DIY route and do the building yourself. This significantly lowers the cost.
• Quick to build – Barndos generally take half the time to build compared to traditionally built houses. The initial framing could be done in weeks with metal frames erected on a concrete slab.

Disadvantages

• Limited Exterior Options – Some folks give importance to aesthetics more than others. To those people, the barn-like appearance of barndos might be a turn-off. However, there are creative ways to work around this. You can browse through our Pinterest page for ideas.
• Difficult to Finance – Due to not technically being considered houses, most financing institutions might be reluctant to finance barndominiums. This is because there is insufficient market data to determine the property’s market value. 

Regulations

For safety and integrity, regulations are established to ensure buildings are constructed according to standards. The state follows The Washington State Building Code. It is made up of several codes that were national model codes adopted and amended at the state level. Local builders can assist you with getting permits. Otherwise, be sure to reach out to a local authority. 

Taxes 

In Washington, all real and personal property is subject to tax unless exempted by law. Barndominium tax rates throughout the state vary as many factors determine tax rates. All counties revalue properties each year. Physical inspections are required every six years. Contact your local county assessor’s office for questions about your rates and tax exemptions.

Insurance

There are always risks of property damage for whatever reasons, like weather and accidents. Being covered with barndominium insurance is important to protect your property. The common of loss in Washington are floods, fires, and storms. Make sure this is covered in your insurance policy.  

Financing

Financing institutions are helpful when you want to alleviate the cost of building a new home. Finding lenders willing to help you finance a barndominium is a little challenging. As such, refrain from using the term barndominium on your application. Here are financing institutions you can reach out to.

Farm Plus Financial Inc. 

Farm Plus Financial is no stranger to providing lending services to Washington state’s agricultural and residential needs. This makes them a great choice in financing your barndo.

WaFd Bank

WaFd Bank is a regional bank dedicated to helping people looking to get barndominium financing and other farm projects. 

Builders

The builders you will hire are one of the most crucial decisions in a construction project because it can mean the difference in how your barndo will turn out. Go for builders with a proven track record of constructing barndominiums. You can ask around for reviews of the best builders near you in our Facebook group. Below are some of our recommendations. 

Solid Structures

Solid Structures have built over 1,500 pole buildings. With that experience, they can promise you buildings of the highest quality constructed in a timely manner.

Spane

They can make your dream house a reality with their team of designers and builders. They also have a wide selection of customizable styles and floor plans.

Quality Structures One, Inc.

This family-owned company has been doing business for 40 years. They have extensive construction industry knowledge and live up to their name by building quality barndominiums for their clients.

For more recommendations, we listed barndominium builders who can service most states in the US.

Kit Providers 

Purchasing a prefabricated kit and going DIY with the building is a great option if you have the skills and manpower to do so. This would significantly lower your costs as you no longer have to pay for labor. Below are the kit providers we recommend. 

Back Forty Building Co.

If you need help designing your custom kit, Back Forty Building Co. would be happy to help. You can also choose from their stock plans.

General Steel Buildings

General Steel is among the leading suppliers of barndominium kits in the country. They can help you on every step of your barndo project, including designing and manufacturing your kit.

Absolute Steel

Absolute Steel has sold a variety of metal building kits all over Washington, including barndominium kits. They offer easy-to-assemble prefabricated kits that are designed for DIY projects.

If you wish to broaden your search, we have listed more barndominium kit providers that can ship to almost all states.

Cost

The average cost of a home in Washington can vary per area. However, the average price per square foot of traditional houses listed in Washington is $304. Barndominium prices have rough estimates as there are a lot of factors to consider. This includes design complexity, the size of the home, and labor costs. The estimated cost of a barndominium in Spokane, Washington, is $66 to $75 per square foot. This, however, does not include the price of the land. To get a close estimate of your barndo cost, check out our barndominium cost calculator.

Where Can You Build a Barndo in Washington?

Many areas in the state are worthy of calling home. Washington state offers its residents beautiful natural sceneries from the coast to Mt. Rainier. Bellevue, Bellingham, and Redmond are great places to consider when planning your barndo build. These places have excellent outdoor opportunities that are perfect for a barndo.

 Things to Consider Before Building a Barndominium in Washington

Lifestyle

Your lifestyle is to be considered when you are planning your barndo build. This would dictate what you would need your house to have. Do you need a room for a workshop, a garage, or a studio? These need to be part of the plan as changes would mean unexpected expenses.

Barndo style

The style of your barndominium is something to consider as well. What aesthetic for both exterior and interior would you prefer? What kind of interior design theme would you go for? This should be planned out.

Floor plans

What floor plans are you considering? Would you like to customize a floor plan? Would you prefer open floor plans? If this is something you haven’t thought of yet, you can take a look at our barndominium floor plans. 

Is it Worth Building a Barndo in Washington?

Yes. Building a barndominium in the Evergreen state is perfect for first-time homeowners who want to customize their homes. The pros of barndos simply outweigh the cons. 

For you to have an idea about what to expect in this journey, check out the process of building a barndominium.